Big thank you to the kindly FGW driver!

[Shaggy]

Before I post and perhaps be accused of potentially getting this driver into trouble, he sought permission and had no problem me writing to FGW!


So last night I caught the 23:01 from Reading where I planned to get off at Newbury. Alas I sadly fell asleep around Aldermaston and woke up at Bedwyn! This is where the service terminates and sadly whilst the set runs empty back to Reading, it is not a passenger service.

Faced with the prospect of waking up my wife around midnight to ask her to drive the 40 odd mile roundtrip, I asked the driver (bear in mind I was not drunk or incoherent) if he could "Drop me off" at Newbury to which he politely declined (worth a chance I thought!). Seeing that the taxi company quoted me £45 for the trip, I sat down on the station bench and plucked up the courage to phone the wife.

Just before I was about to do so, the same set heading back to Reading slowed into the platform with the driver waving at me. Firstly, I have to apologise as I thought he was being a bit cruel. However I then realised he was stopping the train. So I ran towards the cab where the door opened. He asked "you just going to Newbury mate?" to which I said yes. He said "Ok, I'll see what I can do". So he radioed 'control', explained the situation, said he was just running back to Reading and it would be no issue to drop me off at Newbury and to my absolute amazement they said OK! So he smiled, turned on the carriage lights and let me back onto the train where we ran non-stop back to Newbury!

When we arrived at Newbury I walked over to the cab and thanked him for his kindness and willingness to ask on my behalf. Knowing the sensitivities behind driver procedures, I asked whether he would mind me writing to FGW to say thank you as I didn't want him to get into any difficulties. However he said that wouldn't be an issue at all.

So thank you Mr Driver! Also thank you to the person at 'control' who authorised the untimetabled service and stop for me. It is quite something to be able to say I've had my own train put in service just for me!

I also wanted to publicise it on here as we often read negative stories about railway staff unwilling to go the extra mile or of other criticisms of FGW. However I felt it only fair to publicise a good news story!

 

[Max]

Good on the driver for employing some common sense, nice to hear a positive story for a change!

 

[Be3G]

It's always good to hear a positive story such as this. Southern staff went to great lengths to get me back a £1500 camera and lens I'd left on a train to Eastbourne last year, after which I tweeted, blogged, and e-mailed Southern about it to thank them. Like you say TOCs get a lot of bad press so it's nice to highlight things when they do some good.

 

[transmanche]

Customer service at its best!

 

[ANorthernGuard]

we tend to do that quite a lot on the late night stoppers when empties back, another one that happens a lot is the Man U football specials they are just that crammed people cannot get off so they get a trip back to Mcr Ox Rd

 

[ReverendFozz]

Something like this happened to me many moons ago, coming home from Manchester in 2001, I was absolutely knackered and fell asleep, long before my change at York, I had also set my phones alarm to wake me up, which I slept through, I woke up long after York, either in Selby, Brough or Hull, I had had a drink, so that probably didnt help in keeping me awake. I had a word with the guard on board and it was decided between him and the driver to take ne back to York, I was in a pretty crap predicament, and while the guard acknowledged I was drunk, I dealt with it calmly and maturely and was genuinely upset and embarrassed by what had happened. Anyway, whereever the train terminated, the decision was taking to drop me off in York on the way back, I told the personnel on board they should be commended for being so helpful and asked for there supervisors name and number to thank them and was told 'best not, we might end up in trouble', to this day I cant remember if that train was going back in service or was running light.

I had mostly forgot about the experience till I read this thread, and goes to show that when TOCs do something good, chances are it will not get reported.

 

[tsr]

Most of my experiences with railway staff are very pleasant. Sadly, I would have to dedicate a whole forum to myself if I were to detail all my various encounters with staff, and such a thing isn't exactly practical!

Those who read the Fares forum may remember that I recently travelled for free on an alternative TOC after being overcarried by another. This was authorised and I was very grateful. The staff did not have to make an effort to deal with the situation pleasantly and using common sense and good customer service skills - but they did.

 

[455driver]

Good on the driver for employing some common sense, nice to hear a positive story for a change!

And "control", they are usually the problem, plus the signalman will have to recode the train as it is now a passenger service.

I have done it a few times (and tried quite a few more) but never even get a thank you most of the time because people "expect" to be helped these days otherwise you are a jobsworth or other less polite names.

BUT its good that you were helped and its even better that you have (checked and) written to FGW to compliment the driver, now what are the chances of you getting a "sorry to hear about your problem etc" letter!

 

[KingboyD]

This happened to a mate, last train into Chester from Man Picc, he was supposed to get off at Greenbank but fell asleep, que 3 surprised guards on an ECS back to Manchester as he woke up! Luckily they were not heading back via Helsby/Frodsham! They didn't mind (had no choice ) making an unscheduled stop back at Greenbank!

 

[jnjkerbin]

Speaking of good staff, I was really surprised to hear a SET guard informing a passenger going to Bristol on a train to Charing Cross that Coach E was the unreserved coach with FGW!

I have lots of other stories of staff, particularly SET or SWT staff being helpful, but none really spring to mind at present!

Joe

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Did the call at Newbury make it onto say, open train times? I'd like to see

 

[trentside]

Speaking of good staff, I was really surprised to hear a SET guard informing a passenger going to Bristol on a train to Charing Cross that Coach E was the unreserved coach with FGW!

I often try to do similar for people, especially those buying on the day and unable to obtain seat reservations. It's mostly information accumulated from my own travels, so things such as locations of bus connections, where toilets and cafes are at other stations etc.

Before I worked on the railway, I too encountered many friendly and helpful staff and so it's become my aim to take this same approach!

 

[b0b]

BUT its good that you were helped and its even better that you have (checked and) written to FGW to compliment the driver, now what are the chances of you getting a "sorry to hear about your problem etc" letter!

and throw in some travel vouchers

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I had a driver , name unknown , run an extra Watford to Garston one night to get some passengers home after the service ended on the St Albans branch. ....good customer care often goes unrecorded.

 

[AndyLandy]

The vast majority of my own experiences with rail staff have been positive. I've had a couple of minor grumbles with SWT staff at Southampton Central, but by and large, most staff are friendly, helpful and accommodating.

When I was travelling home for Christmas, this time last year, my train from Southampton to London was terminated at Basingstoke, as a person had been hit by a train in the Woking area, so I travelled up to Reading and into Paddington. By the time I'd got to Euston, I'd missed my train, so I boarded the next one, but it would be a couple of hours before I could get picked up at my destination.

So I went to the TM on the train and asked if I could travel on to Chester, rather than Crewe, fully expecting to pay an excess fare. The TM merely said "That's fine." I asked about barriers at Chester and he said "I'll wave you through on arrival." He was true to his word, and there were no problems. I was able to meet up with my family in Chester and didn't have to spend a couple of hours waiting to be picked up.

Generally, I've found rail staff to be most accommodating if you are polite and friendly when you seek them out. On a few occasions, I've asked permission to ride an earlier train than my booked one on an Advance fare and quite often, I've been granted that permission. Probably more often than I've been declined it.

 

[richw]

I think I read somewhere that for every compliment an average company receives, they receive around 100 complaints, yet they have 30000 satisfied customers who dont say anything and you only here the complaints.

 

[StoneRoad]

My good deed TM was working for Virgin, and this took place about three years ago.

An elderly gent, with difficulty wallking, was attempting to catch the train. It was held for him, his suitcase put into the rack and a seat found, plus a drink from the buffet.
All with a smile.

The comment was, "when I get that old, I hope people will look out for me!" from the TM

 

[ReverendFozz]

I think I read somewhere that for every compliment an average company receives, they receive around 100 complaints, yet they have 30000 satisfied customers who dont say anything and you only here the complaints.

I know a couple of bus drivers, and one of them always used to say for 1 single compliment there would always be close to 10 complaints, I am the kind of person who if someone does something good for me, I will compliment the person and where possible let there manager know...Because we rarely hear the good side of jobs like bus and train driving

Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510e using Tapatalk 2

 

[PHILIPE]

I recall an event in the former Wales and West days when there was a kate train, 2250 I think, from Cardiff to Westbury. It was at the time of the Glastonbury Festival and the train was rammed with festival goers who would have been stranded at Westbury. However, the Druvar and Conductor offered to extend to Castle Cary to which Control readily agreed.

 

[craigwilson]

This happened to a mate, last train into Chester from Man Picc, he was supposed to get off at Greenbank but fell asleep, que 3 surprised guards on an ECS back to Manchester as he woke up! Luckily they were not heading back via Helsby/Frodsham! They didn't mind (had no choice ) making an unscheduled stop back at Greenbank!

Does this happen often? I can only speak for my nearest stations, but the staff at Ramsgate always do a full walk through of a train before they lock it up if it's about to go ECS back to the depot/a siding. If it's a 12-car, two of them will usually do half the train each.

 

[tsr]

My good deed TM was working for Virgin, and this took place about three years ago.

An elderly gent, with difficulty wallking, was attempting to catch the train. It was held for him, his suitcase put into the rack and a seat found, plus a drink from the buffet.
All with a smile.

The comment was, "when I get that old, I hope people will look out for me!" from the TM

I recall asking for a train to be held on a busy weekday evening a few years ago at East Croydon for a friend who has difficulty walking up stairs and ramps. I think I spoke to two dispatchers, a driver and a guard, and they were all very friendly about it. Bearing in mind this caused about three minutes' worth of delay to the journey, on an already delayed service, I was impressed. It does seem other passengers with special requirements, such as those requiring boarding ramps, are equally well-treated.

On a totally different note, I was impressed at the cheery Virgin platform staff handing out cold refreshments to passengers at Euston during the Olympics on a day when the Tube was particularly warm and sticky. Why, oh, why can't all TOCs do that?