Railway Myths

[barrykas]

Myth 89: If you have a TfL Bus Operator or Bus Operator Nominee pass, you can travel on trains for free.

Myth 90: If you have a TfL Staff Nominee pass, you can travel from Marylebone to West Ruislip for free. (You can't. They're only valid for free travel between South and West Ruislip and between Marylebone and Amersham).

 

[scrapy]

Myth 91 You do not have to carry your railcard with you when travelling because it is obvious you had one because you must of shown it to buy your ticket and you shouid be let off this time but you'll have it with you next time.

Myth 92 An advance ticket which specifies a seat reservation must be held, is in fact valid on any train, at any time, of any TOC if the original train was in any way inconvenient to the passenger, or if they missed the original train.

Myth 93 The TOCs operate the Burger Kings in stations and if the queues are to long the TOCs will hold trains to allow passengers to purchase their Whopper meal. If a train dare leave on time and the passenger who chose to queue misses their train it is entirely the fault of all railway staff.

Myth 94 Train doors open automatically on all types of unit, and passengers should not be inconvenienced by having to reach out and press a button.

 

[Drsatan]

Myth 95: all TOCs remove restrictions on using railcards between Christmas and New Year.

 

[185]

Myth 96: FirstGroup are a progressive transport operator who have transformed travel for the better. They are very popular with passengers and staff and the Group Chief Executive lives in a humble 2 up 2 down in Aberdeen. They have always provided accurate performance statistics and have the best Human Resources Management in the industry. My real name is Shirley.

 

[fairysdad]

Myth 94 Train doors open automatically on all types of unit, and passengers should not be inconvenienced by having to reach out and press a button.

97: Every station served by slam-door stock has somebody employed to walk up and down the platform on each train to open and close the doors.

(this actually happened once - somebody getting off a FGW HST in front of me didn't open the door because they thought 'the bloke to open the doors will be here in a moment'... I gave up waiting and left through the door in the adjoining coach, wondering as I did so if I should open the door for them. I probably should have, but didn't...)

 

[MCR247]

Myth 98 - The ALR restrictions won't affect anyone because people who use it for leisure don't travel before 9am

 

[RPM]

99: Anybody wearing orange hi-viz clothing works for "the railway" and should be able to answer any question relating to your journey.

100: Pointedly looking at your watch as a late train pulls in makes the driver feel very guilty about the delay.

 

[thelem]

Yes but only if the fare your buying costs more than £12 (apart from July and August when the restriction is lifted). This really does seem to be a widely held myth!

What about if the full fare costs £15? Do you have to pay that, or can you get a £12 ticket? (the normal railcard cost being £10).

 

[185]

What about if the full fare costs £15? Do you have to pay that, or can you get a £12 ticket? (the normal railcard cost being £10).

Myth 101: The passengers can make the fares up as they go along. They also can invent, alter or rescind railway byelaws as they please. And my name is Shirley.

 

[tbtc]

Myth 102 - National Express are banned from bidding for any new franchises

 

[Lampshade]

Myth 103: ATOC are a professional organisation with passenger's interests at the top of the agenda.

 

[tbtc]

Myth 104. Virgin won't be awarded the next West Coast franchise solely because of personal relationships between people high up at Virgin and people high up at DFT

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Myth 105: If you want to know if a train is approaching, you should bend down on the track and place one ear on the railhead. You will hear the rumbling of an approaching train. In a noisy environment, it might help if you also blocked the other ear with a finger.

 

[cuccir]

What about if the full fare costs £15? Do you have to pay that, or can you get a £12 ticket? (the normal railcard cost being £10).

Myth 101: The passengers can make the fares up as they go along. They also can invent, alter or rescind railway byelaws as they please. And my name is Shirley.

I'm not sure of the point of your comment, but thelem's question seemed a genuine and understandable one.

In response: you pay £12 in these circumstances as it is a 'minimum fare'.

 

[scotsman]

Myth 106: The door open buttons work from the second the train stops
Myth 107: Passengers pay all Rail Staff's wages

 

[MCR247]

Myth 108 - its always the train that leaves early, not the passenger thats late

 

[T163R]

Myth 109: It's always the train that's late, not someone causing problems on the line

 

[MCR247]

Myth 110 - Trains hate passengers and always do things just to annoy them

 

[T163R]

Myth 110 - Trains hate passengers and always do things just to annoy them

LMAO
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Myth 111: The train's always slower when you are in it than when you see it leaving the station...without you.

 

[mrcheek]

112:
Yorkie sometimes takes the ticket inspectors side...

 

[T163R]

Myth 113: Passengers like waiting 1 minute more in a station

 

[tbtc]

Myth 114. Doctor Beeching is personally responsible for every railway that closed in the last 100 years

 

[MCR247]

Myth 115 - Dr Beeching was wrong, and every line should have been kept open

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Myth 116 - The Pendolino derailment happened at Grayrigg - it actually occured at Lambrigg.

 

[Mvann]

Myth 41: the Cambridge Guided Busway is a better alternative to re-opening the line to St Ives.

Only Cambridge councillors believe that.

 

[me123]

Myth 116: Trains are classed as "overcrowded" if even a single person is standing, regardless of the number of empty seats available.
Myth 117: Freight trains are less important than passenger trains

 

[tbtc]

Myth 116: Trains are classed as "overcrowded" if even a single person is standing, regardless of the number of empty seats available

Agreed. I think "overcrowded" should be used for "I couldn't get a whole table of four all to myself"

 

[MCR247]

Myth 118 - People are forbidden to sit at tables on their own

 

[185]

Myth 119: Passenger Focus are here to defend the passenger's rights and not pocket piles of Quango money. And they do a great job. And don't call me Shirley.

 

[atomicdanny]

Myth 120: (Apparently) ALL railway staff are at fault for all the problems on the railways even if they are platform staff at another station when a trains broken down at the other end of the line!

edit - I apologise if this offends any of you that work in the railway (I wasn't trying to), I just hear this a fair few times on the railways when I use them (a recent example was where an abusive customer was swearing at a First Capital Connect member of staff because his Southeastern train was cancelled...)