Retro Railtours to Southend - Saturday 28 May

[nedchester]

An excellent day out. Good to be behind two class 31's a first for me and well done to James and colleagues organising another excellent trip. The stewarding by C2C was well over the top at Southend and I for one am strongly tempted to e-mail C2C. The station manageress at Southend was clearly 'on one' and it as if she was in an episode of 'The Apprentice' with her megaphone! Also out of order was two travellers reactions towards James where we frustrating delay just before Crewe (although this was eased, in my case, with the European Cup Final result), The individual from The Fylde Coast,who as I understood it had an early start at work was well over the top with certain comments I won't repeat here.If you go on a railtour you take your chances and iif there is a delay, like it or not you will get shunted (excuse the pun) to the back of the queue. It certainly wasn't James or RetroRailtours fault and it would be intersting to see if he would have been similarly fortright to a railtrack employee.Roll roll on Wednesday and the Compass Dundee trip.

She wasn't a 'manageress' just a 'security' company employee with a megaphone and not a clue about customer care (nor railway photography guidelines)

As for the complainant travelling to the Fylde coast then that was apparently 'Ken the Voice of bashing' (look up 'Bashers' on youtube!) who it appears ain't the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to these things. There was nothing that James could do and he should have realised that. Tough luck I am afraid. James did not deserve any abuse at all. He organised an excellent trip and it wasn't his fault some nutter decided to go on the rampage at Stoke!

 

[4014540145]

She wasn't a 'manageress' just a 'security' company employee with a megaphone and not a clue about customer care (nor railway photography guidelines)

Hi Ned. If I am not mistaken I am sure she had an orange jacket on with
'station manageress' or something similar!

Apologies the delay was just before Stoke not Crewe.
I really had sympathy with those alighting at Stoke it's a pity this didn't happen the other side
of the station!

 

[nedchester]

Hi Ned. If I am not mistaken I am sure she had an orange jacket on with
'station manageress' or something similar!

Apologies the delay was just before Stoke not Crewe.
I really had sympathy with those alighting at Stoke it's a pity this didn't happen the other side
of the station!

Pretty sure she was not c2c but manageress of the security company. I was going to take a picture of her as I was that annoyed about her attitude!!!

Either way I have emailed c2c about the 'welcome' we received.

 

[37372]

As a steward I actually felt sorry for all those alighting at Southend, special occasion or not, the atmosphere around the station alone would be enough to put me off ever going there again. Especially the way security bundled them all down the platform.

 

[Whistler40145]

I know what you mean 37372, I and others felt like Prisoners & not law abiding individuals!

I also have no desire to visit Southend whilst C2C holds the franchise! They are all jobsworths & I don't know if they descend from the Gestapo!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Regardless of their security team, c2c are one of the best TOCs in the country by a country mile.

I note the security at Southend Central wasn't as tight when the Last Blue Train and tons of photographers and passengers were there, mind you, the MD was present at the time!

 

[theblackwatch]

As a steward I actually felt sorry for all those alighting at Southend, special occasion or not, the atmosphere around the station alone would be enough to put me off ever going there again. Especially the way security bundled them all down the platform.

I felt more sorry for those alighting at Stoke on the return! Mind you, some might argue it was their own fault for getting up early which tempted fate....

Thnaks to everyone for their support, as for Southend, well we've been there now, no need to go back!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just thought I'd add something regarding the locos yesterday and some strange coincidences:

31190 - the first time I had this for haulage was on a railtour out of Leeds (27/08/94). Yesterday I had it on a railtour out of Leeds.
31601 - the first time I had this for haulage (as 31186 at the time) was on a railtour, which on the return leg it was taken off at Nuneaton (18/05/96). Yesterday it was taken off the tour at Nuneaton.
67029 - the first time I had this for haulage was on a train where I alighted at Leeds (17/07/04). Yesterday I alighted from it at Leeds.

Quite spooky...

 

[TTI]

As for the complainant travelling to the Fylde coast then that was apparently 'Ken the Voice of bashing' (look up 'Bashers' on youtube!) who it appears ain't the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to these things. There was nothing that James could do and he should have realised that. Tough luck I am afraid. James did not deserve any abuse at all. He organised an excellent trip and it wasn't his fault some nutter decided to go on the rampage at Stoke!

Yes, LOL at the "Taxi for Caton" quotes.
I too got my head bitten off by "The Voice" when I asked him, "you're not the idiot demanding a taxi to Blackpool, are you ?"

BTW, I missed all the c2c Gestapo fun by going to Thorpe Bay first.

 

[4014540145]

Pretty sure she was not c2c but manageress of the security company. I was going to take a picture of her as I was that annoyed about her attitude!!!

Either way I have emailed c2c about the 'welcome' we received.

Hi again Ned will you be ok to share their response with us!

 

[nedchester]

Hi again Ned will you be ok to share their response with us!

Of course.

 

[4014540145]

Cheers look forward to that!

 

[87015]

Southend 31s...

 

[nedchester]

Hi again Ned will you be ok to share their response with us!

Well this is the (expected) response from c2c received today:

Thank you for your email.

I am sorry that you found the behaviour of our staff at Southend Central on
the 28th May 2011 unsatisfactory.

As you can probably appreciate this was a very busy day when the Southend
Air Show was taking place and for health and safety reasons we do have to
clear the platform as soon as possible. I am sorry if the staff failed to
do this in an appropriate manner.

Photographs are permitted for personal use and I am sorry if you were moved
on due to the amount of people on the platform and not allowed to take
photographs.

We will certainly log your comments regarding the staff at Southend Central
and we welcome your feedback as to how we can improve our services.

 

[4014540145]

Cheers for that Ned.
Britain has gone 'health and safety/compensation mad' witness the abundance of 'ambulance chasers'. If you fell over a raised paving stone in the 70's so be it, you got up and got on with it. Don't get me started! A debate or another forum at another time me thinks.

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

I travelled on this train myself. Great day out. Apart from the farce outside Stoke, which was totally out of Retro's control.

No offence to the Class 31s and those who follow them but 67029's departure from Nuneaton on the return was superb! The driver certainly didn't mess about!

Top marks to Retro Railtours for top day out