Great Western Coffee Shop

I hope this is the right place for this.

Back to using the trains regularly, doing a 4 day week commute from Taunton to Swindon.

I got caught up in the delays on Tuesday evening caused by a person being hit by a train between Bridgwater and Taunton, got home over two hours late.

Firstly, can I claim compensation for this? The incident was very much outside the railway’s control, I know the airlines don’t pay up when bad weather affects their operations. Seems in bad taste to be claiming in this situation but I may as well if I can.

Secondly, I bought the ticket through gwr.com, half the journey was on GWR but the train I was on that was affected by the delays was CrossCountry, who do I claim from? I had an anytime return ticket.

Thanks in advance

No, you're right, the railways won't pay out for delay iutside the railways control, such as fatalities such as the one on Tuesday evening.

If you could claim, you send your claim to te operator whose train you were on which was delayed, and they would sort the funding out with whoever created the delay

You sure about that Chris? I thought they did just like weather related issues are out of the railway's control.

I've made a conscious decision not to ever claim when i've been delayed due a fatality. It just doesn't seen right to in the circumstances, but that's a personal choice not to claim.

Thanks for the responses. Interestingly the CrossCountry DelayRepay page implies that they will pay compensation whatever the circumstances.

However, having thought about this, I really am not comfortable about claiming in the circumstances, so I won't.

Thanks

They won't pay out for delays owing to extreme weather either. Dawlish overtopping, for example.

Operators can always offer it though, if they wish. But it's discretionary.

I'm referring to GWR policy here. Those operating delay/repay, like XC, are obliged to pay regardless of cause though. So as the OP was on an XC train that was delayed, yes, they should pay out.

But with multiple operators on that route, I guess XC might ask for proof you were on one of their trains, such as a photo of your ticket with an XC train managers ticket punch mark.

Is that correct.  I'm not aware that the passenger has this extra evidential burden.

It also assumes that the ticket was actually checked between Taunton and Bristol

Generally are on XC in my experience

Misleading. We dont have one 'railway' when it comes to compensation for delays. GWR will often pay out on a goodwill basis for delays outside of their control, but are not obligated to. CrossCountry are obligated to, whatever the cause.

And you only have to tell the operator what train you were on to make a claim. You don't have to prove it.

I did clarify my post before you - thanks for agreeing with me.

Initially no, but as pax have been trying it on since the new XC franchise, they have been known to request clarification if fraud is suspected, so always worth getting your ticket clipped if you're on a late train, IMO

I can understand your reticence, but since the change to compensation being paid in cash, some have opted to claim and then donate the money to the Samaritans or similar charities.

I like that idea, I think I will do that. If only I can find ticket, I've put it somewhere and now can't find it!

Thanks for everyone's help with this.