Reserved seats on a 395?

[FlippyFF]

1C80, the 12:27 St Pancras to St Pancras service has just arrived back at St Pancras with paper Southeastern '''Seat reserved' notices stuck on a couple of windows in coach B (London end). Why would it have these? Would they be for a filmed interview taking place on-board?

TIA,

Simon

 

[Frontera2]

This would be because of a group (school or similar) booking

 

[Master29]

I`ve noticed a similar situation with SWT being told there are no seat reservations but have on occasions seen group reservations on Waterloo Exeter services. On realtime trains it says reservations available so I guess this must be the reason.

 

[superalbs]

I managed to take a picture of one on a 375.


The one pictured has more details, including the group they were reserved for, the size of the group, and service information.

 

[Bletchleyite]

SBB do those all the time, but that's the first time I ever saw one in the UK!

 

[centraltrains]

I wish they'd do that up here in the Midlands, not the nicest experience when a school trip takes over a coach! (in terms of sudden business rather than disliking people)

 

[paul1609]

SBB do those all the time, but that's the first time I ever saw one in the UK!

Very common in the South. Used to regularly see them (handwritten) for Christs Hospital School when I was commuting from Arundel to london.

 

[JB_B]

SBB do those all the time, but that's the first time I ever saw one in the UK!

Not unusual ex Brighton/Eastbourne in the Summer for language school day trips - I think it's a very long-standing practice.

 

[causton]

On realtime trains it says reservations available so I guess this must be the reason.

Or because there may be 'counted place' Advance tickets available on this service, which will still count as reservations. This is from facts, not a guess.

 

[AverageTD]

I think it is down to whether the group contact the TOC about their travel plans. My school used South West Trains alot from the Teddington and Twickenham area to get into London but the TOC'S were never contacted so we didn't get those fancy peices of paper.

 

[Intermodal]

I think it is down to whether the group contact the TOC about their travel plans. My school used South West Trains alot from the Teddington and Twickenham area to get into London but the TOC'S were never contacted so we didn't get those fancy peices of paper.

So let me get this straight - if the TOC aren't told about it they aren't aware of it and can't put the notices out? Are you sure that can be right?

 

[_toommm_]

So let me get this straight - if the TOC aren't told about it they aren't aware of it and can't put the notices out? Are you sure that can be right?

Yep. Chances are teachers aren't au fait with cheap tickets, or would rather have the flexibility of an off peak/anytime ticket, so don't realise they can reserve seats. All the railway sees is a bunch of passengers boarding at once.

My primary school did it when I was younger 10 years ago. A class of 25 all trying to squeeze onto an Optare Solo, then onto what a would have assumed would have been a 142 or a 144 at the time.

 

[Intermodal]

Yep. Chances are teachers aren't au fait with cheap tickets, or would rather have the flexibility of an off peak/anytime ticket, so don't realise they can reserve seats. All the railway sees is a bunch of passengers boarding at once.

My primary school did it when I was younger 10 years ago. A class of 25 all trying to squeeze onto an Optare Solo, then onto what a would have assumed would have been a 142 or a 144 at the time.

I can't believe this. So if the TOC aren't told it's a school and the school don't tell them, they can't just figure it out? Craziness! What is the world coming to.

 

[Clip]

I can't believe this. So if the TOC aren't told it's a school and the school don't tell them, they can't just figure it out? Craziness! What is the world coming to.

Not sure whats crazy about it - group bookings are not uncommon across the railway so how do you expect them to figure anything out?

If I book 25 tickets at anytime I wouldnt expect the TOC to start getting in touch with me to find out who was travelling and why.

By informing the TOC in advance they can then do this sort of thing to keep all the kids together and not over many carriages which is a good thing surely

 

[_toommm_]

I can't believe this. So if the TOC aren't told it's a school and the school don't tell them, they can't just figure it out? Craziness! What is the world coming to.

Well how would the TOC know a school is going? If someone books a ticket for 25 or so you'd hope the booking office would ask if they wanted reserved seats...

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

I was on class trip by train recently, and bought 40 tickets from a ticket office, but they didn’t ask about reserving tickets or anything (was a Southeastern service and ticket office). Funnily enough, there was also an Austrian school class and an English primary school class in the same coach.

 

[221129]

Well how would the TOC know a school is going? If someone books a ticket for 25 or so you'd hope the booking office would ask if they wanted reserved seats...

I think the sarcasm has gone way over your head...

 

[_toommm_]

I think the sarcasm has gone way over your head...

Hard to tell with some of the dim-witted comments on here