Recent content by Gricerjo

Its good news. I don't use Southern much, but despite a lot of unfair criticism, Southeastern (my regular commute) do a good job.

Would this were the case A-driver. Do not underestimate the need to keep the costs of running the railway down, the avarice of private sector train operating companies, this Government's anti-union agenda and the travelling publics anger at a decade of above RPI fare rises and belief that...

A little unfair to Southeastern. Staff at Bromley South station are always friendly and courteous, and recent weeks notwithstanding, its performance has improved radically since the days of Connex. It also runs a dog of a network into five London terminals, with many pinchpoints and on knackered...

I fear for the long term future of drivers. If you look at the McNulty report, it identifies the increasing wage bill for train drivers T+Cs (along with Network Rail’s excessive costs) as a reason why the cost of running railways in this country is much higher than those in western Europe. With...

Two issues here, first TOCs are desperate to reduce head count and the higher paid the heads” the keener they are to keep numbers down. Its no just salaries, but the related on-costs including national insurance and final salary pensions. Therefore it’s cheaper for FCC and other TOCs to ask...

TOCs had budgeted for an increase of RPI+1% on regulated fares, in line with government policy so yesterday’s announcement means a dip in income. So where is the money to come from? Unlikely that shareholders or directors will take a haircut, even less likely that Government will make...

Is not all this re-branding and new livery stuff rather silly and above all a waste of fare and tax payers' money that might be better spent on improving the service? Its a process that benefits no one other than the consultants who have leeched on the industry since privatisation. Do...

Under the NRCoC should you not buy your ticket before you board the train? (Assuming you had the opportunity to do so)

I have to agree and find it a little disappointing that on this and other sites, a rather laissez faire attitude to ticketless travel and even down-right fare evasion is shared by some fellow rail enthusiasts. Travelling without a ticket (assuming one had the opportunity to buy one before...

My wife works in the claims sections of a major insurance company and I’m afraid its standard practice to circulate details of claims and claimants to other companies in the industry. If challenged under the Data Protection Act their defence is that they are justified in doing so as a precaution...

I have to agree with island here, without diminishing the validity of RJ's claim, this looks to be a civil matter rather than a criminal one. Has RJ considered involving his MP? A few years ago Virgin refused to entertain a reasonable claim I had for compensation for a night in a B+B after...

Whether as an ex conductor I "liked" a passenger or not is irrelevant. He simply did not have a valid ticket or the means to pay. As to his age, he made no refeence to his being 17 at the time. Indeed, the tattoos, stubble and can of super strength cider he was swigging from when asked to...

Apart from giving a false name and address this customer seems to have done nothing wrong. Sadly, some TOC staff become cynical and jaundiced due to the actions of a minority of fare dodgers. One ruse is to present a credit or debit card to the on-board conductor either with no funds on it...

I used to work in the industry and to be fair to Southeastern gateline and on-board staff, theirs is a commuter TOC where nearly all tickets sold will straightforward seasons to London. The more arcane options favoured by rail enthusiasts like us who prefer the “route les travelled” will be a...

I quite agree, - better to be safe than sorry. When I worked on the railway, most staff were ex BR and the railway "family" attitide still persisted. Today, you'll find a number of jobsworths who will take a delight in giving you a penaly fare and/or reporting you. My advice is not to take...