More Northern Resist commuter protests today at Bolton

Grumpy Git · 3 Jan 2020

Djgr said:
It IS noticeable how many Southern accents you hear up North these days.

Hardly suprising.

I work at a site in north London sometimes. One of the lads there moved house in 2007 (the same time as me) and by coincidence he paid roughly the same price as me for his new place.

He moved again in 2017 and sold his "old" place for 350% more than he paid in 2007 and retired out of London. By comparison I estimate my house is maybe "worth" 10-15% more than I paid 12 years ago?

RailUK Forums

Djgr · 3 Jan 2020

Grumpy Git said:
Hardly suprising.

I work at a site in north London sometimes. One of the lads there moved house in 2007 (the same time as me) and by coincidence he paid roughly the same price as me for his new place.

He moved again in 2017 and sold his "old" place for 350% more than he paid in 2007 and retired out of London. By comparison I estimate my house is maybe "worth" 10-15% more than I paid 12 years ago?

Obviously they need to be re-educated that, whilst in the South it is consider rude to talk to strangers, in the North it is considered rude NOT to!

AlastairFraser · 3 Jan 2020

Djgr said:
Obviously they need to be re-educated that, whilst in the South it is consider rude to talk to strangers, in the North it is considered rude NOT to!

Huh?! The South isn't just full of Londoners-we are friendly over here in Reading,people are happy to talk to strangers down here.

tomwills98 · 3 Jan 2020

Western Lord said:
The BBC had a woman on a Northern train complaining that "the fares go up but we don't get anything for it". She was sitting in a brand new train.

I was wondering if this would happen again. A couple years ago they were up in Edinburgh interviewing someone in front of new wires and a 385.

Djgr · 3 Jan 2020

AlastairFraser said:
Huh?! The South isn't just full of Londoners-we are friendly over here in Reading,people are happy to talk to strangers down here.

The acid test is whether people say Thank You to the driver when they get off a bus!

AlastairFraser · 3 Jan 2020

Djgr said:
The acid test is whether people say Thank You to the driver when they get off a bus!

That happens here mate. It's just Londoners who are unfriendly!

route101 · 3 Jan 2020

tomwills98 said:
I was wondering if this would happen again. A couple years ago they were up in Edinburgh interviewing someone in front of new wires and a 385.

STV News had that yesterday on the news with a 385

route101 · 3 Jan 2020

AlastairFraser said:
Huh?! The South isn't just full of Londoners-we are friendly over here in Reading,people are happy to talk to strangers down here.

Im Scottish , i actually find the English a bit more friendly . Maybe its different in the Highlands compared to West Central Scotland

mmh · 3 Jan 2020

AlastairFraser said:
Huh?! The South isn't just full of Londoners-we are friendly over here in Reading,people are happy to talk to strangers down here.

It's also a myth that "Londoners" don't talk to people. The rude people are just as likely to be incomers from elsewhere. Otherwise how would anyone ever meet anyone, and where does the stereotype of the over talkative cockney come from?

Andyh82 · 3 Jan 2020

tomwills98 said:
I was wondering if this would happen again. A couple years ago they were up in Edinburgh interviewing someone in front of new wires and a 385.

Almost all news reports about railways are ill informed

The ones talking about Northern are still blaming the December 2019 timetable change, as cancellations and delays happened in the days after it (not noticing there were delays and cancellations before it as well) which "comes on the back of the botched May 2018 timetable change"

The people in the street they ask usually make comments that are not worth listening to (half the time talking about another operator, or an infrastructure issue or something irrelevant)

Whilst all this is going on, the library pictures show Northern units from the old franchise with 'A Serco Abellio Joint Venture' clearly visible on screen.

AlastairFraser · 3 Jan 2020

mmh said:
It's also a myth that "Londoners" don't talk to people. The rude people are just as likely to be incomers from elsewhere. Otherwise how would anyone ever meet anyone, and where does the stereotype of the over talkative cockney come from?

I suppose it's just the Tube protocol which gives everyone that impression of Londoners.

AlastairFraser · 3 Jan 2020

route101 said:
Im Scottish , i actually find the English a bit more friendly . Maybe its different in the Highlands compared to West Central Scotland

That's probably Western Scotland for you! My grandparents are from Edinburgh and that's a friendly place.

2L70 · 3 Jan 2020

You can tell any Southerners who have moved North, when they start complaining the Infrastructure isn’t the same as in London.

But at least the House was cheaper.

Edders23 · 3 Jan 2020

Grannyjoans said:
Pay rises have to keep up with inflation otherwise it's like a having a pay drop

tell that to the many taxi drivers up and down the UK who have not had a rise in fares for over ten years !!!!!

Raul_Duke · 3 Jan 2020

Edders23 said:
tell that to the many taxi drivers up and down the UK who have not had a rise in fares for over ten years !!!!!

Then why don’t they do something about it? Rather than bitching because other people get pay rises, why don’t you channel that energy into improving your situation?

al78 · 3 Jan 2020

mmh said:
It's also a myth that "Londoners" don't talk to people. The rude people are just as likely to be incomers from elsewhere. Otherwise how would anyone ever meet anyone, and where does the stereotype of the over talkative cockney come from?

People love to stereotype, even when there is zero logic behind it. It absolves them from having to expend huge amounts of mental effort to think and look at things objectively.

cactustwirly · 3 Jan 2020

ohgoditsjames said:
4th year in a row with a price rise but for TFL the price has been frozen for the 4th year running!

Not quite.
Users of TfL Rail towards Reading have seen a fare rise, quite dramatic with increased peak restrictions when using contactless.

507 001 · 3 Jan 2020

Raul_Duke said:
Then why don’t they do something about it? Rather than bitching because other people get pay rises, why don’t you channel that energy into improving your situation?

Hear hear.

Jimini · 3 Jan 2020

Djgr said:
The acid test is whether people say Thank You to the driver when they get off a bus!

To be fair we have middle doors down here for alighting so it’s not like we walk back past the driver

43066 · 3 Jan 2020

Grannyjoans said:
Pay rises have to keep up with inflation otherwise it's like a having a pay drop

Underinvestment by the DFT is to blame for the state of the Northern network. Between (at least) the 1980's up to 2015 it had seen very little investment. It had been neglected for too long.

Mag_seven said:
They might do in the railway bubble but not in the real world.

If a pay rise is lower than the rate of inflation, that is a pay cut in real terms. That is a factually correct statement, regardless of industry sector.

Wages are but one part of the overall cost of running the railway. The steady increase in regulated fares over the last few years is down to a political decision to shift the cost burden of running the railways further onto the shoulders of users, rather than tax payers.

NorthernSpirit · 3 Jan 2020

Western Lord said:
The BBC had a woman on a Northern train complaining that "the fares go up but we don't get anything for it". She was sitting in a brand new train.

I noticed that and thought the woman needs her eyes checking, as someones got to pay for these new units and its the farepayer whether we like it or not.

Bantamzen said:
They would be far better off putting pressure on their MPs, setting up user groups & generally educating themselves on what the issues really are.

Some of these Rail User Groups only seem interested in certain stations in their core area, HADRAG the Halifax and District Rail Action Group seem far more interested in getting a car park for Mythomroyd for some strange reason than getting more services through Brighouse and staffing it and Sowerby Bridge. Then again, HADRAG is based in Halifax and the chairman probably cosys up to the Halifax MP whilst keeping the Calder Valley MP in the dark because the latter is the "wrong" rosette colour. Maybe a Countywide Rail User Group could be the way to go especially with annual fare rises and certain operators providing a poor service.

Bertie the bus · 3 Jan 2020

43066 said:
. The steady increase in regulated fares over the last few years is down to a political decision to shift the cost burden of running the railways further onto the shoulders of users, rather than tax payers.

No. That was the idea behind RPI+1% fare increases. They stopped years ago.

Edders23 · 3 Jan 2020

Raul_Duke said:
Then why don’t they do something about it? Rather than bitching because other people get pay rises, why don’t you channel that energy into improving your situation?

They do but their fares are set by politicians !!!!!!

Raul_Duke · 3 Jan 2020

Edders23 said:
They do but their fares are set by politicians !!!!!!

Like most rail fares.....

Meole · 3 Jan 2020

Coventry has usually got the most expensive taxi rate in the UK, local politicians agree these not national unlike rail.

Grannyjoans · 3 Jan 2020

I accept that in theory everyone should get inflation every year but they don't and I don't think it is a human right to get it, especially when the service is so poor. It is irrelevant that its not the train crews fault, they work for a failing company. Bonuses in many firms are based on company scorecards, it might be irrelevant if the poor scores are to do with you. The company isn't doing well so the pay rises aren't as high. With this effect more pronounced as you go up the management tree.

The Northern Drivers are already well behind the national average Train Driver's salary, the gap is already getting bigger compared to some of the other TOC's.

Behind on other things than salary as well, like higher amount of stops, jobs with repeat runs of the same route still exist, lower quality traction still exists, lower annual leave entitlement...

YorkshireBear · 3 Jan 2020

Grannyjoans said:
The Northern Drivers are already well behind the national average Train Driver's salary, the gap is already getting bigger compared to some of the other TOC's.

Behind on other things than salary as well, like higher amount of stops, jobs with repeat runs of the same route still exist, lower quality traction still exists, lower annual leave entitlement...

I mean I obviously didn't have any of that info.

Raul_Duke · 3 Jan 2020

Grannyjoans said:
The Northern Drivers are already well behind the national average Train Driver's salary, the gap is already getting bigger compared to some of the other TOC's.

Behind on other things than salary as well, like higher amount of stops, jobs with repeat runs of the same route still exist, lower quality traction still exists, lower annual leave entitlement...

The trade-off being they’re always recruiting and one of the easier TOC’s to get your key with.

Then XC and Virgin (as was) come sniffing for qualified drivers, flash some cash and the cycle starts again.

Andyh82 · 3 Jan 2020

Grannyjoans said:
The Northern Drivers are already well behind the national average Train Driver's salary, the gap is already getting bigger compared to some of the other TOC's.

Behind on other things than salary as well, like higher amount of stops, jobs with repeat runs of the same route still exist, lower quality traction still exists, lower annual leave entitlement...

Being entirely regional work rather than intercity work, and with no London weighting, it is no surprise to me that they are below the national average.

urbophile · 3 Jan 2020

AlastairFraser said:
That happens here mate. It's just Londoners who are unfriendly!

Having lived in London for a number of years, this is a slur. Londoners are just as friendly as anyone else (even scousers): people judge on the basis of central London's anonymous crowds few of whom are actually Londoners. And I have heard Londoners shouting their thanks to bus drivers as they dismount, despite having to do so through the centre doors.

More Northern Resist commuter protests today at Bolton

On Moderation

RailUK Forums

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

On Moderation

Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member