Pub on Platform 3 at Bristol Temple Meads

[whole diary]

[devon_metro]

How many guards are going to check tickets on a train packed with screaming brats? He'd only get abuse and be led on a wild goose chase "my ticket fell out my pocket" etc

[TerminalJunkie]

*Anyone else know of a word with five consecutive vowels?

Euouae. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euouae

Also found this: http://www.rinkworks.com/words/oddities.shtml

[JayMac]

Thanks. I had a feeling it would be you, TJ, that came up with an answer. Must remember Euouae for my next Scrabble^ night! 

[grahame]

When purchasing a ticket from our ticket offices you should not have to queue for more than 5 minutes during peak periods, and no more than 3 minutes outside of peak periods ...Regular checks will be carried out to ensure that these standards are consistently met and any shortfall rectified.

OOooh those are carefully written words 

Looks like they weren't breaking any of their targets by not selling you a ticket on the train, then having you have to speak to three different people and take - what - 15 to 20 minutes of your "change time" to get a ticket which, frankly, you should have been able to get earlier but couldn't through no fault of your own.  Cheeky to use the work "ticket offices" - deliberate loophole?

I can recall a broken ticket machine and no staff at Hungerford, a Train Manager who's machine was also broken, resulting in a half hour queue for me at the "sin bin" window at Paddington through no fault of my own.  How interesting to read that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't apparently consider such an enforced detainment on the platform to be a shortfall in their service.

[thetrout]

BiTE cards are valid in Bonaparts makes the prices semi reasonable on the hot drinks anyway as for booze, I wouldn't know as I don't drink

[Brucey]

I made my return journey today.  Had a quick look in the pub whilst I had a few minutes to spare.  Didn't look at the drinks, but the food is mainly "pub grub" but at slightly higher prices.  Burger & Beer is ^7.50 (^6.00 with Bite Card, which really isn't too bad).  Some food items are guaranteed to be ready in 13 minutes, presumably so you don't miss your train!

My main concern today was ticket checking/selling on the SVB line.  I noticed that after 17:00, the ticket barriers at Temple Meads were left open and unsupervised.  At no point on my journey (to Redland) did the guard come round to check or sell tickets.  I observed at least 12 adults who would have been ticketless, between Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier and Redland.  A loss of at least ^18.  It was a different guard to Friday and makes the sceptic in me wonder if someone is trying to fiddle with the figures for the line?  Or perhaps just lazy guards?  Either way, it is something that I'll be raising with FGW^▸ (First Great Western).  Every passenger's money is very important to keep a service running on that line, especially if we want an increased Sunday service.

[John R]

I don't suppose the argument about the train being overcrowded would have applied today?

[Brucey]

I don't suppose the argument about the train being overcrowded would have applied today?

No, it was a two coach Class 150 which was probably between 10 and 20% full.

[John R]

Given that Bristol City Council subsidise the service I think they would be a bit upset if they knew that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff made no effort to sell tickets on the branch. Maybe you should tell your local councillor as well as FGW.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I agree with John R: tell your local Bristol councillor - and also let FOSBR^▸ (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) know about both of your travel experiences: http://fosbr.org.uk/news/0910-saveourtrainservice.php

[thetrout]

To be fair, on the Weekday Peak workings... There are normally at least 2 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff checking tickets... (Guard and RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context))).

However it's not just SVB lines that are affected. Pax getting on at Trowbridge for example after the ticket office closed could quite easily get to Warminster without paying, as from my experience, staff aren't always checking tickets after Bradford-on-Avon.

There are exceptions, don't get me wrong... But in the evenings for example... There is normally a ticket check after bath and then nothing more till WSB^» (Westbury - next trains)!

Another one that really gets on my goat is the 22:38 Bath > Salisbury train on a Friday Night. I buy a First Class ticket for this train and the amount of times i've had the drunks barge their way in and Put their feet on the tables, shout and swear, throw abuse just because you looked in their direction, and generally making a thorough nuisance of themselves... Where is the guard...? Nowhere to be seen Infact, out of the 30 - 40 times i've caught that train, I could only have been ticket checked (and drunks removed) about 6 or 7 times!

A guard I decided to complain to simply said, buy Standard Ticket, sit in First and pay the upgrade on the train if the guard comes round and ticket checks as they sometimes declassify First on that train