Rail tickets from the Racecourse station Options

[Biker1]

After selecting some clothes in M&S recently, the tills near the men's ware section were blocked by two elderly ladies having a long tedious debate about the merits of a dress. The only other one wasn't open. Annoyed at the delay, I took my stuff down stairs and went to a food hall check out.....not a murmer, stuff wrapped and bagged, money taken, and without me making any comment, 'thanks for that Sir, I'm really sorry about upstairs, we haven't got it quite right yet'. It's called customer service.....

The problem being that, for some reason, people do not equate not paying their rail fare with stealing or doing anything wrong.
The same people who would not dream of stealing a loaf of bread from Sainsburys will see it as a triumph to get from London to Newbury without paying and that is a problem that the TOC's have to face.
This, unlike buying some menswear in Marks & Spencer where it would be obvious, makes it difficult to tell the difference between deliberate evasion and those who have made a genuine mistake.
Not saying that they are perfect OTE but unfortunately fare evasion is a constant challenge to the tune of around 1/4 £Bn a year!

[TallDarkAndHands...]

1970s rolling stock... HST's yes but soon to be replaced
1970s Unions.... correct
1970s infrastructure...incorrect and you would soon feel the adverse effect if it still was
Trains that catch fire...very rarely and not as often as lorries on the A34!
Trains that don't run because of the wrong type of snow,rain,sun etc. as do other forms of transport
Suicides by the dozen delaying Trains.. No comment!!!
I could go on... Getting to work is a lottery. as it is other forms of transport

Buying an actual ticket is the least of my worries. Plan ahead. Simples. Think you put a plural in there by mistake!!

A train caught fire today! Electrification delayed. New trains in pipeline... Believe em when I see them. Just saying I have travelled by train to work for 2 years and am now seriously considering going back to the car. And I hate driving.

[Andy Capp]

The problem being that, for some reason, people do not equate not paying their rail fare with stealing or doing anything wrong.
The same people who would not dream of stealing a loaf of bread from Sainsburys will see it as a triumph to get from London to Newbury without paying and that is a problem that the TOC's have to face.
This, unlike buying some menswear in Marks & Spencer where it would be obvious, makes it difficult to tell the difference between deliberate evasion and those who have made a genuine mistake.
Not saying that they are perfect OTE but unfortunately fare evasion is a constant challenge to the tune of around 1/4 £Bn a year!

I sympathise with that view, but then I think about how many people have to stand while paying the same money as those with a seat.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

I sympathise with that view, but then I think about how many people have to stand while paying the same money as those with a seat.

And how first class is empty and everyone is jammed in like sardines in cattle class. Time to end first class?

[Ron]

And how first class is empty and everyone is jammed in like sardines in cattle class. Time to end first class?

If you travel by coach from Oxford to London it is a case of 'no seat available no ride'. That's in a vehicle traveling at 60mph? not 100+mph.
7903 steamed today Biker and is being inspected by insurance inspector tomorrow. With a bit of luck we will have a few 'dry' runs.

[Biker1]

A train caught fire today! Electrification delayed.

I knew you were going to say that!
It's still rare. Can't remember the last time.
Can't think of an excuse for the delay though..........not acceptable!

New trains in pipeline... Believe em when I see them.

If you look to your right as you pass into Paddington at a depot called North Pole you will see one of the new trains which is currently on test.

am now seriously considering going back to the car. And I hate driving

It's not only the trains that are overcrowded, so are the roads as you will find if you do this.
I suspect that no matter how many carriages you put on trains or how many roads you build the problem will not go away.
We live in an overcrowded country, but that's another debate.

[On the edge]

And how first class is empty and everyone is jammed in like sardines in cattle class. Time to end first class?

That's an interesting one; to give them their due, Great Western trains are seemingly doing that, or at least, significantly reducing the numbers of first class seats. There is another story though. A chap who squeezed next to me one evening from Paddington was bemoaning the fact the first class was full, it turned out he worked for a public authority and 'was entitled to first class travel' !!! A case of do as we say, not as we do.

[On the edge]

..........


We live in an overcrowded country, but that's another debate.

Actually Biker, I do have great sympathy with the rail operating people right now; they have a literally thankless and almost impossible task.

Sure, overcrowding is a big contributor, but we, the people, are pretty good at scoring own goals; such as the migration of jobs from Newbury and the re-habitation of the town centre.

[x2lls]

Its just a grumble. I'm saying we have a lot more problems with the railways than buying tickets. U can't get anywhere these days without going through a barrier so just get one before you leave. I would say train companies could help themselves by having an app that would produce an on line ticket that could be scanned.

I agree, we do it for cars, RingGo/ParkMobile etc. perhaps they could be integrated. Buy a ticket and a parking space?

[On the edge]

I agree, we do it for cars, RingGo/ParkMobile etc. perhaps they could be integrated. Buy a ticket and a parking space?

From what I've been hearing, such things are on the way. For instance, TfL has simplified matters in London, you just need your bank card, less hassle even than an Oyster card.

[Rdg]

The point is, even when you know how to use the machine it can take a while to complete the transactions, but just look at the options you have to digest. Meanwhile it is peacing with rain (if outside) and you have a small queue behind you AND you have the pressure of making sure your choices are correct. It is fine if it is a routine purchase, but not so easy for occasional users.

Compared to going to a kiosk and saying:

Me: can I have the cheapest ticket to Twickenham please?
Clerk: Same day return?
Me: yes.
Clerk: That will be seven thousand eight hundred pounds and six pence please.
Me: Thank you. Can you tell me when the next train is please?
Clerk: yes. In 8 minutes from platform 3, change at Reading.
Me: OK thanks.

Or like yesterday where the clerk advised me that it would be cheaper to catch a train after 9. You don't get that kind of service with a ticket machine.

Or when I was told if you are changing line at Reading it does not count as a break of travel to leave the station therefore you can get a Newbury to Wokingham return stopping for a days work in Reading rather than Newbury/Reading return and Reading/Wokingham return as I had done many times before using machines, a huge saving.

By other bugbear on the machines is not rain so much as sun, several of them are placed in such locations that bright sunlight falls on the screen making them near unreadable (and seemingly the touchscreen less responsive as well)

I would happily pay a 50p extra ticket price if that allowed decent manning levels at the stations, it is still cheaper/quicker than the bus where a parallel service exists and less hassle than the car for long distance (if booked in advance at a decent price)

[On the edge]

Or when I was told if you are changing line at Reading it does not count as a break of travel to leave the station therefore you can get a Newbury to Wokingham return stopping for a days work in Reading rather than Newbury/Reading return and Reading/Wokingham return as I had done many times before using machines, a huge saving.

By other bugbear on the machines is not rain so much as sun, several of them are placed in such locations that bright sunlight falls on the screen making them near unreadable (and seemingly the touchscreen less responsive as well)

I would happily pay a 50p extra ticket price if that allowed decent manning levels at the stations, it is still cheaper/quicker than the bus where a parallel service exists and less hassle than the car for long distance (if booked in advance at a decent price)

It's not just railway machines, NatWest in Market Place are dreadful in this respect. The staff inside actually blame WBC's planning regulations. Err, it's really poor design and installation, which is down to them. Bad human/machine interface also on display inside - cheques have to be inserted the 'other way round' to the bank card you've just put in the slot above.

[motormad]

Trains are just silly.
Better to not use them eh. :-)

[On the edge]

Trains are just silly.
Better to not use them eh. :-)

I know a good few people looking forward to using driverless cars instead.

[Rdg]

not me

Driverless train is fine (it has rails and little chance of avoidable obstructions)

Cars - count me out, I'll be fighting with motormad for last place in that queue

[Biker1]

Or when I was told if you are changing line at Reading it does not count as a break of travel to leave the station therefore you can get a Newbury to Wokingham return stopping for a days work in Reading rather than Newbury/Reading return and Reading/Wokingham return as I had done many times before using machines, a huge saving.

With any train ticket (apart from advance) you can break your journey at any station along
the route of the ticket. Just show it to the staff if at a gateline i.e. do not put it through the machine!
For example, say you have a ticket from Newbury to Birmingham. You can get off and look around Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington etc. (or even maybe Tackley or Culham!)

[Rdg]

With any train ticket (apart from advance) you can break your journey at any station along
the route of the ticket. Just show it to the staff if at a gateline i.e. do not put it through the machine!
For example, say you have a ticket from Newbury to Birmingham. You can get off and look around Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington etc. (or even maybe Tackley or Culham!)

Didnt use to be the case i once (1980's) got on a train from London to Sheffield for a uni interview and only after the door locked sign came on did I hear "passengers are reminded blue saver returns are not valid on this train" the inspector took pity on me and rather than the >£100 surcharge (£10 + double the single full fare) let me get off at Watford to await the next rain. At watford the barrier staff told me if I exited the platform (let alone station) I would be breaking my journey and have to pay for anew ticket. So I spent an hour in sideways rain in what was basically a bus shelter freezing

[Biker1]

Didnt use to be the case i once (1980's) got on a train from London to Sheffield for a uni interview and only after the door locked sign came on did I hear "passengers are reminded blue saver returns are not valid on this train" the inspector took pity on me and rather than the >£100 surcharge (£10 + double the single full fare) let me get off at Watford to await the next rain. At watford the barrier staff told me if I exited the platform (let alone station) I would be breaking my journey and have to pay for anew ticket. So I spent an hour in sideways rain in what was basically a bus shelter freezing

And OTE wants to go back to BR!!

[On the edge]

And OTE wants to go back to BR!!

Nice one Biker! Anyway I'm in good company, even the Daily Mail want to do that.

[Rdg]

The only good thing about BR was knowing you could get a 3 cheese pizza baguette in any travellers fayre on any station in the country and it would equally burn the top of your mouth off and all the buffet cars would sell McEwans Export