Falling asleep

[DeeGee]

Travelling to Newcaslte this weekend reminds me of something that happened on the way home from the Great North Run a couple of years ago.

I had a Standard Class Off-Peak Return from Grimsby to Newcastle, and was using the return portion.

The train was standing room only from Newcastle to York, then at York some space was freed up and I got a double-seat, in whic I promptly fell asleep.

Next thing I knew there was an announcement "Shortly arriving at Newark Northgate" - I'd slept through Doncaster where I was supposed to change.

I had money to pay any appropriate fare, but I didn't seek out the guard and nobody checked my tickets from Northgate, but I was wondering what would have been the appropriate fare, had a guard passed by.

I assume it would have been SVR from Doncaster to Newark, but would there have been an issue with this? Would I have let myself in for trouble? The ticket office at Northgate was closed.

Now, I'm not going to allow myself to get caught again, but on Sunday I'll be travelling with an AP from Newcastle to Grimsby. Theoretically, if this were to happen again, what would be the appropriate fare then? I'm guessing single NCL-Northgate and single Northgate-GMB, but would guards be able to (or likely to) show discretion in such a circumstance?

 

[ainsworth74]

but would guards be able to (or likely to) show discretion in such a circumstance?

I would be quite surprised if guards didn't show discretion in circumstances like that. Especially if you seek them out (which makes it much less likely you're trying it on).

 

[Tetchytyke]

The Manual lists a specific ticket endorsement for being "inadvertently carried past destination or changing point", so that guards on other trains know what happened, so I would hope that a guard would exercise discretion.

 

[Greenback]

A couple of acquaintances have had this happened. One has a medical condition which causes them to nod off occasionally, but the other just didn't recognise her stop in the dark! Both were allowed to travel back to the correct destination without penalty when they approached the guard to let them know what had happened

 

[northwichcat]

On a train I was on someone finished up missing a Stoke-on-Trent call they wanted - the next stop was Milton Keynes. She had a lengthy dialogue with the train manager but it seemed to end without her being asked to buy a new ticket or being given a unpaid fares notice.

 

[IanXC]

At the other end of the scale the other day I saw a passenger board a Sheffield to Bridlington service, and fall asleep a few minutes after departure. For the unfamiliar with the area there are crew changes at Doncaster and Hull - at which, to my surprise the guards finished their handover with "...and don't worry about the chap asleep [description of location], he's going to Bridlington".

 

[CNash]

I once fell asleep on my way in to Waterloo. It was late at night and the train was due to be taken out of service once it terminated. I wasn't noticed by any of the train crew, and was a hair's breadth away from being taken to the depot at Clapham Junction to spend the night! I woke up just in time, and although the door buttons had been locked, I was able to get the attention of a staff member on the platform, who let me out.

In this instance, of course, ticketing wouldn't really have been an issue...

 

[jon0844]

No, they'd want you off as quickly and quietly as possible, and not reporting them for failing to spot you!!

 

[sarahj]

The Manual lists a specific ticket endorsement for being "inadvertently carried past destination or changing point", so that guards on other trains know what happened, so I would hope that a guard would exercise discretion.

Never heard of this before. I guess more training is needed.:roll:

TBH when I come across genuine over carriers I tell them to go straight away to the guard on the next train and explain the situation, telling them that to get on and hide will only make things worse.
Of course you still get the odd one at worthing at 1.30 saying they wanted Clapham junction. Not much you can do then.

 

[W230]

I fell asleep somewhere outside Manchester on an Airport service and missed Piccadilly. The guard let me travel free back to Piccadilly though i'm not convinced he believed me.

I was going an open Diss - Preston (Lancs) though so it probably seemed obvious I was in the wrong place.

 

[High Dyke]

Now, I'm not going to allow myself to get caught again, but on Sunday I'll be travelling with an AP from Newcastle to Grimsby. Theoretically, if this were to happen again, what would be the appropriate fare then? I'm guessing single NCL-Northgate and single Northgate-GMB, but would guards be able to (or likely to) show discretion in such a circumstance?

You could probably be sold a single from Newark Northgate - Grimsby; however on a Sunday (as from 15th Sept.) the only route would be via Doncaster and Scunthorpe, the direct route via Lincoln to Grimsby doesn't have a passenger service on a Sunday again until May 2014.

I too have fell asleep on a train a few times...the worst was after doing one of the NSE Days (remember them? ). I travelled up on the last train from Kings Cross, fell asleep passing Sandy and woke up approaching Peterborough. Car was at Huntingdon!

 

[gordonthemoron]

I've done this loads of times:

Hartlepool-Newcastle, wound up in Heaton Depot
KGX-Grantham, ended up in Doncaster
Northampton-Milton Keynes, ended up in Euston

and many more shorter oversleeps, I won't be walking back from Bletchley to Leighton Buzzard anytime soon

 

[jb]

Guildford to Waterloo, woke up approaching Liphook (at nearly 1am)

Waterloo to Staines, woke up at Windsor & Eton Riverside. This was the best as the crew were taking the unit back to town as an ECS move. Dumped me in the front carriage, lights off, brief unscheduled stop at Staines. This was 20 years ago, doubt it would happen nowadays.

 

[455driver]

Waterloo to Staines, woke up at Windsor & Eton Riverside. This was the best as the crew were taking the unit back to town as an ECS move. Dumped me in the front carriage, lights off, brief unscheduled stop at Staines. This was 20 years ago, doubt it would happen nowadays.

Happens quite regularly, the only difference is having to inform 'control' and the signalman before setting off, other than that business as usual, I have done it several times at Shepperton for one example.

 

[Deerfold]

I've done this loads of times:

Hartlepool-Newcastle, wound up in Heaton Depot
KGX-Grantham, ended up in Doncaster
Northampton-Milton Keynes, ended up in Euston

and many more shorter oversleeps, I won't be walking back from Bletchley to Leighton Buzzard anytime soon

A colleague lives in Newark. He's ended up in Leeds a few times after a few pints.

Another ex-colleague used to live at Watford and seemed to fall asleep on his train home every Friday, again assisted by an intake of alcohol.

We used to ask hom every Monday where he'd ended up - I know it included Northampton, Milton Keynes and Rugby.

A recent ex-colleague went to a leaving do for one of my colleagues. He stayed on later than I did and then caught his night bus to Camberwell. He woke up in Erith.
He then caught the next bus back, but was woken by the driver at Trafalgar Square.
He went and got a burger before trying again. And again ending up in Erith.

 

[tivoli]

Travelling London Victoria to East Croydon at night, woke up at Brighton. Guard happy to let me go back again, problem was staying awake and not ending up back at Victoria.

 

[DeeGee]

on a Sunday (as from 15th Sept.) the only route would be via Doncaster and Scunthorpe, the direct route via Lincoln to Grimsby doesn't have a passenger service on a Sunday again until May 2014.

I didn't know we even had a Sunday service on that line this summer.