Railway Freebie Stories

[maire23]

I got some free hand warmer packs from Virgin last winter. They were absolutely brilliant at the rugby- I wish I had the foresight to grab some more! I always just manage to miss out on free stuff though!

 

[johntea]

I fondly remember the time when East Midlands Trains did Red Dot day and you got various goodies for travelling, even a badge proudly stating 'I travelled during Red Dot day'

 

[BurtonM]

One day last summer I was going home from London to Stalybridge, felt like a change from the WCML so I went for VTEC to York and TPE to Stalybridge.
The aircon had failed in one carriage of the set (naturally, the only one I could get a seat in) so VTEC had declassified one of the first class to compensate. The hosts in first were directing first class passengers away, hardly anyone on the train bothered moving and those yet to board didn't know, I thought I'd take a chance and move, had a freshly refurbished table of four to myself until Newark, free wifi, big comfy chair, quiet, all that!

 

[LiftFan]

I remember one service last year from Frome to Weymouth when the ticket office was closed and the machine is card only so I had to wait for the train to get my return. The train turned up 45 minutes late with half the normal capacity and when I tried to buy the return the conductor just gave me the ticket and said "It's on us". We then had a wait at Yeovil pen mill for 20 minutes to get onto the single track so the staff handed out free water as it was the hottest day of 2016...

 

[Blindtraveler]

I got a freeI traveled on Day 4 of the lammington disruption on the voyage shuttles to Glasgow. This was before the propperly orgonised shuttle timetable and they couldnt give a propper ETA but they did give us free crisps, cake and water.

Like 185143 I was on the first TPX 350 although my journey was southbound from Glasgow to Carlisle and there were free cakes and juice!

Back in the heady days of VirginXC MK2s and Virgin branded soft drinks (remember them)? The school party I was in got held in a huge delay between crewe and manchester. They handed out cans upon cans of these soft drinks to everyone and apparently they always carried a few hundred onboard.

A couple of free first upgrades on HML services on busy trains from nice thoughtful guards and when first took over Scotrail I took full advantage of the goodybags they were dishing out with lots of nice things.

Various other free drinks usualy for failed aircon/hot weather/delays but I'll not forget the free tea I got from an XC TM when I asked someone nicely to keep the quiet coach quiet and got a load of abuse off them. TM arrived in the middle of this, chucked the passenger off and came back 10 mins later with tea and shortbread!

 

[185143]

That's reminded me Blindtraveler, I did 2 school trips to London. The first one we all got VT branded rulers and the second time we (nearly 200 of us that time!) All got a first class snackbox!

 

[Bantamzen]

Back in early Spring 2013, Northern gave out free weekend passes (for selected weekends only) at Bradford Forster Square for up to 4 people as an apology for a terrible winter's service. I'm not sure where else this happened, but amazingly many people ignored the Northern staff giving out the leaflets detailing how to claim these passes!

Any I keenly took one and my wife and I had a lovely weekend out (well save the weather) going up to do the Cumbrian Coast on the Saturday, and another run up to York on the Sunday all on Northern. To this day that was the best piece of customer service I have ever come across. The previous winter had been a poor one weather-wise, so even though Northern had serious problems with some of the fleet, the weather was not something they needed to apologize for.

 

[a_c_skinner]

I got a free "any Northern train for a day" after I emailed pointing out on one rural hour or more, many stops trip no one had sold or checked tickets at all. This is still common under the new franchise, but I've tired of emailing them and they'd stopped sending the freebie too.

I went to Lincoln from Hartlepool, and a jolly nice trip it was too.

 

[Segedunum]

Best I had was actually just last Saturday.

Was using some cheap VTEC promo tickets down to London, and unbeknownst to me on arrival into London, my ticket wallet was falling apart and my tickets home managed to fling themselves out without me noticing.

Cue me queueing up at the King's Cross ticket office asking what to do (Single to Newcastle is £87!) and the lovely bloke, on realising that I was genuine and also having a bit of a meltdown, went off, filled in some forms and handed me a piece of paper to show the guard on the train home which was accepted with no quibble.


Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk

 

[sk688]

I think it was in April - got brownies and muffins of LM at Euston . I think it was to apologise for the short forming incidents they had over the winter

 

[DuncanS]

Easy one.

It's Scotrail policy not to sell tickets to Edinburgh Airport (EDA) at its TVMs*
It's Scotrail policy not to program their on-train handheld machines to sell tickets to EDA*
It's Scotrail policy not to man the gates at Edinburgh Park (EDP) station at the weekend*

So time after time on a Sunday, I have to board a train without buying a ticket from the machine, the on-train staff have no abilty to sell me a ticket and there's nobody at EDP to sell me one either!

*Correct when I last travelled to EDA on the last Sunday in April.

The woman sat next to me on the train to Edinburgh on Saturday bought a ticked to Edinburgh Airport from the ticket person. Indeed he told her about the option and said all she had to do was show her ticket on the tram.

 

[GW43125]

Not exactly a freebie as such as it was in first class, but we were held in a 25-minute delay at Durham (signalling issues) which escalated to 50 by the time we got to kings X, so after leaving York (last stop then fast to KX), we were invited to clear the trolley pretty much. I must have consumed about a day's calories...

 

[TimboM]

I got a free "any Northern train for a day" after I emailed pointing out on one rural hour or more, many stops trip no one had sold or checked tickets at all. This is still common under the new franchise, but I've tired of emailing them and they'd stopped sending the freebie too.

I went to Lincoln from Hartlepool, and a jolly nice trip it was too.

So, let me get this right, you emailed them to tell them they were missing out on revenue, so they gave you a free all-day ticket?

 

[aylesbury]

This one is from the distant past, returning from a cycle tour around France in 1962 SNCF lost our bikes somewhere in Paris.

Did not know until we arrived Newhaven .A very helpful BR inspector told us to get on the train and travel home for free, this worked and when asked for tickets I explained etc and we travelled all the way home for nothing.

Our bikes arrived four days later undamaged so no problems.

Interesting travelling on SNCF Paris to Pau buying food from vendors on platforms and Avignon Paris on a train full of refugees from Algeria in the corridor all the way!

 

[class387]

When I buy a monthly ticket starting the next Monday on a Friday, it always works immediately after purchase, so I get an extra three days (and yes I do always have a valid ticket until the Monday).

I've also been let on the 1632 and 1636 departures from St Pancras with an off-peak ticket a couple of times in the past, though this hasn't happened recently

 

[rebmcr]

A friendly TM declined to sell me the Weekend Upgrade I asked for one late night back from Milton Keynes to Manchester.

Another time a VXC trolley guy let me off when I found I was 15p short for some crisps and a drink.

 

[swt class 450]

Unfortunately despite travelling on trains every day for more years than i can remember i have never gotten anything free yet. The only thing i can think of is a friend of mine who has been getting free travel every day between Heyford and Tackley and back again (he lives in Heyford and works in Tackley at the moment) for eight years (he actually hasn't paid for a single journey at all in these eight years) due to the fact that neither station has a ticket office or ticket machine or PERTIS machine and all trains are DOO (and RPIs are pretty much non existent on that line).

 

[Laryk]

I received a free sausage butty roll sarnie barm courtesy of Merseyrail at Birkenhead Central this morning.

Made my day!

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Back in the late 90s I had a free return 1st class ticket anywhere on their network. Opted for Euston to Glasgow on a Saturday, returning the following Monday. Outbound the booked route was reverse at Preston for a 57 over the S&C. On arrival at Carlisle there was a problem on the WCML so the 57 stayed on for a trip via the Glasgow and South Western. No trolley service at the weekends in 1st, simply go to the buffet and show ticket. Did this several times including as we approached Glasgow, where upon he virtually tipped the remaining buffet stock into a bag for me!

Back on the Monday with as much beer as you wanted and a non stop run from Preston to Euston

 

[skyhigh]

I went to book a ticket from Leeds to Kings Cross before Christmas and found a First advance that was actually £5 cheaper than the standard class ticket. Having fully enjoyed the lounge and food on the train I'd say that was a pretty good freebie...

 

[nottinghamcity]

I got a hand warmer too - but from Chiltern. Got a shopping bag from EMT too.

 

[bearhugger]

I went to book a ticket from Leeds to Kings Cross before Christmas and found a First advance that was actually £5 cheaper than the standard class ticket. Having fully enjoyed the lounge and food on the train I'd say that was a pretty good freebie...

My son found a similar deal on Grand Central from Eaglescliffe to Kings Cross, there was one service mid afternoon that was much cheaper 1st class than standard.

I've been allowed into 1st class on TPE a couple of times now. Also got a couple of Network Rail branded water bottles a couple of weeks ago at Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[route:oxford]

The woman sat next to me on the train to Edinburgh on Saturday bought a ticked to Edinburgh Airport from the ticket person. Indeed he told her about the option and said all she had to do was show her ticket on the tram.

The complaints may finally have worked then!

They've been sending me a £10 voucher every time I've complained that I was unable to buy a ticket.

 

[pdeaves]

If you go to a 'county show' with a TOC stand you will likely be able to get some freebies! You'd have to pay the entrance, though, so may only be worth it if you are interested in some of the other happenings/exhibitors as well.

 

[tellytype]

Used to get quite a few freebies in the GNER days, when I worked for their parent company. I may or may not have a canteen of branded Steelite cups, saucers, plates etc somewhere with GNER on them for instance. The more mundane included a few free trips in 1st.

The press trip on the launch of the 373s as White Rose ex Leeds included multiple glasses of quite expensive bubbly as well, arriving into what is now KX P1 rather squiffy to a brass band playing us in was rather odd - and it sure got looks from the regular commuting pax! Met Richard Whiteley on that gig too, lovely chap. A certain Mr Saville was also aboard but never met him. I had an appointment at Centrepoint on 29th floor after arrival - damn those speed lifts - they need sick bags!

 

[TBirdFrank]

29th July 1968, I lost my North West Rover, wallet etc whilst running through the subway at Carnforth to catch the surprise black five hauled train that appeared from Windermere.

It had taken me to Carnforth and was supposed to meet my travel needs for the week, and wasn't there when the TTI appeared somewhere south of Lancaster.

He validated me back to Carnforth where the booking office issued me with a new Rover substitute letter for the week - except they put the wrong expiry date on - the 4th August 1969!

Trouble was they didn't extend the life of BR steam by 51 weeks to go with it!

Now as a retired BR manager I still travel for free! but legally, and on a railway no-one would have predicted fifty years ago with its declining service standards, journey choices and on board amenity!

 

[dgl]

Got a free 1st class upgrade from London Waterloo to Southampton and had only paid £10 for the whole return trip anyway!

What happened was during the £10 specials on SWT a few years back we decided that the extra to go in first class (despite it only being more legroom/better seating) was more than worth it at £5 per person each way (SWT weekend upgrade price at the time), did end up paying on the way going (which helped as due to a replacement bus between Bournemouth and Southampton Airport Parkway the train was packed and even in 1st it ended up being full and standing), but on the way back no one came to sell us the upgrade and so all the way to Southampton Airport we travelled in 1st class for no extra (making that leg of the journey even in first class cost less than £5!).

Later on when we got off the replacement bus and back onto the train at Bournemouth we saw no need to travel in first for the short journey so never needed to pay any extra or the return trip despite more than 50% of the journey being in 1st.

 

[cjmillsnun]

SWT gave me free chocolate chip cookies for a week during their smart card promotion. Every night they were there at Petersfield handing them out. One night after alighting about 5 members of staff insisted on handing me a pack.

 

[sdrennan]

I had split tickets including advances for a journey from watford to Glasgow. Made an error and missed the train which was the last that could get he that night. London midland ticket let me off without buying ticket as far as crewe. Then waited few hours in hope i could get the highland sleeper at midnight.
Got sleeper but ticket machine would not work so free trip

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Coming back from an ALR in Scotland in 2014 I had decided to go via Sheffield and St Pancras. I got on at Sheffield and sat in first class for Weekend First, the guard took one look at the price on my ticket and told me that it was on the house.