Great Western Railway - Announcements When Reservations are Suspended

[yorksrob]

I had seat reservation chaos the other week. Got on in Doncaster, seat reservations in my carriage weren't working and announcements were made. Not a problem, I just found another seat. One or two people moved when people with reservations turned up. Same with the next stop, a few disgruntled people, but it smoothed out quickly enough. By the second stop, however, the seat reservations were working again. Cue arguments everywhere between people who were already sitting in that seat when the reservations weren't working, and those who had boarded with a reservation that was by that point displayed. Fortunately the person next to me and myself volunteered our seats to the couple with reservations as it was getting a touch heated with people chipping in with their opinions on the matter.

In my opinion it would have been better to leave them broken and just announce that they're not working in that scenario.

Yes, I agree. Changing half way through seems another recipe for trouble.

I think the old paper labels were better. They were either there, or they weren't.

 

[yorkie]

However my most recent one was the 11:22 from Birmingham New Street to Stamford (2-car 170) on the 15/06/19. No tickets were on the seats. But thankfully I managed to get my reserved seat (A50) which I clicked on on the XC seating plan - the 2 young ladies weren't particularly happy at moving.

If the seats were not marked as reserved, you had no right to move the young ladies.

Opposite me, 2 older people weren't so fortunate - one of the same 2 young ladies had the cheek to say something like 'It doesn't say it on the seats' when the older lady said something like 'Yes but they're our seats'. At least there was a simple explanation - there was a printer issue at Birmingham New Street.

If the seats were not marked as reserved, it was the older lady who had "cheek"

XC, like VTWC, I think operate the policy that reservations apply even if unmarked. This gives all the more reason why there should be signs stating what the policy is.

I'm not so sure; I've been on XC trains recently without reservations where there was no such policy.

I didn't know that. I'd still be inclined to tell the person claiming the seat to buzz off if there are plenty of others available.

If the seats are not marked as reserved, no-one can make the occupants of the seat move; and not just from a legal perspective; it would be morally wrong for anyone to attempt to make them move. If there are no reservations, there are no reservations.

The abolition of reservations would kill long distance rail travel for me. By all means have a modest per ticket fee such as £2 to ensure those who reserve actually need to but total abolition would be absurd.

Out of interest do you take Virgin in preference to Chiltern if you were to travel from Birmingham to London, for that reason? I personally prefer Chiltern, partly because you know you won't risk getting into an argument over non-working reservations (and for other reasons not applicable to this thread)

 

[trainophile]

Yes, I agree. Changing half way through seems another recipe for trouble.

I think the old paper labels were better. They were either there, or they weren't.

But if they are on the floor you've still potentially got a problem. I have often found a paper slip relating to the current journey under a seat, sometimes a couple of rows away, and have even accidentally knocked one out myself when getting up to leave (I did replace it). Just last Friday only one of our two reservations in Coach D on our GWR train from Paddington were labelled (the red/green lights weren't operating). Luckily we were on before it filled up and able to claim our seats.

 

[Mountain Man]

Because if a (potential) passenger is unable to stand for the length of the journey they would probably opt for another means of travel.

There are already seats set aside for passengers unable to stand.

 

[ValleyLines142]

There are already seats set aside for passengers unable to stand.

Which will most likely be occupied already.

 

[Mountain Man]

Which will most likely be occupied already.

And? You ask them politely to move.

 

[ValleyLines142]

And? You ask them politely to move.

They won't move, unless the seats are reserved.

Priority seats are a grey area because it should really be aimed primarily at disabled or elderly passengers but then I will sit in a priority seat because I'm just shy of 6 ft 5 and the majority of stock on our network is designed to have hardly any legroom and I get cramp in my leg if I'm squashed. It's as if many designers think all passengers are midgets!

 

[Bletchleyite]

A window priority seat is very unlikely to get you unseated, it would require either two people requiring such a seat to show up (rare) or someone who requires (rather than desires) their companion to sit with them.

 

[MontyP]

I had seat reservation chaos the other week. Got on in Doncaster, seat reservations in my carriage weren't working and announcements were made. Not a problem, I just found another seat. One or two people moved when people with reservations turned up. Same with the next stop, a few disgruntled people, but it smoothed out quickly enough. By the second stop, however, the seat reservations were working again. Cue arguments everywhere between people who were already sitting in that seat when the reservations weren't working, and those who had boarded with a reservation that was by that point displayed. Fortunately the person next to me and myself volunteered our seats to the couple with reservations as it was getting a touch heated with people chipping in with their opinions on the matter.

In my opinion it would have been better to leave them broken and just announce that they're not working in that scenario.

Happened to me travelling back from Doncaster to London last Sat evening. Azuma service, electronic reservations not working - despite an announcement from the guard that there were no reservations, there were still people insisting that there were others sitting in their seats. Given that half the train seemed to have spent the day drinking at York Races, some of the arguments became rather heated ...

Why is it so difficult for Hitachi to get the electronic reservations working across the 800 fleet? On numerous journeys on GWR over the last year, I would guess that they have not been working on 20-25% of my journeys.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Happened to me travelling back from Doncaster to London last Sat evening. Azuma service, electronic reservations not working - despite an announcement from the guard that there were no reservations, there were still people insisting that there were others sitting in their seats. Given that half the train seemed to have spent the day drinking at York Races, some of the arguments became rather heated ...

I just do not understand why a notice is not prominently displayed in each coach/group of seats making clear the policy. It would solve all of this, at least as far as anyone vaguely reasonable is concerned. The same with regard to blinds, comme la France - "If there is a dispute as to the blind position it is to be left open/closed[1] as a default".

[1] TOC to determine which it is.

 

[Mountain Man]

They won't move, unless the seats are reserved.

Priority seats are a grey area because it should really be aimed primarily at disabled or elderly passengers but then I will sit in a priority seat because I'm just shy of 6 ft 5 and the majority of stock on our network is designed to have hardly any legroom and I get cramp in my leg if I'm squashed. It's as if many designers think all passengers are midgets!

And what's you say they will move if seats are reserved?

 

[Megafuss]

What are the reasons electronic reservations fail? My own experience is 3 out of 3 Pendolinos without reservations in the last month. Obviously these stories as well with the IETs. Although never had a problem with the HST/MK4 LNER sets since they went paperless.