I've found decent prices on advance booking on the train before, but, as it's in August I thought I'd not have much chance - but I was wrong! Using my local Train company website (no booking fees), I found a journey from my local station (20 minutes walk) to her seaside town, via London for just under £40. I then found a return journey at the same price..... so under £80 and no driving! So I booked to go on the 10th and return on the 18th. No problem, tickets collected.
The observant amongst you might have noticed a small issue...... the 18th has now been called as a strike day. So I contacted the Train company. "No problem", they said "You can take a train on another day". Great.
As there is another strike due on 20th, the idea of slipping my return to the 19th seemed a poor choice, so I descided to change to 17th. So I contacted the Train company to ask how I could get my ticket changed. Ah, not so easy, I CAN use my existing ticket for the 17th, they said.... on THEIR trains, but they couldn't guarantee trains from any other company (the first leg in this case!). I'd also have to pay again for the cross-London ticket on the tube as the existing one wouldn't be honoured! Or, they said, I could claim a refund for the ticket on the 18th. So I then said that, if they couldn't guarantee the return, there was little point me travelling on the 10th.... "Ah", they said, "But there's no strike on the 10th"!!! Talk about making a nightmare out of a crisis!
I was less than happy. However, I then checked online for trains on the 17th and found that the identical journey was still available at the same price (only 2 places left). So I booked it and emailed for a refund of the original return..... I also suggested that it would have been helpful to have offered me the swap in the first place. My refund is being processed (up to 14 days, of course) - but they said they couldn't offer me a swap as they don't deal with tickets!
Then I spotted a little rider that explained all - whilst you call the train company and they take the money, they use Trainline to supply the tickets...... So, another great "bonus" of our privatised system. Not only do I use a train company that is owned by the Dutch national railway company, but they hand over ticket sales to another private company..... I'm amazed it works at all.
Now keeping fingers crossed that the refund arrives and nothing else goes wrong.
"Let the Train take the Strain" and other fairytales......