Thank you NR staff

[Mellchie]

Dear Mods, if this is inappropriate or in the wrong place, do re/move, I'm not sure where the best place to post this would be!

I'd just like to offer a heartfelt thanks to the three Northern Rail and one East Mids staff who helped myself and my parents out this afternoon.

Waiting for the 18.05 Nottingham - St Pancras (platform 3) in order to travel back to Beeston, my mum (who's a diabetic, not great at walking and rather unwell) was sick on the platform (not nice, no warning ). The East Mids station cleaner who assisted was so cheerful and not at all annoyed, despite the platform being really busy.

We didn't make the 18.05, but there are regular trains stopping at BEE so we walked down the platform to 4b, where the NOT - Matlock service was to depart at 18.20. There was a double unit Northern Rail service waiting to leave, so, of course, we got straight on.

(Now, as a regular NOT-BEE-NOT it struck me as being odd that a NR service was going to Matlock, and I saw but completely failed to register the East Mids service pulling in behind to 4b - the NR was on 4a, but this platform is rather compact.)

As the train pulled away, the guard announced the 18.17 NOT - Leeds. So, of course, I panicked, hurried down the train and caught him as he emerged from the cabin. I explained our predicament and expected we'd need to pay a penalty fare or something for travelling without a ticket (I have no idea if this is true, but we were using local ranger called a Kangaroo which is valid on a small number of local train services, just not this one). This guy was unfazed though, just smiled and said the first stop is Langley Mill, to go sit down, he would be with us shortly. When he caught up, he sat down, told us when we would get into LGM and when the next train was back to NOT (fairly soon afterwards) and directions to the opposite platform.

So we got off the train, made our way down and under the station to the opposite platform. I ran up the other side to see the return service waiting - and my mum struggling up the stairs behind me. The driver of the 18.40 LGM - NOT had his window open and I quickly explained my parents were coming up slowly - he quickly said he could hold the train for a minute or so without being late into NOT and waved at his guard (which is a short story in itself - the guard thought the driver was giving him the finger! ). We made it onto the train. Again, the guard on this service was kind and really helpful when we explained we'd caught the wrong train. We made it back to Nottingham no poorer and eventually back home on the following Matloc service, only an hour later than we intended.

I guess I'm just grateful that each staff member was helpful and understanding - each could have chosen to be otherwise, and made our mistake really unpleasant and/or long. I'm wary of writing to NR in case the driver is reprimanded for "unnecessarily" holding a train, so I'm hoping that this message will be seen by at least one of the four gentlemen that assisted us today. If not, no matter; I'd like to think enough rail staff read this forum that can pass on the message, or that have or would have done something similar, so I'm grateful for you too.

Thanks.

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm glad to hear that you've had such a positive experience (and I hope your mum is feeling better!). I also hope that you're going to write to EMT and Northern to let them know about their staff's good customer service

 

[Clip]

Good to hear that everything worked out for you in the end and as ainsworth74 said remember to send in a letter to both TOCs praising their staff

 

[185143]

Definitely write into both TOCs. Too many people complain when it goes wrong but never praise when something out of the ordinary happens. (I'm not saying I'm not guilty of this at times and I know I'm not the only one on here to say that!)

That said, it is ultimately up to the guard. If the guard had decided to shut up and give two on the buzzer, that would have been that.

 

[Mellchie]

In which case I shall. I didn't want to get anyone into trouble because they'd done me a good deed!

Thanks folks

 

[bb21]

I tend to tweet the train companies when I think a member of staff deserves praise. If I felt that expanding on exactly what they did might get them into trouble, I would be a bit vague and simply comment on them being "helpful" or whatever adjective I might find more appropriate. It is easier on twitter as you have a character limit so not going into too much details is quite understandable.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

It's great to hear your story. This forum is so full of anti-rail criticism that normal experience of good service just gets overlooked.

I guess I'm just grateful that each staff member was helpful and understanding - each could have chosen to be otherwise, . . . . .

To put your experience in the context of one of my own there was one occasion following my mistake about a set of keys which were in Newcastle, on a day when I'd gone to London, and which involved eleven members of East Coast staff being asked to do something just a little bit more supportive of passengers than necessary (and mostly asked by someone who wasn't even a passenger!). If any one of them had declined to do any more than was strictly required of them, I wouldn't have got home that night. But all eleven of them heard the request for help, and gave it willingly.

Thanks again for your report of your experience. It helps to put some of the negativity in context.

 

[ian1944]

Only slightly rail-related, but similar in principle. A local bus broke down near the garage and as a result I would have missed a connecting train, the station being too far away to walk in the time. When I mentioned this to the driver, just commenting on the inconvenience rather than expecting a solution, he said that he'd drive me to the station and did so. Naturally I thanked him but wondered if this could be against his terms of employment (absenting himself from his place of work without permission), so had a discreet word with the garage supervisor without being specific. On his assurance that there was no problem, I then wrote to head office in appreciation, naming the gentleman, and in due course got an appreciative reply.

 

[222007]

So nice to see a positive story. I personally always say if theres a problem come and speak to me there might be something i can do to help. At the end of the day i might need someones help in future and a little bit of compassion does no one no harm.

 

[Mellchie]

Your twitter suggestion was a good idea bb21, have contacted Northern and EMT through there.

Glad to see my post has brought out a few (much more succinct!) anecdotes, helps restore my faith in humanity! I normally have lits of little niggling complaints about rail companies that aren't worth moaning about, so it was nice to have a positive experience.

 

[ainsworth74]

I think my favourite instance of staff doing something a bit beyond that I've witnessed was on a HST down to Penzance in the evening whilst I was on my way to catch the Sleeper back up to London. It was a horrible day with plenty of wind and showers of rain around.

On the outskirts of St Austell we hit a deer. Now nobody on board actually noticed this because we continued on into the station as normal it wasn't until the TM came on the PA to announce that we'd hit a deer and this had caused damaged to the HSTs power car and we were leaking fuel. In classic fashion cue much sighing from passengers all around.

However not very much later the TM came back on the PA to inform us that the driver had fixed the fuel leak and once he'd cleaned himself up we'd be back on our way. A few moments later a guy in what was once an orange hi-viz appears by the windows (I was in the coach behind the power car) and he is covered from hear to toe in black oil and dirt. The TM then appears carrying what appears to be one of the towels from a toilet and some bottles of water and they try and clean him up.

Eventually we end up leaving St Austell just twenty minute late. And by the time we arrived in Penzance we were only a bit over ten late. T'was tremendous work from the driver in what must have been horrible conditions (especially as the light was also fading fast).

 

[misterredmist]

Yes , well done to the Staff for helping to solve your predicament, and I'm pleased all worked out well for you and you Folks

 

[Clip]

Yes , well done to the Staff for helping to solve your predicament, and I'm pleased all worked out well for you and you Folks

As dave has said above its always good to read on forums and through the social media of staff doing their jobs well and going above what is required as theres too much negativity about the railways and those tend to be more vocal than those who get a good service(most of our praises are by letter) so thanks once again and glad you got in touch with both TOCs on this.