Bad morning

[whole diary]

[Ollie]

While I have every sympathy, I would suggest that if a confrontation looks like getting out of hand, the best thing to do would be walk away and take steps to get the police to deal with it, like the case Chris observed, not let it get to the point where you are so upset/angry that you walk off the job - leaving behind the train and passengers that, as you keep pointing out, a tm is responsible for.

Did you witness the incident itself? If you didn't I think it is unreasonable for you to judge the TM^‡(resolve)'s actions.

[IndustryInsider]

While I have every sympathy, I would suggest that if a confrontation looks like getting out of hand, the best thing to do would be walk away and take steps to get the police to deal with it

I agree with Will's sentiments in principle, but getting the police interested enough in a verbal abuse case to warrant them arriving on the scene with any haste is difficult.  Unless you happen to be lucky enough to have some BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) present at the station (as in Chris' uplifting tale), it's hard to get the local force particularly interested - even at a large place like Oxford.  Perhaps the re-staffing at the BTP office at Oxford will slightly improve the chances of having someone there, but in reality they'll usually be out and about somewhere else.

[JayMac]

Local Police attended the incident of verbal abuse I was caught up in at Oxford.

[SDS]

It really does depend on several things in order to get local civi police interested enough to attend.

a)Which county you are in. Some forces wont touch railway related matters with a barge pole even if a major event is happening unless BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) demand they attend. Some county forces will turn up regardless of what is happening.
b)Is there an off duty there? Its a [police] colleague after all.


During my off duty travels around the country, I have had some really good civi forces (herts/west midlands/kent) and some really cr*p ones (Oxford/Bristol/Devon).

[Chris from Nailsea]

... and some really cr*p ones (Oxford/Bristol/Devon).

By 'Bristol', do you mean police in the city of Bristol itself, or are you including the whole of the Avon & Somerset Constabulary force area?

Also, I'm rather intrigued by your use of the term 'civi': all of our local police services, including BTP^▸ (British Transport Police), are 'civilian' - as distinct from the 'military' police RMP, for example?

C. 

[IndustryInsider]

They're just always called that in railway circles, to distinguish them from the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).

Going back to WillC's incident, I had a chat to one of the guard managers today (I'm sure they've got a fancier name than that these days, mind), who got involved in dealing with the aftermath of the incident the next day.  Apparently there were two separate people involved, the first was by what sounds like a right tosser in First Class with a Standard Class ticket who was very verbally abusive and taking pictures of the TM^‡(resolve) without his permission, but he got off at Reading.  There was a second incident, less serious, after that - perhaps that's the straw that broke the camels back though with the TM?  It's probably fair to say that the TM concerned, whilst excellent in many aspects of his role, is probably less inclined just to walk away from an incident as he perhaps should on occasions!

[SDS]

Prob not Avon & Somerset as a whole but Somerset. I.e. Weston/bridgwater/Taunton

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) website:

British Transport Police is the specialist, national police service for Britain^s railways. BTP deals with major and minor crime, disorder and incidents, and covers the rail system in England, Wales and Scotland, including London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, the Glasgow Subway and the Midland Metro and Croydon Tramlink systems. Its 2,914 police officers, 322 Police Community Support Officers, 190 Special Constables and 1,316 support staff are recruited and trained like those of local forces and have the same powers. Find out more at www.btp.police.uk

The Wales & Western Area of British Transport Police covers the National Rail system in Wales, the West Midlands and south west England, as well as the Midland Metro. It employs 249 police officers, 43 Police Community Support Officers, seven Special Constables and 68 support staff.

Hmm.  Allowing for shift work, annual leave, sick leave, training, admin, etc. - that leaves them spread fairly thinly, out and about on the railway network at any one time, I'd suggest.

[IndustryInsider]

A Chief Constable once told me that BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) actually stood for Be There Presently, whilst most railway staff know that it actually stands for Be There Perhaps. 

[SDS]

Also known as Cave Dwellers, cos that's were they spend most of their time, on the underground.

[TerminalJunkie]

The Buns and Tea Police, surely?

[Worcester_Passenger]

Alas, it's all gone wrong this morning, due to "an obstruction on the line between Moreton and Oxford".

05:17 Malvern - Padd'n and 05:34 Hereford - Padd'n both sent round via Swindon.
Halts train cancelled.
06:43 Hereford - Padd'n running via Moreton but reported on National Rail website as "may be delayed".

05:48 Padd'n - Malvern didn't run beyond Oxford. Which should prevent the 08:58 Malvern - Padd'n (which is what I wanted) from operating, but there's no mention of it on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website (yet). Perhaps they'll use the halts train for that...

[willc]

could the mods move the post above to bad morning? No obvious connection to redoubling, problem at Hanborough apparently

[willc]

And another one. Some problem at Hanborough apparently.

National Rail notice

An obstruction on the line is causing disruption at Hanborough.
Because of this, buses are replacing trains between Worcester Shrub Hill and Oxford, with journey times extended by up to 30 minutes. This is expected to continue until approximately 09:00
Customers travelling between Worcester and London may use London Midland trains to Birmingham to connect with Virgin Trains between Birmingham New Street and London Euston.Line problem between Oxford and Moreton-In-Marsh.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) seems to suggest service now running again, as a note about the 05.02 from worcester suffering a 122-minute delay at Kingham has disappeared but no info on what's happeeing to other services for the rest of the morning yet.

Train services have been disrupted due to an obstruction on the line between Oxford and Moreton-In-Marsh.Short notice alterations and delays of up to 30 minutes may still occur.
Limited replacement road transport is in operation.
Last Updated: 15/12/2010 08:16

[Worcester_Passenger]

09:00

The 09:09 and 10:05 from Foregate St to Padd'n has been cancelled. Station staff are saying it's due to "ricks on the line at Combe". A bus to Oxford instead.

They've apparently got stock but no crew. The halts train didn't run this morning, so that's presumably sitting around. But the crew have probably gone back to Oxford in a taxi.