|
Title: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 18, 2009, 19:12:29 Got on train at Reading, did my usual - deposit back pack on seat, any additional bags on the luggage rack - go to buffet...........by the time I got back (and there was no queue), the CH had confiscated my carrier bag with dirty laundry which was on the rack.
Got a lecture about leaving my luggage unattended - although she didnt do anything about the BACKPACK with COMPUTERS in them - so whether from a potential bomb point of view or a not getting my stuff half inched, I dont think she made a good selective choice there! Which was likely to be the most dangerous to myself or other passengers if it exploded or disappeared. I think if I go back to the buffet later, I may just make a point of putting my laptop away, packing everything up and going there - then asking them to carry my purchases back to the table as my hands are full of baggage! Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Btline on August 18, 2009, 19:59:27 Ridiculous. What do FGW expect their passengers to do?
Btw, don't you sit in First - isn't the Steward meant to offer "at seat service"? Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 18, 2009, 20:05:48 They do - she went through once between Reading and doth Wales - I've learned if you want sellables it's easier to go to buffet yourself rather than wait for them to appear and find a convenient moment to go fetch
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 18, 2009, 20:44:22 Taking the theory to the logical conclusion.........surely this means luggage racks are to be done away with.
Carriage G was quite busy until Didcot/Swindon - that bag could have been anyones - and no way did she have time to make her way with the trollery from the end, spot the bag, ask all the occupents if it were theirs and then take it to the buffet! Or maybe because all the other occupents were men, she assumed two skirts were not theirs - bad mistake in this day and age especially since they werent size 0. Maybe this gives an excuse to put your bags on the seat next to you - after all you have to keep it with you and with the airline seating in standard, its either the seat next to you or block the aisle. I might try that next time someone wants the seat next to me....... Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: broadgage on August 19, 2009, 08:45:14 I have not had any luggage confisicated yet! but I have been told off for leaving it unattended whilst visiting the buffet.
Is one really expected to take luggage with one to the buffet ! And yes I was in first class, and the alleged table service only appeared once between London and Exeter. The limited luggage space on improved trains (the ones with high density bus seats and no tables) is a huge problem, standard class being impassible at times due to luggage in gangways. I have also been told off for leaving luggage unattended on a stationery train at Paddington, whilst returning the luggage trolley to the proper place in order to reclaim my ^1. I believe that you are meant to abandon the trolley on the platform, near the train, in order that the staff may reclaim the ^1. The answer no doubt will be to ban luggage ! In the past one was allowed 50 KG in second class and 75 KG in first, but I understand that the limit is now " 3 items, one of which may be a large article such as a suitcase or rucksack, and the other two must be small items such briefcase, handbag etc." Virgin trains enforce this with some rigour, owing to the very limited luggage space on the new trains. I do not look forward to the new trains that are promised with electrification, I have no doubt that we will get a shorter multiple unit interurban type train with high density bus seats, minimal luggage space, and of course no restaurant. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: r james on August 19, 2009, 19:09:14 I guess this is why XCs trolley service is good....
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: IndustryInsider on August 19, 2009, 21:49:40 I guess this is why XCs trolley service is good.... That's correct, and it is an often overlooked benefit of a trolley service over a buffet counter service. As we all know, there are disadvantages though! Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: JayMac on August 19, 2009, 21:51:54 I guess this is why XCs trolley service is good.... That's correct, and it is an often overlooked benefit of a trolley service over a buffet counter service. As we all know, there are disadvantages though! like no longer being able to pay with credit/debit card. 21st century.....pah! Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 19, 2009, 22:39:14 I guess this is why XCs trolley service is good.... That's correct, and it is an often overlooked benefit of a trolley service over a buffet counter service. As we all know, there are disadvantages though! like no longer being able to pay with credit/debit card. 21st century.....pah! Which sinceI am royalty and rarely carry cash - is a no no! Last time I did XC - you couldnt use a card in the buffet even Although I do suspect why......... Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: r james on August 19, 2009, 23:09:56 Why couldnt you use it at the buffet?
I know Ive always used cards at the shop on XC? Surely some sort of payment system could be set up for them to accept card payments? Lets face it, shops used to take it years ago using the manual imprinters, so surely something modern could have come along by now? Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Btline on August 19, 2009, 23:18:14 XC are fussy. Once the woman refused me paying with a ^10 note (I had no ^5s as they are so rare these days) I tried to pay with my Visa Electron debit card. She said "we don't take Solo".
She was extremely rude and unhelpful, and I should have walked off without paying! ^1.60 for hot water and a tea bag is criminal. It should be no more than 99p. Thankfully a fellow passenger changed the ^10 into two ^5s. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Chris from Nailsea on August 19, 2009, 23:21:57 Erm ... why did she accept payment using a ^5 note, but not a ^10 note?? :o
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Btline on August 19, 2009, 23:23:27 She said she hadn't enough change. Probably not true.
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 19, 2009, 23:23:35 Erm ... why did she accept payment using a ^5 note, but not a ^10 note?? :o Probably cos she had few pound coins and no fivers! Typical example of limited floats cos they dont trust the staff Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 19, 2009, 23:26:11 Why couldnt you use it at the buffet? I know Ive always used cards at the shop on XC? Surely some sort of payment system could be set up for them to accept card payments? Lets face it, shops used to take it years ago using the manual imprinters, so surely something modern could have come along by now? All cards SHOULD be checked with a central computer to see if there are funds - SOLO HAVE TO BE NO EXCEPTION But for most debit and credit, there is a maximum limit agreed with the vendor that the bank will honour even if no funds. If there is no agreement in place (and it costs money to put one in place and the cost is proportional to risk) then ANY transaction taken that is not pre authed will be declined. Given the dodgy connections on most trains......... few tranactions can e pre authed. Suspect XC are skin flint and dont (or didnt) have such an agreement in place Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: JayMac on August 19, 2009, 23:37:11 Tis actually a moot point for me now though. Following 'financial restructuring' I only hold a Solo debit card. In the past I was, however, able to use Maestro in XC shops. I did discover (accidentally, I hasten to add) that after my account linked to my Maestro was closed, I was still able to use the card in a FGW buffet. That got me into a bit of trouble. Surely there is sufficient wireless technology out there to authorise debit card transactions in 'real time' on trains? Guess it all boils down to cost.
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: moonrakerz on August 19, 2009, 23:42:56 The answer no doubt will be to ban luggage ! I hear Ryanair are looking at bidding for rail franchises !! ;D ;D ;D Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: JayMac on August 20, 2009, 00:18:13 The answer no doubt will be to ban luggage ! I hear Ryanair are looking at bidding for rail franchises !! ;D ;D ;D Nooooooooooooooooooooo Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: moonrakerz on August 20, 2009, 09:22:57 To be serious on this point, much so-called "security" is a complete waste of time. It is rather like 'elf & safety - being run by people who do not have a clue. Its main purpose appears to be to convince the public that "something" is being done, whereas what is being done just causes inconvenience to the public and achieves nothing.
Anyone can identify a risk - the clever bit is quantifying it. How many terrorist bombs have been left in unattended luggage ? Did the London bombers leave their bombs unattended then scarper ? To start telling people off for leaving luggage "unattended" in the luggage rack is a masterpiece of crass stupidity. What can you do ? Complain to the train manager, the station manager, write to the TOC, write to the Telegraph (or Gruniad), write to your MP (they do have a use !). I covered over 400 miles on various trains yesterday, everywhere I looked there were items of "unattended" luggage. In the racks at the end of the coaches, in the overhead racks, on the platform while people struggled to get get other items into the train. Yes, there was a risk that one of these might contain a bomb, there was also a risk that the 1600 from Penzance might crash and kill me (probably a higher risk than that of a suitcase bomb) - but the likelihood of that risk actually occurring was low enough for me to take that chance - I made it to Westbury unscathed, albeit 10 minutes late. When I was in Valencia after the Madrid bombings I saw massive "security" introduced for passengers on the inter-city trains - x-ray machines, metal detecting gates, physical frisking, etc, etc, - chaos ensued, queues across the concourse into the streets outside. Did this inconvenience me ? Not in the slightest - I was using the suburban trains (the ones that were bombed) - no security checks whatsoever !! Someone in RENFE probably got a bonus for introducing these "security" measures. We have now got to the ludicrous situation where far more disruption is caused by the gross over reaction to the threat of a suitcase bomb that has ever been caused by the actual item itself. Several years ago my daughter worked at a M-Way service area - an "unattended" item was discovered in the main car park, the site was closed, the RAOC called, massive disruption/inconvenience was caused. A couple of weeks later another item was found - the site manger threw it over the back fence ! Sanity rules.............. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: broadgage on August 20, 2009, 10:13:38 The answer no doubt will be to ban luggage ! I hear Ryanair are looking at bidding for rail franchises !! ;D ;D ;D What an appalling idea ! Bus companies running main rail routes is bad enough, the thought of a budget airline running trains is awfull. " no luggage allowed, no food, ^5 surcharge for not buying online, ^5 surcharge for buying on line, ^5 to check in., arrive two hours before departure in order to check in" Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Mookiemoo on August 20, 2009, 19:11:17 Ridiculous. What do FGW expect their passengers to do? Btw, don't you sit in First - isn't the Steward meant to offer "at seat service"? try tonight - having had to chase the ch down the train as she was pushing the trolley so fast I missed her - I asked for a saleable item. Could not get it for me as she had no card machine. Did not like it when u asked her did she expect me to go to the buffet. So I did. Only to find that the buffet ch expected me to go to the end of the queue - which was half way throug e. I asked her whether she thought that was reasonable since I was already not getting at seat service - at which point I got told in a snotty tone to take it up with the others in the queue. I admit I was rather agressive in my response to her - is that resally the sort of service first class expects? Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Chris from Nailsea on August 20, 2009, 21:45:10 Once the woman refused me paying with a ^10 note (I had no ^5s as they are so rare these days) Good news for Btline, then - from the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8211720.stm): Quote More ^5 notes for cash machines A High Street bank says it is stocking more ^5 notes in cash machines in a pilot scheme to boost their numbers. HSBC said that 100 of its cash machines in the Midlands and south west of England were being stocked with more fivers in a Bank of England trial. While all UK cash machines must have the capacity to hold all denominations of notes, demand and efficiency means most only give out ^10 and ^20 notes. Latest figures show that ^1.3bn worth of fivers are in circulation in the UK. This number has been growing steadily in recent years, according to Bank of England figures. However, owing to the regularity of use, a ^5 note only lasts in circulation for a year before being too damaged to use. The lifespan of a ^50 note is usually five years or more. Speaking to the BBC in February, the Bank of England's chief cashier Andrew Bailey said the questions he was asked more than any others were why there were not enough ^5 notes in circulation and why they were not good enough quality to last very long. "We are very keen to get ^5 notes into circulation," said Mr Bailey, whose signature is printed on every Bank of England note. Now HSBC has said that it is taking part in a pilot project to increase stocking of ^5 notes in cash machines. HSBC started the scheme in 100 of its 3,000 UK cash machines at the start of July, returning to the stacking of fivers commonly seen 10 years ago. A spokesman said there was a dearth of ^5 notes and adding to the circulation of fivers could allow ^10 and ^20 notes to last longer in circulation. The move was welcomed by some in service industries, including Chris Haines, a London taxi driver, who said the shortage of fivers had become a real problem. "A lot of London cabbies have to buy a cup of tea or buy a sandwich to get enough fivers in their hands to give out as change," he said. "Either that, or they have to queue up in a bank to get the fivers to hand out to people instead of ^1 coins." In his 2007 Mansion House speech, Bank of England governor Mervyn King said there was an ample supply of ^5 notes, but it was often more economical for banks to stock machines with higher denominations. Notes used in cash machines need to be in good condition. Stacking them with ^5 notes could add to the number of times they ran out of cash at busy times, according to a spokeswoman for Barclays. Stocking machines with ^5 notes meant they would hold less value and so need to be stocked more regularly, which also raised issues such as security. She said that Barclays' machines housed inside branches still dispensed ^5 notes, but there was greater demand for higher denominations. Only a handful of "hole-in-the-wall" machines outside would dispense ^5 notes, based on the demographic of an area. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Super Guard on August 20, 2009, 22:18:12 Solo & Visa Electron require immediate on-line authorisation to be accepted, hence why you can use them at most FGW booking offices, but not on trains. They are generally issued to bank accounts where customers are not allowed to go overdrawn.
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: IndustryInsider on August 20, 2009, 23:51:01 Moral of the story is perhaps... 'carry some cash...'?
Useful stuff, cash. There's barely a shop or service in the land you can't pay by cash for a face-to-face transaction. Oh, and potentially useful in an emergency, too. Even if it's only a couple of rolled up fiver's, you'd have saved yourself all that hassle. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: willc on August 20, 2009, 23:54:11 It'll never catch on...
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Btline on August 21, 2009, 00:01:26 But the woman wouldn't let me pay with ^10ers or ^20ers! Or my Visa electron card because they "don't take solo" !!!
The moral of the story is boycott XC catering until they sort it out, and lower the astronomical price of a cup of hot water and a tea bag! If it costs more than ^1 I expect to get a pot, where I get at least 2 cups! (e.g. a cafe near WOF where a pot is ^1.35) Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: TerminalJunkie on August 21, 2009, 01:22:38 If it costs more than ^1 I expect to get a pot, where I get at least 2 cups! (e.g. a cafe near WOF where a pot is ^1.35) http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.205-5845.aspx (http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.205-5845.aspx) Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: devon_metro on August 21, 2009, 15:08:54 If it costs more than ^1 I expect to get a pot, where I get at least 2 cups! (e.g. a cafe near WOF where a pot is ^1.35) http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.205-5845.aspx (http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.205-5845.aspx) Discontinued ;) The thought was amusing however :D Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Super Guard on August 21, 2009, 16:37:54 But the woman wouldn't let me pay with ^10ers or ^20ers! Or my Visa electron card because they "don't take solo" !!! The moral of the story is boycott XC catering until they sort it out, and lower the astronomical price of a cup of hot water and a tea bag! If it costs more than ^1 I expect to get a pot, where I get at least 2 cups! (e.g. a cafe near WOF where a pot is ^1.35) She may have got the name of your card wrong, but Solo & Electron fall into the same category of card acceptance, as per my previous post. Perhaps upgrade to a standard current account that will offer you a Visa Debit or Maestro which will be accepted. Also on the topic of ^10/^20 notes, i've worked today and ended up with ^250 in ticket sales, and ^180 of that was ^20 notes, ^60 in ^10 notes, and I was running very low indeed on change by the end to the point that another ^10 or ^20 would mean offering change in 50p, 20p or 10p's... so I do have some sympathy with the XC host if this was the case, and no FGW/XC/SWT do not issue guards/hosts with endless amounts of change, probably for security rather than "they don't trust the staff" ::). Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Tim on August 21, 2009, 16:52:07 Apparently there is a national shortage of fivers which the Bank of England is trying to do something about (but only in a pilot scheme)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8211720.stm I can remember when I was a poor student walking a 30 minute round trip to visit the only cash machine in town that dispensed fivers. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: devon_metro on August 21, 2009, 16:56:26 I have plenty ;)
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: readytostart on August 22, 2009, 02:45:01 Also on the topic of ^10/^20 notes, i've worked today and ended up with ^250 in ticket sales, and ^180 of that was ^20 notes, ^60 in ^10 notes, and I was running very low indeed on change by the end to the point that another ^10 or ^20 would mean offering change in 50p, 20p or 10p's... so I do have some sympathy with the XC host if this was the case, and no FGW/XC/SWT do not issue guards/hosts with endless amounts of change, probably for security rather than "they don't trust the staff" ::). Here at ScotRail we're given a ^20 float which is hardly sufficient when you're often on the same set for four hours or so and rarely see a booking office. On a flip note, equally as annoying as a ^20 note for a ^2 fare are the people who scratch around in their pockets and hand bags for fluff and coppers to give you. What I didn't know until recently was the Coinage Act of 1971 limits the amount of smash people can give you, here's a quick cut and paste: (1A)Subject to any provision made by proclamation under section 3 of this Act, coins of cupro-nickel, silver or bronze shall be legal tender as follows^. (a)coins of cupro-nickel or silver of denominations of more than 10 pence, for payment of any amount not exceeding ^10;. (b)coins of cupro-nickel or silver of denominations of not more than 10 pence, for payment of any amount not exceeding ^5;. (c)coins of bronze, for payment of any amount not exceeding 20 pence. Pop that in your pipe and smoke it bag and pocket scratchers! Lucky when I was a youngun the man at the cornershop didn't know this when I went in for my 25p bag of sweeties! Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: TerminalJunkie on August 22, 2009, 07:00:45 Here at ScotRail [...] What I didn't know until recently was the Coinage Act of 1971 limits the amount of smash people can give you, here's a quick cut and paste: (1A)Subject to any provision made by proclamation under section 3 of this Act, coins of cupro-nickel, silver or bronze shall be legal tender as follows^. 'Legal Tender' has nothing to do with retail transactions, and has only a narrow technical definition in relation to the settlement of a debt. Besides, if you really only accepted 'Legal Tender', then in Scotland you would only take coins, since banknotes issued by the Scottish retail banks are merely promissory notes, and Bank of England notes are only legal tender in England and Wales. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: JayMac on August 22, 2009, 08:15:49 That narrow definition of legal tender could, however, apply to a rail journey. A debt will be owed if the passenger reaches their destination before having the opportunity to buy a ticket. In that instance, settlement of the debt could be paid using a maximum of ^15.20 in coins (^10 in 20p or 50p - ^5 in 10p or 5p - ^0.20 in 2p or 1p) and this could not be refused in settlement of the debt.
Also, a debt would occur if you accepted an item from the trolley/buffet and wolfed it down before offering payment! Your not likely to endear yourself to a CH (or others in the Buffet queue) if, after scoffing that BLT you then proceed to count out ^2.95 in 5p's...... ;D Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: TerminalJunkie on August 22, 2009, 08:30:55 That narrow definition of legal tender could, however, apply to a rail journey. A debt will be owed if the passenger reaches their destination before having the opportunity to buy a ticket. In that instance, settlement of the debt could be paid using a maximum of ^15.20 in coins (^10 in 20p or 50p - ^5 in 10p or 5p - ^0.20 in 2p or 1p) and this could not be refused in settlement of the debt. Not quite true: the creditor can refuse to accept any payment, but if the offer was made using legal tender the creditor would have difficulty recovering the debt since the debtor now has a defence against any claim for non-payment. Also, a debt would occur if you accepted an item from the trolley/buffet and wolfed it down before offering payment! Again, that's not strictly true: offering an item for sale is an 'invitation to treat', and the parties may start to negotiate for the exchange of the item. If you scoffed it before coming to such an agreement that would more correctly be regarded as theft. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: devonian on August 22, 2009, 08:49:04 As a student, I used to work on and run bars. We would start with a float of ^100 of which ^20 was in fivers. We'd run out of fivers pretty early on - on larger functions, there would be a change bag available with ^100 of fivers. We could still run out. ^20 float for Scotrail - how on Earth are you able to give change?!
I never used to carry cash as card was accepted everywhere. Since changing jobs and lifestyle, I now deal in cash a lot and realise it is a LOT easier and quicker than card. When I used to hardly ever carry cash thjough, I would generally only have ^10 or ^20 pound notes straight out of a machine. Surely the train companies must realise what ATMs dispense and that they are going to need to carry a float that can deal with that. Almost everyday on the 0803 NTA EXD the CH would ask for change. That early in the morning, they were going to struggle the rest of the day. Also, it is not really a question of cost for the float either. There is enough cash that will go through for processing that all fivers can be pulled out and reserved (well, a reasonable amount rather than all!). This has to be processed anyway and avoids any bank chrages that would be levied for the provision of change. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: JayMac on August 22, 2009, 08:50:17 Again, that's not strictly true: offering an item for sale is an 'invitation to treat', and the parties may start to negotiate for the exchange of the item. If you scoffed it before coming to such an agreement that would more correctly be regarded as theft. Yes your right, It would be theft. A better analogy would be on a Pullman where an implied term of the contract is to accept payment after the food is consumed. Again the Steward/ess won't be impressed with part/full payment in ^15.20 of shrapnel. And as you rightly say, the offer to pay with coinage up to the legal tender amounts could still be refused, but 'the creditor would have difficulty recovering the debt since the debtor now has a defence....' What a strange topic of conversation to start the day with......still, helped get me brain in gear. :D Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: moonrakerz on August 22, 2009, 13:12:05 There was an interesting outcome to a dispute over "Legal Tender" several years back in Scotland.
A man was in dispute with his local council and was being chased for a sum of outstanding monies. Eventually he gave in and took along the sum he owed in 10p coins (or something equally silly). The council, after being messed around by him, decided to mess him around - and refused to accept the money, because it was "not legal tender". It eventually ended up in Court where the Sheriff ruled that the council had to accept anything - "that was generally accepted to be money". Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: johoare on August 22, 2009, 21:53:15 One of my sons had saved up to buy a Nintendo DS.. At least half of it (^60 or so) was in pound coins. So I would like to praise John Lewis Oxford Street who let him pay using them (I did give them the option not too as I was pretty sure they didn't have to!) :-)
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Chris from Nailsea on August 22, 2009, 21:55:59 Good for him!
And they were probably glad of the change - if they, too, were only given a ^20 float! C. ;D Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: readytostart on August 23, 2009, 01:46:41 Seems I sent things off on a tangent there, myself being an Anglo-in-exile in Scotland have never had any problem using McMoney in England, must just be the Scottish they don't trust!
Anyhoo my point was, there's nothing worse when you're on a busy train trying to serve (rather than interrogate) everyone and despite being able to see the right amount in larger change people insist on scratching around for the smash holding everyone else up! We once had a guard in the old days who would throw coppers out the window if he was given any! One note to my counterparts at GW, just be thankful you don't still have ^1 notes, or ^100 notes for that matter, we had a guy who was on the first train of the day and would always offer to pay with a hundred knowing it couldn't be changed, unfortunately he got the same guard two days in a row, who on the second day charged him for the day before and promply gave him his change in pound coins that he'd got specially! I promise most of us are only evil when provoked! Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: Btline on August 28, 2009, 19:12:08 I now always carry my Mastercard Credit Card, which should work everywhere!
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: JayMac on August 28, 2009, 19:16:29 I now always carry my Mastercard Credit Card, which should work everywhere! Won't get you very far with a XC trolley service........ 'sorry mate cash only'Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: broadgage on November 23, 2010, 13:01:48 Yes I know this is an old topic.
But it would seem that lack of change is still a problem on FGW services. On a recent trip, the catering staff ran out of both ^5 notes and ^1 coins soon after leaving Reading. Fortunatly I had nearly ^100 on me in ^5 notes and ^1 coins, the Pullman service leader was very glad of this. In view of the limits on the amount of change available, it might perhaps be helpfull if regular customers keep a small supply of ^5s and ^1s with them. I try to allways keep at least ^25 in ^5 notes and ^10 in pound coins with me, not just for on train catering but for taxi fares. Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: thetrout on November 24, 2010, 11:37:06 Frome and Trowbridge stations have a habit of running out of 5p coins. As my fare usually has a 5p value in (e.g. Single to Bath @ ^3.05) I will always give them the 5p coin in the monies exchanged if I can ;)
Title: Re: Bit of an over zealous CH tonight........and poor choice Post by: LiskeardRich on November 24, 2010, 13:24:05 at my work although notes are easier to deal with we have to pay a 5% charge for our change deliverys, so we muchg rather someone paid say a ^30 order in change than notes, we also have to pay a 0.5% banking charge for banking notes, but no charge for coin banking so again more benefit from taking large aount of coins. we start off with ^70 floats ^50 in change ^20 in notes
This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |