Requeststop
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I have just returned to work following a great holiday in London and my beloved Cornwall.
In London and the South East a few lines I have never ridden on before are now proudly coloured in on my rail map including DidcotKings SuttonMarylebone, Victoria Eastborne-Hastings-Ashford-St Pancras, St Pancras-Dover-Faversham-Margate-Canterbury-Ashford, Highbury and Islington-Crystal Palace, Victoria-London Bridge via Peckham Rye (wanted to do this line for years), St. Pancras to Sutton via Wimbledon.
I also did the Gunnislake branch for the first time in 20+ years.
I found that the ticket barrier system is very confusing coupled with on train ticket inspection. For instance Paddington-Kings Sutton, I walked through the barriers onto the train late announcing of the platform led to a rush to get on the service. My ticket was inspected just before Reading. At Kings Sutton - No Barriers or staff. Return journey to Marylebone no inspection and barriers open. Barriers in action at Victoria and St Pancras, but at Hastings and Dover, barriers open and no ticket inspection on train.
FGW to Truro on the 10:05 Monday Morning Barriers at Paddington open - ticket inspection in 1st class after Reading. After that no inspection all the way down to Truro, not even a check for new passengers at Exeter or Plymouth. A young late teenaged girl sat in a first class seat all the way from Exeter to Liskeard (feet up on the opposite seat btw) and was not disturbed.
Truro Station sadly now has barriers. It is now a most unfriendly station. No-one allowed on platform to greet you, and help with baggage etc, friends/family now squeezed into a small area beyond the barriers. 2 staff at the barriers to assist. I didnt manage to get down to Penzance as not aware if there are ticket barriers there but I am wondering if Truro is the only station in Cornwall with barriers? If there is staff available to assist passengers, why have the barriers? Surely, they could inspect the tickets and pass the ticket through a reader to check the validity of the tickets?
Going up to Gunnislake, I was able to enter the station through the refreshments room and pass onto the station without using the barriers. My train was late due to a XC service being cancelled and the Gunnislake train pulled out as I was approaching it. 2 hours to kill in Plymouth so I decided to go into the city. I was all prepared to ask at the barrier if I could break my journey, but the gates were wide open. Returning after a bit of a shop and a meal I walked straight onto the platform to the train for the excellent ride to Gunnislake. Tickets inspected both to and on the return to Plymouth.
Finally, last Monday, taking the Night Riviera back to London, again the barriers on the London side of Truro Station were wide open for anyone to walk through.
By the way on arrival at Padding I found that we were double headed by 57603 Tintagel Castle and 57604 Pendennis Castle. See Photo!
In London and the South East a few lines I have never ridden on before are now proudly coloured in on my rail map including DidcotKings SuttonMarylebone, Victoria Eastborne-Hastings-Ashford-St Pancras, St Pancras-Dover-Faversham-Margate-Canterbury-Ashford, Highbury and Islington-Crystal Palace, Victoria-London Bridge via Peckham Rye (wanted to do this line for years), St. Pancras to Sutton via Wimbledon.
I also did the Gunnislake branch for the first time in 20+ years.
I found that the ticket barrier system is very confusing coupled with on train ticket inspection. For instance Paddington-Kings Sutton, I walked through the barriers onto the train late announcing of the platform led to a rush to get on the service. My ticket was inspected just before Reading. At Kings Sutton - No Barriers or staff. Return journey to Marylebone no inspection and barriers open. Barriers in action at Victoria and St Pancras, but at Hastings and Dover, barriers open and no ticket inspection on train.
FGW to Truro on the 10:05 Monday Morning Barriers at Paddington open - ticket inspection in 1st class after Reading. After that no inspection all the way down to Truro, not even a check for new passengers at Exeter or Plymouth. A young late teenaged girl sat in a first class seat all the way from Exeter to Liskeard (feet up on the opposite seat btw) and was not disturbed.
Truro Station sadly now has barriers. It is now a most unfriendly station. No-one allowed on platform to greet you, and help with baggage etc, friends/family now squeezed into a small area beyond the barriers. 2 staff at the barriers to assist. I didnt manage to get down to Penzance as not aware if there are ticket barriers there but I am wondering if Truro is the only station in Cornwall with barriers? If there is staff available to assist passengers, why have the barriers? Surely, they could inspect the tickets and pass the ticket through a reader to check the validity of the tickets?
Going up to Gunnislake, I was able to enter the station through the refreshments room and pass onto the station without using the barriers. My train was late due to a XC service being cancelled and the Gunnislake train pulled out as I was approaching it. 2 hours to kill in Plymouth so I decided to go into the city. I was all prepared to ask at the barrier if I could break my journey, but the gates were wide open. Returning after a bit of a shop and a meal I walked straight onto the platform to the train for the excellent ride to Gunnislake. Tickets inspected both to and on the return to Plymouth.
Finally, last Monday, taking the Night Riviera back to London, again the barriers on the London side of Truro Station were wide open for anyone to walk through.
By the way on arrival at Padding I found that we were double headed by 57603 Tintagel Castle and 57604 Pendennis Castle. See Photo!