What is it reasonable to expect??

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I came across this.   We seem to have many issues and disappointments. Should we shout for better, or should we adjust our expectations?

[Robin Summerhill]

Presumably that notice was supposed to be a joke that may or may not go down well based on one’s own preferences (much the same as mine...). However, it also smacks to me of a good old-fashioned attitude to customer service that was prevalent .for at least 30 years after the end of WW2, when many businesses appeared to take the view that they were doing you a favour in serving you at all.

The railway in those days almost uniquely did not take that attitude, with steps being taken to provide the advertised passenger service come what may. (The less said about freight customers the better because their engines were often nicked to keep the passenger service running, but that’s another story altogether)

It certainly seems that the modern day railway is summed up by that notice very well. Trains cancelled at the drop of a hat; connections missed because privatisation prioritises punctuality over customer service; and if you think you’ll get something to eat or drink from the on-board catering service, you may well go hungry.

If the railway advertises a timetabled service then it should provide that service except in exceptional circumstances. Cancelling an entire shift’s worth of trains (eg Westbury to Swindon) because the driver has gone suck is not exceptional and should be unacceptable

In terms of railways, it should not be for the customer to lower their expectations, it should be for the companies concerned to raise their game

[Mark A]

Put it in the kindling pile?

Mark

[chuffed]

I think it's all about poor taste whichever way you look at it.

[broadgage]

I would say that we should shout for better, with particular regard to reliability and capacity.

WRT^▸ (with regard to ) to reliability, then in my view the extent of the delay resulting from cancellations should be considered, and not just the number of cancellations.
In the case noted above, cancelling a whole shifts worth of trains is in effect an 8 hour, 12 hour or perhaps 24 hours delay and far more serious than when the following train is running 15 or 20 minutes later.

If a train is too crowded to board, then it should be regarded as cancelled, from whatever intermediate station at which it becomes too crowded to board.

We should also be shouting for better services on board, catering and padded seats on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) come to mind. Or air conditioning on Waterloo to Salisbury services for example.

Current and recent thinking on "the railway" seems to be "what downgrades can we get away with"