Gemz91
Member
Had a lad in his early 20s sat opposite me in first class who was travelling obviously on an advance purchase first class ticket, trying his best to bag as much complimentary food and drink as possible. How embarrassing.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Stupid passengers
- Thread starter ValleyLines142
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Qwerty133
Established Member
Another one ive thought of were the old couple who were complaining that there was no quiet coach...
on a 2 coach 170.
on a 2 coach 170.
DiscoStu
Member
I remember back in the late 80's we were heading up to Crewe for the first Crewe to Cardiff train (a 37 I think), and our plan to get there was to drive to Rugby and catch the northbound overnight that stopped there as far as Crewe.
We were shocked when we sailed straight through Crewe non-stop and ended up at Preston - it was never booked to stop there at all - we'd just assumed it stopped there and never actually checked the timetable. Schoolboy error!
We were shocked when we sailed straight through Crewe non-stop and ended up at Preston - it was never booked to stop there at all - we'd just assumed it stopped there and never actually checked the timetable. Schoolboy error!
Searle
Established Member
Sounds pretty clever to me!
I too have almost got on wrong services 
Though I can say I have never almost got on a train at Stoke, heading for Stafford, that was first stop Euston, as I know someone who nearly did!
I was on a service only last Saturday from Leeds to Middlesbrough, the 08:49. In typical TPE fashion, the Newcastle before it was delayed and in the end the Middlesbrough arrived first, with the boards only showing the overtake relatively late on. I did wonder if anyone would end up wrong. Indeed, we left and the auto-announcer started with the announcement of the destination and I could the couple of people next to me (tip down seats on 185) start to look a bit worried and turned to ask me if this was the Newcastle train *facepalm*
Luckily for them, they could change at York and continue onward, which I advised (they were heading for Darlington)
A few years ago I got talking to a lady who was travelling from Manchester to Dewsbury (for a blind date if I remember correctly) - she said she was running a few hours late as she had initially gone to Shrewsbury....
Yes, I do seem to get it from time to time!
Though I can say I have never almost got on a train at Stoke, heading for Stafford, that was first stop Euston, as I know someone who nearly did!
I was on a service only last Saturday from Leeds to Middlesbrough, the 08:49. In typical TPE fashion, the Newcastle before it was delayed and in the end the Middlesbrough arrived first, with the boards only showing the overtake relatively late on. I did wonder if anyone would end up wrong. Indeed, we left and the auto-announcer started with the announcement of the destination and I could the couple of people next to me (tip down seats on 185) start to look a bit worried and turned to ask me if this was the Newcastle train *facepalm*
Luckily for them, they could change at York and continue onward, which I advised (they were heading for Darlington)
A few years ago I got talking to a lady who was travelling from Manchester to Dewsbury (for a blind date if I remember correctly) - she said she was running a few hours late as she had initially gone to Shrewsbury....
Yes, I do seem to get it from time to time!
Last edited:
Hahahah you are so judgmental I can taste it
Do you treat everyone you see on the train thus?
Bill Stanier
Member
- Joined
- 14 May 2014
- Messages
- 232
At Stockport, a pendolino service from London to Manchester was pointed at by a customer who asked " Is this the train to Stalybridge ?" - clearly losing sight of the fact that the parlimentary service operated by Northern was actually parked in the bay platform behind him !!
ValleyLines142
Established Member
I do feel sorry for elderly people - especially when things go a bit Pete Tong! As it's not their fault!
CaptainHaddock
Established Member
- Joined
- 10 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 2,471
I disagree - one of the main reasons why I wear headphones on the train is because I loathe the constant stream of irrelevant "elfnsafetybollocks" announcements you have to contend with both on trains and platforms.
The TOCs have effectively created the problem themselves - we all get that fed up with all that nonsense about unattended luggage/ safety information posters/ seeing anything suspicious/ blah blah blah that no-one ever listens when a genuinely important announcement is made!
Now thats something worth reading ......I take it you are a fare paying member of the public if you dont mind me asking?
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
The late Sir Peter Parker once boarded a train at Crewe for a meeting in Carlisle only to realise after it set off that it was non-stop to Euston. It can't get more embarrasing than that, surely?
bb21
Emeritus Moderator
- Joined
- 4 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 24,162
It isn't that rare and I have had my own fair share of experiences.
Sunday two weeks ago I was on a Brighton - Portsmouth service and as we were approaching Barnham, the couple sitting at the table across the aisle from me asked me why it was taking us so long to get to Littlehampton!?
They did have a good sense of humour though after realising what had happened and we had a good laugh about it.
Considering that FGW had a Quiet Coach when they had 142s ..., perhaps they lived in the South West at the time.
Last week I think it was, some guy got on my train at St Pancras with a ticket to Luton Airport Parkway, only to be told by the guard that we were non-stop to Leicester. To make it worse, we would miss the last southbound service by about a minute at Leicester.
Luckily the guard arranged for the train to stop en route so he could catch the last southbound service and not be stranded.
Oh, yes. Mostly when I have a clipboard with me. (I wonder why.
)What I find irritating is sometimes they get advice from you, and then proceeds to ignore it. For example, a few months back, I was standing on the Sub-Surface platform at South Kensington and some guy came sprinting up the stairs wanting to go to King's Cross St Pan asap. An eastbound District Line service had the road and was ready to go so I told him to get on it and change at Victoria for the Vic. Instead he insisted that he wanted "the direct train". I told him that it would be quicker this way as this train is leaving now and the Victoria Line is much faster and more frequent but he was having none of it. Some smart*rse then went, "Get the Piccadilly Line downstairs" so I just shook my head. There was no more I could say or do. :roll:
I'm sorry but stupid is too light a word for anyone who decides to do (or rather, not do) that. Who will be inconvenienced if important announcements are missed? Oh, yes, not the train companies or station staff, but the passenger himself.
which is why if you have your volume so loud as to not hear the PA in case an actual important announcement is made you are an idiot and may well find yourself somewhere you dont want to be
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
no doubt operated by a 142 as oppose to a 390 would would probably span the distance between Denton and reddish
Last edited:
tsr
Established Member
I guess I'm lucky in that I've rarely caught the wrong train. I once almost ended up stuck on a Margate-bound 395 rather than a St Pancras-bound service at Ashford International en-route to a job interview. The stupid thing was that I could see no functional departure boards nearby, nor anything on the outside of the train, so foolishly decided to board the train and check, rather than looking at my phone! Fortunately, there were a few seconds to hop off again.
I've seen customers sitting, looking out of the window, as the train has passed a significant bonfire in a location right beside the line, then smell faint wood smoke a few seconds later and seriously contemplate pushing the alarm. Whilst I commend their caution to a certain extent, it's always wise to associate sudden burning smells with passing through a cloud of smoke, at least for a few seconds! Perhaps not stupid, but just an overreaction.
Something that's always amusing is the number of passengers standing in Standard Class accommodation who look cautious when First Class gets formally declassified, and refuse to proceed to a comfortable seat, even when it's suggested face-to-face. I'd say it's pretty unlikely a guard would make an accidental announcement to declassify it! Unfortunately, some of my close family fall into this category, so have had to make do with inconvenient seats on a Marshlink Turbostar, when there were four rather nicer seats just down the aisle, sat empty in close proximity to each other.
I've seen customers sitting, looking out of the window, as the train has passed a significant bonfire in a location right beside the line, then smell faint wood smoke a few seconds later and seriously contemplate pushing the alarm. Whilst I commend their caution to a certain extent, it's always wise to associate sudden burning smells with passing through a cloud of smoke, at least for a few seconds! Perhaps not stupid, but just an overreaction.
Something that's always amusing is the number of passengers standing in Standard Class accommodation who look cautious when First Class gets formally declassified, and refuse to proceed to a comfortable seat, even when it's suggested face-to-face. I'd say it's pretty unlikely a guard would make an accidental announcement to declassify it! Unfortunately, some of my close family fall into this category, so have had to make do with inconvenient seats on a Marshlink Turbostar, when there were four rather nicer seats just down the aisle, sat empty in close proximity to each other.
Hark at you, the big "I am".
Perhaps he'd saved up for first for a change and made the most of it. Good for him. The Gin won't drink itself.
Last edited:
which is why if you have your volume so loud as to not hear the PA in case an actual important announcement is made you are an idiot and may well find yourself somewhere you dont want to be
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
no doubt operated by a 142 as oppose to a 390 would would probably span the distance between Denton and reddish
4 car unit as it happens - one was a demic though
RichmondCommu
Established Member
I think it is fair to say that we've all caught our fair share of trains from time to time.
However, how many times have you encountered a stupid passenger, from social problems such as loud, disruptive behaviour to genuine mistakes such as jumping on the wrong train? I have an example of the latter.
On Wednesday, I caught the 1654 Bristol to Cardiff service. When we left Newport, which bearing in mind is a good half an hour from Bristol, a guy asks the person next to him what time the train would be arriving at Bridgwater!
The person in question, a commuter in a business suit, asks whether he is aware that the train we were on was the Cardiff train, and not the Bridgwater train. The guy obviously panics at this point, but the commuter very kindly informed him of what to do next as he had the National Rail app on his phone. He advised him to get the 1800 Cardiff to Taunton service (once we had arrived into Cardiff at 1743), which got to Bridgwater at 1948. I believe he was trying to get the 1653 Bristol to Bridgwater, which was due to arrive at 1746, so he ended up being two hours behind schedule.
He had evidently jumped on the wrong train, although I don't see how this is possible as the 1653 to Taunton departed from platform 4, and the 1654 to Cardiff departed from platform 7!
The question is: how did it take him HALF AN HOUR to realise he was on the wrong train? If he'd have realised by say Filton Abbey Wood or Patchway then fair enough, but at Newport that is extreme, considering Bridgwater is completely in the opposite direction!
Any other instances of silly billies out there?!
I would argue that this thread does you no favors what so ever. Indeed one gets the impression that you take pleasure from other people's misfortune. And yet you protest when another poster suggests that you might have been a pedantic twit.
Searle
Established Member
That sounds unbelievably jammy! EMT took the delay to help him with his mistake!?
Had a similar issue at Newcastle last week. I watched the 1703 TPE service to Liverpool departing and two ladies came running up asking if it was the train to Chester-le-Street. Yes, it was, I replied, but they were in luck as there was another very shortly - the XC that stops there in the evening peak (the 1732 to Southampton). I pointed the locked up and shut down Voyager out to them in the bay a couple of platforms over. They thanked me and walked off to go and look at it but came back 2 minutes later and asked the guard of the Carlisle train waiting opposite where the train to Chester-le-Street was. She said yes, that is it but it isn't ready for service yet so just go and take a seat until they are ready for boarding! I said to the guard after they had gone "I knew they didn't trust me, I could just tell." to which she replied "Heheh, know you know how we feel trying to get people going in the right direction!".
Anyway my own story comes from delightful Middlesbrough, where I was waiting for the Whitby train. A Northern 156 (which is what works the Middlesbrough - Whitby services) was in the platform and it said "Whitby" on the CIS screen above the platform. I got on it - 8 or so minutes to departure time but then the doors closed and we started to leave... the wrong way. A minute later the guard announced "Welcome to the Northern rail service to Hexham..." A second passenger was caught out by this too, we both got off at Thornaby (he went back to York - I stayed for the 3 1/2 hour fester in Middlesbrough for the next Whitby train). I complained to the ticket office staff that they had a problem with the CIS showing erroneous information but they weren't interested. I posted about it on here at the time actually, but of course the overwhelming consensus was that it was my fault because the railway never makes mistakes. Fortunately, TPE were willing to offer 'the gesture' of reimbursing my ticket for the day (which is actually really cheap anyway) after I explained what had happened. I wonder if they fixed the bug in their CIS that caused it to show a second departure first.
Last edited:
12CSVT
Established Member
- Joined
- 18 Aug 2010
- Messages
- 2,611
I wonder how many people have got on the wrong train at 20:47 / 20:50 on a Saturday at Milton Keynes. Two trains operated by LM, bound for Euston leaving within 3 minutes of each other, but skipping different stops on the way.
Strathclyder
Established Member
I agree with this wholeheartedly. Glasgow Queen St Low Level is a particularly bad example. Nearly every five seconds when within aural range of the stairs, you'll hear 'Customers are reminded to always use the handrail and take care on the stairs'. This can get very irritating very quickly. It's just as well that I almost always have my headphones with me when travelling.
Back on topic, the only real mistake I've ever made is boarding a 314 at Glasgow Central on my way to Cathcart. However, in my haste, I'd neglected to look at the Departure board which would've told me that it was a Newton bound 314, which would go straight past Cathcart. I only found this out when the train was pulling out of Central. After the mandatory facepalm & internal cursing of my own stupidity, I got off at Langside and got the next Cathcart Circle service to Cathcart.
Sammy h
Member
- Joined
- 25 May 2011
- Messages
- 420
I once spoke to a passenger off duty who was trying to get to Calais and he was in Carlisle. He wasn't from this country though, easily done... I think.
He wasn't from this country though, easily done... I think.
Nearly 15 years ago. My journey was from Leeds to Bradford Int.
Passenger services via Brighouse had just resumed.... there was one train from Leeds at 5pm ish to Manchester Victoria that was via Dewsbury and Brighouse and NOT Bradford.
I got off at Cottingley.
Passenger services via Brighouse had just resumed.... there was one train from Leeds at 5pm ish to Manchester Victoria that was via Dewsbury and Brighouse and NOT Bradford.
I got off at Cottingley.
Quite recently actually there were a couple kicking off at the gate line staff at Victoria because they'd got on the wrong train - BTP had to be called. They wanted Orpington (platform 3) but ended up going to Dartford (platform 7). Quite how they got that mixed up I don't know! They had what looked like wine with them so I suspect there were forces at play, but they tried blaming it on the staff anyway.
They ended up using plenty of swear words and shouting at the gate line, hence BTP, even telling them "I'll get you I will". Charming they were.
They ended up using plenty of swear words and shouting at the gate line, hence BTP, even telling them "I'll get you I will". Charming they were.
Hellfire
Member
- Joined
- 14 Dec 2012
- Messages
- 556
Couldn't agree more. Depending on the whim of the particular train crew you can be bombarded with unnecessary announcements on trains. Even worse if you have chosen to sit in the quiet coach and have to listen to someone reading out the whole shop menu or trying to sell Underground tickets.
I agree people wearing headphones might miss something important but I can't blame them for trying to blot out all the other non-essential stuff.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Of course not, I've done it before myself!
I just wondered how often it happens - the answer is clearly quite a lot!
Whistler40145
Established Member
As a teenager, we had a Caravan near Ambleside, Mum didn't Drive, so armed with Bikes, we travelled from Layton to Preston, changed there for Oxenholme (no such thing as a direct service), my wonderful Mum proceeded to ask the platform staff "Does this train go through Oxenholme?", we got on and got looped North of Preston for another train to go flying past (The train we should've been on), so off we went through Lancaster & Oxenholme flew past, Mum said to me "Which station was that?", I replied "Oxenholme", well we had a two hour stop in Carlisle, then returned to Oxenholme, eventually arriving into Windermere about 4 hours later than we should have been. It pays to ask if the train actually stops at a station, not if it goes through it!
Whistler40145
Established Member
If you think that was pretty stupid, wait for this!
I had a strange idea one Saturday to go to Milton Keynes, just to say I'd been, no idea why!
I got a train from Blackpool North to Preston, so far so good.
There were two Euston bound trains with very strange calling patterns.
Well, stupid me got on the wrong train, flew through Milton Keynes Central, but thankfully the Class 81 burst at Bletchley, so I was able to return back to MK.
I had a strange idea one Saturday to go to Milton Keynes, just to say I'd been, no idea why!
I got a train from Blackpool North to Preston, so far so good.
There were two Euston bound trains with very strange calling patterns.
Well, stupid me got on the wrong train, flew through Milton Keynes Central, but thankfully the Class 81 burst at Bletchley, so I was able to return back to MK.
- Status