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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #60 on: October 10, 2008, 22:51:50 » |
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An update on the ticket machine carnage situation at Nailsea ... well, actually, there isn't an update: I'm still trying to get some information on when it may be replaced.  However, there is some good news: our cheerful chap has been trained this week, and he will apparently be able to sell tickets, from an Avantix▸ machine, from Monday next week! Thanks again, FGW▸ !  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #61 on: October 12, 2008, 20:05:39 » |
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Erm ... a slight update to my previous 'news' item: Since my chat with a very friendly member of FGW▸ staff on the platform at Nailsea last Thursday morning, some posters have appeared on the shelters, announcing that our 'local staff with an Avantix▸ machine' facility will actually be going live from Wednesday 22 October. Apparently, his training is continuing, so the station will be unmanned temporarily: 'FGW apologise for any inconvenience this may cause', etc. To be fair, if we do get a chap with an Avantix machine, pending the eventual replacement of the ticket machine on platform 2 - that's a result, so I'm quite happy!  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #62 on: October 16, 2008, 23:48:46 » |
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And, as a further update, I have been informed that our trashed ticket machine on platform 2 will be replaced ... with the machine from the footpath below platform 1!
Now, before anyone gets too wound up about this, I think it actually makes sense: we really only need one machine at Nailsea & Backwell - because our cheery local chap will be able to sell tickets to the peak commuters from Wednesday!
On past performance, it's only a matter of time before our ticket machine down on the footpath under platform 1 also gets 'done over' - it's not even covered by CCTV▸ , and it's just yards (sorry, I'm showing my age: just metres!) from the telephone kiosk which does get 'done over', just about every other Friday night.
Provided, of course, that FGW▸ take a rather more practical view this time, and site the replacement machine on platform 2 where it is in full view of the CCTV, and where it is out of the rain!
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #63 on: October 22, 2008, 00:20:12 » |
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This morning (Tuesday) at Nailsea was quite interesting (!?) On arriving at the top of the steps to platform 2, at approximately 08:58 (rather breathlessly, after a sprint across the car park!) I was met by two FGW▸ ticket sellers - backed up by two Revenue Protection staff, and a PCSO. Not a problem: I had ready cash, to buy a ticket - but I had been hoping to be able to jump on the train and buy my ticket on board (as I have been doing, most mornings since my beloved ticket machine on platform 2 was trashed!). However, as the ticket seller (one of our regulars from BTM▸ ) insisted that I had to buy a ticket from him, I missed that train. ... which gave me time, waiting for the next train, to consider the situation. Not only were there two ticket sellers, two suited Revenue Protection staff and a PCSO on platform 2 - there were also two ticket staff, a uniformed female Revenue Protection official and another PCSO on platform 1. Total of 9 staff - and there was one passenger on platform 1, looking probably as bemused as I was on platform 2.  For months now, I (and others) have been moaning about the need for just 'someone' to be able to sell tickets at Nailsea: after many months of plaintive bleating from FGW about 'lack of resources', they still managed to put on this amazing display of staffing overkill? I'm really not complaining that I missed my train - fair enough, I was (literally!) running late - but where did FGW suddenly find 9 staff to man Nailsea & Backwell Station this morning, when they've been reneging on their franchise commitment to have it manned, for month after month after month, in the past??? Interestingly, as the FGW 'team' had nothing much to do this morning, they stood around, in groups of 4, chatting between themselves - so I made a point of approaching the chap in charge, to ask a couple of questions! In response to my query about when my beloved machine on platform 2 would be replaced, he said that it would be repaired 'whenever they eventually got the necessary parts'. In response to my suggestion that the trashed machine on platform 2 could be replaced with the (so far) undamaged machine from the footpath under platform 1, he said that wouldn't happen, as (a) "it wasn't as simple as that, as computer links would have to be, whatever ..." and (b) "it would involve using outside contractors, which FGW won't pay for". Which is quite different from what I was told by another uniformed member of FGW staff at Nailsea, just a week ago! And finally ... when the tatty old 143 did turn up for the 09:29 to BTM, all nine of them packed up and got aboard - and stood in the gangways, causing an obstruction  I'll continue to try to find out just what is going on, and I'll let you know |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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John R
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« Reply #64 on: October 22, 2008, 08:59:52 » |
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This sounds like the sort of exercise which TOCs▸ do to identify fraudulent travel. Imagine anyone turning up at Bristol asking to buy a ticket and claiming they got on at Nailsea (when in fact they got on at Weston, Highbridge, etc, etc.) They would be done for evasion.
(This happens, or used to happen a lot on the way into Waterloo. There were a remarkable number of commuters buying tickets at the barriers who had travelled in from Vauxhall. When they did a Nailsea style block at Vauxhall one day, guess what, there were still as many people arriving at Waterloo having "travelled from Vauxhall". Strangely enough, when asked for identification they all appeared to have addresses in Winchester, Farnham, Guildford, etc, etc.)
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #65 on: October 22, 2008, 22:15:05 » |
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Ah! Thank you very much for asking, willc!  In a word: No. Our local cheery chap was not present at Nailsea & Backwell this morning. However, the two FGW▸ ticket sellers from BTM▸ were in attendance again, each with an Avantix▸ machine. There was no sign of their assorted posse of RPIs▸ or PCSOs, though. Problem was, neither of the ticket chappies could get their Avantix machines to work properly: apparently, at one stage, they were taking turns to place their machine next to the heater inside the ticket hut, in vain attempts to get them working. The result, in scenes reminiscent of the Keystone Cops, was a queue of little old ladies at the front window and at the access door of the ticket hut, all waving their purses, trying to buy a ticket. As for me? Oh, I learned from my experience on Tuesday morning: I had already bought my ticket from the machine on the footpath under platform 1, the evening before, when thankfully it was working! A couple of points, though: what's happened to our local chap - and why was the XC▸ 08:46 fifty minutes late this morning? (Memo to on-train announcer: the difference between 08:46 and 09:36 is fifty minutes, not the forty minutes you announced this morning!) |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #66 on: October 22, 2008, 23:07:58 » |
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Fair enough, John! I must admit, I was put off rushing down to the station this morning by the online live departure board showing me the chaos that was being caused to FGW▸ services by the delayed XC▸ service. |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #67 on: October 23, 2008, 17:41:12 » |
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Ah! Thank you very much for asking, willc! In a word: No. Our local cheery chap was not present at Nailsea & Backwell this morning. However, the two FGW▸ ticket sellers from BTM▸ were in attendance again, each with an Avantix▸ machine. There was no sign of their assorted posse of RPIs▸ or PCSOs, though. Problem was, neither of the ticket chappies could get their Avantix machines to work properly: apparently, at one stage, they were taking turns to place their machine next to the heater inside the ticket hut, in vain attempts to get them working. The result, in scenes reminiscent of the Keystone Cops, was a queue of little old ladies at the front window and at the access door of the ticket hut, all waving their purses, trying to buy a ticket. As for me? Oh, I learned from my experience on Tuesday morning: I had already bought my ticket from the machine on the footpath under platform 1, the evening before, when thankfully it was working! A couple of points, though: what's happened to our local chap - and why was the XC▸ 08:46 fifty minutes late this morning? (Memo to on-train announcer: the difference between 08:46 and 09:36 is fifty minutes, not the forty minutes you announced this morning!) Because the leading powercar on the refurbished set failed at Weston SM |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #68 on: October 23, 2008, 18:54:21 » |
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Thanks, Liam! Is that, by any chance, the same power car - 43321 - that was on the 17:11 from BTM▸ to Plymouth this evening - which was 40 minutes down, leaving just ahead of my 17:53? |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #69 on: October 23, 2008, 18:56:59 » |
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Believe 43357 failed, I did indeed notice the late running of todays 0900 Glasgow-Plymouth although not sure why. Seems to have lost time progressivly since Berwick Upon Tweed.
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Lee
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« Reply #70 on: October 23, 2008, 18:57:59 » |
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Is the 1807 from Taunton missing out Nailsea and other stops because of a previous delay tonight?
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John R
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« Reply #71 on: October 23, 2008, 19:47:06 » |
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Believe 43357 failed, I did indeed notice the late running of todays 0900 Glasgow-Plymouth although not sure why. Seems to have lost time progressivly since Berwick Upon Tweed.
Just left Totnes 53 minutes down. Apparently due to a train fault. |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #72 on: October 27, 2008, 21:53:47 » |
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I arrived at Nailsea & Backwell Station this morning to find that the ticket machine on the footpath below platform 1 had been trashed over the weekend - screen smashed, bits of glass and broken bulbs in the ticket trough, etc. Oh dear! , I thought: that's the end of any plans to use this machine to replace the previously wrecked one on platform 2. So, imagine my surprise, when I got off my train home this evening and went down the steps from platform 1 - to see the ticket machine, complete with a new screen and in full working order again!!!!  Now, my question is, perhaps inevitably: how can FGW▸ repair one machine at our station within 24 hours - but the other one is still completely OOU▸ , shrouded in plastic, some five weeks later?? |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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John R
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« Reply #73 on: October 27, 2008, 22:19:52 » |
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The screen was shattered but intact on Friday evening at 11pm. But presumably the damage was more superficial, and confined to the screen and just beneath, rather than the pick-axe treatment which the other machine got, and which did look much more terminal.
So fair play to FGW▸ for getting the one back in order within a few hours of the staff discovering it.
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John R
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« Reply #74 on: October 27, 2008, 22:38:27 » |
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Thanks, John, for that useful information!  Indeed - well done to FGW▸ for acting so promptly on that one - but what about the (rather more useful?) machine on platform 2 - which would potentially be used by many more people (that is, all the Bristol-bound commuters in the mornings)? And where is our local cheery chap? He wasn't there this morning, either? Sorry, I'm not there in the mornings to observe! |
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