Great Western Coffee Shop

I travelled home tonight on a DOO train from Paddington to Maidenhead (as most of them are  - this was the 20.42 departure).. After I had sat down I then ended up with quite a large group of quite drunk men sitting around me... I felt quite intimidated.. And there was no ticket check.. I know they have now employed new staff to check tickets but I've not really seen too much evidence... So I travelled the whole way home feeling intimidated. Not good FGW!

My own experience is similar.  FGW makes very little effort to enforce First Class in Turbos Padd - Slough and vv, and in the evening free travel is positively encouraged with open gate lines and trains so full no ticket examination could take place even if there was someone on the train to do it (which isn't often).

The only train which I use where there is any sort of regular ticket checking is on the 0644 Twyford - Paddington (0555 from Bedwyn) and even then probably only once a week. I can't remember the last time I had my ticket checked on any other train to or from London. In fact it's been a long time since I've seen any ticket checking at Twyford, there used to be inspections there in the morning or evening every couple of weeks at least.

I have caught the 0903 THA-PAD 3 or 4 times over the last month (a rammed 3 car Turbo, as it's the first semi-fast off-peak up from Bedwyn) and there has been a "conductor" on all of them, as well as the Revenue Protection chaps selling tickets at THA Station itself (in addition to the Ticket Office which is open at that time of the morning).

Anything into the evening or late night though (which I have also done a few times recently) and never any sign of them.

For the past few weeks the barriers at PAD at the bridge off platforms 13/14 (ex-H&C access) have been unmanned and open in the morning (8.30ish) and quite often in the evening.  Why is this?

Regarding Twyford - I have always found it strange that if you go via the ticket hall the two or three "ticket inspectors" (don't know the correct term) will be very insistent on seeing a ticket despite the fact that the double gates outside are usually wide open as is the side gate and the car park access is directly onto platforms 4&5 anyway.

Ticket checks on turbos?  Usually only in daytime off-peak in my experience.

Joke!

(PS Came into town on SWT from Wokingham to Waterloo this morning - generally a much more pleasant (albeit slow) experience than FGW)

My daily commute from Thatcham (THA) to Reigate (REI) involves a change at Reading (RDG)

On the early morning DOO service from THA to RDG they have introduced random ticket checks this year but sometimes it is possible to go for a couple of weeks on this service without having a check. Having said that I must stress it is an improvement over the two years prior where I only had my ticket checked twice in 24 months. So a good step forward.

In contrast, it is the norm on the RDG to REI leg of my journey to be checked everytime. The times it hasn't happened will only be a few.

To the OP I can totally understand your intimidation but I have a general question: Does a TM have different responsibilities to an RPI when it comes to train safety and customer welfare?

Just asking...

Watch the YouTube video on my 1C97 thread in FP and see what happens even when Ticket Checks are enforced on Drunk and High Imbeciles..........

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11601.0 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11601.0)

Jo, I really get where you're coming from. I too have been subject to similar situations around my FGW area. I find the worst thing you can do is make eye contact or even look in their direction. Because once they've locked you; you've had it. I've been in that situation more times and I've had hot dinners... :'(

I've been  a bit more than boring on here by invoking the name of Steve Norris, whom I suspect some of you may already be too young to remember.

Here is a 1995 (!!) link to what was then said about fellow passengers on PT (public transport).  Will TheTrout particulalrly note the reference to problems in first class.

 <http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/mr-norris-changes-trains/2030704.article>

It's the fact that here we are 17 years later still discussing the lack of privacy, safety, and comfort of using PT, never mind the cost.

Would that be the same Steve Norris, the former Chairman of Jarvis, who blamed the Potters Bar accident on vandalism obviously; he has demonstrated a consistent knowledge of all things rail 

Yes he is the world's original rotter.  It does not invalidate the points he made about public transport.  As he was a minister at the time (and this was long before the Jarvis fiasco) it was all too truthful for PT enthusiasts to accept.  The points made are (self evidently from the facts produced above) all too clearly true.

The challenge is, for those of us with good intentions, is how to change things.  The fare evasion being observed is not helping our cause.

It was more the points he didn't maintain  >:(

^ ^ Allegedly  ...... ^ ^

 ;)

Well (according to the BBC) Jarvis admitted liability, so I'm not sure one needs to add "allegedly".  But they escaped prosecution, as they had conveniently gone bust a year before it was all going to come to court, so the ORR couldn't see the point the point of prosecuting a company in administration.

Sorry if my comment started a new thread.  Back to this one, what do frequent travellers on this route feel could /should be done.  Clearly the problems of non-paying travellers can only be handled by travelling ticket inspectors (TTI).  Clearly the TTI should have authority to deal with troublesome passengers in the same way that a guard (train manager, oh why did we abandon 'guard'?).  Someone above has posed that query - I must admit that I thought that, apart from telling the driver what to do, in the case of the guard, all railway employees had the same powers in this respect -anyone know?

It seems to me that drunken passengers should be ejected* whenever causing a nuisance.  You need trained staff and systems of BTP (British Transport Police) / local police force coordination to help travelling officials.  Instant call-out comms are required.

* not suggesting while the train is moving.

No but it is tempting sometimes. 

All Guard's, Train Managers, Employees and Agents of Train Operating Companies have the God given right to forcibly eject people from trains, stations or anywhere else on the Railway network.

In an ideal world, Guards/TMs would get the offenders address and forward it to the relevant prosecuting department.
If they are a danger to other passengers on the train then they should be removed or isolated.

Not sure it's a right granted by a monotheistic deity. It's a right granted under Section 219 of the Transport Act 2000 by the Strategic Rail Authority and confirmed under Schedule 20 of the Transport Act 2000 by the Secretary of State for Transport on 22 June 2005.

So that would be the distinctly non God-like figure of Alistair Darling, granted by Royal Assent in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Some may argue she's God's representative on earth, but I think, as a constitutional monarchy, we've moved on from that idea just a bit.  :P ;) ;D