My parents and 83yo Nana live in Preston, I live near Newcastle.
Nana is fairly independent - she does her own shopping and housework etc, but is quite anxious and gets flustered. She is also a bit deaf and unlikely to understand a departure board etc. She can't be left in the house overnight as she would be terrified, and wouldn't cope with any kind of incident. She also gets quite confused, but only in a kind of 'ditzy' way, not an age related way. She also will talk to anyone. For ages. About anything. Several times. 
She is very confident with buses, physically ok as long as she gets a seat and able to deal with money etc fine.
I am wanting to help out more - atm i go across to her as much as i can on the train, and a ouple of times my parents have given her a lift acoss and back, but that isn't much of a respite for them if they are doing six hours of driving at the beginning and end.
Ideally, she could get at least some of the way across and i could meet her halfway - the train route involves chnging at either Carlisle or Manchester. I did once take her and meet my mum at Manchester, but that meant a long journey both ways for me. Of course, i would walk over hot coals for her, but obviously it costs money, and i have the (very young) kids.
Is there a way of alerting the train staff tgat she will be on, and getting them to tell her in plenty of time before she needs to get off? Then either help her to her next train or i could be there to meet her at carlisle.
I'm thinking of booking her on a first class seat, then she might be more looked after and less likely to be near hen/stag groups etc
Any ideas?