Credit where it's due

On the c.1025 arrival into Euston from Manchester via Wilmslow.

There was the usual "this is a peak time train" (sigh) announcement between Wilmslow and Crewe. After Crewe the Train Manager and a deputy came through the train. The deputy was checking tickets while the TM went ahead. I presented a return half of a super-off-peak return code 9F (not valid on trains arriving London Euston after 04:29 and before 10:05)

The deputy took the ticket, looked, didn't stamp it, but rather than start banding about accusations called the TM and walked a few seats away, leaving me in peace. The TM apparently was unsure and punched her ticket machine a few times. A couple of minutes later the conclusion was "that's interesting" and the deputy stamped the ticket, walked back and gave it to me.

It's easy to complain about the dozens of times railway staff let the travelling passenger down, but this time the issue (a rare usage of a ticket that the inspector was unsure about) was handled professionally and courteously. If only all Virgin train managers acted like this.

Interesting. Was the "deputy" a staff member under training? Virgin usually place new TMs on a sort of shadowing scheme, and in my experience pick the mentors pretty well.

Not sure, the person doing the announcement was the one with the ticket machine and the person initially checking the ticket deferred to her.