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Ticketing dispute: Sherlock Holmes still lives on the railway

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farci

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najaB

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Candidate for the didnt happen awards
I can believe it. It's usually non-stop from Carlisle to Haymarket so the train manager will have some time with nothing safety critical that they need to be doing. Plenty of time to play detective.
 

Master29

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A non story. He just did what the average fare dodger would do and state a nearer station even if as pointed out it would be very unlikely. Nothing brilliant about it apart from food for narcissist twitter users.
 

MikeWh

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I find the instant dismissal of stories, particularly on social media, to be a sad reflection of the times we live in.
 

tom73

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Sherlock Holmes is Hercule Poirot's descendant according to the OP. I don't think so. Holmes first appeared in print in 1887 while Poirot didn't appear until 1920 in the US and 1921 in the UK.
 

Bertie the bus

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A non story. He just did what the average fare dodger would do and state a nearer station even if as pointed out it would be very unlikely.
Not all fare dodgers do that. I was on one Saltburn - Bishop Auckland service and after departure from Middlesbrough the guard came through asking for tickets from there. One youth, who the guard knew had just got on, claimed he boarded at Redcar. The guard just burst out laughing. Presumably he thought by saying Redcar the guard would believe he had already had his ticket checked and would move on. Some fare dodgers are quite inventive.
 

farci

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Sherlock Holmes is Hercule Poirot's descendant according to the OP. I don't think so. Holmes first appeared in print in 1887 while Poirot didn't appear until 1920 in the US and 1921 in the UK.
'Touché, Monsieur' as Hercule might have said
 

cuccir

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I find the instant dismissal of stories, particularly on social media, to be a sad reflection of the times we live in.

+1. And also odd too. Do people think that nothing unusual ever happens? The story seems quite plausible.

A non story. He just did what the average fare dodger would do and state a nearer station even if as pointed out it would be very unlikely. Nothing brilliant about it apart from food for narcissist twitter users.

What's interesting is not the attempt at fare dodging, but the quick-thinking of the guard to notice the receipt and use this to cotnest the fare-dodger's claim.
 

Master29

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I find the instant dismissal of stories, particularly on social media, to be a sad reflection of the times we live in.

Why? What's sad about it exactly? Just sensationalism to bolster up that guys twitter page.
 

Master29

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+1. And also odd too. Do people think that nothing unusual ever happens? The story seems quite plausible.



What's interesting is not the attempt at fare dodging, but the quick-thinking of the guard to notice the receipt and use this to cotnest the fare-dodger's claim.
Agreed but surely most ticket staff would be wise to this sort of thing.
 

MikeWh

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Agreed but surely most ticket staff would be wise to this sort of thing.
So are you claiming it didn't happen or not?
Why? What's sad about it exactly? Just sensationalism to bolster up that guys twitter page.
Well you, and others, seem convinced that it didn't happen, even though you've absolutely no way of knowing either way. If you think it didn't happen how about explaining why you are so certain?
 

Master29

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So are you claiming it didn't happen or not?

Well you, and others, seem convinced that it didn't happen, even though you've absolutely no way of knowing either way. If you think it didn't happen how about explaining why you are so certain?
I never said it didn't happen. Just that it wasn't anything special. It might have been interesting to watch granted however this guy was using the whole thing to promote himself.
 

GusB

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Lighten up! It was a mildly amusing story about how someone who was intent on short-faring got their comeuppance. A little anecdote which brightened up someone's day sufficiently that they decided to share it on Twitter. It's no different to being down the pub and saying to your mates "a funny thing happened today..."

People tell stories about their daily lives. It's nothing new.
 

MikeWh

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I never said it didn't happen.
Actually you didn't, so sorry for getting confused. I don't see what's wrong with the account though. It just seems to be painting the full picture.
 

paddington

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I was on one Saltburn - Bishop Auckland service and after departure from Middlesbrough the guard came through asking for tickets from there. One youth, who the guard knew had just got on, claimed he boarded at Redcar. The guard just burst out laughing. Presumably he thought by saying Redcar the guard would believe he had already had his ticket checked and would move on.

So did the guard sell him a ticket from Redcar?


I never said it didn't happen. Just that it wasn't anything special. It might have been interesting to watch granted however this guy was using the whole thing to promote himself.

What's wrong with promoting yourself on Twitter?

It might not be special to ticketing enthusiasts or staff, but it was to him.
 

yorkie

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I think some people become jealous at seeing people demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively with others and captivate an audience.
 

Eddd

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The writer's a stand-up comedian. It's his job to tell humorous and captivating stories. Maybe the job involves some embellishment too but it's still a good story.
 

Bertie the bus

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So did the guard sell him a ticket from Redcar?
The guard had to go and do the doors at Thornaby and that is where he got off, so he got away with it. What made it more bizarre was he was in a group of about 8 or 10 lads who all boarded at Middlesbrough and the ones who had tickets had Middlesbrough ones.
 

LowLevel

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I used to do this sort of thing quite often when I was new and keen. Match up ticket numbers being passed around groups, compare numbers on receipts to tickets picked up off the floor, do people travelling on child tickets with driving licences poking out of their wallets, it's all easy enough. I'd not be at all surprised if it was true. Nicely written up in an entertaining way. Even now for fun if I can get one over on someone trying it on in a way they weren't expecting I will do (so you missed your advance purchase train by two moments having run to the platform with your tickets after being stuck in a queue to collect them? Yes, that's right. They were printed 45 minutes after departure time and 15 minutes before this train - cough up, thanks for playing).

The internet giving you a wry grin every now and then, founded or not, is a good reason for not just switching what can be a very dark thing off.
 

thedbdiboy

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It's a good story well told and shows railway staff in a good light. What's not to like about this being out there?
 

miami

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So rather than prosecute the fare dodger for fare evasion, the dodger paid the exact fare that someone honest would pay

Meanwhile passengers with valid tickets are constantly threatened by staff that don't know the ticket conditions

Shows railway staff in a very bad light and encourages people to "try it on"
 

matt_world2004

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So rather than prosecute the fare dodger for fare evasion, the dodger paid the exact fare that someone honest would pay

Meanwhile passengers with valid tickets are constantly threatened by staff that don't know the ticket conditions

Shows railway staff in a very bad light and encourages people to "try it on"
Guards can't prosecute
 

philthetube

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I think it will be true, certainly , as a bus driver many years ago part of the entertainment of the job used to be catching people out.
 
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