How easy is it to get on the wrong train?

[infobleep]

Someone must have been off the ball on my train because they just rushed from one door, whilst at Claydon station, to the other. They were both looked.

It was the 19.53 to Guildford, which was running 3 minutes late. Fortunately for them there is an 20.02 from London Road so they won't be to delayed. Should they miss that a 20.11 awaits. I guess it helped that they were near Guildford station.

I doubt they need to ask the guard to come back as they are both 455 services.

 

[Gathursty]

Mixing up Aberystwyth and Edinburgh. My goodness! Still, nice journey to make, even if in error.

 

[Merseysider]

Mixing up Aberystwyth and Edinburgh. My goodness! Still, nice journey to make, even if in error.

Do explain!

 

[Llanigraham]

Do explain!

See my post #90!

 

[Merseysider]

See my post #90!

Aha, I missed that

 

[185143]

I can imagine when SWT start running the Salisbury Sunday specials (Waterloo - Clapham - Salisbury) there will be some passengers boarding by mistake who wanted Woking/Basingstoke/Andover

Isn't there some XC services from Manchester which skips Stockport?

Yes. that was a much longer vomiter trip than I was expecting

Train Manager was fine with it as the Crewe local train was in front of ours at Piccadilly and, as I found out on the platform at Stoke, about 15 people had boarded the XC service in error!

 

[PermitToTravel]

Yes. that was a much longer vomiter trip than I was expecting

Train Manager was fine with it as the Crewe local train was in front of ours at Piccadilly and, as I found out on the platform at Stoke, about 15 people had boarded the XC service in error!

I'd better start checking before blindly jumping on trains - I thought they all called at Stockport hock:

 

[GodAtum]

Familiarity also breeds complacency sometimes - just because your train nearly always goes from the same platform, you can't assume it's yours. I've seen it happen on a few occasions where people have boarded the wrong train as platforms have been switched well in advance but they've not bothered to check or listen to announcements.

I have done that once at East Croydon. The 0739 Victoria swapped platforms with the 0741 London Bridge

 

[ian959]

Good one on the Cambrian this afternoon.
A Chinese gent got on the Aberystwyth train at Wolverhampton and wasn't ticket checked until after Shrewsbury. Unfortunately he had no English and his ticket said Edinburgh. Taken to Caersws as no explanation needed about changing platforms and only a very short wait for the next Up.
The excellent Conductress has also contacted her compatriot on the Up so they knew to pick him up and take him back to Wolves and put him on a later train.

Not surprising at Wolverhampton. The number of times I have been there waiting for a train and the next train to arrive at the platform is NOT the train on the CIS is not insignificant. Often seems to involve late running XC or VT services on platform 1 from my experience.

 

[Jeni]

I remember when I used to commute through New Street, my train from Droitwich was timetabled to arrive at 18:13 while my (very unofficial) onward Virgin train to Coventry left at 18:10. Because of timetable padding on the Droitwich service, it was a dash but I rarely missed it (checking platforms via NRE as the train was approaching New Street etc).

On one occasion there had been a platform alteration in the time before me checking on the app and me arriving on the platform that I didn't notice. I get to the platform to see a Virgin Train on the platform, hop on.

*bing bong* Welcome aboard the service to Glasgow

Damn (Though luckily I had time to get off, but didn't make the Cov train!)

 

[Kite159]

I remember when I used to commute through New Street, my train from Droitwich was timetabled to arrive at 18:13 while my (very unofficial) onward Virgin train to Coventry left at 18:10. Because of timetable padding on the Droitwich service, it was a dash but I rarely missed it (checking platforms via NRE as the train was approaching New Street etc).

On one occasion there had been a platform alteration in the time before me checking on the app and me arriving on the platform that I didn't notice. I get to the platform to see a Virgin Train on the platform, hop on.

*bing bong* Welcome aboard the service to Glasgow

Damn (Though luckily I had time to get off, but didn't make the Cov train!)

Although if you did get the wrong one, it's not that far to go until Sandwell & Dudley for a return back towards New Street.

 

[Sprinter]

The number of people who get caught out by the current 2333 Liverpool Street- Chingford train is always fun. For those that do not know it is the only down Chingford train of the day that runs "fast"- first stop is Walthamstow. Fine with me as that is where I wish to go.

However it is guaranteed when approaching Hackney Downs and Clapton for passengers to get up and move to the doors expecting to get off, when of course the train sails straight through! The train is described correctly at Liverpool Street and the driver makes a tannoy announcement before departure to advise of the calling pattern... I guess they just look at the destination rather than the calling points!

To compound this when the train reaches Walthamstow, there is no up train to get back. It is the N38 night bus instead!

Sadly, when London Overground takes over this train will call all stations (just like all the others).

 

[sarahj]

There is a train down from Vic in the morning to Brighton. Its calling pattern is:
Victoria
East Croydon
Gatwick
Burgess Hill
Hassocks
Brighton.

I was working it this week (tuesday) and as its a 12 car decided to start checking tickets right away to be around C 8 for dispatch at Croydon. In coach 11 I came across someone with an oyster. The chat went like this:
'Going to East Croydon?' (making sure they are not going beyond on an oyster)
'No Clapham Junction'
'Not with this train, we dont stop' :roll:
Right at that moment we went fast through Clapham junction.
'oh'

I just moved on.

 

[Kite159]

There is a train down from Vic in the morning to Brighton. Its calling pattern is:
Victoria
East Croydon
Gatwick
Burgess Hill
Hassocks
Brighton.

I was working it this week (tuesday) and as its a 12 car decided to start checking tickets right away to be around C 8 for dispatch at Croydon. In coach 11 I came across someone with an oyster. The chat went like this:
'Going to East Croydon?' (making sure they are not going beyond on an oyster)
'No Clapham Junction'
'Not with this train, we dont stop' :roll:
Right at that moment we went fast through Clapham junction.
'oh'

I just moved on.

Probably jumped on without checking where it was going on the assumption that it calls at Clapham.

Is there many Southern 377 services which omit Clapham?

 

[bb21]

Probably jumped on without checking where it was going on the assumption that it calls at Clapham.

Is there many Southern 377 services which omit Clapham?

Hourly. The xx51 from Victoria omit Clapham J.

(None stop at Clapham. The nearest you will get on a Southern service is MKC. )

 

[danbushell]

I was once on the Newcastle to Carlisle train and a guy had got on thinking it went to Darlington-he got off at the next stop-Dunston-but I think he had a few hours wait before another train was due to stop there again!!

 

[island]

Hourly. The xx51 from Victoria omit Clapham J.

(None stop at Clapham. The nearest you will get on a Southern service is MKC. )

I'm glad I'm not the only one to make this distinction

 

[blakey1152]

My other half managed to board the wrong train at London Bridge.
She gets very flustered and confused when there are a lot of people around and it was in the middle of the rush hour - It sounded like she had just got to the top of the ramp and the previous Slade Green train had just left but was still showing on the displays so she thought the next train was the Slade Green one when it wasn't.
She was panicking and called me up, but it wasn't all that bad as it was going to Barnehurst rather than Slade Green.

I myself got a little confused at Glasgow Queen Street when there were two trains timed to depart from the same platform both saying they were the front 2 and front 3 coaches only. Turned out that there were 3 trains on the platform, the first 2 coaches was obviously the first train to depart and the second set of coaches was the second train to depart but using the term front nearly caught me out and the guy at the gateline said if your worried about getting on the wrong set then just wait til the first train has left.

Again just using front and rear can cause confusion. as we know its the direction the train is heading but at a terminus a passenger could well think the rear is the front and vice-versa.

And now I've even gone and confused myself....lol

 

[Kite159]

Hourly. The xx51 from Victoria omit Clapham J.

(None stop at Clapham. The nearest you will get on a Southern service is MKC. )

I never knew about the xx51 omitting Clapham J, seems an odd calling pattern, fast to East Croydon, Gatwick, then a couple stations before Brighton. I would have imagined if any Southern services omitted Clapham J it would have been the Brighton expresses (i.e. East Croydon only).

 

[island]

I never knew about the xx51 omitting Clapham J, seems an odd calling pattern, fast to East Croydon, Gatwick, then a couple stations before Brighton. I would have imagined if any Southern services omitted Clapham J it would have been the Brighton expresses (i.e. East Croydon only).

There are four further Southern services per hour that omit Clapham Junction, usually departing from platforms 13 and 14.

 

[Kite159]

There are four further Southern services per hour that omit Clapham Junction, usually departing from platforms 13 and 14.

Although my originally question countered those Southern 442 operated services

 

[Ianigsy]

Many years ago (early 1980s) my Dad and I had an unwanted return trip to Morecambe; we were trying to get to Steamtown at Carnforth and a DMU came into one of the bays with "Barrow" on the destination blind. Taking this at face value, we boarded and only realised something wasn't quite right when we pulled into Bare Lane.

 

[Envy123]

Yesterday I was on the GN train to Moorgate.

One guy asked me if it was going to Kings Cross, right as we were approaching Moorgate! Anyway, I pointed it out that it was a Moorgate train and that he needed to take the tube to Kings Cross.

 

[jon0844]

For a while when the new ATOS information system was enabled by FCC, some Moorgate trains showed on the screens as going to King's Cross, after calling at Essex Road (no Old Street mentioned at all).

A total **** up for a few days as I recall, along with other oddities that now slip my mind but were just as dumb and impossible.

 

[sarahj]

Hourly. The xx51 from Victoria omit Clapham J.

(None stop at Clapham. The nearest you will get on a Southern service is MKC. )

They are often DOO services, this one only had me on as its a 12 car.

 

[fandroid]

The Darlington/Carlisle example highlights the need to actually try to speak to an on-board member of staff if you realise you are on the wrong train. In my experience they are normally sympathetic and can advise where best to get off in order to get on a return train. Especially at night and in winter it can be a desperate experience to be standing on a lonely station for hours, when it would have been much more comfortable and secure to spend most of that time on heated and lit trains, even if it means travelling miles out of your way. I once spoke to a lady who had previously got off at Dovey Junction in the dark. She was eventually rescued by a kindly local who drove her to a more sensible station!

 

[plymothian]

2 cases this week:

Bristol Temple Meads 23.05 to Exeter St Davids comes from Avonmouth, terminates and sits for 15 mins before forming the Exeter St Davids. Passenger assumed the train went straight to Bath Spa despite any announcements; conductor caught up with him just just outside Yatton and he ended up getting off for a taxi.

At Exeter St Davids yesterday the Penzance train was delayed and the Barnstaple train was in the platform, again despite announcements, the conductor and platform staff, people came charging off the Plymouth train and straight on. Luckily the road hadn't been pulled off so they could be tipped off.

 

[Envy123]

For a while when the new ATOS information system was enabled by FCC, some Moorgate trains showed on the screens as going to King's Cross, after calling at Essex Road (no Old Street mentioned at all).

A total **** up for a few days as I recall, along with other oddities that now slip my mind but were just as dumb and impossible.

It's possible that it was the reason for the guy's confusion.

I mean, at least in New Southgate they announce the services very clearly, especially at peak times.

 

[Merseysider]

2 cases this week:

BRI 23.05 to EXD comes from AVN, terminates and sits for 15 mins before forming the EXD. Passenger assumed the train went straight to BTH despite any announcements; conductor caught up with him just just outside YAT and he ended up getting off for a taxi.

At EXD yesterday the PNZ train was delayed and the BNP train was in the platform, again despite announcements, the conductor and platform staff, people came charging off the PLY train and straight on. Luckily the road hadn't been pulled off so they could be tipped off.

Please could you write out the station names in full? I am fully aware of the shortcodes for Plymouth, Bristol TM, Exeter St Davids and Penzance, but AVN, BTH, BNP and YAT mean diddly squat to me, and probably others reading this too.

Was the BNP train covered in flags and full of racists?

 

[Llanigraham]

2 cases this week:

BRI 23.05 to EXD comes from AVN, terminates and sits for 15 mins before forming the EXD. Passenger assumed the train went straight to BTH despite any announcements; conductor caught up with him just just outside YAT and he ended up getting off for a taxi.

At EXD yesterday the PNZ train was delayed and the BNP train was in the platform, again despite announcements, the conductor and platform staff, people came charging off the PLY train and straight on. Luckily the road hadn't been pulled off so they could be tipped off.

AARRGGHH!!!
Please don't use these acronyms!!!
Not all of us know what they are!!