Recent content by LittleRedTrain

Obviously doesn't apply to Northern, but certainly when XC were playing with fake compulsory reservations post-Covid, I saw instances where the only fare offered for a train was an expensive First Class ticket, when in fact any flexible ticket would still be perfectly valid in Standard despite...

I don't know if it's the trains or the track on the Chiltern line but the ride on the Mk5s seems to be getting worse! I was sat on a seat near the carriage end earlier and I was barely able to hold my phone steady enough to read, I was being bounced around the place so much. I'm sure it's still...

Some of the Reading-NE services now skip Banbury, because XC let the paths lapse and now can't fit the stops in. (They've used the excuse that it's to reduce overcrowding and make it more comfortable!). It suffers from a lot of overlapping flows: Students and tourists to/from Oxford...

I found it much more civilised in the Netherlands. Tap out within 60 minutes of tapping in and you get no charge. Means you can still access shops/facilities etc behind the gatelines, and use the station as a through pedestrian route where it makes sense to do so. If your plans change and you...

Definitely agree with the replacement of 165/166s on the GWML with 387s, a step change in quality. Just a shame they didn't do the job properly so they could run through to Oxford, Henley and Marlow. Replacement of slam door EMUs on the Southern region was definitely a major step up in terms...

Excellent news! Now if only we could have them all stop at Banbury to give us a decent-capacity, 2tph, service to Oxford/Reading, that'd be even better.

Thanks all for the continued helpful feedback. After some discussion, I've submitted a formal complaint to Chiltern about the behaviour of the staff, particularly the fact they accused us of fare-evasion in front of other customers, and led them to believe we were the cause of their train delay...

I used to get loads of freebies when commuting into Waterloo and even Bank, in the mid-2000s. Lately though, it does seem to have dried up, at least at Marylebone and Liverpool St, which are the terminals I visit most often. There was a group giving out either some sort of energy drink or...

Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback, I'm not surprised it's generated a bit of heated debate. It was the same member of staff who let us through. She initially refused a couple of times, but I think she eventually realised I was going to stay put and argue my case, plus saw my wife...

Ok, to avoid the guessing game, it was Marylebone. (I can understand how Euston and Paddington would be prime suspects here though) My understanding is that TOC delay repay is not applicable when using Interrail and their own scheme only kicks in at 60min+

Want to get the forum experts' opinion on an issue I had yesterday, to see whether it's worth my while making a formal complaint to the TOC involved or Interrail, or whether it'll just end up causing me more grief: After travelling around Europe with my wife on Interrail passes with no issues...

Waterloo to Kings Cross /St Pancras. Slightly longer than specified but it's daft there's no direct rail link between these two major stations. Marylebone-Baker St, save the walk at street level to access the SSL, especially if you could add step free access to all platforms at Baker St at the...

Obviously if your job requires to you be on the far side of the yellow line, then fair enough, especially if you're dispatching a train so are fully aware of this hazard. However, I have seen this with the agency 'travel-safe' or equivalent officers at some stations without a dispatch role...

I believe a number of halts on the Cambrian Coast were proposed for closure, including Llandecwyn. From the wiki page:

The Nene Valley is rebuilding the Wansford Road station building at Peterborough. Didcot Railway Centre is rebuilding the station building from Heyford on their demonstration line (albeit the station it came from is still open).