trainophile
Established Member
I'm still chuckling at something that happened yesterday morning.
I boarded at Hereford, and as we left the station the guard came through asking to see "tickets from Hereford". A chap had got on just in front of me and was sitting across the aisle, but ignored the request. He had headphones on so I assumed he just hadn't heard it. The guard walked on through.
After Leominster, he came through again, asking for "tickets from Leominster". He stopped by the chap opposite, and asked to see his ticket. Chap replies "I got on at Hereford". Guard: "Yes but I haven't seen your ticket yet". Bit of a half-hearted pocket dance, then chap resignedly says "I was in a hurry this morning. Single to Ludlow please". "That'll be £9.80". Bloke grudgingly fishes out a tenner and pays. There goes the night's beer money .
I half hoped the guard would accuse the guy of deliberately trying to avoid buying a ticket, but I don't blame him for just letting it go. He couldn't have proved it anyway.
I wondered if he was genuinely wanting to go to Ludlow, or just said the next stop as he couldn't afford to pay for where he wanted to go. He did get off at Ludlow.
Kudos to the guard for realising he hadn't seen this bloke's ticket, and for ensuring he actually bought one. I also wonder how often he gets away with it, knowing that the worst that can happen is he has to buy one on the train.
It was an early (0649) train from Hereford and the barriers were open, so he probably thought he would get away with it as not all guards are so diligent.
I boarded at Hereford, and as we left the station the guard came through asking to see "tickets from Hereford". A chap had got on just in front of me and was sitting across the aisle, but ignored the request. He had headphones on so I assumed he just hadn't heard it. The guard walked on through.
After Leominster, he came through again, asking for "tickets from Leominster". He stopped by the chap opposite, and asked to see his ticket. Chap replies "I got on at Hereford". Guard: "Yes but I haven't seen your ticket yet". Bit of a half-hearted pocket dance, then chap resignedly says "I was in a hurry this morning. Single to Ludlow please". "That'll be £9.80". Bloke grudgingly fishes out a tenner and pays. There goes the night's beer money .
I half hoped the guard would accuse the guy of deliberately trying to avoid buying a ticket, but I don't blame him for just letting it go. He couldn't have proved it anyway.
I wondered if he was genuinely wanting to go to Ludlow, or just said the next stop as he couldn't afford to pay for where he wanted to go. He did get off at Ludlow.
Kudos to the guard for realising he hadn't seen this bloke's ticket, and for ensuring he actually bought one. I also wonder how often he gets away with it, knowing that the worst that can happen is he has to buy one on the train.
It was an early (0649) train from Hereford and the barriers were open, so he probably thought he would get away with it as not all guards are so diligent.