Talk me down through this journey please

[namechange0123]

It's 5.45 am and I'm sitting in the waiting room of my closest train station here in the NW, heading towards an event in the surroundings of London.

It's something I have taken part to over the last 3-4 years and enjoyed, but always been there driving and with DH. Last year we had the addition of my DS too, and it was a complete disaster - the house got flooded in our absence due to a leak, DS got bronchiolitis due to the freezing cold and snow that plagued London, and DH fell ill and was transported to the local hospital with the ambulance.

This year they have encouraged me to go alone and I left them safe and sound asleep at home, but I am shaking - terrified that something might happen in my absence, to get lost, to miss connections (I have 7 minutes to change train in a station I have never seen ). I can't help thinking I've been selfish and crazy to decide to go on my own. I'm playing with my car keys thinking about coming back home! Please tell me something

What do yo mean by suppressed?

Cancelled sorry, non native speaker

In that case I would stay on til Euston.

(I wasn't having a go I just didn't understand)

Any permitted is a helpful thing to be written on the ticket. You don't want it to say north West trains only. Etc

Just try to put it through the barrier in Euston if it is shut.

Do you know how to proceed from there?

So does your ticket say “Watford Junction” and you were meant to get off there and change (in 7 mins) to get on the train from Watford to East Croydon? But I see from the National Rail website that the 7.52 East Croydon train has been cancelled? Is that right?

If so, given the East Croydon trains are only every hour from Watford, I’d stay on til Euston, as you suggest, and when you get to the ticket barriers explain that you had to stay til Euston as your East Croydon train was cancelled - I’m sure they’ll let you pay the Watford/Euston leg of the journey.

Any Permitted means you can take any trains to get between your 2 stations within reason - you cant go London to Manchester via Exeter but you could go via the East Coast line or take a direct straight through train. They are more lenient if your connection has been cancelled.

Try the ticket in the tube barrier - if you can't use it it won't let you through the barrier. If it does happy days. If not then just use your contactless bank card.

Just found the guy. He said I can stay but then I have to buy a tube ticket to either Victoria or Bridge and then a local train ticket.

Hope I make it, I struggle a lot with directions!

@Wigeon that's exactly what happened. The train guy told me to stay. I guess I'll have to explain again at the barriers

Ah, if it says “any permitted route” then you will probably be able to exit at Euston. Just try putting the ticket in the barriers. If it doesn’t work, approach a train staff member and explain, and pay the extra.

To get from Euston to East Croydon, either:

Catch the Northern line southbound via Bank branch (not Charing Cross branch) to London Bridge, then train to East Croydon

OR

Victoria line southbound to Victoria and then train to Esst Croydon.

Either use Oyster (do you have that?) or contactless debit card, or buy a paper ticket at Euston to East Croydon (paper ticket most expensive option).

For future reference, if you need to change at Watford again, 7 mins would be absolutely ample time.

Don't worry about buying a tube ticket just touch in and out with your bank card.

Victoria is direct from Euston on the Victoria line. Blue line.

I really should be getting up but I am enjoying leading a total stranger through a random city miles away from me.

Honestly, your ticket is very likely to work at the barriers but even if it doesn’t, the train staff deal with your situation 100s of times a day and don’t be at all surprised, especially as your connection has been cancelled.

Train guy is probably right that you will then need separate tickets for the tube part (to get to London Bridge or Victoria) and the train part (to get from those stations to East Croydon).

PS - if you speak to anyone, refer to the station as “London Bridge” not “Bridge” as no one calls it that and they will get all confused.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Mumsnet at its most helpful. Thanks everyone. Will try to relax until 8.09

Plug your phone in on the train as well. Make the most of your battery in case we need to guide you back!

Borrowed a £100+ power bank from MIL for the day, she says it lasts 5 charges

Personally, I’d get the Victoria line to Victoria in your situation - when you get to Euston underground there is a massive and quite confusing sign showing the Northern line, which is confusing because there is both the branch via Bank and the one via Charing Cross, and you can go either northbound or southbound. But the Victoria line is just a straight line and you just go either northbound or southbound (and you want south).

So Victoria line southbound then. I don't think I can deal with branches at the moment.

How's the journey OP?

The trains from Victoria to East Croydon all seem to depart from platform 3 or platform 6 see here

Oh well, I'm now on the 8.46 one on platform 19. It mentions the East Croydon stops on the panel inside so I hope not to be wrong!

I bought a tube + train ticket at Euston. Hopefully I'm almost done...

And at Euston exit there were no barriers!

I was just about to tell you that OP!

You are doing great op! See how much change and confusion you've been able to handle? Hope you have a good day

And good luck! You can try showing your train ticket to the staff at the tube station and see if they will accept it.

You got this OP!

Well done! Almost there!