A plea to train companies to SCRAP 'weekend first' upgrade deals

[GodAtum]

Something the West and East Coast main lines should review - and pretty pronto, at that - is scrapping the weekend first class upgrade. Why? Because train travel at the weekend is purgatory. We do not want to be distracted by drifts of lads drinking from cans, under-sexed hen parties and families with free-range children. Even though I would find a 1st class upgrade useful, I'd rather pay the a 1st ticket before hand to stop this thing of happening. One journalist recounts his journey below:

It was all going so well until Wilmslow.
As the train ground to a halt, it passed a group of women on the platform who were all - how can I put this - NOS (Not Our Sort). I immediately clocked them and just knew they'd be joining me and my colleague in our carriage.
'It's quiet this train, isn't it?' one of ten women cried as they flooded the carriage from the vestibule.
They were all clearly friends who were off 'to town' for one of their birthdays.
They all looked alike - women with longer hair than it should be for their age, if you know what I mean, and all worried about an impending prohibition on foundation. That type.
One woman's dress matched her suitcase.
I was struggling to focus on preparing a talk on the importance of the Duke of Richelieu in relation to table knives and beginning to get pretty cross
Another, who looked not unlike Stockard Channing, carried a platter of M&S catering sandwiches as four of them slowly settled on four seats across from us. (In fact - has Stockard Channing moved to Wilmslow? Hale? No, probably not her.)
Everything that was said was hilarious - to them.
Meanwhile, I was struggling to focus on preparing a talk on the importance of the Duke of Richelieu in relation to table knives and beginning to get pretty cross.
'Pat - I keep getting messages from Taylor Wimpy wanting me to buy that nice home!' Stockard shrieked to the seats behind. Obviously that was such a crucial message it had to be passed on there and then, fair enough.
Another friend - this one a look-a-like for Di Botcher - questioned whether Stockard was ready for a 'new home'.
'But you've had so much work done though, haven't you?'
It was hard to know whether she meant her friend's house or her face. Perhaps both.
It wasn't until somewhere outside Nuneaton that I started plotting the vaccicide.
From seemingly nowhere, one produced two bottles of Champagne and plastic flutes (credit to them, it wasn't the ubiquitous Prosecco); just as suddenly my colleague and I were mutually sprayed with Louis Vertay as if we had just won some tedious F1 race.
It’s time to scrap first class upgrades and deter time-wasters, says Mr Hanson
+2
It's time to scrap first class upgrades and deter time-wasters, says Mr Hanson
We looked at each other - both of us trying to outdo the other on who could look more aghast - and then to the women.
Did they say sorry? Was there a peep of contrition? No and no again.
One looked at us, saw us dabbing our clothes, and then back to her soaked coterie. Unfazed that her cack-handed technique had ruined a lovely cable-knit and luxury blazer alike.
Regular readers - try not to choke when I say this, but this isn't the 1950s anymore.
We do not live in a lovely, black-and-white world where we all have fun at the weekends and spend time with our wife and 2.4 children.
People are working throughout the whole week and train services like Virgin should appreciate this. Everything else they do is, by-and-large, pretty good and well thought out, but this is a flaw that needs sorting.
Let's not cater for those who show no consideration for anyone else, as they have decided to have a good time no matter what or who gets in the way.
It's time to scrap first class upgrades and deter time-wasters like the women from Wilmslow and consign them back to the second class carriages.
Last weekend, sitting there, smelling of sour grapes, I could but wonder whether paying an increased fare - even the £20-on-the-day upgrade - was worth it for a panettone and a second-rate coffee from a paper cup.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/a...m-Hanson-woes-weekend-deal.html#ixzz4cXWpc9hr
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[Muzer]

That's surprisingly amusing for the Daily Mail. That is, assuming it's supposed to be a joke.

 

[Kite159]

Bless you, must be tough being in the same carriage as some "lads drinking from cans" or "under-sexed hen parties"

*grabs a bucket of popcorn*

How did your speech about the history of knives go anyhow?

 

[Jordeh]

Can't believe what drivel I've just read. No they should not be scrapped because of one mans bad experience.

And who's to say it would make any difference anyway? These people had already paid for a First Class Upgrade and as the writer weirdly points out, they were drinking good champagne, so who's to say they wouldn't just buy First Class tickets anyway?

 

[DarloRich]

I would scrap first class to save us from such snobs.

 

[Trainfan344]

I got halfway through the quote and noticed it was from the Daily fail, say no more.

 

[GatwickDepress]

A "better class of person". What a load of elitist tosh.

 

[NSEFAN]

Weekend first provides a bit of extra revenue for the TOCs which offer it. A rant from a butthurt Mail contributor isn't a convincing counter argument against that extra revenue, thankfully.

 

[me123]

The "journalist" in question is William Hanson, a self-styled etiquette expert who really does lead a very pathetic little life if you read and believe the drivel he writes. Quite why anyone should care what he has to say is beyond me. Just ignore him and he'll hopefully go away.

 

[Darandio]

We do not want to be distracted by drifts of lads drinking from cans, under-sexed hen parties and families with free-range children.

So who exactly is we? Some higher class of citizen?

 

[AlterEgo]

I think many have failed to see this was a humour piece. Lighten up!

 

[Darandio]

I think many have failed to see this was a humour piece. Lighten up!

The article maybe, the OP on the other hand.......

 

[misterredmist]

Poor Mr Hanson, he obviously expected that only 'scholars' like he would utilise FC at the weekends......what a tragedy ! gave me a good chuckle !

 

[EM2]

Boarding at Wilmslow? Probably well able to afford FC anyway, without worrying about upgrades.

 

[rebmcr]

Hate Mail gonna hate.

 

[trickyvegas]

Maybe he should suggest to Virgin that they have designated "Quiet" carriages - that would be a real winner.

 

[MCSHF007]

He has a point though.

 

[AlterEgo]

Maybe he should suggest to Virgin that they have designated "Quiet" carriages - that would be a real winner.

In First Class they don't.

 

[DarloRich]

He has a point though.

no he doesn't. He is a snob. I detest snobs.

Imagine all those common oiks daring to enter his FC carriage and disturb his quiet reflection of Goethe while sipping his Sancerre in between nibbling on caviar and foie gras. How dare they? Prat.:roll:

 

[AlterEgo]

no he doesn't. He is a snob. I detest snobs.

Imagine all those common oiks daring to enter his FC carriage and disturb his quiet reflection of Goethe while sipping his Sancerre in between nibbling on caviar and foie gras. How dare they? Prat.:roll:

He's being funny. It's a satire piece. His whole persona is a satire.

Relax!

 

[GatwickDepress]

He's being funny. It's a satire piece. His whole persona is a satire.

Relax!

When the Daily Mail's attempts at satire are indistinguishable from an actual article, then you know there's issues...

 

[Clip]

I got halfway through the quote and noticed it was from the Daily fail, say no more.

How could you have possibly have done this without getting right down to the bottom of the story that contained the link? Telling fibs are we?

 

[NickBucks]

Stockard Channing he is welcome to join me in first class any time. Age is no barrier to a good time.

 

[HH]

Who is Stockard Channing?

 

[rebmcr]

When the Daily Mail's attempts at satire are indistinguishable from an actual article, then you know there's issues...

"Lets make light of intolerance!" would be seedy enough, but alongside their actual intolerance it just becomes an attempt to desensitise their readers.

 

[NSEFAN]

"Lets make light of intolerance!" would be seedy enough, but alongside their actual intolerance it just becomes an attempt to desensitise their readers.

And attract more site visits to generate more advertising revenue, not dissimilar from fake news clickbait sites.

 

[Mag_seven]

When BR first introduced Weekend 1st (or "Bargain 1st" as it was originally called) there was always one 1st class coach set aside for "Full 1st class ticket holders only". Maybe on stock where there is more than one 1st class vehicle they should go back to that.

 

[pitdiver]

Who is Stockard Channing?

Stockard Channing is an American actress who was in Grease She also played the President's wife in " The West Wing" to Martin Sheen's president.

 

[urbophile]

I thought he was sending himself up rather than them, but as it's in the Fail probably not. Though if we are in the business of stereotyping anyone I'd have thought that middle aged wannabe celebrities from Wilmslow would be the paper's target audience.

I think, along the lines of the Yorkshire Airlines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPjJFv1NDBg , TOCs should introduce Alan Bennett class for those who just want a quiet life to observe others.

 

[GarethW]

Under-sexed hen parties!!!!! I'd demand a full refund.