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Blackpool North: The most unfriendly station in the country?

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philthetube

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I passed through this station on Thursday. They had 5 revenue officers chatting away at the entrance to the main building from the platform, checking your ticket, as well as two people manning the barriers in the main hall. Not one of them acknowledged my presence when they looked at my ticket. Not one thank you or smile - they didn't even look me in the eye. Very, very rude.
Not rude, just not friendly, sounds as if they were doing their job, the 5 revenue would not even be Blackpool staff so unfair to blame the station for that.

My issue last time I was there was that they had the exit set up like a chicane, snaking to the one exit door, really poor for social distancing.
 
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chorleyjeff

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Not rude, just not friendly, sounds as if they were doing their job, the 5 revenue would not even be Blackpool staff so unfair to blame the station for that.

My issue last time I was there was that they had the exit set up like a chicane, snaking to the one exit door, really poor for social distancing.

There are ways of doing your job when interacting with passengers that may possibly encourage someone to use the service again or alternatively act in a way that discourages people from using the service again. The old BR take it or leave it attitude of the 1950s seems to linger on in isolated pockets which is a shame given the good service generally provided now.
 

Dai Corner

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I have to say it's a really bizarrely set up station. Entering the station, the public "concourse" is tiny, with the barriers far too early, behind which is a considerable amount of space. Topping that off the sliding doors preventing or allowing access to the actual platforms.

I can't help but feel that this station is misconfigured, and that this misconfiguration may be the root cause of a lot of the miserable contact. People working in non ideal circumstances, being told to work in a particular way to accommodate the buildings shortcomings. And that in turn creating needless and often petty seeming conflict points. Over time I'm sure that would also feed a general sentiment.

Good point. Or did the general attitude of the staff lead to the physical layout?

Was Blackpool North ever an 'open' station as was the fashion at one time?
 

philthetube

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I agree but I wouod not consider their actions to be "very very rude" impolite at worst.
 

py_megapixel

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Not having been there for a while, and therefore unable to visualise the layout particularly well - is there any potential for the ticket gates to be relocated to where the doors onto the platforms are, thereby making the station concourse more "open" and also allowing people onto the platform even when there are no trains present (as long as they have a ticket)?
 

David Goddard

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In short, yes! Get rid of the sliding doors and move the gate line there. Once through the gate line you have been "processesed" so need for a Gestappo style interrogation again, and the gang of thugs at the sliding doors can be dispensed with
 

lyndhurst25

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Good point. Or did the general attitude of the staff lead to the physical layout?

Was Blackpool North ever an 'open' station as was the fashion at one time?

As a kid we had a family holiday in Blackpool. It must have been in 1979 because we went to see Moonraker at the cinema. The situation was the same then as it is now: miserable staff, no access to the platforms unless travelling and roller shutter doors preventing access until a train was just about to depart. This has been going on for decades! I don't know if the station ever became "open" after that, but I doubt it.

I'd much rather use Blackpool South than endure the misery of passing through Blackpool North. It's a sorry state of affairs that I would consider tailoring my travel plans to actively avoid coming into contact with railway employees, but that's what the situation is in Blackpool. Maybe the Blackpool South line should market itself as "The friendly line"!
 

Darandio

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I passed through this station on Thursday. They had 5 revenue officers chatting away at the entrance to the main building from the platform, checking your ticket, as well as two people manning the barriers in the main hall. Not one of them acknowledged my presence when they looked at my ticket. Not one thank you or smile - they didn't even look me in the eye. Very, very rude.

Doesn't sound rude to me. Unhelpful, unprofessional and impolite yes, not very, very rude.

If staff are being rude just film them and upload to youtube. I dont believe its an offence to take photos or film on a network rail station. You can always stop filming if requested. But that type of evidence will be harder for management to ignore if present ed with it.

Wow, your default stance is to film someone and upload it to Youtube because they didn't smile or say thank you. What on earth is wrong with the world?
 

py_megapixel

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Wow, your default stance is to film someone and upload it to Youtube because they didn't smile or say thank you. What on earth is wrong with the world?
You need only browse the pages of online review sites to find plenty of people who appear to be of this mindset.
First rule of the internet: if it exists, someone will complain about it.
 
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Doesn't sound rude to me. Unhelpful, unprofessional and impolite yes, not very, very rude.



Wow, your default stance is to film someone and upload it to Youtube because they didn't smile or say thank you. What on earth is wrong with the world?
It is rude when you thank them for checking your ticket and smile at them and you get nothing in return
 

Ianno87

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In short, yes! Get rid of the sliding doors and move the gate line there. Once through the gate line you have been "processesed" so need for a Gestappo style interrogation again, and the gang of thugs at the sliding doors can be dispensed with

A London Bridge / Manchester Piccadilly / Waterloo style gateline across the platform ends would be ideal.

The lockable doors are just bizarre and ingrain the seeming cultural problem.
 

peteb

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Well stick within the law, having first established what the law is then photo or film any incidences of unacceptable behaviour.

Well stick within the law, having first established what the law is then photo or film any incidences of unacceptable behaviour.
In my job people sometimes film me; they usually stop if I ask them to, but if I was behaving unacceptably towards them then I'd fully expect them to continue to gather their evidence!
 
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Darandio

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It is rude when you thank them for checking your ticket and smile at them and you get nothing in return

But certainly not enough to stick a phone in their face and start filming, although I appreciate that wasn't your suggestion.

We know they are a miserable lot over there, just leave them to get on with it or avoid the place if at all possible!
 

stj

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Ironic the old station site is being turned into a tram interchange.I think the problem at Blackpool North is the station is not big enough at peak times.
 

bramling

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Ironic the old station site is being turned into a tram interchange.I think the problem at Blackpool North is the station is not big enough at peak times.

It doesn’t really help that the platform area is out of bounds so causing everyone to have to be confined to the concourse area.

I think we were all hoping the electrification and reduction to six platforms might have brought about a change in methods of working, but clearly not.

The whole place needs a rethink, but clearly isn’t high on anyone’s list of priorities.
 
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If that was the case, CCTV cameras would be illegal unless you consented to being filmed.
I agreed I may have phrased it incorrectly earlier in the thread - but this is why we have CCTV generic announcements and signs on commercial premises. If you don’t consent then you don’t enter the building
 

norbitonflyer

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Illegal is probably the wrong term, it’s a civil matter - but somebody could take action if you refused to stop when they asked
Although open to the public, the station is private property and the landowner can make its own rules, which could include a ban on photography. Flouting such a bylaw would be a civil trespass. But there is no general ban on photography on railway property, (except, I understand, the Glasgow Underground) and I would be surprised if there were different rules specific to Blackpool North.
 

bramling

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Although open to the public, the station is private property and the landowner can make its own rules, which could include a ban on photography. Flouting such a bylaw would be a civil trespass. But there is no general ban on photography on railway property, (except, I understand, the Glasgow Underground) and I would be surprised if there were different rules specific to Blackpool North.

Not Glasgow Subway (though they were contemplating it), however Tyne & Wear Metro does have a ban - albeit hard to enforce on a system which is virtually unstaffed.
 

stj

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It doesn’t really help that the platform area is out of bounds so causing everyone to have to be confined to the concourse area.

I think we were all hoping the electrification and reduction to six platforms might have brought about a change in methods of working, but clearly not.

The whole place needs a rethink, but clearly isn’t high on anyone’s list of priorities.
I remember when waiting on the platform was allowed and it could get chaotic when the incoming train was packed.
I think someone fell off the platform hence the current practice.
 

Ianno87

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Are the platforms not wider now there’s only six of them?

I think the previous buffer stops and (short) canopies were essentially kept. The reduction from 8 to 6 basically straightens the "pinch" in the old throat, so the country ends are probably wider than previously, projected in a straight line from the buffer stops.
 

bramling

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I think the previous buffer stops and (short) canopies were essentially kept. The reduction from 8 to 6 basically straightens the "pinch" in the old throat, so the country ends are probably wider than previously, projected in a straight line from the buffer stops.

I see. Seems like a missed opportunity. The whole place needs a complete rethink really, it just doesn’t work well.
 

Elecman

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I have to say it's a really bizarrely set up station. Entering the station, the public "concourse" is tiny, with the barriers far too early, behind which is a considerable amount of space. Topping that off the sliding doors preventing or allowing access to the actual platforms.

I can't help but feel that this station is misconfigured, and that this misconfiguration may be the root cause of a lot of the miserable contact. People working in non ideal circumstances, being told to work in a particular way to accommodate the buildings shortcomings. And that in turn creating needless and often petty seeming conflict points. Over time I'm sure that would also feed a general sentiment.
The barriers are a relatively recent addition it used to be the full concourse for waiting and queuing before their installation and ticket checking at the platform doors.
 

packermac

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I passed through this station on Thursday. They had 5 revenue officers chatting away at the entrance to the main building from the platform, checking your ticket, as well as two people manning the barriers in the main hall. Not one of them acknowledged my presence when they looked at my ticket. Not one thank you or smile - they didn't even look me in the eye. Very, very rude.
Perhaps they were from London where my experience of 64 years (before I moved out) would imply eye contact would be regarded as unusual if not downright weird and threatening.
 
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