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0952 VTEC From Aberdeen To London: dry train?
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anti-pacer
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Is this because of oil workers fresh off the rig craving a can of tasteless Carling fizz (other brands available)?
SaveECRewards
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I've heard two possible reasons for it. Oil workers (but then do their shifts always end on a Friday) and also stag/hen dos having a long weekend in Newcastle or Edinburgh and wanting in early start.
I'm against people having their bags searched, surely only drinking alcohol (or as TfL puts it having open containers of alcohol) should be banned. I remember in the early days of VTEC someone tweeted complaining that they had a rather expensive bottle of whisky taken off them that they were just transporting as a gift, no intention of drinking it on the train.
Why check baggage? Surely it's only open containers of alcohol that are not allowed?
When I lived in Aberdeen one of the biggest Crew change days was usually a Thursday with a lot of riggers hanging about and going on the lash on the Thursday then heading back home on the Friday.
And believe me if you had ever been on the 0952 on a Friday morning before it was dry you would understand why it’s just not even allowed onboard.
That said I don’t think the situation will be as bad now as you cannot buy alcohol pre-10am in Scotland these days.
I believe the expensive Scotch incident you mention was actually the Saturday night (1900?) southbound ex Edinburgh service which was another notorious train for issues with alcohol.
Surely because it's just as easy to open a container of alcohol on a train as it is off.
SaveECRewards
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It's a shame that there's those who cause so much trouble with alcohol that others also get restricted (I'm thinking evening trains, very few people would be upset at no alcohol on a morning train). Then again if a service has been so bad in the past it's now made a dry train it's probably best avoiding anyway
Smoking obviously isn't allowed but as far as I'm aware it's still ok to bring fags on board.
Not that there is much beer choice on Virgin anyway
Highlandspring
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A very popular train with oil workers during the week is 1T38 1636 Aberdeen - Queen Street; it can be downright unpleasant at times. It’s booked a 3 car and can be full and standing from Aberdeen on changeover days. I’ve seen the trolley sell out of drink before the service has even departed the platform at Aberdeen and of course every inch of lugguage space is taken up with enormous Montrose Rope & Sail holdalls. One to avoid.
Giveaway of an Oil Worker , holdall and wearing casuals.
I've been sat on that train before listening to the announcements about it being dry (which I had no idea about until I arrived), and hoping nobody checked because of the nice whisky that I was taking south as a wedding present...
Fortunately nobody checked, and the happy couple got their booze
Fortunately nobody checked, and the happy couple got their booze
I've been sat on that train before listening to the announcements about it being dry (which I had no idea about until I arrived), and hoping nobody checked because of the nice whisky that I was taking south as a wedding present...
Fortunately nobody checked, and the happy couple got their booze
I think there is a fair amount of profiling goes on. If you were to turn up in a suit or smartly dressed with a small overnight bag you are more likely to be waved through than you are if you were staggering across the concourse wearing last nights clothes whilst looking like you had consumed your body weight in alcohol within the last twenty four hours and hauling a large hold-all with a months worth of clothes in it.
AlterEgo
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In the bag searching incident, who was searching the bags, under what authority and to prevent what crime?
Mutant Lemming
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The 'profiling' could be deemed as discriminatory in certain instances. I recall catching a morning service from Aberdeen to Inverness and all was quiet till Nairn where a group of well spoken middle aged women in business suits boarded and within minutes had dished out their sandwiches and cracked open two bottles of gin.
stuart
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I wasn't impressed a week ago when my late-running 0755 train from Inverness was held for half an hour at Edinburgh to run in the path of the also-delayed 0952 service from Aberdeen, and inherited its "dry train" status. So already an hour late with the lunch service, we weren't then able to be given our customary lunchtime drinks until after Newcastle. I wonder what would have happened to any passengers on the 0755 legitimately carrying alcohol? There was no annoucement made until after we'd left Edinburgh, so no opportunity for them to do anything about it - I suppose in theory they could have been made to get off and wait yet another half hour for the next service. As this was officially a "replacement train" starting in Edinburgh, I wonder whether it was correct that the "dry" status was inherited, given the original reason for the status as set out above?
Historically when I used to catch the train around this time it was a nightmare from Edinburgh to Newcastle with hen parties (stag parties seem to be stay relatively quiet until slightly later on). It's definitely not like that anymore, although I've never seen any kind of enforcement on the platform at Edinburgh, and I'm only really aware it's dry because I once saw a couple of enforcement officers on the train. I would guess that on the Edinburgh-Newcastle segment it's not the cheapest train and the parties may be getting priced off it.
As to profiling, it can fall down quite easily. I was waiting for the train in York the other day, and there were a bunch of young guys going to watch football who clearly thought they were being a bit rowdy getting through a 4 pack by Liverpool. They were almost crestfallen when the train pulled up and about 800 terribly well dressed people literally rolled off to go to the races, leaving behind a mountain of empties and a small lake of spilled prosecco on every table.
As to profiling, it can fall down quite easily. I was waiting for the train in York the other day, and there were a bunch of young guys going to watch football who clearly thought they were being a bit rowdy getting through a 4 pack by Liverpool. They were almost crestfallen when the train pulled up and about 800 terribly well dressed people literally rolled off to go to the races, leaving behind a mountain of empties and a small lake of spilled prosecco on every table.
randyrippley
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221129
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You wouldn't be travelling.
221129
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route:oxford
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Are you absolutely sure?
That must cause a few tantrums at the airports. Especially at Edinburgh when, even at 6am, you still have to run the gauntlet of booze and perfume.
Airports are excluded as they aren’t regular off sales
You can still purchase in bars if licenced and of course airports are exempt from the time rule.
route:oxford
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So the guys coming off the rigs and into Aberdeen Airport won't have much problem stocking up at World Duty Free when it opens at 4am then?
Does Aberdeen airport have a World Duty Free in it’s arrivals area?
AlterEgo
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That doesn’t give anyone on the railway authority to search someone’s property.
AlterEgo
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221129
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If its done by BTP then Section 1 of PACE would likely be used. It also gives the railway right to remove or refuse travel to people who refuse a search.
route:oxford
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