AIBU to expect compensation for losses caused by train cancellations?

[Thecomedyclub]

For the third time in five weeks, my train into London has been cancelled at very short notice with no bus replacement or other options.
I feel so sorry for all the people who are affected by this, as my line serves Gatwick. I suppose I’m adding this as it illustrates the disruption caused to a very wide group of travellers.
My gripe, however, is that this happens with enormous regularity and the result (for me) is that I miss theatre or a concert/gig which I clearly can’t be refunded for - and with no notice of the cancellations, I can’t even try to resell my tickets.
Whilst I do apply for Delay Repay, it doesn’t remotely cover the loss. Is it even possible to insure against an associated loss due to train failure? No idea.
My question is whether I am unreasonable to expect a better system which takes into account associated losses. I know (!) that on the face of it I would view that IABU but there’s certainly something to think about. I’m on a line which, in other countries, would have been repaired quickly but we don’t appear to be capable of quick action.

If you were driving, and you were delayed by an accident, would you claim off the car driver who was responsible? It just isn't a feasible way of thinking!

Pay for ticket insurance. It's always an option before you pay for tickets. We always get it. A few pounds always worth it.

It’s ridiculous that you can’t plan anything woth trains now. It’s not a one-off, it’s an insane lottery whether you will get there

I never buy it as I never miss gigs, but it's always offered. Sounds like it's what you need.

This. You must know it’s an option to insure your tickets, the majority of theatres don’t let you move to the next screen without ticking a yes or no box.

Whilst I don't think you can claim for those losses, I absolutely agree that the train service on this line is awful. I have alerts set up for various trains, in case they are delayed. I get an alert more days than not.

But I don’t ever think that using public transport to get to a destination is going to be an issue! It really isn’t an issue in other countries!

I would plan to go very early & have a back up route.

All right, but you've been caught three times in a short period of time. Whether it happens in other countries or not is completely irrelevant. Be prepared for it to happen again and get insurance.

That’s lovely but does not work in my world.

Today I checked my train before I left. It was on time. When I got to the station it was cancelled and that was that. No replacement bus. Nothing.

Please could you link insurance for this sort of thing ?

But you've said For the third time in five weeks, my train into London has been cancelled at very short notice with no bus replacement or other options.

I mean, if it has happened 3 times in 5 weeks, surely it can't be that big a surprise ?

I am always offered it by the theatre booking system when booking tickets - it just comes up as part of the process.

Every time you buy a ticket you get offered insurance. It's not a special policy or anything. If you've ever bought a ticket online you will have been offered it!

When you buy your ticket it is an option you can tick to include for a couple of pounds per ticket before you check out.

It does sound like you need to be building contingency into your plans. One cancelled train shouldn't mean a missed show. You should be getting the train that's two ahead of the last one that gets you there on time, or going in earlier and having dinner out. If the line is down unexpectedly are you ubering, busing, asking someone for a lift? The Gatwick line passes through East Croydon where load of trains are usually leaving so you'd presumably not need to be going all that far.

It has got a lot worse (obviously issues could happen any time, but we're a long way from the Cats song suggesting it would be very strange for a train to be delayed!).
You could say the same for driving, but it does seem that you get percentage wise more issues with trains over the last 5/10 (?) years or so, so I don't know if saying there's more people nowadays explains it.

There are so many cancellations that our contingency train is cancelled as well as our regular train. If they were for the same reason, fair enough, but sometimes they seem to have a series of unrelated calamities.

I also think that it must be possible to know sooner that some of these trains are cancelled. They seem to go "delayed, delayed, wait for it, nearly time for the next train, oh, ok, let's finally cancel it".

When you know a service is unreliable, you build in contingency.

I do understand (I am on the same line), how far apart are your trains? Because I always have at least two contingency trains for my own sanity. I’ve been stuck on a train for 90 minutes before when trespassers were on the line so I am always wary of what could be a long delay again! I do like to go in for dinner or drinks before a show where I can so I know I’m in central in good time.

@LittleGreenShoots @Weirdpig we are deep in the countryside where options are limited. We were affected by the knock-on effects of the derailment and apparently our branch line is now being looked at by engineers hence unplanned cancellations.
I do plan for pre-show dinner etc but ultimately the day job gets in the way of leaving ridiculously early and I can’t justify annual leave “just in case”.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

I agree about under investment in rail transport in this country. Petrolheads have convinced successive governments to build roads instead and the lessons of Beeching not learnt.

As for compensation, at least make delay repay simpler.

I disagree it doesn't happen in other countries. We went to Toulouse this summer and our train from Paris to Toulouse was cancelled and the only option with no extra cost was to book a train two days later, so we had to pay 40 euros each extra to get a different train the same day. And the least said about the current state of trains in Germany the better.

A key thing missing from your psot is why the train was cancelled - and how many? Generally f it is one cancelled for operational reasons you can get the next train at no extra cost, even rural areas have at least one train an hour. If it is something beyond the control of the companyg - fault, tresspassers, passenger action etc.. that has led to a lot of cancellations then you sadly just have to suck it up.

I came back in to London last week after a day out and all of my trains home were all cancelled for the rest of tbe day dhe to a fire that destroyed vital signal equipment - I had to get home via a series of buses and other trains.

@Thecomedyclub oh ok you are near the Lewes derailment then? Yeah that sucks but it is vital safety work and checks are carried out. That is hardly situation normal is it?

I also have to disagree that it doesn’t happen in other countries. Of course it does. Especially in Europe. Travelling by train in Italy over the summer, our intended train was cancelled. And the arrivals board showed several other cancellations and delays.