Missed the last train home due to late connection - had to spend night on platform

[Tom87]

I was on a journey from Oxford to Bangor, changing at Birmingham New Street, Crewe and Chester.

I haven't got the exact times to hand but basically the train was due to leave Oxford at 7:30pm ish and arrive in Bangor at 10:45pm. I had planned that, in the event of a train being late, there were still a further 2 trains to Bangor later that night so I shouldn't need to worry about not getting there.

Triain from Oxford was 1 1/2 hours late. As a result I missed all my connections and ended up missing the last train to north Wales. I had always thought that if you miss a train through no fault of your own (i.e. when an earlier train connection is delayed), and as a result you have no way of reaching your destination, the train company should pay for a taxi to take you there.

They refused to do this and I had no option (other than spending hundred of pounds on a taxi - money that I didn't have) but to stay at Chester station until the first train the next day at 5 something in the morning.

They refused to pay because they said the delay had been caused by a different company. Is this valid and do I have a reasonable case to take up with National Rail?

Thank you for any help.

[skbuncks]

Hi Tom,

I don't know if there is any law which says they must but having been in similar circumstances myself in the past they have always provided me with a taxi.

skb

[Bookworm]

I have asked DH who works for the railway, and he says that you need to take it up with the company which runs the train where the delay occurred, so the one from Oxford, whoever they are.

For future reference, he says what you should have done is get the train company in Bangor to phone the other company service centre to authorise payment for cab.

[Tom87]

Thank you for your replies and your advice.

I find that if you are on a journey using several different operators, they all blame each other and seem to deliberately make it impossible to hold them reponsible by simply blaming the other company!

I have also been in this situation a couple of times before, and every time, the company has allowed me to have a free taxi without hesitation. It was sad that it didn't happen this time, but I will take that action if it happens again (which I'm sure it will!).

Thanks again.

[68904]

After 27 years on the iron road, I would have gone into the Chester Station Supervisors Office and demand a taxi to Bangor.
We once were delayed on a flight from Dallas, TX to Chicago for a flight to London Stanstead.
When we got to the hub at Chicago we had missed our flight to London.
We were then put on a flight to Holland then one to London LHR.
Our lift was at 1030hrs at Stanstead we got our bags at LHR at 1330 and a taxi back to Lichfield.
If the yanks can do that I suspect that the railway company will if you stand upto them.In my experience it has always been a taxi will be provided.

68904