Weird Things You See People Do on the Railway

[2HAP]

At least I'm only taking a cat on a train tomorrow.

https://www.telegraaf.nl/video/2473982/man-neemt-paard-mee-in-de-trein

Opmerkelijke beelden uit een passagierstrein in Oostenrijk, waar een man met zijn paard een trein binnenloopt.

 

[whhistle]

Wait for a whole hour, just to save ~£3.



People so focused on being served, they lose all sense of spacial awareness and almost push the current customer out of the way.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

You do get some odd folk on the Far North Line sometimes:
https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/64/975/

 

[Fearless]

You do get some odd folk on the Far North Line sometimes:
https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/64/975/

Nothing wrong with a bit of fiddling on a train, surely!

 

[PR1Berske]

Why do so many people wear their company id round their necks on the train? Is it really a good idea to broadcast your name and place of work to every random stranger? Some workplaces specifically advise staff to remove their id before they leave.

Tbh I sometimes go from the office to the pub so quickly I don't even think about taking off my lanyard. I've worn it for hours in each pub I've gone in until finally getting home!

 

[PR1Berske]

So why don't they have the gumption to sit in an unoccupied spare seat until the person turns up (if at all)

Tbh, I wonder how much of this is a "British" thing. I have seen "Reserved from Wigan", say, and decided not to risk it. You will see people look at reservation cards or displays and say "Oh it says reserved, best try somewhere else." It's related to the "one passenger per row" on a bus, I think, not wanting to get in trouble, or risk the embarrassment of being asked to move, or even WORSE if you're very British, having to sit next to somebody you don't know.

I have enough experience of cramped vestibules with empty seats in full view to know that the British attitude is, "don't cause a fuss" where potentially reserved seating is concerned!

 

[2HAP]

I'm pleased to report that cat on a train went smoothly. Luckily i wasn't in the quiet carriage as he was quite vocal to start with.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I once travelled in a bay of 4 seats , standard class Euston to Manchester. Proper train with an 87 on the front.

Rather "interesting" passenger asked if she could put what was assumed to be a cat basket on the table. No-one objected.

The journey passed , and only on arrival did we find out it was a python for her exotic act.

Never have I got out of a seat so quickly.

 

[AndrewE]

I once travelled in a bay of 4 seats , standard class Euston to Manchester. Proper train with an 87 on the front.
Rather "interesting" passenger asked if she could put what was assumed to be a cat basket on the table. No-one objected.
The journey passed , and only on arrival did we find out it was a python for her exotic act.
Never have I got out of a seat so quickly.

You should have asked where she was performing!
Once soon after we moved in to our house a lady near-neighbour we didn't really know knocked on our door and asked me if I had seen her snake (which had gone missing)... It occurred to me that there was no way I could have done the same if the roles had been reversed!

 

[NoOnesFool]

I served a customer in my buffet car the other day and she put, no word of a lie, 6 sugars in her tea! It must have been like treacle.

 

[221129]

I served a customer in my buffet car the other day and she put, no word of a lie, 6 sugars in her tea! It must have been like treacle.

Probably to get some taste from it.

 

[NoOnesFool]

It's weird that people still tweet Virgin Trains when they are on a CrossCountry service. It's been CrossCountry for almost 11 years now and there is some rather bold CrossCountry branding on the interior panelling. Someone has just Tweeted VT on an XC service; now surely, at some point, they will have either; booked online and seen 'CrossCountry' in the journey planner, seen 'CrossCountry' on the departure board, heard 'CrossCountry' in the station announcement, seen 'CrossCountry' on the train that they boarded and heard the on board announcement state "Welcome to this CrossCountry service". But no, it's still perceived as a Virgin service, somehow.

 

[Rail Blues]

Probably to get some taste from it.

It is also a warning sign that someone may be a heroin user.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's weird that people still tweet Virgin Trains when they are on a CrossCountry service. It's been CrossCountry for almost 11 years now and there is some rather bold CrossCountry branding on the interior panelling. Someone has just Tweeted VT on an XC service; now surely, at some point, they will have either; booked online and seen 'CrossCountry' in the journey planner, seen 'CrossCountry' on the departure board, heard 'CrossCountry' in the station announcement, seen 'CrossCountry' on the train that they boarded and heard the on board announcement state "Welcome to this CrossCountry service". But no, it's still perceived as a Virgin service, somehow.

Richard Branson personally owns the trains, that’ll be why.

 

[Pigeon]

Perhaps it's because the fares are still through the bleeding roof?

One thing that this thread makes very clear is that doors should open when you flipping well want them to, and nothing will stop people hoping that that is in fact the case.

Weird things people do on the railway: ask me where trains are going, etc. My attire looks nothing like any staff uniform, or any other sort of uniform for that matter, so what on earth makes them think I'm some kind of oracle?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It is also a warning sign that someone may be a heroin user.

Or, being less alarmist, a diabetic

(Admittedly 6 sugars is still a bit much for treating a regular hypo, but they may have double-dosed in error)

 

[EM2]

Weird things people do on the railway: ask me where trains are going, etc. My attire looks nothing like any staff uniform, or any other sort of uniform for that matter, so what on earth makes them think I'm some kind of oracle?

Not long ago, I was at a station I've never worked at to catch a train as a customer. I was wearing jeans and a jumper, sitting in a row of six people. I was eating a bag of crisps, and reading the BBC website on my phone. I became aware of someone standing right in front of me, so I looked up and he showed me a ticket and then asked 'where do I get this train, mate?'

 

[Bookd]

It's weird that people still tweet Virgin Trains when they are on a CrossCountry service. It's been CrossCountry for almost 11 years now and there is some rather bold CrossCountry branding on the interior panelling. Someone has just Tweeted VT on an XC service; now surely, at some point, they will have either; booked online and seen 'CrossCountry' in the journey planner, seen 'CrossCountry' on the departure board, heard 'CrossCountry' in the station announcement, seen 'CrossCountry' on the train that they boarded and heard the on board announcement state "Welcome to this CrossCountry service". But no, it's still perceived as a Virgin service, somehow.

An indication that, regardless of the service or otherwise, the original VT marketing campaign worked very well and people still remember Virgin Cross Country.

 

[6Gman]

Richard Branson personally owns the trains, that’ll be why.

Not only does he own them he personally built them himself and paid with his own money.

 

[_toommm_]

Not long ago, I was at a station I've never worked at to catch a train as a customer. I was wearing jeans and a jumper, sitting in a row of six people. I was eating a bag of crisps, and reading the BBC website on my phone. I became aware of someone standing right in front of me, so I looked up and he showed me a ticket and then asked 'where do I get this train, mate?'

White shirt, black tie. Name badge on which says M&S. Manchester Piccadilly with headphones in - multiple chinese guys ask me for train info. Of course I help them and I'm suddenly seemingly employed at Piccadilly Station!

 

[Spartacus]

White shirt, black tie. Name badge on which says M&S. Manchester Piccadilly with headphones in - multiple chinese guys ask me for train info. Of course I help them and I'm suddenly seemingly employed at Piccadilly Station!

I'm convinced some people have a sixth sense that manifests itself detecting people who know what's what on the railways!

 

[Ianno87]

I'm convinced some people have a sixth sense that manifests itself detecting people who know what's what on the railways!

Fairly sure I admit that "that guy look like he knows something about trains" vibe to some randomers!

 

[whhistle]

An indication that, regardless of the service or otherwise, the original VT marketing campaign worked very well and people still remember Virgin Cross Country.

I wonder if this was helped by the fact they were the first TOC to run it from BR?
But then I still hear people call the railway "British Rail".

 

[OneOffDave]

It is also a warning sign that someone may be a heroin user.

or a builder!

 

[RichT54]

I wonder if this was helped by the fact they were the first TOC to run it from BR?
But then I still hear people call the railway "British Rail".

Indeed, I raised an issue with my local council last week about vegetation growing out through the fence next to the station and partly obstructing the pavement. Their reply was that I needed to contact British Rail!

 

[Dai Corner]

Indeed, I raised an issue with my local council last week about vegetation growing out through the fence next to the station and partly obstructing the pavement. Their reply was that I needed to contact British Rail!

In case anyone hasn't seen it before

http://www.brokenmind.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/railtrack.pdf

Railtrack Limited
Introduction
Until reaching financial difficulty in 2002, much of Britainʼs railway infrastructure was operated by Railtrack plc. The company was sold to Network Rail.
The removal of ʻRailtrackʼ from the Companies House register allowed John Hein to register Railtrack Ltd as a company in Scotland, and so Railtrack Ltd was born in May 2003.
Those looking up the company would note that the Registered Office is that of an Edinburgh tenement and that the company has remained dormant since incorporation.
The rebirth of Railtrack has caused confused solicitors, debt collectors and private individuals to address correspondence to Railtrack Ltd, and in turn, to receive entertaining replies.
Only replies to correspondence are shown. The original letters are not reproduced, but the nature of the original letter is inferred.

 

[Bookd]

I must look like someone knowledgeable - not only at stations but I have often been stopped in the street and asked for directions.
In London I can usually come up with an answer but I have also been asked in Paris, Antwerp and elsewhere - if I don't know I will admit it although it is tempting to make something up!

 

[boxy321]

It's a safeguard against people leaning on the door buttons. They need an active 'bump' motion at the appropriate time to stop people falling backwards out onto the platform.

 

[_toommm_]

People who refuse to sit in seats that are reserved, even when there's clearly no one sat in that seat and the reservation has already passed e.g. a seat is reserved Piccadilly to Sheffield. You can sit in the seat if no one turns up. Stop clogging the aisles

 

[kristiang85]

Indeed, people standing in vestibules when there is space down the carriage is a bugbear of mine, both on trains and tubes.

On a related note, during the SWR strikes a few weeks back, I remember there was a very crowded platform and a short train - most seats were taken, but still plenty of standing space. At the end of the train a family with a twin pushchair were jostling to be first on, and people were happy to help them - but nobody could see the problems that I could in terms of boarding this would cause. This ended up blocking the entire vestibule entry, and nobody could get on to move down the carriage without slowly getting on in single file and climbing over said family. It resulted in a couple of minutes delay whilst the guard let everyone on.

Just a bit of common sense would really help in these situations.