More train drivers strikes 30 Sep 4 Oct

it is later now.

Here is what the BBC has written - I'm tired tonight -

Train drivers have announced two more strikes as part of a
long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

The Aslef union said its members at 16 train companies in England
would walk out on 30 September and 4 October.

It added an overtime ban for drivers would take place on 29 September
and for five days from 2 to 6 October.

The industrial action also coincides with the Conservative Party
conference, which will be held in Manchester from 1 to 4 October.

Services are expected to be cancelled and cause disruption on the
strike and overtime ban days.

The 16 companies affected by the latest strike action are:

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• c2c
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• Greater Anglia
• GTR Great Northern Thameslink
• Great Western Railway
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern/Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains (including London Northwestern Railway)

So we know that Avanti West Coast, Northern Trains, Trans Pennine, Gatwick Express, Southern Trains, Thameslink and Great Northern will run no trains that day. The only exception being a half hourly non stop train from Victoria to Gatwick, run by Southern with Gatwick Express stock.

At least on Northern be very aware of ongoing wild cat action. The union are not calling it a strike but it is clearly co-ordinated action.

For the whole of this week there has been very little service on the Morecambe and Windermere lines, due to staff making themselves unavailable for duty.

And the Cumbrian Coast line keeps losing it's evening service at minimal notice. This evening was no exception with the last train over the full line being cancelled (with 4 hours notice) and the next one terminated short (at 2 hours notice)- with a bus replacement for the remainder of the journey from Workington to Preston- a 5 hour journey (due to arrive at Preston at 0255) on a city bus with no toilets. This is a very regular event.

I'm booked with an advance fare from Motherwell to Euston on the 25th. Thank goodness I didn't leave it later.

I got caught up with Avanti West Coast on a strike day from Motherwell to Euston last December. I had to travel on the 15th and not the 13th as I had planned. The train I caught on the 15th was late and terminated at Preston. I had to wait around at Preston in the cold for an hour or so to wait for the next train south. I was about two hours late getting into Euston. 100% of my fare compensated so not so bad. Just lucky I could be flexible about my travel.

I am simply not booking rail travel more than two weeks out currently.

And I am not losing out in the slightest. I am still getting ridiculously good bargains, as that is about when fares are at their best as on many routes they are not at their cheapest at 8 to 12 weeks out, whatever the text books tell you.

I have recently had £11 Coventry to the Cumbrian Coast and £12 Milton Keynes to the Cumbrian Coast, advance singles, both booked two weeks before travel.

And today went around Cumbria for £7 on a series of 3 advance fares including Oxenholme to Carlisle on Avanti for £2.50. Not hard fares to find.

I will actually get £5 of that £9 back as 2 delay repay claims arose out of the day- far more than £5 as I will get a complimentary single and a complimentary return to anywhere on Northern.

I have to admit, I barged on to the train at Preston in a way I'm not proud of and I'd never usually do. I was cold and I knew I didn't have a reserved seat on an already busy train!

Great. We have tickets on Avanti West Coast, Penrith to Edinburgh, on September 30.

It's good to have you in the conductor's seat for reporting train strikes, Nigel. They sure seem to keep travelers on their toes!

@maryellenhowen - there will be no trains at all- you need to book with National Express - 1315 bus from Penrith, arrive Edinburgh at 1715.
They will sell out fast, so book now.
Or citybus #104 to Carlisle, then Scotrail to Glasgow Central via Dumfries then Scotrail Glasgow to Edinburgh.

There is also an extra NE departure from Carlisle at 1830.

Thank you. I’m checking with Enterprise to see about returning the car to Edinburgh instead of Penrith. If not, we will have to take the coach, and no sightseeing in Edinburgh as we leave the following morning.

@Gerrym- the total opposite of me then. Last night I was tired and worn out and needed a train cancellation like a hole in the head. I had lost my booked Avanti seat to someone else who was unbooked.

But faced with Avanti station staff who were disinterested and handing out wrong information, a train PIS system that was totally wrong, and two guards who just hid in the back cab, didn't check tickets or make announcements and locked two of the 4 cars out of service I was busy last night actually helping people, giving them right information, ensuring they got off the bus at the right stop, chasing someone who left his walking poles on the bus and even telling strangers where the en route toilets were.
Having seen that the bus was being provided by our local bus heritage group (I kid you not) I knew exactly what bus we were getting, and know the area and the bus route like the back of my hand.
Generally doing what these overpaid strikers should be doing, helping and being thoughtful.
After 4 hours sleep I hope today will be much easier.I

And this morning my local ticket office, apparently so vital if you believe the unions, was on short hours yet again, because the staff couldn't be bothered to turn up to work.

I was busy last night actually helping people,

Kudos to you. I know what a helpful bloke you are on the forum. It makes sense that you're doing the same in real life. I'm not usually so rude to my fellow passengers under stress. It had turned into a bit of a scrum in front of the train doors at Preston.

My instinct in most industrial disputes is to trust that the union are doing their best for their members, and that things are so serious as to warrant a strike. My dad was a shop steward in engineering most of his working life and I've been a member of several unions in my career, so I like to give the unions the benefit of the doubt. I do wish that the disputes with railway workers could be settled amicably soon.

I have GWR tickets from London to Bath on 10/1 and just went ahead and bought National Express tickets to make sure we were covered. I almost bought tickets a month ago just in case and they were cheaper. Should have learned last year in Scotland when a strike cancelled our tickets and barely got bus tickets in time.

Checking the car rental website it looks like we can modify the reservation, so we could drive to Edinburgh that morning rather than wait until afternoon for a 4 hour bus ride. And oddly, the reservation amount would be cheaper than the original quote. Fingers crossed, I’m going to contact them personally to be sure.

Months and months ago when I started planning this trip, I thought, well, at least our trip isn’t until late September so these strikes will all be over. Looks like it’s just going to be a permanent thing now.

In my haste I forgot to thank Nigel and isn31c for their valuable posts on this site. Probably would have been standing in a train station wondering where all the trains were 2 years in a row.

Pleased that Jeff and Mary Ellen are sorted now
Both need to apply to their point of sale for their unused train tickets.

I'm assuming Mary Ellen is starting from Keswick .

Although it's as long as it's short, she could now drive from Keswick to Bothel up the side of Bassenthwaite Lake via the Castle Inn, then the A595 from Bothel then the Carlisle southern bypass to pick up the M6/M74.
Just don't drive through the centre of Carlisle to get there.
It's no faster than the A66/M6, but prettier, scenery you probably would have missed.
A positive out of a negative.

By the way today I have been from Cumbria to Newcastle to meet a forum member due to the East coast engineering work and replacement buses, leading to a very tight connection to Hadrians Wall.

Let's just say the organisation of the arriving buses at Newcastle was a total and utter shambles. Things went utterly awry because they had multiple arriving stops and no staff on site controlling it.

Even Northern and Avanti do better than today.

Exasperated does not do my feelings justice.

We meet again on Tuesday when only Northern are involved!!

Thanks, we are almost sorted. Making the changes shortly. I appreciate the route advice. Quick question-we are staying right near Waverly Station, and there is an Enterprise there. Will regret attempting to drive through the city to get there? The other option would be drop off at the airport and then taxi.

And I just realized, October 4 is when we go to the Harry Potter Studios, so now I need to research how to get there.

Nigel and isn31c, thank you so very much for the alerts and advice.

For Harry Potter at Watford, London North Western have not been operating at all on ASLEF strike days.

It will be the London Overground all stations trains operating. The ones we usually say to avoid at all costs.

Maybe on this rare instance even see if there is room on the studio's own bus from Central London.

As you have previously said you are in the Notting Hill/Bayswater area it might not be too bad - just go to Paddington and take the Bakerloo northwards and change onto the Overground anywhere from Queens Park onwards.

On 30 September at around 0930 at Carlisle you should see the Northern Belle luxury dining train (diesel hauled) on a trip from Preston to Dundee (for Glamis Castle). This will be a busy day for specials at Carlisle as there are also steam hauled trips from both London Euston and Hereford- due in- both of which return via the Cumbria Coast. (not steam all the way, but at least on the Cumbrian section).

Also I was reminded tonight (while sat there of 3 hours due to multiple cancellations), for the benefit of others, that there MAY be a limited Edinburgh to Carlisle service that day, run on diverted LNER trains. LNER do run a heavily restricted strike day service. That day the East Coast line is closed for engineering. Whether in fact they run the scheduled diversions remains to be seen.

Watford Junction station is also served by London Bus route #142 (on normal London bus fares) from Stanmore tube station (Jubilee line) and Edgware tube station (northern line), every 15 minutes. Also hourly from Rickmansworth station (Metropolitan line) on the Green line #724 from Heathrow (fare £2 each way), and also the #321 every 20 minutes (fare £2)- so there are several alternative routes.

Thanks for all of the extra information regarding our need to get to Watford Junction. Fortunately, we have planned absolutely nothing else for that day, so any amount of lengthier travel will not be a need for worry. I even booked the tour for 11:00 so that we wouldn't be feeling rushed in the morning (maybe I had a premonition!). Once we are in London I will look at the options more closely, either using our Oyster cards for the Overground or checking the bus option.

We were able to confirm changing our rental car drop off, and indeed, it was 150 GBP cheaper than the original reservation, so, silver lining there! And LNER already issued our refund.

Heathrow Express service on Saturday 30th September & Wednesday 4th October 2023.-
First train departs London Paddington at 07: 40 and then every 30 minutes until 18:25.
First train departs Heathrow Terminal 5 at 07:42 and then every 30 minutes until 18:57.
First train departs Heathrow Central at 07:47 and then every 30 minutes until 19:02.