Confusion At St Pancras

[bb21]

• There is the a poster board in the middle of the concourse, with a diagram showing which are platforms a & b.

...which would not be visible to anyone who does not walk very far down, nor if a heavy passenger flow obstructs your vision.

• There is a message on the bottom of the main departure board.

You mean the one at the front of each platform? It would not be visible if you there is someone between you and the screen as it would be at the bottom of the screen.

Last time I checked, there is no such message on the main departure screen as there simply isn't enough room on it.

• The announcement states 'The 20:26 East Midlands Trains service to Derby is now boarding on platform 1a, this is the front five coaches on platform 1, furthest from the ticket barrier'. I know this, because I do the announcements!

Perhaps mentioning how many coaches one must walk past will help. I can imagine that some people may get nervous after walking past 2-3 carriages especially if they come from somewhere like Northern-land.

• There are free-standing poster boards on the platform that state 'Rear train. Head further up the platform for front train' and 'Front train. Platform a beyond this point'. Or very similar, I can't remember the exact wording.

Again, they may not be particularly visible if you are rushing to get the train with lots of other passengers. These posters, likewise some of the other things, are great if positioned correctly when there is not a heavy passenger flow, eg. if the pax are allowed to proceed onto the platform gradually rather than piling onto the platform at the same time as the platform is announced.

• There are electronic screens on each part of the platform that show the time, destination and calling pattern for the train.

Do you mean those mounted overhead? How many people would think to check those, or be aware of their presence? The line of vision can be rather narrow for many people when they are focused on getting the train.

• The silver help points along the platform are marked 1a and 1b

Same problem as with the posters.

• There are electronic displays on the train which show the destination and calling pattern.

...if they are programmed correctly.

Not sure what else we can do!

I think the issue with a lot of the information provision mechanisms is that there is a mismatch between their perceived effectiveness and their actual effectiveness. A common problem at a terminal station such as STP is that the pax are not allowed onto the platform until it is announced, which at STP is not until nearer departure and normally causes a crushing load to head to the train at the same time. If you are wedged between lots of other passengers, you may simply not be able to see a lot of those things you have mentioned.

I think effective announcement is certainly the key to reducing confusion. The additional information I mentioned will certainly help a lot of the infrequent passengers. Perhaps repeating the announcement a few times will also help.

You can't completely prevent people getting on the wrong train, as some people will simply not listen, but that is not to say the way information is provided at the moment cannot be improved.

 

[EM2]

...which would not be visible to anyone who does not walk very far down, nor if a heavy passenger flow obstructs your vision.

It's slap bang in the middle of the concourse, about twenty feet in front of the information desk

You mean the one at the front of each platform? It would not be visible if you there is someone between you and the screen as it would be at the bottom of the screen.

Last time I checked, there is no such message on the main departure screen as there simply isn't enough room on it.

Bottom right of the main departure board, there is a screen for messages. It's on there (admittedly rotated amongst two other messages).

Perhaps mentioning how many coaches one must walk past will help. I can imagine that some people may get nervous after walking past 2-3 carriages especially if they come from somewhere like Northern-land.

People already complain the announcement is too long. we have to balance information & brevity.

Again, they may not be particularly visible if you are rushing to get the train with lots of other passengers. These posters, likewise some of the other things, are great if positioned correctly when there is not a heavy passenger flow, eg. if the pax are allowed to proceed onto the platform gradually rather than piling onto the platform at the same time as the platform is announced.

But surely better than having none at all?

Do you mean those mounted overhead? How many people would think to check those, or be aware of their presence? The line of vision can be rather narrow for many people when they are focused on getting the train.

The overhead electronic displays, the freestanding ones that you mentioned earlier and also the massive steel pillars that hold the fire extinguishers/help points etc, are labelled.

I think the issue with a lot of the information provision mechanisms is that there is a mismatch between their perceived effectiveness and their actual effectiveness. A common problem at a terminal station such as STP is that the pax are not allowed onto the platform until it is announced, which at STP is not until nearer departure and normally causes a crushing load to head to the train at the same time. If you are wedged between lots of other passengers, you may simply not be able to see a lot of those things you have mentioned.

I think effective announcement is certainly the key to reducing confusion. The additional information I mentioned will certainly help a lot of the infrequent passengers. Perhaps repeating the announcement a few times will also help.

You can't completely prevent people getting on the wrong train, as some people will simply not listen, but that is not to say the way information is provided at the moment cannot be improved.

The train is generally announced and boarded fifteen minutes before departure. That is surely enough time for anyone who is not sure to find someone to ask, or to check one of the many other options to confirm they are on the right train.

 

[34D]

Don't forget boarding a bus is very different to boarding a train as you can ask the driver on a bus! Not only that but my nephew has access to a car which is a practical form of transport in the East Midlands.

What does he do when driving and he comes to a roundabout, where one goes one way to Derby and one way to Nottingham?

I am always careful here to avoid passing judgment on those who are discussed in threads, but what parents put driving lessons ahead of life skills like catching a train and (so this thread suggests) interacting with other human beings.

I must say (as a general comment) I am shocked at how cosseted some people in their mid/late teens are. I sometimes drive a college bus, and the amount of parents who picked their 16/17/18 year old children from the bus stop to drive them home was staggering.

 

[bb21]

It's slap bang in the middle of the concourse, about twenty feet in front of the information desk

If you are talking about the one I think you are talking about, it will not be visible to most of the pax during busier times. In actual fact I have never noticed it until about a month ago (which is how I came to know the arrangement for the xx26 and the xx29), and I only did so because I was standing right next to it.

People already complain the announcement is too long. we have to balance information & brevity.

That is a difficult one. There is obviously a balance to be struck. It comes down to what is considered useful information. I would imagine a few seconds of extra information to clarify exactly what one needs to do is useful to many people. Repeating them especially when there is plenty of room for confusion is also necessary in case people miss it the first time.

Some people will always complain, and I would imagine regular passengers (commuters, etc) would want to hear as little as possible, but that must be balanced against the interests of those who do not travel from the station frequently. A few extra announcements will not do anyone any harm, but can save a lot of hassle for others surely?

But surely better than having none at all?

They are all good, yes, of course. My point is that they may not always be as effective as they seem. STP (and other terminal stations) have a very different profile of passenger flow to stations on through lines, and I understand that it can present challenges in this area.

As I said earlier, during quieter periods they are great, but when you are rushing down the platform together with hundreds of other people, you are not necessarily going to be able to notice a lot of the things on the platform.

The train is generally announced and boarded fifteen minutes before departure. That is surely enough time for anyone who is not sure to find someone to ask, or to check one of the many other options to confirm they are on the right train.

Yes, they should, and I would hope that anyone who is not sure whether they are on the right train would seek help, but you and I both know that not everyone uses their common sense for whatever reason.

I don't think more signage would necessarily improve the situation, short of perhaps having the trains painted in a different colour, for the reason I described earlier. I also think there is already sufficient visual clues around. If they are not going to be noticed, more of them is not going to make the difference. That is also the reason why I think it would be more effective to improve announcements by the inclusion of precise instructions as to how many coaches to walk past, etc. Passengers are "stupid" and giving precise instructions should help alleviate much of the confusion and uncertainly they may encounter.

 

[Greenback]

They are all good, yes, of course. My point is that they may not always be as effective as they seem. STP (and other terminal stations) have a very different profile of passenger flow to stations on through lines, and I understand that it can present challenges in this area.

Exactly. That is what I was getting at when I said that the railway needs to do more. There is a tendency in the industry to think that putting a few automated announcements and indicator boards up is sufficient (I am talking generally here not about this specific incident). It needs to be recognised that the provision of information is not always effective, and it is not always presented effectively in a form that is easy to understand for everyone.

Also, stations can be very different places on a Saturday evening compared to a Wednesday morning. The passenger profile will be different, and so will the staff level in all likelihood. This is something else that is not recognised sufficiently.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What cretin decided that 4 platforms - with no possibility of ever adding more - was the ideal configuration for the new St Pancras? Talk about future proof....

That would have been the SoS for Transport under some chap called Blair, but I'm not completely sure which one of the many SoST in that Government was the one who signed it off.

 

[transmanche]

What cretin decided that 4 platforms - with no possibility of ever adding more - was the ideal configuration for the new St Pancras? Talk about future proof....

I wouldn't be at all surprised if (post HS2) there will be services to Nottingham via the ECML from King's Cross.

 

[HowardGWR]

That would have been the SoS for Transport under some chap called Blair, but I'm not completely sure which one of the many SoST in that Government was the one who signed it off.

I don't think (among their many faults) that politicians design railway stations. I detect a need to blame everything on politicians here. Evidence?

 

[EM2]

I don't see why the four platforms are such an issue. It's possible for EMT to run their five trains an hour, and FCC to run four an hour quite easily.

 

[edwin_m]

In the last few days I've noticed that EMT has some moveable notice boards on the platforms at St Pancras saying "Carry on down platform for front train" and "Front train starts here" or words to that effect. I can't comment on whether they are universally used though!

 

[LBSCR Times]

Passengers perception of 'Front Train' can vary.....
The number of times at London Victoria that passengers on either the xx.17 or xx.47 (Sussex Coast) departures end up in the wrong portion, because they think the front 4 cars are those nearest the barriers.

 

[cf111]

The signs at Glasgow Queen Street are good. They read "FRONT TRAIN BEYOND THIS POINT". Cheap and cheerful but it seems to work.

 

[hassaanhc]

The signs at Glasgow Queen Street are good. They read "FRONT TRAIN BEYOND THIS POINT". Cheap and cheerful but it seems to work.

London Waterloo use that too, printed on a large sheet of paper stuck on one of those moveable notice boards you get. Each island there has one and when not needed it gets moved next to a pillar so it is hidden.

 

[westv]

Why do some people think that the front of a departing train is the part closest to the buffers at a terminus?!

 

[button_boxer]

Why do some people think that the front of a departing train is the part closest to the buffers at a terminus?!

Maybe calling them far and near rather than front and back might help?

 

[hassaanhc]

Why do some people think that the front of a departing train is the part closest to the buffers at a terminus?!

Maybe in their mind: "Front" = Actual physical end of a train, without taking into account what way it is pointing?

 

[anti-pacer]

G'day everyone,

Last Saturday morning my 18 year old nephew travelled down to London for the day to watch Derby play Reading. Having watched an entertaining game we headed back to London and had a few pints in and around the Euston Road before he caught his train home.

As an 18 year old A Level student this was his first train journey by himself and so we walked into St Pancras to make sure that everything would be ok. My nephew was travelling on the 20.26 and around 20.10 the train was assigned platform 1. However at the same time an announcement was made that the train would leave from platform 1B due to there being two trains on platform 1. Basically there were two 5 car Meridians on platform 1, the train at the front running to Derby and the train at the back (1A??) running to Nottingham a few minutes later.

As soon as this was all announced I explained to my nephew that he needed to get on the second train on the platform. At this point we said our farewells and headed off for the Tube and home. Unfortunately my nephew thought he had reached the 2nd (Derby bound) train when in fact he hadn't. I don't need to explain the rest although his Mother (my sister) wasn't too happy about the extra expense!

Now I understand that only having four platforms for EMT trains services at St Pancras is far from ideal and that it's inevitable that two different trains will occupy the same platform. However, I do think that EMT could do more to help people board the correct train. My suggestion would be a large mobile electronic screen with a large arrow pointing towards the right train. From what I can see there is nothing to state where platform 1A ends and 1B starts and this surely needs to change.

Your thoughts would be very welcome!

Regards,

Richmond Commuter

I know this is a different mode of transport, but I used to be the assistant manager at National Express in Nottingham. Part of our duties were coach despatching.

Now imagine if you will this scenario. 5 coaches using 4 stops in a 20 minutes period, one of which stopped in Nottingham during a refreshment break. One of the coaches was the London service which was always busy, 2 coaches shared the same service number but different directions of destination.

In addition to making sure all coaches had a stop to park up at (they were strictly not allowed to use any other than these 4 stops), I had to announce the service numbers, departing stop, destination and calling points, as well as checking tickets and answering queries.

Not once on my watch did a passenger end up on the wrong coach. Why? Effective announcements, proactive approach to passengers, and being there.

So my point is this. If National Express can do it, so can a TOC with hardly any platforms and the potential for problems highlighted above.

EMT need to sort this out.

 

[DelayRepay]

The guard usually announces, prior to departure, where the train is going. This should give an opportunity for anyone who has boarded the wrong train by mistake to get off before the doors are locked.

Don't some EMT trains also have in-carriage displays showing the calling points?

Having said that I once settled down on the train to Sheffield, first stop Leicester. As we pulled out of St Pancras, the woman sat opposite me said "do you know if this train stops at Mill Hill Broadway?"!!

 

[HowardGWR]

Verbal announcements are only of use to those not having things stuck in their ears that isolate them from the outside world.

Another thing - I noted that the OP told his nephew, IIRC, to catch 'the second train'. It is possible that there is only a 50% chance of the recipient understanding from the OP which that train was, (from a logical standpoint). I found this discussion most illuminating and thanks to the OP for the anecdote.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Verbal announcements are only of use to those not having things stuck in their ears that isolate them from the outside world.

Another thing - I noted that the OP told his nephew, IIRC, to catch 'the second train'. It is possible that there is only a 50% chance of the recipient understanding from the OP which that train was, (from a logical standpoint). I found this discussion most illuminating and thanks to the OP for the anecdote.

Howard, you've hit the nail on the head here! Once my nephew had boarded the train it's a nailed on certainty that the IPod would have been turned on and his head buried in a book! He only knew that he was on the wrong train when the Train Manager checked his ticket.

With regard to your second point, in hindsight we should have stayed by the barriers until I'd watched him board the train. However, Ben is a clever lad and I assumed that he'd understood my instructions!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

18! First train journey on his own - WOW! I was going by train all over the country from about 13 and by train to the away matches at 14!

Hmm, now I've never had you down as being a teenage icon but hey this forum turns up all kinds of revelations. In fact I never suggested that making your first solo train journey at the age of 18 was a remarkable feat. In terms of your own notable achievements did you get a badge? I would have given you a badge if I was in charge of badges.

In terms of travelling to away games, in the 21st century it is all too often much cheaper to do so by coaches organised by the club. Or to travel by car with a group of mates. It's perhaps worth mentioning here that my nephew has attended his fair share of away games.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The screen near the doors does show the destination as well as all calling points.
If we were on about 2 sprinters I may be feeling different, but the end of a meridian is noticeably sloped and completely different to the space between other ciaches.

Now you know that because you like trains and know a thing or two about trains. My nephew has no interest in trains! And in all honesty the same goes for the vast majority of rail travelers!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So did he have to buy a new ticket or was he penalty fared. You say that there was additional expense.

If this is the case and it was a genuine mistake surely there is a case for a refund.

What do others think?

Both train managers were fantastic with him. He had to buy new tickets but was advised in the strongest possible terms to appeal.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Well, that does seem pretty comprehensive. I'm not very familiar with St Pancras EMT!

In light of this, dare I suggest that a combination of excitement, alcohol, and uncle's advice may have made the OP's nephew overconfident enough not to have checked the information that was available?

I'm not sure that the prospect of travelling home excited him as he would have rather stayed the night in London! However I would concur that pints of Fullers Pride would have had an affect although like many 18 year olds he can drink like a navvy! However in hindsight I wish that I'd told him to count to the 6th coach.

 

[breadfan]

Why do some people think that the front of a departing train is the part closest to the buffers at a terminus?!

It's not incomprehensible that one may consider the front end of a terminus station to be, well, the front bit. At STP that big hotel bit end or the snogging statue.

Maybe the irregular rail passenger may think the front train would be at the front end of the station.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Why do some people think that the front of a departing train is the part closest to the buffers at a terminus?!

Indeed. I was at Kings Cross on one Saturday (some years ago) at about 6pm, when the 18:06 to Cambridge (semi-fast) and 18:11 all-stations to Welwyn Garden City trains were in Platform 10(a) and 10(b). Having reached the station in ample time, and mindful that the stopper would give me a more convenient bus connection at WGC, I took a seat on the rear train, relaxed, and started to read a book. At about 18:04, a flustered-looking woman burst into the carriage, and asked, of no-one in particular, "is this the 18:06? or is it the other one?". To my amusement, a chap opposite replied rather haughtily 'Madam, how can you possibly imagine this train is going to be the first to depart, given there is a rather large station directly behind us, and a four-coach train directly in front of us? FRONT 4 COACHES MEANS EXACTLY THAT !!!"

 

[dcsprior]

I have a sneaky suspicion that he may have just ignored what you told him, and boarded any carriage after seeing the departure screen on Platform 1 only showing one service.

If the departure screen on the platform shows one service, and the first train you get to is unlocked, it isn't unreasonable to expect it to be that service.

 

[RichmondCommu]

A sign on the platform showing where the front train started can work, but if you don't walk down the platform far enough you would not see it. Similarly a mobile electronic screen has the same problem unless you have a massive one that can be seen from a long way away, which in itself can be a nuisance considering available platform space at the station.

This is what I had in mind. Yes I recognise that the sheer size of the thing would be a nuisance but with its implementation there would be no excuses! In this instance all I would have had to say would be 'walk to the arrow'!

Locking doors until departure of the front unit will also not work, as I believe the situation normally occurs with the xx26 Sheffield and the xx29 Nottingham. You cannot allow pax only 3 minutes to board a Meridian.

I concur. With the tight turn arounds at St Pancras the subsequent delays would be intolerable.

On weekdays I believe First Class hosts tend to stand by the door of their own carriage answering any question a pax may have. This is not possible at weekends due to a shortage of staff.

This is a very a fair point but surely the answer is to put more staff on at weekends! From what I can see the leisure market is increasing.

I think a compromise solution may be to indicate clearly on departure boards, "front 5 coaches in Platform 1 for xx26 Sheffield, rear 4 coaches in Platform 1 for xx29 Nottingham" and the message is repeated on both departure screens for the two trains, but again the main departure screens at St Pancras hardly have room for displaying additional information. The problem is further complicated by the fact that there is only one departure screen on the platform itself, so I suspect that it only shows information for the xx26 until it leaves, causing further confusion with those who require the xx29. If you are an infrequent traveller and did not notice that there are two trains in the same platform, you would get a bit nervous if your train is not shown, wouldn't you? Whoever thought the departure screens at St Pancras are fit for purpose requires shooting if I am honest. They only show a severely limited number of calling points in one go and are painstakingly slow to scroll through. They are also of a very awkward font. Whatever has happened to simple and clear displays.

You've hit the nail on the head here. However I do think all this should be reinforced by an announcement once boarding information is given.

Then again I would hope that an 18-year-old who is not familiar with the situation would either check information on the door panels, or if they weren't programmed properly, seek help/confirmation by asking fellow passengers whether he was on the correct train, or if he is not used to speaking to strangers, use common sense and walk to the very front carriage knowing that the front train is required. I have a sneaky suspicion that he may have just ignored what you told him, and boarded any carriage after seeing the departure screen on Platform 1 only showing one service.

I have to say that it's hard to argue with any of this! As I said before I wish that I'd told him to walk to the 6th carriage. Oh well, hindsight eh!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I don't think (among their many faults) that politicians design railway stations. I detect a need to blame everything on politicians here. Evidence?

The main evidence, m'lud, is the notorious level of tight prescription in all aspects of the railway that the DfT operated at the time.

A bit of digging finds that at the time the rebuild was finally signed off in 2001after several changes of design, St Pancras was owned by LCR which was also a state owned business - that in itself indicates that all aspects of the project would have been approved at Government level, especially when you consider the cost of it.

Now, if the sign off was before 8th June 2001 the SoST* was John Prescott; after that date it was Stephen Byers.

Does anyone know the actual date of the sign off?


*To use the present title; the title was slightly different in 2001.

 

[bb21]

Not once on my watch did a passenger end up on the wrong coach. Why? Effective announcements, proactive approach to passengers, and being there.

So my point is this. If National Express can do it, so can a TOC with hardly any platforms and the potential for problems highlighted above.

EMT need to sort this out.

It is possible, if every passenger has his ticket inspected prior to boarding.

In the situation described above, you will probably need a member of staff standing at each door.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This is a very a fair point but surely the answer is to put more staff on at weekends! From what I can see the leisure market is increasing.

Then we are back to the argument about who will fund the increased staffing costs, and the problems associated with Sunday shifts.

Yes, I know the arguments on both sides, but at the end of the day, where is the incentive for the TOC to increase staffing?

We can also go back to the whole franchising process but that is getting far off-topic.

You've hit the nail on the head here. However I do think all this should be reinforced by an announcement once boarding information is given.

I do think the announcements are inconsistent so that can definitely be improved, especially on the xx29 a good while before departure to ensure that those intending to catch the xx26 still have time to swap to the front unit.

I have to say that it's hard to argue with any of this! As I said before I wish that I'd told him to walk to the 6th carriage. Oh well, hindsight eh!

Sometimes teenagers learn by mistakes. He will probably never make the same mistake again, at least for a good few years, considering how expensive a mistake this has turned out. So there is a good spin to it if you look at it in a certain way.

 

[RichmondCommu]

What does he do when driving and he comes to a roundabout, where one goes one way to Derby and one way to Nottingham?

He listens to his Sat Nav.

I am always careful here to avoid passing judgment on those who are discussed in threads, but what parents put driving lessons ahead of life skills like catching a train and (so this thread suggests) interacting with other human beings.

I would hardly include catching a train under the title "life skills". There are plenty of people in their mid 20's that have never caught a train. As far as my nephew was concerned he was on the right train and had no need to speak to anyone.

As far as my sister and her husband are concerned, the ability to navigate EMT St Pancras is rather low down on the list of priorities for their son and his "life skills" Are you arguing that shouldn't be the case?

 

[hassaanhc]

I would hardly include catching a train under the title "life skills". There are plenty of people in their mid 20's that have never caught a train. As far as my nephew was concerned he was on the right train and had no need to speak to anyone.

I didn't go on a train for any significant distance until I was almost 19, that was with my dad from King's Cross to Nottingham, changing at Grantham. I remember being next to the East Coast train at King's Cross looked quite intimidating, as until that point I'd never boarded any intercity type train, only things like 165s on the national rail network and loads of LUL trains. Even though I'd seen loads of HSTs on the Great Western route it was the first time I was actually boarding that type of train. Probably didn't help that we were on Advance tickets and there was this nagging feeling that we might have got on the wrong train, it was the first time I'd used such tickets (for the record it was the correct train and we'd asked as well). And I agree that there was no reason to ask anyone if he was certain it was the correct train, I'd be the same.

Mind you, this point by '34D' does sum up what I experienced when I was younger, to quite an extent (bold bit mainly)

I must say (as a general comment) I am shocked at how cosseted some people in their mid/late teens are. I sometimes drive a college bus, and the amount of parents who picked their 16/17/18 year old children from the bus stop to drive them home was staggering.

 

[Greenback]

I'm not sure that the prospect of travelling home excited him as he would have rather stayed the night in London!

Ha ha! Fair point!

However I would concur that pints of Fullers Pride would have had an affect although like many 18 year olds he can drink like a navvy! However in hindsight I wish that I'd told him to count to the 6th coach.

I must admit that the mistakes I've made have happened when I've been too relaxed and confident to double check which train I am actually boarding. Also, I regret to say that alcohol consumption also seems to play a part when I board the wrong train.

All I can say is that your nephew must have suffered form an uncharacteristic moment of brain freeze. Hopefully he will have learned something from the experience!

 

[DarloRich]

Hmm, now I've never had you down as being a teenage icon but hey this forum turns up all kinds of revelations. In fact I never suggested that making your first solo train journey at the age of 18 was a remarkable feat. In terms of your own notable achievements did you get a badge? I would have given you a badge if I was in charge of badges.

In terms of travelling to away games, in the 21st century it is all too often much cheaper to do so by coaches organised by the club. Or to travel by car with a group of mates. It's perhaps worth mentioning here that my nephew has attended his fair share of away games.

I wasn’t taking the piddle!

I had assumed for a long time that because I used trains from an early age everyone would. Looking back I guess this wasn’t the normal thing, but we didn’t have a car for long periods of time so went everywhere by train. It was cheap then with the family railcard.

Also I guess my parents were happy to let me pop off on the train somewhere on my own as I was interested in railways, understood the timetables and systems etc and was always quite self sufficient, independent and had some common sense. I didn’t always tell them the entire truth about where I went (yes mum just going to Newcastle for the day. Oh I have ended up in Edinburgh opps! ) but I always had 10p for the phone box and always got home when I said!

Sadly, these days, I am somewhat older (perhaps wiser?) than 18 and but I am still going to away matches by train! I did use the supporters coach as a youngster as well for some of the longer trips (Torquay/Exeter/Shrewsbury/Herford/ Brighton etc) but always preferred the train as there was a chance of getting some cans in!

Perhaps these days people are more suspicious/cautious about the wider world but I found that travelling by myself from an early age really helped with confidence and independence and also helps generate some “street smarts”.

Anyway these badges you talk of? Where can I get one ……………………