Gunnislake branch-a free railway?

[ANorthernGuard]

As the stations are 1-2 mins apart it does not make it practical as you can be lucky to sell one ticket then if u get a card you end up delaying the train which our managers do not like whatsoever most go out after picc and after heald green where we have time to check properly.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I must have made well over 300 journeys on Northern over the years - I will back what bb21 et al have said and say that I think Northern's revenue protection is excellent. They even make a go of it during peak time overcrowding, and the only time I have noted a near-chronic lack of checking is on late night services, for which I can fully understand the guard's reasons for not bothering.

 

[455driver]

Best bit of ticket checking I have seen was on a Sheffield to Leeds train (2x142 units) and we stopped at Meadowhall with the guard at the very rear of the train and most passengers got on the front unit, the guard blew his whistle, keyed off and walked to the rear of the front unit before closing the doors, he told me later that he took nearly £300 on that one train.

What a star!

 

[ainsworth74]

What a star!

Should have put him forward for one of these then

 

[455driver]

Should have put him forward for one of these then

This was a few years ago though.

As for these p1ssy awards forget it, I regularly/always stay on when its gone base over apex and have never even had a "thank you" never mind one of these but a driver at our place helped an old bloke with his luggage was star of the month!

So next time it goes wrong i wont work over but will help passengers with their luggage because that is obviously more important!

Yes it has p1ssed me off!

 

[34D]

Best bit of ticket checking I have seen was on a Sheffield to Leeds train (2x142 units) and we stopped at Meadowhall with the guard at the very rear of the train and most passengers got on the front unit, the guard blew his whistle, keyed off and walked to the rear of the front unit before closing the doors, he told me later that he took nearly £300 on that one train.

What a star!

That's good to hear. Its also good to hear that 455driver has ventured north at least once!

 

[Urban Gateline]

All TOC's have their flaws at Revenue protection from my observations, FCC seem to have the strictest RPI's but hit and miss with many unmanned stations/no guard on train to collect fares/open barriers!
Whilst Southern and SWT are good at manning Barriers but again not all trains have commercial Guards and the prescence of RPI's is hit and miss. Also I find especially my TOC's RPI's are far too lenient and just try to work as little as possible so not very efficient!

FGW are interesting as they are starting to Barrier more stations, their major ones, but more is still needed in my opinion, even if only part time staffed I reckon there is good Revenue to collect from some of their busier unbarriered stations. Down south their HST runs include frequent stopping and with such long trains it can be difficult for the Guard to collect revenue from all carriages let alone after every stop!

 

[455driver]

That's good to hear. Its also good to hear that 455driver has ventured north at least once!

I have been north loads of times (I am brave like that ) although the last time I went to the North of Scotland was when 26s rules supreme, must be due another visit soon!

 

[RPI]

Sounds like an Avantix failure to be honest as most guards on the Gunni will do tickets, if nothing else to avoid being moaned at by the gateline staff for the return journey if they get a queue of people who haven't been sold tickets on the train! Either way, write to customer services to let them know the date/time etc.

 

[Starmill]

So one journey then!

yep that is indisputable proof that all Northern guards are lazy! :roll:

It had nothing to do with laziness. I deliberately used the most extreme example I could think of. If facilities were available at Mauldeth Road to issue tickets and pay with cash, I would have bought one. Same goes for Heald Green. A short-hop journey between two unmanned stations where the guard stayed in the cab. What is one to do about it? I know there are a significant number who go quite a bit out of their way to sell tickets.