Recent content by caughtonatrain

I occasionally take this service between Sheffield in York - indeed, whenever I can. It's good for avoiding the horrible passenger environment that is a Voyager. It goes through some interesting rural and industrial landscapes. And 1h23's not too bad. I didn't realise that it was a...

It used to happen to me quite a bit (island changes), but to be fair not so much lately. I think it partly depends on the types of services you usually use. My impression is that there can be (used to be?) a fair bit of movement with the XCs (e.g. 7 to 8/9 or vv, 8/9 to 10/11 or vv)... but as I...

While I think that the RailEasy website is not the most user friendly, nor the cheapest, it has the distinct advantage of being able to sell online tickets to London International CIV (LNE). Does anybody else know of other online vendors that can do this? many thanks

Thanks for this information. It's really interesting, if a bit dispiriting. I do take your point, but there are people that work for companies that gain enjoyment, gratification even over putting the interests of their company over the public good, society as a whole, humanity. I'm generally...

This is not just a moral issue, it makes a mockery of integrated transport planning. They wouldn't stand for it in other countries. It's the problem of unbridled and unregulated capitalism. I'm sure if we look into the history of the car park, NCP did not build it... it would have been built...

I should hope so. It's on the Crewe station timetable (Departures sheets) (or at least used to be). Passengers at Crewe might have a valid interavailable ticket and want to chance their luck with a trainside berth supplement?... although I have to confess I'm not sure whether this is allowed in...

I'd be interested in the answer to the OP's question. Not sure I'm much clearer, though. It seems crazy to charge somebody on the basis of where the train originates if they did not get on at that station. What if somebody got on, say, the Penzance train mentioned by richw (by some genuine...

Given that the TOCs seem hell bent on adopting an airline style ticketing system I though it might be interesting to compare with Airline practice... I frequently buy airline tickets (advance by their nature 99% of the time, and with nonref, nonchange restrictions) and stop short. I did this...

As pointed out by somebody else it is complicated, and it does differ around the country because the scheme is partly discretionary and is partly financed and wholly administered at the local authority level. But for those interested, a Parliamentary briefing paper on the very topic was...

Yes, there is a sort of central database. The scary thing (and this was the main point that was lost in the debate about ID cards) is that this database is maintained by private sector companies who buy the Electoral Roll and use it for assessing creditworthiness. They also compile information...

Greenback, I am glad that there is a measured view on this. Your view accords with my own as a 'user'/'customer'/'passenger' (whichever you prefer) of the railways. The vast majority of folk are decent. The vast majority of staff are excellent. The difficult cases (on both sides) stick out...

We can have a debate about the numbers, but the point is that I don't work in the industry and it's how I perceive the situation to be. To me (one of the law abiding ones), the system seems over the top and tends towards the aggressive and judgmental. Even if fare dodging is the huge problem...

I think the OP has explained why a false address was given, which in any case was not a false address, merely an old address. As far as I am aware the legal system does not recognise that we "have" one legally recognised address except for electoral reasons. I myself have been in situations...

But surely the point is that these things have to start somewhere - the intention would be a wider network (basically an extension of trans European HS rail network). Agreed Brum-London provides marginal benefits but it provides a launching point for something bigger. The Motorway network...

I didn't say I was in the majority. I'm realistic enough to realise that personal greed will outvote social need most days. I'm afraid to say (again, I'm the minority here) that I would have to be forced to pay a hell of a lot more income tax before I would complain, especially if it was used...