Wrongly Assumed Facts by Passengers

[Whistler40145]

Normal passengers mistaking a Railtour formed of Mark 1s and a locomotive for their train, even though their train is modern.

 

[Chris M]

Every train in the south of England is newer than every train in the north of England.

London and the South East doesn't need the amount of money spent on transport there that it gets.

 

[alxndr]

That trackworkers do nothing all day because they see them stood in the cess when they go past. Somehow it never seems to occur that they might be stood out waiting for the train to pass where they're working!

 

[Whistler40145]

Normal passengers wondering why they have to buy a Rail Ticket when travelling on a Rail Replacement Bus and not pay the price of a bus fare.

 

[pompeyfan]

Normal passengers wondering why they have to buy a Rail Ticket when travelling on a Rail Replacement Bus and not pay the price of a bus fare.

Keeping it on the bus theme;

Passenger are perfectly entitled to take a different (more expensive) route than what is stated on their ticket if there’s bus replacement on there original route.

 

[mrcheek]

apologies if we've already had this one:

That you can sit in First Class on a Standard Class ticket if theres lots of people already in Standard Class

or

That a Standard Class ticket entitles you to stand in First Class vestibules

or

That if I tread on your foot while you are stood in the First Class vestibule, right in my way in the buffet car, that its my fault

 

[Bletchleyite]

Keeping it on the bus theme;

Passenger are perfectly entitled to take a different (more expensive) route than what is stated on their ticket if there’s bus replacement on there original route.

Sometimes the TOC has specifically offered it by way of a Routeing Guide easement (as they often do). But you are right, it is not standard.

 

[Dentonian]

Every train in the south of England is newer than every train in the north of England.

London and the South East doesn't need the amount of money spent on transport there that it gets.

Not so much wrongly assumed facts as slight generalisation (age) and opinion based on narrow lines - pardon the pun - of thinking (investment disparity)

 

[Dr Strider]

Diversionary routes exist between any two large towns (e.g. Birmingham and Coventry).
Engineering teams can fix a problem anywhere on the network within the hour (or half-hour).

A member of my family once told me that he didn't bother getting on stoppers (on a two-track railway), because the following express would always be able to "overtake" the stopper (by using the opposite track) and thus get to the destination faster...

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is a diversionary route between Birmingham and Coventry - via Nuneaton. And it has been used in the past for VTWC and XC services, though obviously it isn't wired so no use for a Pendolino.

 

[PeterC]

Surely, the number one wrongly assumed fact by passengers, tax-payers and the Media alike remains the 31 year old favourite:

Buses are run by the Council(s)

I have also heard of people thinking that the local council was responsible for the hostpitals. It was before my kids were born so over 30 years ago but there was an account in the local paper of councillors turning up at a public meeting to protest about cuts to the local hospital being shouted down by residents who were convinced that they were responsible.

 

[Chris M]

That a Standard Class ticket entitles you to stand in First Class vestibules

I've been told that this is fine on two occasions. Once in the early days of Virgin Cross Country as I preferred to stand there rather than stand in the smoking carriage (the standard class vestibules were full of standees). The other was on the West Somerset Railway when I wished to photograph out the window from the rear of the train and the last carriage was first class.

 

[swaldman]

Normal passengers wondering why they have to buy a Rail Ticket when travelling on a Rail Replacement Bus and not pay the price of a bus fare.

As a normal passenger, I wonder this frequently. If the TOC can't deliver the benefits of a train, why should I be paying for a train over a bus? Especially as the RRBs are usually slower and less comfortable than the equivalent (cheaper) National Express / Citylink.

 

[pompeyfan]

As a normal passenger, I wonder this frequently. If the TOC can't deliver the benefits of a train, why should I be paying for a train over a bus? Especially as the RRBs are usually slower and less comfortable than the equivalent (cheaper) National Express / Citylink.

A rail ticket only guarantees that the TOC will get you from A-B. It does not mandate that you will get a seat, or even that you will get a train, or that you will get there on time. It literally just says they will get you there.

 

[swaldman]

A rail ticket only guarantees that the TOC will get you from A-B. It does not mandate that you will get a seat, or even that you will get a train, or that you will get there on time. It literally just says they will get you there.

Indeed, but there is an expectation that it will be done in a certain fashion, as otherwise there is no reason to pay the extra to travel "by train". Yes, promising a train and providing a bus is certainly within the T&Cs, but it feels very unfair / unjust. While not intended this way, it feels like bait & switch.

 

[Gareth Marston]

That a picture of a railcard on your mobile phone will get you discount.
That another person can get discount when traveling with you if you have a railcard.

That the Welsh Government Concessionary Travel Scheme applies from Newtown (Powys).

 

[GatwickDepress]

That selecting a reservation when booking a flexible ticket means you're tied to that particular train and cannot use that ticket on a different service. Known a few people who think that.

 

[Gareth Marston]

That Cambrian trains heading toward BHM INTL will split somewhere en route because they do in the reverse direction.

 

[Llanigraham]

That a picture of a railcard on your mobile phone will get you discount.
That another person can get discount when traveling with you if you have a railcard.

That the Welsh Government Concessionary Travel Scheme applies from Newtown (Powys).

Gareth.
Cough!!
Applies on mine!

 

[Llanigraham]

That Cambrian trains heading toward BHM INTL will split somewhere en route because they do in the reverse direction.

I've actually been on one where that did happen. 4 car up to Salop, where due to a breakdown on a previous North Wales train the front 2 then went up North and the back 2 went to International.

 

[Bromley boy]

Indeed, but there is an expectation that it will be done in a certain fashion, as otherwise there is no reason to pay the extra to travel "by train". Yes, promising a train and providing a bus is certainly within the T&Cs, but it feels very unfair / unjust. While not intended this way, it feels like bait & switch.

The TOC’s obligation is to get you from A to B. It’s safe to say they’d also prefer to convey you by train than go to the expense/hassle of arranging buses. But of course it is sometimes unavoidable and engineering works/closures may not be known about at the time you buy your ticket.

It also works both ways. TOCs have been known to organise taxis for passengers if, for example, the last train of the evening breaks down en route.

 

[AY1975]

That the smoking ban on trains and stations doesn't apply to e-cigarettes, and doesn't apply on exposed parts of station platforms (which I believe it used not to in Scotland when the anti-smoking law first came in there - not sure if that's still the case now).

That all trains now have retention tanks, so it's always OK to flush the toilet when in a station (or, conversely, that all train toilets still flush onto the track, so it's never OK to flush it during a station stop).

That all trains call at all stations they pass through.

I suspect that many people, especially kids, who live in third rail territory (Southern Region, London Underground, Merseyrail) think all railway lines have live rails. I used to think that when I was a kid, until I was taken to a preserved railway and found out it was safe to walk round the depot yard without being electrocuted! Still, it's good that people think that if it deters them from trespassing on railway lines!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Normal passengers wondering why they have to buy a Rail Ticket when travelling on a Rail Replacement Bus and not pay the price of a bus fare.

Or, that bus travel is cheaper than train travel.

 

[pemma]

That selecting a reservation when booking a flexible ticket means you're tied to that particular train and cannot use that ticket on a different service. Known a few people who think that.

I used to think that when telesales and internet sales used to issue you with a huge airline style ticket which contained everything, opposed to a separate seat reservation coupon.

 

[pemma]

The TOC’s obligation is to get you from A to B. It’s safe to say they’d also prefer to convey you by train than go to the expense/hassle of arranging buses. But of course it is sometimes unavoidable and engineering works/closures may not be known about at the time you buy your ticket.

It also works both ways. TOCs have been known to organise taxis for passengers if, for example, the last train of the evening breaks down en route.

The latter is to comply with EU legislation. The alternative they have (to organising road transport) is to put you in a hotel for the night and to allow you to travel the next morning, which is only likely to happen where it's impossible to transport you by road or there's just one passenger to transport and they are going a very long distance.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The latter is to comply with EU legislation. The alternative they have (to organising road transport) is to put you in a hotel for the night and to allow you to travel the next morning, which is only likely to happen where it's impossible to transport you by road or there's just one passenger to transport and they are going a very long distance.

I've had a taxi from Preston to Edinburgh, though admittedly it had 5 of us in it (I think). Taxi is always the preference, probably because it solves the problem more quickly. I've only heard of hotels being provided where weather conditions or similar precluded taxis. The only other case being I guess the Caledonian Sleeper, where a taxi through the night is not likely to be the first choice.

They did it well before the EU required them to.

 

[Minilad]

That selecting a reservation when booking a flexible ticket means you're tied to that particular train and cannot use that ticket on a different service. Known a few people who think that.

Conversely booking a date and train specific ticket at a vastly reduced fare entitles you to travel on any time train you want if you mumble something to someone working on the gateline

 

[swaldman]

The TOC’s obligation is to get you from A to B. It’s safe to say they’d also prefer to convey you by train than go to the expense/hassle of arranging buses. But of course it is sometimes unavoidable and engineering works/closures may not be known about at the time you buy your ticket.

Yes indeed, but as a passenger I don't really care about that - it comes under the category of "not my problem" - and I'd like to be refunded down to the cost of a bus fare (or a reasonable estimate thereof).

Admittedly in many scenarios, at least in England, Delay Repay takes care of it

 

[njamescouk]

A member of my family once told me that he didn't bother getting on stoppers (on a two-track railway), because the following express would always be able to "overtake" the stopper (by using the opposite track) and thus get to the destination faster...

istr Wallace and Gromit doing that?

 

[Bromley boy]

I've had a taxi from Preston to Edinburgh, though admittedly it had 5 of us in it (I think). Taxi is always the preference, probably because it solves the problem more quickly. I've only heard of hotels being provided where weather conditions or similar precluded taxis. The only other case being I guess the Caledonian Sleeper, where a taxi through the night is not likely to be the first choice.

They did it well before the EU required them to.

I suppose the practice of expecting five total strangers to share a small cab seems a little dubious these days, especially if these include youngsters/vulnerable travellers.

I’m not sure if special arrangements are in place for this eventuality.