Indeed. Crosscountry are not always known for their leniency. Fortunately I don't remember my ticket being checked at any point but it wasn't a long journey so the nerding licence is still active....for now.
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Passengers getting confused by different TOCs or liveries.
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norbitonflyer
Established Member
When Southern had to borrow some 350s from London Midland some years ago (I forget why there was a shortage of 377s) to run the Milton Keynes route they went to great lengths to put up posters to reassure intending passengers that these were indeed the MK trains.
Sean Emmett
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It doesn't happen so often now, but amazed at number of times ordinary pax have joined a steam special!
Remember particular incident at Derby in 1990s when various pax took some (considerable) persuading (stewards, multiple multiple pa annoucements, people on the special showing their tickets and reservations) that the special was not the regular service train they were waiting for, despite whatever the departure board was saying.
Maybe going off topic, but in some cases specials are still not shown on departure boards at all, or if they are they appear as if they were a 'normal' service.
Mind you, departure boards can cause confusion. In Sep joined train for Bristol and Taunton at Newport. Manchester train delayed 5 mins and was behind, not in front of, the mini hst. Quite a few pax got on assuming we were the Manchester train, delay at Severn Tunnel while conductor worked out what to advise them to do.
Remember particular incident at Derby in 1990s when various pax took some (considerable) persuading (stewards, multiple multiple pa annoucements, people on the special showing their tickets and reservations) that the special was not the regular service train they were waiting for, despite whatever the departure board was saying.
Maybe going off topic, but in some cases specials are still not shown on departure boards at all, or if they are they appear as if they were a 'normal' service.
Mind you, departure boards can cause confusion. In Sep joined train for Bristol and Taunton at Newport. Manchester train delayed 5 mins and was behind, not in front of, the mini hst. Quite a few pax got on assuming we were the Manchester train, delay at Severn Tunnel while conductor worked out what to advise them to do.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
That nearly happened to me. At Paddington, going to Bath and looking for the 10:00 to Bristol. Displayed on the board as going from platform 10. So four of us, with our bicycles and other luggage traipse over there. A little surprised to find a Class 57 on the blocks instead of the expected HST, but it was only when we saw the maroon rolling stock and realised Bath was not listed as a calling point that I realised what was amiss. Traipse back to platform 1, where the OTHER 10:00 to Bristol was now shown on the board!
Possibly the 1035 “Royal Scot” to Glasgow (1S57). I think the 1630 (I may be wrong though) was first stop Crewe.
Scotrail314209
Established Member
Yeah there was also one at 1630 that was non stop to Preston, with a 1657 that called at the regular stations with a few additionals.
I can imagine that many people would’ve gotten mistaken especially since it’s a general hourly service.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
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Also by putting the word Southern on the trains themselves, on the large exterior side displays…
(The temporary use was caused by rounding up the SN dual voltage 377/2s to work an increased Thameslink service that was itself awaiting a late running order…)
Ah OK! Having had a re-think, that one that did first stop Crewe in the evening might have been at 1730. I did that one out of Euston myself once a while back, but of course that was in the halcyon days of loco-hauled stock and named trains!
Western Sunset
Established Member
If the train was called "The Rocket", would passengers contact trading standards if it crawled along, calling at all stations?
Suraggu
Member
Many moons ago on a Pathfinder railtour, approaching a red signal at Dalston Kingsland we came to a halt in the station with a Freightliner green 66 and chocolate & cream Mk.1s in tow, passengers tried to board the train.
Couldn't have been more different than a Silverlink 313.
Mike Machin
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Absolutely, most people I know still refer to British Rail!
I was at Stevenage station on Friday waiting for the train to Cambridge, it was advertised as Thameslink and it turned out not to be Thameslink, a couple who probably planned their trip ages ago never got on and I heard them remark "the Thameslink train to Cambridge will be right behind this one"
70014IronDuke
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The railway can't have it both ways. Since "privatisation", untold millions have been spent on branding and warnings that TOC-specific tickets are not valid on another operator's services, with hundreds, if not thousands of stories about ignorant passengers getting on the wrong trains and being charged extra. This situation certainly makes me, a very occasional user of GB trains, jittery at getting it right.
If I had an easyJet ticket from Luton to Rome, and found myself being ushered onto a WizzAir aeroplane, I'd start asking questions before they closed the passenger doors.
If I had an easyJet ticket from Luton to Rome, and found myself being ushered onto a WizzAir aeroplane, I'd start asking questions before they closed the passenger doors.
That will be due to confusion over GTR's multiple brand names.
Who is going to stop them?
It's unusual for there to be a freight train on the Central Line through London, but a work train was interleaved between passenger services. Despite indicator and PA announcements that it was "Not in Service", as the Battery Locos came slowly through with wagons in tow, several of those standing on the platform stepped towards it.
Bit of confusion today at Redhill with Southeastern trains on diversion - some didn't quite realise this would be calling fast at first but soon got off after some rather firm but clear announcements from the conductor "This train is FAST to Tonbridge - that's right FAST to Tonbridge, a Southeastern service". Obviously doesn't help when many Southern services to Tonbridge ARE crewed by Southeastern staff, in Southeastern uniform.
Do most passengers even know what "fast" means? I can picture an occasional leisure traveller not getting off, happy that they're on the train that the company seems to have decided will drive faster today.
High Dyke
Established Member
Away from the railways you had similar occurrences on bus routes, but that's for a different thread.
My thoughts as well, I wouldn't know exactly what "Fast" means . I presume it means it doesn't stop at intermediate stations?
It's more of an internal railway term so I guess the conductor shouldn't have used it. "Non-stop" may have been better.
xotGD
Established Member
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The use of the term 'fast' has made it into popular culture. I give you 'Smithers-Jones' by The Jam:
Here we go again
It's Monday at last
He's heading for the Waterloo Line
To catch the 8am fast
It's usually dead on time
Hope it isn't late
Got to be there by nine
No doubt some forum members will be able to work out where Smithers-Jones lived on the basis of this verse!
Here we go again
It's Monday at last
He's heading for the Waterloo Line
To catch the 8am fast
It's usually dead on time
Hope it isn't late
Got to be there by nine
No doubt some forum members will be able to work out where Smithers-Jones lived on the basis of this verse!
norbitonflyer
Established Member
The song was written in 1979, and I'm afraid that I don't have the SR timetable for that year. However I have looked at the oldest I have - 2007. I can find very few departures at exactly 0800,and even fewer that would be described as "fast" - most examples are on branch lines with an all stations service. There was one from Ascot but it wouldn't "be there by nine"
The best I could do was the 0759 from Basingstoke which called only at Woking and arrived at Waterloo at 0846. Whether it was "usually dead on time" though, as started at Exeter at 0510 - long single-line stretches in those days
In 1979 the Exeter trains were hauled by Class 33s - the 50s took over in 1980, which had much more power to be able to make up time if any delays did occur
The best I could do was the 0759 from Basingstoke which called only at Woking and arrived at Waterloo at 0846. Whether it was "usually dead on time" though, as started at Exeter at 0510 - long single-line stretches in those days
In 1979 the Exeter trains were hauled by Class 33s - the 50s took over in 1980, which had much more power to be able to make up time if any delays did occur
75A
Established Member
The Jam were from Woking if that helps..........
A logical system would be to have e.g.
Blue Trains - Intercity
Green Trains - Secondary
Red Trains - Local
As an example for London <> Liverpool there would be a fare valid on all trains and a lower fare valid on Green and Red trains only.
I can't imagine as a proportion many customers / passengers care who the operator is e.g. Avanti or LNWR. With the lower fare ticket they simply want to be sure they only use trains on which the ticket is valid.
xotGD
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I am now content in the knowledge that Smithers-Jones lived in Basingstoke and got a Crompton to work each morning!
norbitonflyer
Established Member
SWT did this, although the Inter City trains were white and the outer suburban ones were blue. I've mentioned before my theory that the company used the colours as a guide to how to treat the contents
white - valued clients
blue - awkward customers
red - cash cows
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
To be fair, the railway does have certain terms it uses that contrast with the commonplace usage of that term: "Fast" as a synonym for "non-stop/minimal stops" being a case in point. Away from the railway, fast just means quick or speedy.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Armed with the additional information that the Jam hailed from Woking I've had another look - again the 2007 timetable. There was an 0759 from Woking to Waterloo, arriving 0826. This was a Basingstoke starter, so probably more likely to keep time than the Exeter services, but in 1979 likely to be a 12VEP, so rather more prosaic.
LOL
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