Can I board a train that isn't listed on the timetable!?

[Anon Mouse]

If a train is set down only, the information screens will display "set down only" or "not in service" and may be announced as such. But still fair point....

 

[louis97]

Just to throw a spanner in the works here regarding requiring a ticket from the previous calling point.

If I were stood at Eastleigh, for example, and a service appeared displaying "Portsmouth Harbour" on its destination board and the doors opened, a reasonable person would assume this is a service to Portsmouth Harbour that they can board and not require a ticket from Southampton Central. Is a passenger expected to check the timetable before boarding any train?

The CIS screens/PA announcements say "Stand well away" for a reason... :roll:

Surely the doors are not released anyway, or maybe just a local door? Would be an interesting encounter with an RPI on one of these services - Do they even work that late?!

 

[Anon Mouse]

It's about 200 yards is it not? If I'm feeling mischievous I may indulge in their taxi.

it took that reporter less than 2 mins to walk. The platform at Marine is numbered 3 as a continuation of the platform 1 and 2 of Harbour. I want the station sign!

 

[Brucey]

The CIS screens/PA announcements say "Stand well away" for a reason... :roll:

Although sometimes they can display this when an actual service arrives

Surely the doors are not released anyway, or maybe just a local door? Would be an interesting encounter with an RPI on one of these services - Do they even work that late?!

I don't think FGW RPIs normally work south of Westbury. There must be other locations where this could possibly be tested...

 

[benk1342]

... for route knowledge purposes.

I've heard this phrase before but I don't quite understand what it means. Can someone elaborate?

I saw these pair call at Eastleigh a couple of weeks ago, announced on arrival as "stand clear, not in service". The guard said he would not stop anyone from boarding if they wanted to, but I guess this need not always be the case.

So they were stopping and opening and closing the doors for route knowledge also? What does this have to do with route knowledge?

 

[Brucey]

I've heard this phrase before but I don't quite understand what it means. Can someone elaborate?



So they were stopping and opening and closing the doors for route knowledge also? What does this have to do with route knowledge?

Drivers and guards are required to know certain information about the route (e.g. signals, platforms, points etc). They are required to travel on the routes every now and then to maintain this knowledge.

Eastleigh is a common diversion for engineering works between Fareham and Southampton Central or Southampton Central and Romsey, so it is essential that FGW keep staff route knowledge up to date.

As for opening the doors, if going from Fareham - Southampton Central via. Eastleigh, the train's direction must change at Eastleigh so the driver and guard need to swap ends.

 

[David Goddard]

Just to throw a spanner in the works here regarding requiring a ticket from the previous calling point.

If I were stood at Eastleigh, for example, and a service appeared displaying "Portsmouth Harbour" on its destination board and the doors opened, a reasonable person would assume this is a service to Portsmouth Harbour that they can board and not require a ticket from Southampton Central. Is a passenger expected to check the timetable before boarding any train?

No problem- as I found out earlier, both of the FGW trains are listed in the NRT with arrival and departure times. Therefore (despite what the screens or announcements say), you are able to board or alight as appropriate.

 

[wintonian]

If a train is set down only, the information screens will display "set down only" or "not in service" and may be announced as such. But still fair point....

When I did it at Surbiton nothing appeared on the CIS the train just appeared.

 

[benk1342]

[A]pperently only passengers with tickets for the 18:52 service to lewis can use the rplacement taxi.

flickr pic of poster

What a shame that you have to call an 0845 number to get your free taxi.

 

[Brucey]

What a shame that you have to call an 0845 number to get your free taxi.

According to saynoto0870.com, assisted travel on 0800 1381016 goes through to the same people.

 

[benk1342]

I guess the taxi driver will be a bit surprised to take a passenger such a short walk.

To me the wording of the sign suggests that the taxi will take you all the way to Lewes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

According to saynoto0870.com, assisted travel on 0800 1381016 goes through to the same people.

I love that website. Being from the U.S., where pay phone numbers are rare and disreputable, I am amazed that people in this country put up with them.

 

[34D]

Recent discussion of Newhaven Marine at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58814

Regarding this setting down only service at Brighton, I would urge the OP to try it, either holding a brighton-destination ticket or having a legitimate reason for not having one.

Highly unlikely (for his own safety) that the guard would make an issue of it at that time.

Regarding issuing a penalty fare (or ticket or excess) from the previous calling point, I'd like to think that a couple of letters could deal with that. At watford junction it seems de rigeur to board a virgin train to euston, and if the last pick up point counted that could in theory be a ticket from Stafford (or worse). I'd suggest that consumer law would be on your side.

 

[ushawk]

Think the last normal train leaves Brighton at 00.10 and the station is always fully staffed, i highly doubt you would get access to the platforms.

 

[12CSVT]

Just out of interest what is the current diagram for the unit that does the Newhaven Marine branch ?

 

[34D]

Think the last normal train leaves Brighton at 00.10 and the station is always fully staffed, i highly doubt you would get access to the platforms.

I'd expect at that time for all barriers to be left open. Not seen brighton at this time, but seen plenty of other stations at that time.

Just out of interest what is the current diagram for the unit that does the Newhaven Marine branch ?

Mentioned on the other thread. Its shown (as a class 5) in open train times.

 

[Oracle]

Do they still have staff trains? I once had to get to Southampton from Feltham via Clapham Junction, arriving by 09.00. I was dropped off and waited for the first service train. A 508 appeared, stopped and opened its doors, unannounced. I asked a member of staff if it was going to Waterloo and was told it was a staff train from Staines, but was 'passenger' from Hounslow, so advised to get on. It of course turned left at the West Junction and stopped all stations on the loop. No guard came round to challenge me.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Mentioned on the other thread. Its shown (as a class 5) in open train times.

I believe there are sometimes some ECS movements to/from Newhaven Marine that would have class 5 headcodes, but the actual parliamentary service is 2F30 and departs Newhaven Marine at 2015 Monday-Friday direct to Lewes, arriving on Platform 4 at 2032.

But the working timetable (as in CIF extracts) also appears to show (for most weeks) an ECS movement from Newhaven Marine at the same times, extending to Brighton - which is obviously the same train. But it is definitely also shown as an unadvertised passenger service with a class 2 headcode in its own right.

 

[Flamingo]

Certain of our late trains are set down only at certain stations (and I'm not saying any more than that). We will occasionally get platform staff asking if we can take "stranded" passengers to wherever, but we are allowed to say no (not that I ever would, I hasten to add, unless they were drunk / unruly / had been chucked off a previous train).

I have heard a story about an obnoxious drunk getting on the sleeper at Pad, saying to the on-train staff "Don't give me any ****, I know you stop at Reading, I'm not getting off", and then falling asleep. He woke up at Taunton. He had to buy a ticket back the next morning as well, as platform staff had been tipped off about him and wouldn't allow him in without one!

 

[island]

According to saynoto0870.com, assisted travel on 0800 1381016 goes through to the same people.

Not much help on a mobile though!

 

[wintonian]

Not much help on a mobile though!

It is if you dial 0116 304 0800 first.

or 01207 45 0800.

For some reason the number changed when clicked on the link above.

or even 01208 34 0800, it seems the number changes whenever you visit.

 

[Brucey]

Not much help on a mobile though!

Unless you're on giffgaff, like me

 

[GarethW]

There was an excellent R4 program called "The Ghost Trains of Old England" by Ian Marchant back in Nov 2010, where he did exactly that and got a taxi from Marine to Harbour. Also visited Teeside Airport, the Stockport-Staly parly and the bus parly in West London replacing the bit of the old Interegional Brighton services that doesn't have any other services.

 

[Welshman]

I have heard a story.....

I thought you were going to retell the one in steam days when a train from the West Country stopped at Reading to set down only.

As it stopped, a quick-witted passenger bound for Paddington jumped on to it.

"Hey" yelled a porter, "this train doesn't stop here!"

"That's OK, then" replied the passenger, "as I'm not getting on it!"

 

[Eagle]

Just to throw a spanner in the works here regarding requiring a ticket from the previous calling point.

If I were stood at Eastleigh, for example, and a service appeared displaying "Portsmouth Harbour" on its destination board and the doors opened, a reasonable person would assume this is a service to Portsmouth Harbour that they can board and not require a ticket from Southampton Central. Is a passenger expected to check the timetable before boarding any train?

The screens and announcements at stations make it quite clear that a service is not to be boarded.

I guess there's nothing actually stop you jumping on (unless there's platform staff), but you can't then claim you were ignorant, as the information systems at the station told you it was set-down only.

 

[richw]

or even 01208 34 0800, it seems the number changes whenever you visit.

That's a bodmin phone number in cornwall, can't imagine that to be correct.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[wintonian]

That's a bodmin phone number in cornwall, can't imagine that to be correct.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

Why not? I have a Lymington phone number but have never atualy lived in the area coverd by the exchange.

Anyone can buy a phone number for anywhere in the UK.

 

[Eagle]

That's a bodmin phone number in cornwall, can't imagine that to be correct.

It's not a phone number for Southern, it's some independent service: a phone number that you call, and they transfer you to the 0800 number.

It's basically for cases where a landline call costs less than an 0800 call (such as most mobiles on a plan with inclusive call minutes).

 

[richw]

Anyone can buy a phone number for anywhere in the UK.

That's something I never knew, always thought to have a number you had to be in that area.


Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[wintonian]

It's not a phone number for Southern, it's some independent service: a phone number that you call, and they transfer you to the 0800 number.

It's basically for cases where a landline call costs less than an 0800 call (such as most mobiles on a plan with inclusive call minutes).

Correct, ofcourse if richw clicked the link they would know that.

Admitidly I was being lazy and prehaps should of explained.

That's something I never knew, always thought to have a number you had to be in that area.


Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

Nope not anymore, I got mine for £2 here but you could have something like a 0844/ 0845 for free.

It's great for giving to companies you don't trust not to sell on your number and on the rare occasion I get someone offering to sort out my debts for me or selling sky insurance for a system I no longer have I just divert it to the FSA/ trading standards for a couple of days in case they ring back, strangely I never hear from them again.

 

[Tom]

I believe there are sometimes some ECS movements to/from Newhaven Marine that would have class 5 headcodes, but the actual parliamentary service is 2F30 and departs Newhaven Marine at 2015 Monday-Friday direct to Lewes, arriving on Platform 4 at 2032.

But the working timetable (as in CIF extracts) also appears to show (for most weeks) an ECS movement from Newhaven Marine at the same times, extending to Brighton - which is obviously the same train. But it is definitely also shown as an unadvertised passenger service with a class 2 headcode in its own right.

2F30 is a WTT schedule which is always CAN. 5F30 is the ECS move that it forms at Lewes, if it ever runs. It is simply given an overlay to start at Newhaven.