Chaos tonight - why cant the TM do the ticket part of their job....

[whole diary]

[Phil]

I could tell many similar stories to Mookie's, being fortunate enough to be in the position of being a regular first class traveller myself. Most of the time the TM^‡(resolve) does a brilliant job in advising people - usually foreigners - that they are in the wrong section, but sometimes they are conspicuous only by their absence, and I have a very real worry is that someday there's going to be an "uprising". The closest I ever saw was on a train from Reading to Bristol TM when the First Class section was invaded by "chavs", for want of a better word. For a while the pay-through-the-nose customers already in there grumbled amongst themselves, but some of them had obviously been drinking - they were coming back from a cricket match I think - it was the end of a long day, words were exchanged, and things started to get ugly. Must confess, I took the coward's way out and headed down to the buffet and then went and stood out of the way in Standard Class,  seatless and still clutching my ^175 return ticket, so I never did find out what happened. Never saw a TM or any other member of the crew either (the buffet had stayed shut).

[Mookiemoo]

Wait a minute, let me just get this straight. Following an afternoon of chaos caused by a fatality at Southall leading to multiple cancellations and delays that are still severe right now at 19:40, you were so pissed off that the first class trolley service couldn't make it down the aisle because bloody commoners were in the way that not only did you complain to the buffet staff but also track down the train manager and moan at him too? Jesus, I'd get down to the Doc and get my blood pressure checked if I were you 

Edit: AND you walked half way down the train just to give yourself more ammo for the moaning? Feck on a stick!

No - I asked the buffet staff was there going to be a ticket check at Reading - they said yes

As I was in the buffet I wandered down to see if there was any space - there was - if there wasnt, then I would not have said anything!

Then as he was doing his announcement in the buffet, I asked him if he was planning to sort out the mess that was FC^‡(resolve) - so he said he'd do a tannoy announcement - took 30 seconds and it worked.  Job solved.  Could have been done at Reading

Am I the only one who resents paying for a service and seeing freeloaders get it for nothing - I know I'm not because some of you feel the same way about fair dodgers as I do here

Maybe next time there is severe disruption, people should be allowed to board without paying at all as, well, there is disruption you know

[Shazz]

Finally - as we pulled out of oxford I actually located him (had previously mentioned to buffet staff to suggest the ticket check).

Couldnt do it as stations to close together and had to get to front to do SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening).

End result was he did a tannoy announcement indicating that any SC holders in FC^‡(resolve) would be charged the full FC fare - cleared them out pretty sharpish

What did i say?

[Timmer]

Never saw a TM^‡(resolve) or any other member of the crew either (the buffet had stayed shut).

They too probably thought it best to stay out of it as well.

[Timmer]

Am I the only one who resents paying for a service and seeing freeloaders get it for nothing - I know I'm not because some of you feel the same way about fair dodgers as I do here

Maybe next time there is severe disruption, people should be allowed to board without paying at all as, well, there is disruption you know

No you are not Mookiemoo and I'm sure when some of the traincrew who post on this site drop by they will agree also.

[miniman]

Before you spoke to the train manager, had you considered that the oiks might have gained his permission to sit in first class due to the overcrowding?

[Mookiemoo]

Before you spoke to the train manager, had you considered that the oiks might have gained his permission to sit in first class due to the overcrowding?

Which is one of the reasons I spoke to him as I wanted to find out - and they hadnt

[Ollie]

Sorry I'm not sympathetic on this one.

Cram all the standard class passengers into the vestibules in standard so they aren't near First?

You checked after Reading in standard which is commonly Reading where alot of it clears anyway.

You should try being more lenient during times of disruption.

[Mookiemoo]

Sorry I'm not sympathetic on this one.

Cram all the standard class passengers into the vestibules in standard so they aren't near First?

You checked after Reading in standard which is commonly Reading where alot of it clears anyway.

You should try being more lenient during times of disruption.

The point was - I GOT ON AT READING I AM NOT DOING PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) UNTIL AT LEAST AUGUST

There were plenty of spaces

but FC^‡(resolve) was still full - 75% of whom were SC passengers

Why did they not move to SC as per their ticket when there were spaces free

I was not complaining about the situation PAD to RDG^‡(resolve) - even I understand that since most earlier trains were cancelled

[Ollie]

Ahh sorry didn't get that bit, thought you travelled from Pad.

[Btline]

Of course (and this bears nothing to my personal opinion of course !) one very easy way to stop this problem would be to axe First Class and have 2 carriages more of seats.

[Conner]

The only times I have travelled FC^‡(resolve) for free was when I asked the TM^‡(resolve) on an extremely busy service, he said yes if we were quite, moved for FC customers and moved to standard when there was space. Problem solved.
I also think FC vestibules and carriages should be made available for Standard passengers to stand up in during overcrowding. They don't get to enjoy FC but do get to breathe.

[Mookiemoo]

Of course (and this bears nothing to my personal opinion of course !) one very easy way to stop this problem would be to axe First Class and have 2 carriages more of seats.

And I would just move to virgin or someone else

The only reason doing what I do is practicable is because I have a mobile office in the way of FC^‡(resolve)

If I couldnt use my laptop and papers I would not do it - full stop

I dont understand why british culture has such a problem with first class - it operates perfectly well on services elsewhere without the animosity it accrues

[Mookiemoo]

Sorry I'm not sympathetic on this one.

Cram all the standard class passengers into the vestibules in standard so they aren't near First?

You checked after Reading in standard which is commonly Reading where alot of it clears anyway.

You should try being more lenient during times of disruption.

The point was - I GOT ON AT READING I AM NOT DOING PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) UNTIL AT LEAST AUGUST

There were plenty of spaces

but FC^‡(resolve) was still full - 75% of whom were SC passengers

Why did they not move to SC as per their ticket when there were spaces free

I was not complaining about the situation PAD to RDG^‡(resolve) - even I understand that since most earlier trains were cancelled

Actually - what pissed me off was being in the rugby scrum at reading, being frowned at for making sure I was near the door of F and then, having an argument with an SC passenger who thought because they got to the seat first they had the right to sit down when I had an FC ticket and they were expecting me to stand

It was made worse by the other SC passengers in the cabin encouraging them and saying that they had every right to as classification should be halted in tonights situation!

That was red rag to bull - two people - one who pays twice as much as the other is expected to stand (remove the trolley and other aspects for a minute) whilst a reduced price passenger sits.

 

[Shazz]

Of course (and this bears nothing to my personal opinion of course !) one very easy way to stop this problem would be to axe First Class and have 2 carriages more of seats.

And I would just move to virgin or someone else

The only reason doing what I do is practicable is because I have a mobile office in the way of FC^‡(resolve)

If I couldnt use my laptop and papers I would not do it - full stop

I dont understand why british culture has such a problem with first class - it operates perfectly well on services elsewhere without the animosity it accrues

We dont/ british society dont.

We just have a problem with you ranting on about it over the slightest thing, and making it look like you see the people in SC as "scum".

Especially when it was in that situation because of someone who took there own life on the railway. Where the situation is no fault of the TOCS.

Excuse the bluntness, but i couldnt think of a nice way to put it :p