Alan White
Member
- Joined
- 15 Apr 2015
- Messages
- 77
Yesterday I travelled on the 08:02 Reading-Kemble service via Didcot and Swindon. As we were approaching Kemble I gathered my things and stood by a door ready to leave. Standing by the opposite door was a lady who asked me if this train went to Didcot .
I explained as best as I could - it was obvious that her first language wasn't English - that she was heading in the wrong direction and she should get off here, cross the bridge and wait for the next train back. Fortunately at that time of day it would only be half an hour's wait. I didn't see get off so I've no idea what happened to her.
I presumed she'd boarded at Swindon and I wondered if the unusual platform use for Cheltenham Spa trains caused her confusion. I myself, when booking the journey, was puzzled why it stopped at Swindon's platform 3 rather than the usual 4. Leaving Swindon I saw the answer: there's no connection between platform 4 and the Cheltenham line. This bidirectional usage may have confused her: most platform 3 trains go to London and if one's sense of direction isn't good...
Aside from the delay to her journey, the other question is how she'd be treated from a fares point of view as she presumably didn't have a ticket from Swindon to Kemble or beyond.
I explained as best as I could - it was obvious that her first language wasn't English - that she was heading in the wrong direction and she should get off here, cross the bridge and wait for the next train back. Fortunately at that time of day it would only be half an hour's wait. I didn't see get off so I've no idea what happened to her.
I presumed she'd boarded at Swindon and I wondered if the unusual platform use for Cheltenham Spa trains caused her confusion. I myself, when booking the journey, was puzzled why it stopped at Swindon's platform 3 rather than the usual 4. Leaving Swindon I saw the answer: there's no connection between platform 4 and the Cheltenham line. This bidirectional usage may have confused her: most platform 3 trains go to London and if one's sense of direction isn't good...
Aside from the delay to her journey, the other question is how she'd be treated from a fares point of view as she presumably didn't have a ticket from Swindon to Kemble or beyond.