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BoRedruth
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« on: April 07, 2014, 13:30:22 » |
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Hello, I sometimes travel to Redruth from Paddington to visit my father. I always book 1st Class advance tickets in the 1st Class quiet carriage. However, now I cannot book the quiet carriage , no matter what I try. I need help.
Whenever I try to book a ticket, it accepts my request but then informs me it could not book a seat in the quiet carriage and offers me a seat in another carriage. This has never happened before. I have tried about 20 different dates in June and each time it says I cannot book a seat in the quiet carriage.
Does anyone have any advice? There is no way the carriage can be booked up on 20 different occasions.
Benjamin
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ChrisB
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« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2014, 13:59:30 » |
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Call Customer Services & do it that way?
FGW▸ are converting 1st class seats to Standard & I suspect that 1st Class quiet coach has become 'flexible' while these conversions are being carried out. Ring & Check.
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paul7575
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« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2014, 14:00:43 » |
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Perhaps there won't be a quiet carriage once they are down to 1.5 first class carriages per train? Once a couple of trains are converted they'll have to treat them all the same for booking purposes won't they?
Paul
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ChrisB
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« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2014, 14:14:42 » |
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Exactly - hence I suggested a call to find out.
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JayMac
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« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2014, 14:18:39 » |
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Welcome to the forum BoRedruth!  There does also appear to be some issues with the booking engine. If you request the Quiet Coach you are instead offered a seat in Coach L! The changes to availability and this new Coach L designation appear to be after the timetable change in mid-May. |
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« Last Edit: April 07, 2014, 14:26:27 by bignosemac »
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"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
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BoRedruth
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« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2014, 16:39:59 » |
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Thank you for all your quick replies. I have tried Customer Services but the language barrier meant I was pushed through three different teams, each of whom did not really understand my request, even though it was pretty simple. I tried the online chat but they referred me back to Customer Services. At this point of utter frustration I found your forum.
I did not know 1st class carriages were being redesignated. There are about five on the train I take. One person has suggested I buy my tickets for the First Class L carriage, and then move to the quiet carriage once I am on the train, if that carriage exists.
In your experience, what would be your advice?
Benjamin
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Network SouthEast
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« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2014, 17:00:34 » |
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Wow, what train do you use that has 5 1st class carriages?
First Great Western's HSTs▸ have at most 2.5 carriages of 1st class seats, some 2 carriages. But this is being changed so that eventually all HSTs will have 1.5 carriages of 1st class seats.
Even Virgin's Pedonlino trains only have 4 1st class carriages (and on one of those the driver's cab and kitchen take up 2/3rds of the carriage).
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BoRedruth
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« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2014, 17:17:16 » |
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Ok, I will go for 2.5/3.5. It is the Cornish Riveria train. You walk pass the buffet and there is half a carriage, then my Carriage which is the quiet carriage. I am sure there are two further carriages, I am sure I have had to use their facilities. Of course, I could be wrong.
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6594
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2014, 17:23:56 » |
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I have nothing to add in terms of information. But I lived in Redruth for a few months, working in South Crofty, so thought I would add my welcome to the Coffee Shop to bignosemac's.
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Now, please!
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Umberleigh
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« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2014, 20:04:17 » |
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Ok, I will go for 2.5/3.5. It is the Cornish Riveria train. You walk pass the buffet and there is half a carriage, then my Carriage which is the quiet carriage. I am sure there are two further carriages, I am sure I have had to use their facilities. Of course, I could be wrong.
Welcome to the forum. Many of the posters on here work in the rail industry, and are right in saying that there are 2.5 1st carriages on the Cornish Riviera train - and soon to become 1.5, although these will be refurbished. HSTs▸ west of London can only have a maximum of eight coaches: 5 first class (A-E) the buffet/1st (F) and two 1st class in that order (G-H) If there was ever an extra 1st class carriage beyond H for operational reasons then it would almost certainly have been declassified to Standard, as Standard is packed on busy trains. |
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ellendune
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« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2014, 20:08:37 » |
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Ok, I will go for 2.5/3.5. It is the Cornish Riveria train. You walk pass the buffet and there is half a carriage, then my Carriage which is the quiet carriage. I am sure there are two further carriages, I am sure I have had to use their facilities. Of course, I could be wrong.
Welcome to the forum. Many of the posters on here work in the rail industry, and are right in saying that there are 2.5 1st carriages on the Cornish Riviera train - and soon to become 1.5, although these will be refurbished. HSTs▸ west of London can only have a maximum of eight coaches: 5 first Standard class (A-E) the buffet/1st (F) and two 1st class in that order (G-H) If there was ever an extra 1st class carriage beyond H for operational reasons then it would almost certainly have been declassified to Standard, as Standard is packed on busy trains. Small typo |
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6594
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2014, 21:22:21 » |
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Welcome to the forum. Many of the posters on here work in the rail industry, and are right in saying that there are 2.5 1st carriages on the Cornish Riviera train - and soon to become 1.5, although these will be refurbished.
HSTs▸ west of London can only have a maximum of eight coaches: 5 first class (A-E) the buffet/1st (F) and two 1st class in that order (G-H) If there was ever an extra 1st class carriage beyond H for operational reasons then it would almost certainly have been declassified to Standard, as Standard is packed on busy trains.
Small typo Fairly standard, at first sight. |
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Now, please!
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BoRedruth
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« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2014, 21:30:17 » |
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Hello, thank you for the information. Hopefully in the future 1st class will not be too busy.
Further to my original post, at the top of this chain: do you think I should just go ahead and book my 1st Class ticket, and just see if a Quiet Coach is available? I am booking for early June and I am keen to grab advance tickets before they sell out.
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John R
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« Reply #13 on: April 07, 2014, 22:30:31 » |
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I would book it. Very few train managers would insist that you sit in the defined seat, particularly if you explained why you wanted to sit in the quiet coach. You have an obligation to travel on the given train, and you get a seat reservation thrown in is how I see it.
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BoRedruth
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« Reply #14 on: April 07, 2014, 22:34:09 » |
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Hi John, noted - I will book my ticket tomorrow.
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