Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
 No recent travel & transport from BBC stories as at 09:15 10 Jan 2025
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]		 24/01/25 - Westbury Station reopens
24/01/25 - LTP4 Wilts / Consultation end
24/01/25 - Bristol Rail Campaign AGM 2025
28/01/25 - Coffee Shop 18th Birthday

On this day
10th Jan (2017)
Defibrillators discussion pack published by Network Rail (link)
Train RunningCancelled
08:23 London Paddington to Oxford
08:36 Redhill to Reading
09:00 Oxford to London Paddington
09:59 Oxford to London Paddington
Short Run
08:10 Weston-Super-Mare to Severn Beach
08:34 London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
Delayed
06:48 London Paddington to Carmarthen
07:12 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
08:15 Penzance to London Paddington
•
PollsThere are no open or recent polls
•
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
•
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
•
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
•
Train companiesSelect from:
GWR
SWR
XC
Chiltern
TfL
TfW
WMR
Southern
• Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple Meads • Bath Spa • Chippenham • Swindon • Didcot Parkway • Reading • London Paddington • Melksham
Exeter St Davids • Taunton • Westbury • Trowbridge • Bristol Parkway • Cardiff Central • Oxford • Cheltenham Spa • Birmingham New Street
January 10, 2025, 09:25:17 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[84] Ryanair sues 'unruly' passenger over flight diversion
[74] Thumpers for Dummies
[56] Bristol Rail Campaign AGM 2025
[55] Railcard Prices going up
[46] Mick Lynch announces retirement as head of RMT
[45] Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsew...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Great Western Coffee Shop > All across the Great Western territory > Fare's Fair > First Class "Gatecrashed"
Pages: [1] 2 3
« previous next »
  Print  
Author Topic: First Class "Gatecrashed"  (Read 13416 times)
thetrout
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 2612



View Profile
« on: April 27, 2009, 18:58:55 »
I was travelling up to Bristol Parkway from Taunton yesterday, Paid ^18.50 for a First Class Off Peak Return.

The train wasn't to busy, a few empty seats, yet some people still stood in the vestibules!

The TM‡(resolve) was in a rather sympathetic mood and offer complimentary First Class Upgrades to about 15 pax, which is fair enough because nobody wants to be stood next to the rather obnoxiously smelling lavatory!

What has annoyed me was that a return with railcard to Bristol Parkway from Taunton is ^6.85 IIRC▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), A First Class Return with Railcard is ^18.50

So I paid more than double my fare on a Sunday which has a reduced FC‡(resolve) service, yet about 15 passengers got the extra perks for nothing!

The question is, am I entitled to claim the difference back off of XC▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) between FC and STD??

I travel in FC because I am a nervous traveller and enjoy peace and quiet and surroundings with low numbers of people...! I got everything but those things...! I am not a snob... Tongue
Logged
Grin Grin Grin Grin
devon_metro
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5175



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2009, 19:01:34 »
Worth a shot emailing them!
Logged
Zoe
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 754


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2009, 19:15:52 »
Quote from: thetrout on April 27, 2009, 18:58:55
I travel in FC‡(resolve) because I am a nervous traveller and enjoy peace and quiet and surroundings with low numbers of people...! I got everything but those things...! I am not a snob... Tongue
It's one reason I object to using Advance fares, I like to sit in the least busy part of standard class (most of the time coach A) and with an Advance fare I have to sit in the reserved seat.
Logged
Btline
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4782



View Profile
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2009, 19:18:10 »
I have to say that when I travelled First Class last month, I did like the peace and quiet.

But I will not go first if I am travelling late or at weekends where there is no host.

As for your case - email them; you've nothing to lose except some internet minutes!

Quote from: Zo^ on April 27, 2009, 19:15:52
Quote from: thetrout on April 27, 2009, 18:58:55
I travel in FC‡(resolve) because I am a nervous traveller and enjoy peace and quiet and surroundings with low numbers of people...! I got everything but those things...! I am not a snob... Tongue
It's one reason I object to using Advance fares, I like to sit in the least busy part of standard class (most of the time coach A) and with an Advance fare I have to sit in the reserved seat.

Just use a Mixing Deck booking website and request a seat in the Quiet Zone (A). There - you can go Advance!
Logged
Zoe
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 754


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2009, 19:20:10 »
Quote from: Btline on April 27, 2009, 19:18:10
Just use a Mixing Deck booking website and request a seat in the Quiet Zone (A). There - you can go Advance!
Yes but it may not be up the Train Manager's end of the coach (if heading for London) and so could be going backwards.  I also don't want to be forced to sit next to another person if there are other empty seats.
Logged
devon_metro
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 5175



View Profile
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2009, 19:25:26 »
I very rarely sit in my reserved seat, as I often find one with an optimum window view (normally the 2 at the back of the TGS)
Logged
Zoe
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 754


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2009, 19:28:00 »
Quote from: devon_metro on April 27, 2009, 19:25:26
I very rarely sit in my reserved seat, as I often find one with an optimum window view (normally the 2 at the back of the TGS)
I like to sit in the single seat at the back of the TGS when going to London.  I note that the terms and conditions of Advance tickets say that you must sit in your reserved seat so you could risk an excess if you get a very fussy guard.
Logged
Btline
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4782



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2009, 19:52:30 »
They won't give an excess. The guard will mainly check that you are on the right train.

If they get fussy about the seat, they'll just tell you to move back.

Just make sure you remove the card from your reserved seat so another passenger can sit down.
Logged
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2009, 19:56:02 »
Quote from: thetrout on April 27, 2009, 18:58:55
The train wasn't to busy, a few empty seats, yet some people still stood in the vestibules!

How do you know, if you were sitting in 1st?

I think you got what you paid for, which is a seat in 1st Class, so I don't think you can complain. Your ticket doesn't entitle you to a seat and 3 vacant seats around the table.

As a regular 1st class traveller myself, I don't have much sympathy with your predicament. These things happen now and again.  ^18.50 seems rather good value for a journey of that distance first class.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2009, 20:48:03 by John R » Logged
Super Guard
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1308


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2009, 20:09:35 »
Quote from: Btline on April 27, 2009, 19:52:30
They won't give an excess. The guard will mainly check that you are on the right train.

If they get fussy about the seat, they'll just tell you to move back.

Just make sure you remove the card from your reserved seat so another passenger can sit down.

Sounds simple to me!
Logged
Any opinions made on this forum are purely personal and my own.  I am in no way speaking for, or offering the views of First Great Western or First Group.

If my employer feels I have broken any aspect of the Social Media Policy, please PM me immediately, so I can rectify without delay.
Zoe
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 754


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2009, 20:12:55 »
I tend to feel a bit sick if I go backwards or don't have a good view out of the window so I am just a bit concerned about a guard asking me to move to reserved seat.
Logged
moonrakerz
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 536



View Profile
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2009, 20:50:29 »
"I am just a bit concerned about a guard asking me to move to reserved seat."

"you must sit in your reserved seat so you could risk an excess if you get a very fussy guard"

"I also don't want to be forced to sit next to another person if there are other empty seats"

"with an Advance fare I have to sit in the reserved seat."

For Pete's sake give it a rest !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Logged
Btline
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4782



View Profile
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2009, 21:04:54 »
Quote from: Zo^ on April 27, 2009, 20:12:55
I tend to feel a bit sick if I go backwards or don't have a good view out of the window so I am just a bit concerned about a guard asking me to move to reserved seat.

With me, I said "Sorry, I'm not in my reserved seat, does this matter?"

The guard said "it doesn't matter - as long as you've actually got a seat!"

Indicating that the priority is making sure everyone is seated somewhere.

Of course every guard is different, but I hardly think a guard is going to make a fuss. Person sitting in the wrong seat in Coach A - Crime of the century! Forget the fare dodgers in Coach E, they can wait while I sort out this debacle!
Logged
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2009, 21:17:42 »
Quote from: moonrakerz on April 27, 2009, 20:50:29
"I am just a bit concerned about a guard asking me to move to reserved seat."

"you must sit in your reserved seat so you could risk an excess if you get a very fussy guard"

"I also don't want to be forced to sit next to another person if there are other empty seats"

"with an Advance fare I have to sit in the reserved seat."

For Pete's sake give it a rest !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hear, hear!

And to think this Forum started life because people either didn't have a train service, or because they couldn't get on the trains they were so crowded. Now we're getting complaints because people don't want to sit next to another person or have standard class passengers in their nice first class coach.
Logged
Btline
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4782



View Profile
« Reply #14 on: April 27, 2009, 21:26:30 »
You could argue that the reason for such discussions is because the railway has got better! Wink

But obviously not in the case of TransWilts... Cry

PS: good picture at the top right of the page ("Bring back our trains")

Anyway, back to subject! Grin
Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1] 2 3
  Print  
« previous next »
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the 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 the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of page • Jump to Forum Home Page