Train Companies
Discussion
With all the press about train fares rising, timetables and level of service being pretty poor, people being taken to court for travelling with incorrect tickets etc. My experience today. Drove back from Stourbridge about 200 miles, thought I’d go direct to the station to buy an open return ticket I’ll need for tomorrow. Ticket office, waiting area, toilets all closed notice stating staff shortages, but buy a ticket at the machine opposite (was out of order), or buy a ticket on the train from the conductor! Thought I’d just use the app when I got home instead. Found my tickets not allowed to choose seats some error on the app, got to download tickets or collect from closed station? Chose download went to pay pressed confirmation got a message back can’t process due to error at their end with a sorry! Do better TPE, it’s no wonder people prefer to drive!!!!!
They are simply desperate to make a profit in any way possible, so they will literally do anything to save a few quid, most of them are now privately owned and are just as ruthless as utilities companies, this is the issue, nothing more.
I myself rarely use the train, but when I have it has been OK, on time and fairly cheap, crowded yes, but for shortish journies I dont mind that.
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
I myself rarely use the train, but when I have it has been OK, on time and fairly cheap, crowded yes, but for shortish journies I dont mind that.
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
Simpo Two said:
Instead of using IT, the internet and a smartphone, I would buy a time machine. Then you could go back 30+ years, buy your ticket from the man in the ticket office and get on the train 
Go back 30+ years and you might get a loco-halued train too, so you don't have to sit on some wretched thing with its motors droning away under the carriage floor for hours on end. Some things really were better in the past!MitchT said:
Go back 30+ years and you might get a loco-halued train too, so you don't have to sit on some wretched thing with its motors droning away under the carriage floor for hours on end. Some things really were better in the past!
Its almost 60 years since steam was in regular service. The last steam passenger train in Britain ran on August 11, 1968.
sherman said:
MitchT said:
sherman said:
Its almost 60 years since steam was in regular service.
The last steam passenger train in Britain ran on August 11, 1968.
Doesn't have to be steam. A nice, big diesel-electric loco or HST would suffice!The last steam passenger train in Britain ran on August 11, 1968.
(Granted, they do also use Class 73's (which are Electro-Diesels) for the parts of the route north of Edinburgh).Well, any loco hauled train will do - diesel or electric. I just love the silent glide of unpowered carriages as opposed to the oppressive drone of motorised units like Voyagers, etc.
In addition to the Caledonian Sleeper there's also the Night Riviera from Paddington to Penzance. Just a shame there's nothing else.
In addition to the Caledonian Sleeper there's also the Night Riviera from Paddington to Penzance. Just a shame there's nothing else.
bergclimber34 said:
They are simply desperate to make a profit in any way possible, so they will literally do anything to save a few quid, most of them are now privately owned and are just as ruthless as utilities companies, this is the issue, nothing more.
I myself rarely use the train, but when I have it has been OK, on time and fairly cheap, crowded yes, but for shortish journies I dont mind that.
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
Not quite….I myself rarely use the train, but when I have it has been OK, on time and fairly cheap, crowded yes, but for shortish journies I dont mind that.
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
The former franchising system was altered to a contract system a few years back, so the private companies no longer have to make their own profits they just get paid a fixed fee for keeping the wheels turning. Government takes the fares revenue and any profit or loss that it generates.
And TPE, as mentioned in the OP, is run by…. the DfT!
MitchT said:
Well, any loco hauled train will do - diesel or electric. I just love the silent glide of unpowered carriages as opposed to the oppressive drone of motorised units like Voyagers, etc.
In addition to the Caledonian Sleeper there's also the Night Riviera from Paddington to Penzance. Just a shame there's nothing else.
Greater Anglia seemed to have the right idea with the things they ordered for their rural routes, basically electric units with a small diesel power car in the middle. The one I was on between Norwich and Yarmouth last year was sitting silently at Norwich on electric power, the engines started just before departure and all you got when it was moving was a bit of a vague rumble and that was sitting in the coach next to the power car. Acceleration was pretty impressive as well.In addition to the Caledonian Sleeper there's also the Night Riviera from Paddington to Penzance. Just a shame there's nothing else.
Southerner said:
bergclimber34 said:
They are simply desperate to make a profit in any way possible, so they will literally do anything to save a few quid, most of them are now privately owned and are just as ruthless as utilities companies, this is the issue, nothing more.
I myself rarely use the train, but when I have it has been OK, on time and fairly cheap, crowded yes, but for shortish journies I dont mind that.
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
Not quite….I myself rarely use the train, but when I have it has been OK, on time and fairly cheap, crowded yes, but for shortish journies I dont mind that.
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
The former franchising system was altered to a contract system a few years back, so the private companies no longer have to make their own profits they just get paid a fixed fee for keeping the wheels turning. Government takes the fares revenue and any profit or loss that it generates.
And TPE, as mentioned in the OP, is run by…. the DfT!
If so... Isn't that nationalisation by stealth. Not that I'd be opposed mind you, makes a nice change to privatisation by stealth.
As a regular train user for my days in the office, which entails a journey from Stafford to Euston I know all too well how fragile and broken our rail service is.
I can either choose one of two carriers - Avanti and NWR, Avanti being faster, newer trains but there is a premium in terms of cost, roughly £120 single at peak times, NWR however is 50% cheaper but takes another 50 minutes to get to Euston, it obviously stops everywhere, but from a cost perspective it's my chosen service.
Likewise the return is similar, although if you time it right you can just dodge the peak tariff with NWR and get a single back to Stafford for around £40. In effect my return is around £100 compared to £240 for Avanti, this is standard class by the way.
Invariably these services are late, cancelled or occasionally you have to get off at Rugby and wait for the next train due to some odd reason (they do not tell you this before you set off though annoyingly). Needless to say any plans I may have the evening of any return journeys have never materialised because of some delay back to Stafford station.
And usually these delays are beyond 15 minutes which means I can raise a delay repay claim, this claim increases due to the time delayed to the point where you can claim a full refund over a certain delayed time. Needless to say I always claim where possible as the service has let me down again.
Again, due to experience I never purchase a ticket until I am at the station and I can see that the train hasn't been cancelled, I have various apps on my phone to check the status before I leave the house and check when I get to the station, I've been stung before buying a ticket via Trainline and getting to the station to find the train cancelled. It may not be the most cost effective way of travelling, but it's about getting to the office on time and invariably I don't and have learnt to never have meetings first thing when I am in the office.
I can either choose one of two carriers - Avanti and NWR, Avanti being faster, newer trains but there is a premium in terms of cost, roughly £120 single at peak times, NWR however is 50% cheaper but takes another 50 minutes to get to Euston, it obviously stops everywhere, but from a cost perspective it's my chosen service.
Likewise the return is similar, although if you time it right you can just dodge the peak tariff with NWR and get a single back to Stafford for around £40. In effect my return is around £100 compared to £240 for Avanti, this is standard class by the way.
Invariably these services are late, cancelled or occasionally you have to get off at Rugby and wait for the next train due to some odd reason (they do not tell you this before you set off though annoyingly). Needless to say any plans I may have the evening of any return journeys have never materialised because of some delay back to Stafford station.
And usually these delays are beyond 15 minutes which means I can raise a delay repay claim, this claim increases due to the time delayed to the point where you can claim a full refund over a certain delayed time. Needless to say I always claim where possible as the service has let me down again.
Again, due to experience I never purchase a ticket until I am at the station and I can see that the train hasn't been cancelled, I have various apps on my phone to check the status before I leave the house and check when I get to the station, I've been stung before buying a ticket via Trainline and getting to the station to find the train cancelled. It may not be the most cost effective way of travelling, but it's about getting to the office on time and invariably I don't and have learnt to never have meetings first thing when I am in the office.
bergclimber34 said:
It will work out eventually soon enough the working classes will be priced and taxed off the road anyway and will have no choice other than to use [public transport so they can free up the roads for logistics lorries, which by then will employ 50% of the workforce
Until such time as AI driving becomes genuinely feasible. And the logistics hubs, including their loading bays, become fully automated.
And then there's just a few humans left in employment, fixing the machines when they fail in non-standard ways that the repair bots can't handle.
Anyone seen the movie Oblivion?
captain_cynic said:
Is the government paying costs? Wages, maintenance, cleaning, et al. If not it's the same situation except they've more incentive to cut things to the bone, then see how much bone they can grind away.
If so... Isn't that nationalisation by stealth. Not that I'd be opposed mind you, makes a nice change to privatisation by stealth.
Currently, the Gvmnt pays the management fee, based on meeting basic service provision criteria along with bonuses for scoring well in ‘mystery shopper’ style customer service audits and so on, and the train operator employs the staff and pays their wages etc. The big bright future however is Great British Railways “GBR”, which is essentially full nationalisationIf so... Isn't that nationalisation by stealth. Not that I'd be opposed mind you, makes a nice change to privatisation by stealth.
Southerner said:
The big bright future however is Great British Railways “GBR”, which is essentially full nationalisation
I'm not sure which is worse, railways run by layers of profit extractors, or railways run by politicians. Still, at least Rachel could get a job in the ticket office Vasco said:
MitchT said:
Doesn't have to be steam. A nice, big diesel-electric loco or HST would suffice!
Aren't HSTs still in use on main lines in Scotland ?alangla said:
Vasco said:
MitchT said:
Doesn't have to be steam. A nice, big diesel-electric loco or HST would suffice!
Aren't HSTs still in use on main lines in Scotland ?Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff