Passenger Assistance - experiences

[daveo]

I recently made a return journey between Wigan and Bournemouth with outboard changes at Bolton, Piccadilly and Southampton. Return journey change at Stafford. I had passenger assistance booked at all stations for help on, off and with luggage. I have major mobility issues but can walk short distances.

Experiences

Wigan Wallgate - excellent support from an efficient lady and the gate staff, even when I had a problem.

Bolton Perfect - met on the train by a young lady who unloaded my luggage and took me to a seat. When the next train appeared she returned to load me onboard and find a seat.

Manchester Piccadilly - Almost perfect. Met off the train by a chap who was most re-assuring. Offered a chair, which I accepted. He was happy to take me to Boots, then to the Assistance Lounge which is pleasant and comfortable but would benefit with a drinks machine. The guy who left me said he would return when my Southampton train was boarding. The only negative - he never returned. About 5 minutes after the train began boarding I ask the guy at the desk what was happening. He made a radio call, then took me to the train himself.

Southampton - Very good! Met on the train by a young lad who took my luggage off and we headed for the taxis. He was obviously busy as he set off like Nijinsky! I had to shout for him to slow down.

 

[daveo]

Part two
After experiencing P&O's assisted boarding & disembarking (brilliant in all respects) I arrived back at Southampton station (about 90 minutes early). Made myself known to a lady at the gateline I sat down to wait. She went off, came back and was busy on the gates. After waiting about 10 minutes I approached the same woman who said "oh! you need to go to platform 4 and speak to someone. I made my own way, slowly, across via the lifts and spoke to a guy who told me to take a seat and someone would be with me. As the train pulled in I pushed my luggage towards the carriage and a passenger placed my bags on the train.

 

[daveo]

Part three
Bournemouth arrival - 1st class host put my luggage off the train, and I went to a seat. Couple of minutes later a guy arrived and took me to the taxi efficiently.

Bournemouth departure (about 1 hour early) - made myself known to a man on the gateline, who found my details on his phone, and invited me to wait in the Starbucks (where I would be met), which I did. I was sitting around where the 1st class carriage would stop. The train came in reverse formation and no one came to me. I went back to the gateline and spoke to a different guy. He took me the length of the train, to my seat.

Stafford - Met off the train, passed to another guy who took me to a seat and returned to help me board the train and find a seat.

Wigan North Western - Perfect. Met on the train by a lady who took me to a taxi and handed my bags to the driver.

Sorry for the long saga, but in a nutshell - Northern, Man Piccadilly and Avanti brilliant
South Western Trains - iffy to disastrous!