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Stefan
20-Dec-10, 12:35
My wife is traveling back from London today, so far so good, but the trains between Laird and Wick aren't running. Scotrail webpage says there will be road transport depending on road conditions.
Anybody know if the alternative transport is running ? They are planning to take the last train north tonight from Inverness.

orkneycadian
20-Dec-10, 13:03
What have Scotrail said?

Stefan
20-Dec-10, 13:14
There may be alternative transport...

orkneycadian
20-Dec-10, 13:18
Oh well, if you've phoned up Scotrail and they can only tell you that it may be running, I guess the chances of anyone else knowing will be gey slim!

Droopy
20-Dec-10, 13:50
http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?p=779708#post779708 ;)

bekisman
20-Dec-10, 13:57
What's up with you lot? Stefan has asked a perfectly sensible question, Scotrail may give some detail, but there could quite easily be someone on here who has more informative detail; 'cos they live near the place? are doing the same trip, married to a bus driver, works for the train service.. it's all well and good saying 'look it up yourself' but at this time of confusing information, ANY info can help..

Duncansby
20-Dec-10, 14:10
Well if someone who is married to a bus driver or who lives across the road from the line knows more about what contingency plans Scotrail have put in operation I'd be very worried about traveling by train!

Thumper
20-Dec-10, 14:11
oh for god sake,the man is only asking,if you dont want to help then dont bother posting on the thread,Stefan perhaps thought some helpful local would have more info about scotrail as they may work for them ect,stop being such bloomin grumps!x

NickInTheNorth
20-Dec-10, 14:17
Given that I subscribe to First ScotRail Alerting Service, and that it is meant to send details of what is happening with train services between Wick and Inverness in both directions, and that the last "disruption" they notified me of was on 11/12/2010 I believe that Stefan is far more likely to get good information by posting on here that by contacting Scotrail!

I should also add that I receive emails each day stating that there are no disruptions found on that route!

bekisman
20-Dec-10, 14:24
Well if someone who is married to a bus driver or who lives across the road from the line knows more about what contingency plans Scotrail have put in operation I'd be very worried about traveling by train!

Ok fair enough, if you're gullible enough to listen to just one source which has 'contingency' plans, best of luck.. "The best laid plans of mice and men' and all that.
Only a fool would not investigate every last vestige of possible sources of information..

Nah, "Scotrail said.". and leave it at that..

bekisman
20-Dec-10, 14:25
Given that I subscribe to First ScotRail Alerting Service, and that it is meant to send details of what is happening with train services between Wick and Inverness in both directions, and that the last "disruption" they notified me of was on 11/12/2010 I believe that Stefan is far more likely to get good information by posting on here that by contacting Scotrail!

I should also add that I receive emails each day stating that there are no disruptions found on that route!

Ta for that. Take note Duncansby;)

ducati
20-Dec-10, 14:32
Last time we relied on Scotrail website we went to the station for a train that never arrived. Only found out it was cancelled when a passenger had the presence of mind to call on the yellow phone, as Thurso wasn't manned at that time in the morning.

Stefan
20-Dec-10, 14:45
Last time we relied on Scotrail website we went to the station for a train that never arrived. Only found out it was cancelled when a passenger had the presence of mind to call on the yellow phone, as Thurso wasn't manned at that time in the morning.

Same here !
Dropped my wife off with child at Georgemas few weeks ago (no snow!) for her to travel south all day to Midlands. Staff saw me take off, they walked past her and never said a word that all trains were cancelled !
After the train was 20 mins overdue and our daughter nearly crying as she was so cold my wife knocked on the door of those lovely heated containers. She was put on the phone to Scotrail who told her in simple terms: No train, no alternative transport, tough.
I was out at the croft feeding animals so she had to walk back to Halkirk. I had to drive her down to Inverness so she could catch her connection at Inverness.

I much rather NOT rely on Scotrail. If somebody knows anything I would be grateful, so I can jump in the 4x4 and head off to Inverness as soon as it gets dark and the animals are fed. She'll still have to wait for me but at least she can stay somewhere warm.... she's traveling with our daughter, so much rather they didn't end up in the middle of nowhere (Lairg I believe is the end of train service at the moment) and Scotrail dumps them there, then they have to wait 2 hours for me to get there...

BTW I am following Scotrail on twitter on my phone for service update and they only have disruption around Glasgow on there. Not much use to us up here....
I actually asked on there as well but never got a reply so far...

Fran
20-Dec-10, 14:50
If there are no trINS THEY USUALLY Hve their bus at the station at the time the train is due to leave. they normally a;lways have a bus instead if trains are stopped. good luck.
I see Wick airport is open now.
My mother of 91 years of age was due to be driven up north tomorrow but it has been cancelled. I dread to think of her on her own on christmas day.

theone
20-Dec-10, 15:05
Scotrail normally put on buses but won't promise it in case they are held liable.

Failing that, there's buses from the bus station round the corner at 16.30, 16.50 and 18.45 for £17.50 single.

bekisman
20-Dec-10, 15:35
Just looked on the Scotrail website:

Found this fascinating, I've always thought of 'frozen points', but seems:

"We're working to get trains back into service following damage caused by frozen blocks of packed snow and ice falling from undercarriages and bouncing back upwards. This involves repairs and comprehensive safety checks."

Oh well you learn something new everyday :eek:

Duncansby
20-Dec-10, 15:51
if you're gullible enough to listen to just one source which has 'contingency' plans, best of luck..
Nah, "Scotrail said.". and leave it at that..

I'll reiterate what I have already said: If Scotrail don't know what is happening on their own network then I wouldn't be very happy about traveling with them! Maybe when I got stranded in Inverness last year due to a closed train line I should have asked a random stranger for information rather than the company representives awaiting customers with the word 'Information' emblazoned on their high vis vests. ;)

Mind you if I'd listened to them I might have landed in a nicer b&b than the one with broken picture frames and questionable stains on the walls and valance.

bekisman
20-Dec-10, 17:54
Oh come on Duncansby - lets not be petulant here - if you read the above posts you can easily see, advice can be sought from others - Scotrail is not infallible, and if you don't believe that organisations sometimes don't know what's happening on their own network - then I dispair.
Unfortunately the original posters wife was many, many hundreds of miles away and the poster in Shurrery, one doubts if a representives(sic) was available, even if wearing a high vis vest and having 'information' emblazoned upon them.. ;)

Stefan
20-Dec-10, 19:26
Scotrail was saying that the train from Inverness was running to Lairg, but no further, then alternative transport may be available.
On getting to Inverness my wife was told, sorry train now got canceled and there is no alternative transport as the roads to Caithness were blocked.
What ???
I rang Citylink and they quickly confirmed that their services are running although with a slight delay of 5-10 minutes. She's now coming home on the bus.
Needless to say I won't even bother trying the train station on Wednesday when I have to travel to Inverness. I just get the bus.

How come a Citylink representative can speak to a conductor and find out how the service is doing, but Scotrail is merely unable to do so?

In future I rather pay the extra and travel with people who know what they are doing.

I forgot to ask on the phone where the service stops on the way. Is there a closer stop to Halkirk than Wick ?

rainbow
20-Dec-10, 19:39
And don't even bother phoning the helpline. I did on Thursday - got through to an Indian Call Centre who couldn't help me at all - waste of time. He had no understanding of the train system and the problems with the weather - I eventually hung up after getting no satisfaction with my query.

bekisman
20-Dec-10, 19:45
Scotrail was saying that the train from Inverness was running to Lairg, but no further, then alternative transport may be available.
On getting to Inverness my wife was told, sorry train now got canceled and there is no alternative transport as the roads to Caithness were blocked.
What ???
I rang Citylink and they quickly confirmed that their services are running although with a slight delay of 5-10 minutes. She's now coming home on the bus.
Needless to say I won't even bother trying the train station on Wednesday when I have to travel to Inverness. I just get the bus.

How come a Citylink representative can speak to a conductor and find out how the service is doing, but Scotrail is merely unable to do so?

In future I rather pay the extra and travel with people who know what they are doing.

I forgot to ask on the phone where the service stops on the way. Is there a closer stop to Halkirk than Wick ?
I think this is their timetable: http://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables/Winter%202010/Inverness%20-%20Scrabster%20(Winter%202010)%20.pdf

jim baxter
20-Dec-10, 20:01
My wife arrived in inverness at 12.00 and was told that the train was only going to lairg. When asked if their was alternative in the ticket office they said the office in Glasgow ?? said the train will go no further than Lairg, but inverness ticket office couldn't get in touch with Glasgow to arrange alt transport. As nobody at Scotrail could agree about getting to Wick and Thurso, she had to go to the bus station and pay for a ticket to get home. When asked about a refund in the ticket office she was told as she bought her ticket on line she had to go on line and get a refund. Basically they couldn't have cared less how she got to Thurso.

Stefan
20-Dec-10, 20:11
Thanks for the timetable. I see the bus goes to Thurso, so will pick her up there.
Scotrail doesn't seem to give a toss about their customers.
When my wife arrived with our daughter at Birmingham last week Monday they had missed the last train to their final destination due to train delays and were stranded at Birmingham train station for the night.
They went to the ticket office who swiftly ordered them a taxi free of charge and sent them on a 45 minute journey. They arrived 2 hours late but safe and well. THAT is what I call customer service.

onecalledk
20-Dec-10, 20:18
the express bus that goes to Thurso via the causeymire rather than going to wick first goes to halkirk before going to thurso , so if you wife goes for that one you wont need to go pick her up. Think it is an x25 but dont quote me on the number. The other route goes via Wick then Castletown.....

K

Stefan
20-Dec-10, 20:24
The express bus doesn't run this time, but no worries, Thurso is fine, as long as they get home safe.
Is it a coincidence that I can get information on how to "Adopt a station" on the scotrail web page with 3 clicks but I can't find any information on how to get a refund ?

mike
20-Dec-10, 20:58
Scotrail was saying that the train from Inverness was running to Lairg, but no further, then alternative transport may be available.
On getting to Inverness my wife was told, sorry train now got canceled and there is no alternative transport as the roads to Caithness were blocked.
What ???
I rang Citylink and they quickly confirmed that their services are running although with a slight delay of 5-10 minutes. She's now coming home on the bus.
Needless to say I won't even bother trying the train station on Wednesday when I have to travel to Inverness. I just get the bus.

How come a Citylink representative can speak to a conductor and find out how the service is doing, but Scotrail is merely unable to do so?

In future I rather pay the extra and travel with people who know what they are doing.

I forgot to ask on the phone where the service stops on the way. Is there a closer stop to Halkirk than Wick ?

That seems very strange - on the Scotrail website they say there are buses running from Lairg. http://www.journeycheck.com/firstscotrail/

17:54 Inverness to Wick due 22:14
This train will be terminated at Lairg.
It will no longer call at: Rogart, Golspie, Brora, Helmsdale, Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Altnabreac, Scotscalder, Georgemas Junction, Thurso, Georgemas Junction and Wick.
This is due to poor weather conditions.
Please note road transport operated by McLeods Coaches will operate from Lairg to Wick. Note that due to road conditions, this will only be able to call at stations on the main road only.

Serenity
20-Dec-10, 21:25
That seems very strange - on the Scotrail website they say there are buses running from Lairg. http://www.journeycheck.com/firstscotrail/

17:54 Inverness to Wick due 22:14
This train will be terminated at Lairg.
It will no longer call at: Rogart, Golspie, Brora, Helmsdale, Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Altnabreac, Scotscalder, Georgemas Junction, Thurso, Georgemas Junction and Wick.
This is due to poor weather conditions.
Please note road transport operated by McLeods Coaches will operate from Lairg to Wick. Note that due to road conditions, this will only be able to call at stations on the main road only.

I travelled up a few days ago from Glasgow. Got train to Inverness then Dingwall and then bus to Wick, then Taxi to Thurso (had a prebooked Glasgow to Inverness train ticket).
I was lucky getting all the way home but at the time it was very worrying as the conductor, the station staff and the website were all saying different things. They just seem to lack communication. When we got to Dingwall we were told (by the conductor) there was a bus waiting for us, went to the bus, the driver had no idea and was reaching his driving time limit so couldn't take us anyway. He called someone who called someone else etc etc and eventually we were told a bus was coming but no idea when or how far it would get. This was the contracted bus driver who did all this. The actual Scotrail staff in the station wouldn't say a thing. Even when the bus driver asked them.
I understand the weather is bad and the roads are unpredictable but maybe if the station staff talked to each other and to the passengers it would make everyone a lot less stressed.
I was very grateful to the bus and taxi drivers who got us home safe in very bad conditions.

Anyway my point is - no point relying on the website as Scotrail don't even seem to know what they are doing.

Good luck to everyone travelling over the next few days!

Jud
21-Dec-10, 10:09
I was wanting to see if the train from Wick - Inverness was running today what a nightmare no up-to-date information on the website. Eventually found a number a number 0845 601 5929. Very helpful lady (Scottish) told me no trains from Wick but there is a bus instead and maybe this will change in the afternoon.