Ale trail revellers rail warning

[stuartmoss]

Hic Hic apart from a naked man in the luggage rack between Huddersfield and Leeds, I don't think I've really noticed this as a problem before....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16069913

 

[callum112233]

A subject on the ale trail cropped up a couple of months ago and I agree there is an increase on the number of idiots compared to a couple of years ago.

I use the line frequently from Stalybridge to Greenfield and have seen it all. I've seen people p***ing ON the train in a corner which is digusting, it's a biohazard. I've seen one man at Greenfield sat on the edge of the platform with his legs dangling off and when a train came along (a non stopping 185), he didn't move. So the driver is blowing the horn quite franticly because this guy isn't budging. He did move at the last moment thank god (I didn't want to witness his legs get ripped off). It's was disgraceful especially as there was children around.

Anyway, I hope the people who want to be idiots don't give the people who responsibly use this trail a bad name. Theres some great pubs along the line.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They do say that Real Ale is known to produce some rather strange behaviour in certain imbibers. Unfortunately, other passengers are known to suffer from their actions.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

They do say that Real Ale is known to produce some rather strange behaviour in certain imbibers. Unfortunately, other passengers are known to suffer from their actions.

Up to a couple of years ago, when it was the real-ale trail, it was (almost always) all right. The odd beard got a bit wobbly or the odd sandal strap chaffed a little.
Now it has exploded into birthday/stag do celebrations and a large proportion of the revellers would not know real-ale from a real banana.
For proof of this you only need to be in one of the pubs along the trail and hear the rounds being ordered as the latest train decants its passengers on an hourly basis. Lager, JD and coke and Sambucas outsell ale.

Lager louts jumping onto a temporarily fashionable band-wagon.

This too will pass.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

make BTP do their jobs and police the line, and if they do not have enough officers/CSO's find other ways to help with the small minority of people who spoil it for the majority, this Ale trail may seem to be an unnecessary burdon but it helps keep people in jobs and helps with local economies, it also gets people to use the train, I work plenty of routes where we have p**heads (Chester races is a famous one) but with common sense, tact and experience and if that does not work, the police, we tend to be able to do the 1st 3 ok but the police (not always their fault I admit) tend to let us down.

 

[4SRKT]

The BBC report objects, among other things, to people 'crowding platforms'. Surely this can't be raised as a problem: these people have as much right to travel as anyone else as long as they behave themselves.

 

[trickyvegas]

Someone should tell the BBC that Stalybridge is not in Lancashire.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Someone should tell the BBC that Stalybridge is not in Lancashire.

Cheshire!

 

[table38]

Can't be Cheshire or I'd be able to buy a Cheshire Day Ranger

Is it in the people's republic of Tameside?

 

[Cliveblackpool]

A subject on the ale trail cropped up a couple of months ago and I agree there is an increase on the number of idiots compared to a couple of years ago.

I use the line frequently from Stalybridge to Greenfield and have seen it all. I've seen people p***ing ON the train in a corner which is digusting, it's a biohazard. I've seen one man at Greenfield sat on the edge of the platform with his legs dangling off

Have to agree it is disgusting.
A sad fact today is that there are less toilets. On most trains there was 2 toilets per carriage. Now there is just one! (A few trains with none )Less toilets at stations, and often charging 30p. (I now always use the train toilets!!)
In my town, sadly there are few toilets, just a few Danfoss cubicles costing 20p (favourite with druggies). Result the streets now receive 1000's of gallons of pee every week.

 

[Chapeltom]

Have to agree it is disgusting.
A sad fact today is that there are less toilets. On most trains there was 2 toilets per carriage. Now there is just one! (A few trains with none )Less toilets at stations, and often charging 30p. (I now always use the train toilets!!)
In my town, sadly there are few toilets, just a few Danfoss cubicles costing 20p (favourite with druggies). Result the streets now receive 1000's of gallons of pee every week.

Having done the trail with the 9 pints of ale required and at the end being fully competent in getting myself home from Stalybridge without resorting to idiot behaviour - I've got to agree with an above poster. It must be lager louts, real ale drinkers don't act like idiots (not any that I've seen anyway), such a shame the bandwagon is jumped on and those who want to enjoy it for it is (an real ale trail) can't.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Can't be Cheshire or I'd be able to buy a Cheshire Day Ranger

Is it in the people's republic of Tameside?

Stalybridge ( /steɪlɪˈbrɪdʒ/) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568.[1] Historically a part of Cheshire, it is 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Manchester city centre and 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Glossop.

 

[table38]

The fact that you can buy a Cheshire Day Ranger in:

Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire)
Glossop (Derbyshire)
Buxton (Derbyshire)
Shotton (Flintshire)
Whitchurch (Shropshire)

but not Stalybridge is a source of constant annoyance to me

 

[cuccir]

Problems emerge when any group of people - shoppers, football fans, drinkers, students, hen and stag dos, the elderly - who are linked by one purpose or aim congregate in numbers which take over what should be a 'public' transport service. its generally unavoidable but the numbers here have clearly escalated. The trick is to keep the numbers of train users, and people enjoying a few drinks, high whilst cracking down on the idiots.

Perhaps it would not be unreasonable to look to the pubs which benefit from this trail to club together to provide security on Friday/Saturday nights....

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The fact that you can buy a Cheshire Day Ranger in:

Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire)
Glossop (Derbyshire)
Buxton (Derbyshire)
Shotton (Flintshire)
Whitchurch (Shropshire)

but not Stalybridge is a source of constant annoyance to me

But you can buy a Rail Ranger and an Evening Rail Ranger at Stalybridge that gives you rail travel throught the TfGM administrative area. Stations such as Greenfield, Orrell, Bryn, Appley Bridge, Bromley Cross and Littleborough (amongst other "border" stations) are all included in the ticket availability

 

[martinsh]

The fact that you can buy a Cheshire Day Ranger in:

Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire)
Glossop (Derbyshire)
Buxton (Derbyshire)
Shotton (Flintshire)
Whitchurch (Shropshire)

but not Stalybridge is a source of constant annoyance to me

Whitchurch is unstaffed, so you can't buy it there ! Since the Cheshire Day Ranger uses standard ticket stock, you should be able to buy it at any staffed station anywhere.

I suspect you are bemoaning the fact that you can't use it at Stalybridge ...

 

[table38]

I suspect you are bemoaning the fact that you can't use it at Stalybridge ...

Quite correct Good job I haven't sent the ranting email to Northern yet!

 

[Greenback]

I doubt many problems are caused by real ale drinkers. Mrs G and I attended the Carmarthen Beer Festival this autumn and there were a good few faces from the festival on the 2030 train home. All were very well behaved, and mixed with the families who were returning from a day at Tenby.

At Pembrey & Burry Port, chaos descended in the form of large numbers of drinkers of all ages who were ehading to Swansea. They piled on to the train, still clutching their bottles and glasses from the nearby pubs, and the air was suddenly blue.

At Llanelli, it was difficult to get off the train due to the number of drunk people both already on the train and on the platform waiting to board. There was no chance of any fares being collected, and the whole experience made me wonder why anyone sober catches a train on a Saturday night, if that is what they have to put up with.

I am sure that the problems on the 'ale trail' are similarly down to people who have no connection withale at all, as several posters have already pointed out.

 

[142094]

I've done the Real Ale trail in the past before it became as popular as it is now, and there weren't any problems. I also done it recently and, apart from the trains being packed as usual, the only things I hae witnessed are loud groups, the odd swear word and people bringing their drink onto the trains.

I very much doubt BTP would be able to do much about it due to the size of the groups, plus Leeds and Manchester both have their own drink related problems and are much bigger stations than the ones between Stalybridge and Huddersfield. As has been said it looks like there are more stag and hen dos on the trail these days.

Perhaps it would not be unreasonable to look to the pubs which benefit from this trail to club together to provide security on Friday/Saturday nights....

Even if security was provided I bet the pubs would want them to stay o their doors and not police the station. That is the job of the BTP, so can't really do much else.

 

[175001]

About time the media got to know about this, its been a long time coming!

I work the Stoppers, and at the weekend, they are absolute hell to work. The 1st service that you usually pick up the revelers is on the 09:27 MCV-HUD, where a lot get on towards HUD, to start it at Batley. At this time, they are in good spirits, albeit...SOBER...then as the day progresses you get groups, getting bigger, louder, and childish-er, and this will be the situation until the end of service.

Such incidents as, drunks locking a guard out of the train whilst doing door procedures, urinating mid-saloon, holding doors open with hands, feet and glasses to allow their "mates" to board, and at Marsden, crossing running lines to get to trains, have made this line unbearable, for the usual shopper or commuter, but the abuse that we as staff get for trying to work these trains, have become incredible.

I'm only 25, I'm well behaved when I have a few drinks, but I shake my head, seeing men, the majority over the age of 50, acting like 12 year olds.

I used to like working to Huddersfield, but these days its a chore.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

About time the media got to know about this, its been a long time coming!

I work the Stoppers, and at the weekend, they are absolute hell to work. The 1st service that you usually pick up the revelers is on the 09:27 MCV-HUD, where a lot get on towards HUD, to start it at Batley. At this time, they are in good spirits, albeit...SOBER...then as the day progresses you get groups, getting bigger, louder, and childish-er, and this will be the situation until the end of service.

Such incidents as, drunks locking a guard out of the train whilst doing door procedures, urinating mid-saloon, holding doors open with hands, feet and glasses to allow their "mates" to board, and at Marsden, crossing running lines to get to trains, have made this line unbearable, for the usual shopper or commuter, but the abuse that we as staff get for trying to work these trains, have become incredible.

I'm only 25, I'm well behaved when I have a few drinks, but I shake my head, seeing men, the majority over the age of 50, acting like 12 year olds.

I used to like working to Huddersfield, but these days its a chore.

We all have routes like that mate, however even though they are hell to work, part of our job is to get this d**kheads home, report everything that happens in a TIR and make sure you get a copy back, unless Control keeps getting told they can't pass evidence on to the BTP and with no evidence the BTP won't do much, as you Vic lads seem to have more of the onboard security then we do (I have seen our so called security once in 6 months) maybe have a word with one of your CTM's like Pete or Don (If your Vic based) and have a word with your Union Rep, sadly thats all we can do.

 

[175001]

Indeed mate, we now are given a new Rail Ale report form with a docket that has HUD on it, where we note down what incidents have taken place on our trains. I also do phone control to report incidents asap.

We have an excellent H+S Rep at Vic, who has got the BTP involved with us, they've been in a few times to listen to our stories, and things are moving forward in tackling this problem. Also our CTM's, as you know, very approachable and take our concerns seriously.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Up to a couple of years ago, when it was the real-ale trail, it was (almost always) all right. The odd beard got a bit wobbly or the odd sandal strap chaffed a little.
Now it has exploded into birthday/stag do celebrations and a large proportion of the revellers would not know real-ale from a real banana.
For proof of this you only need to be in one of the pubs along the trail and hear the rounds being ordered as the latest train decants its passengers on an hourly basis. Lager, JD and coke and Sambucas outsell ale.

Lager louts jumping onto a temporarily fashionable band-wagon.

This too will pass.

Why should it matter what people are drinking? They are out to have a good time and if they want to have a laugh and a joke while drinking Fosters then good for them! Personally I would much rather have a pint of London Pride but that doesn't make me any better or indeed worse than them. People can get themselves into just as much of a mess whether they are drinking Pedigree or Fosters.

I think there is an element of snobbishness here and that’s a real shame. Take the last train home on the Friday night after the Peterborough beer festival (a major event on the social calendar) and you will see people behaving no better than those who have been drinking cheap lager all night.

 

[CosherB]

They do say that Real Ale is known to produce some rather strange behaviour in certain imbibers.

What utter tosh! Sappire is right, these loons are not real ale drinkers, but louts who knock back lager and spirits by the gallon. Real ale drinkers are usually gentlemen of a certain age who are discerning in what they imbibe, can hold their drink, and know how to behave.

 

[Greenback]

Why should it matter what people are drinking?

From what I've seen, real ale drinkers are less likely to cause trouble than lager drinkers. I don't know whether this is because of types of drinks they are, or more about the type of people who drink them, but I think it is a fair thing to say, even if it is a bit generalised.

They are out to have a good time and if they want to have a laugh and a joke while drinking Fosters then good for them!

Nothing wrong with that at all. In my view, it is the shots and the shorts that contribute more to anti social behaviour than eithe rlager or real ale. Just for the record, I have been known to drink them all!

Personally I would much rather have a pint of London Pride but that doesn't make me any better or indeed worse than them. People can get themselves into just as much of a mess whether they are drinking Pedigree or Fosters.

Yes, that's very true, of course. But there seems to be less aggression from real ale drinkers. Whether that's because they tend to be older, or just more laid back, I don't know!

One of my mate sis convinced it's the fact that the level of chemicals is lower in real beer.

I think there is an element of snobbishness here and that’s a real shame. Take the last train home on the Friday night after the Peterborough beer festival (a major event on the social calendar) and you will see people behaving no better than those who have been drinking cheap lager all night.

One of the thing sabout any beer festival is that they do attract people who don't normally drink real ale. This is certainly very evident at the Reading one, where a big attraction is the continental lager stall, which can be very strong indeed. I don't believe that mixing that with real ale, or consuming gallons of the latter, is going to do anyone much good!

There is more to it than just the beer I think. The flashing lights, and loud music that is so prevalent these days, even in real ale pubs and bars, must contribute to aggressive behaviour as well.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Simple maths - Real Ale costs more so people drink less!

A real shame that people have to spoil it. Would be very simple to have a BTP officer simply riding on the train on evenings, would probably stop the majority of stupid behaviour.

 

[Proud Salopian]

Simple maths - Real Ale costs more so people drink less!

Errr... really? Think you'll find ale costs less than lager.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Real ale drinkers are usually gentlemen of a certain age who are discerning in what they imbibe, can hold their drink, and know how to behave.

If you read what I originally said, it said certain imbibers, which seems be be qualified by the use of usually in your quote above.

There is always a "bad apple" in any barrel.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

If you read what I originally said, it said certain imbibers, which seems be be qualified by the use of usually in your quote above.

There is always a "bad apple" in any barrel.

So thats why I get gut ache from drinking Cider

 

[Cliveblackpool]

So thats why I get gut ache from drinking Cider

This is what I was told at 17yrs old!
"Beer on cider is an easy rider, cider on beer makes you feel queer"
Lot of truth in that!
Real cider around 7%. Yummy Broadoak perry (fermented pear juice) over 7%
(Fizzy Strongbow 4.5% etc is full of chemicals, sugar & colouring!!) = gut ache

Shorts / shots can be drunk too fast and the alcohol hitting you suddenly.
Very expensive form of alcohol in a pub too!!
Slow steady drinking helps you to avoid the room spinning, and the inevitable running to the toilet!!