What am I, psychic...?

[SouthEastern-465]

Expecting a uniformed railway employee to know what's going on with the railway? How unreasonable.

In John Lewis (which sets the standard for customer service) the employee would make an effort to find out what the problem was and not simply say "I'm very sorry but I can't help".

No wonder the general public hold the railways and their employees in such low esteem.

Well John Lewis and railway staff work completely diffrent in the way they do things as there totally diffrent types of job if you didn't know I thought I might just let you.

If the driver has just arrived with the train, how was he going to know what problems have just happened, he might find out later, but hes not going to know straight away after getting out the cab there and than on the spot?

 

[island]

I listen politely to their story about the rail-card being in their other wallets

How many people genuinely have multiple wallets on the go? :roll:

 

[ainsworth74]

How many people genuinely have multiple wallets on the go?

I do! Though I only have one that I use everyday and besides I don't keep my railcard in my wallet until I'm actually going out on the rails otherwise I keep it separate.

 

[YorkshireBear]

I do! Though I only have one that I use everyday and besides I don't keep my railcard in my wallet until I'm actually going out on the rails otherwise I keep it separate.

I take the opposite view my railcard is always in my wallet. If im catching a train i need money, if i need money i need my wallet, if im catching a train i need my railcard (and SYorks pass), they are in my wallet, so i never forget it
only took once when i was going long distance so i needed it for me to learn that lesson.

I have occasionally got on diferent trains to what my AP ticket says but i always ask guard first. It's usually when ive been very safe booking it and got there hour or more early.

 

[Seacook]

Another popular one being line closures, particularly those due to fatalities..."Well how long's it going to be before the line reopens?"

Sorry, I'm not psychic...Depends on all sorts of factors including the location, how badly the train's damaged, where the remains are, which police force is involved, etc, etc

Cheers,

Barry

That reminds me of a story from the 70s. Alf Ramsey was a guest in the commentary booth at a foopball game when the power failed and all the lights went out. The commentator then asked Ramsey how long it would take before the game could restart and got the simple but accurate answer "I am not an electrician". That's a lot more restraint than I would have shown.

 

[Rugd1022]

I get it all the time when I'm travelling pass, even though there's a 'Freightliner' logo on my bright orange kit bag. When I was conducting HSTs over the Chilterns last Christmas I was stood by the departure board on the lawn at Paddington several times and was frequently asked 'Which platform for the Southall / Bristol / Swansea train mate?' or 'Do you work here?'.... I just politely pointed at the screen above and told them to keep an eye on it, which was often met with a reluctant grunt and the odd 'disgusted' frown, usually from very well dressed younger folk looking down their noses at me (I'm only four foot twelve and a bit). I think they just see the orange hi-viz and not the company name sometimes. Before anyone dives in with an anti railway staff jibe, I'd add that I don't have an attitude towards paying passengers but politeness does / should work both ways. Buying a ticket to travel doesn't entitle anyone to act like Lord and Lady muck - we all want to get home!

Way back when I actually worked trains into Padd as a secondman, on arrival at the stops we'd often get a tap on the window and get asked where the empty stock we'd just brought up from Old Oak was going to or stopping at, luckily in those days we were issued with the carriage working books which helped no end.

OP - you can't win sometimes can you...

 

[Minilad]

I arrived at Reading one afternoon on a terminator (platform 7)
I got out the cab and a man came up to me, off my train, and said
Man: What Platform for Slough
Me: Sorry I have just got off this train and I don't know but if you see the platform staff (pointed him out) he will tell you
Man: How come you don't know, you work on the railway don't you
Me: Where do you work sir
Man: Nat West Bank
Me: How much do I have in my account
Man: How the hell should I know
Me: Well you work in a bank don't you

 

[Captain Chaos]

Often when something has gone wrong at Reading I will always be bombarded with questions as to what is happening and how long it will take. Normally not a problem. But it is a problem when I have just arrived on a train from Newbury on my way into work and haven't even started yet! I haven't even booked on! The first I knew of anything is when you came up and told me! They know more than I do!

 

[YorkshireBear]

I arrived at Reading one afternoon on a terminator (platform 7)
I got out the cab and a man came up to me, off my train, and said
Man: What Platform for Slough
Me: Sorry I have just got off this train and I don't know but if you see the platform staff (pointed him out) he will tell you
Man: How come you don't know, you work on the railway don't you
Me: Where do you work sir
Man: Nat West Bank
Me: How much do I have in my account
Man: How the hell should I know
Me: Well you work in a bank don't you

Can i ask his response? if you did say this i cant tell whether you just think this would be funny or not.

 

[Minilad]

Can i ask his response? if you did say this i cant tell whether you just think this would be funny or not.

His response wasn't forum friendly !!
Lets just say a few expletives were aimed in my direction

 

[YorkshireBear]

His response wasn't forum friendly !!
Lets just say a few expletives were aimed in my direction

oh dear although it was a fair response.....

 

[Minilad]

I never turn away a passenger who asks a question. If I don't know the answer I will point them in the direction of someone who can give them the answer. If they then refuse that help they will be treated differently. If they give it all Billy Big Balls they will be treated very differently !!

 

[LE Greys]

I'll admit I've probably asked plenty of silly questions on my travels, usually comes from not knowing the area. Things like: "Excuse me, how can I get to [insert hotel/eatery/tourist attraction/viewpoint for steam special/etc]?" Then there have been plenty about "What time is [insert loco name/train title] coming through?". There have also been odd things about local railway history (generally asked of older staff in the hope that they have worked there for years and might just know the answer). Strangest was "Where do people go to see the Red Kites?" (this was in the Chilterns somewhere). If I get an answer, then good. If it's "I don't know." then that is usually followed by "Do you know anyone who might?". Anyway, it's always best to say "Thank you" at the end. After all, you never know when you will be passing through again.

Hope I haven't annoyed anyone.

 

[Minilad]

It's not so much the silly question. One persons Silly question is another persons valid question. It is the way they are asked and the response you get having answered to the best of your ability

 

[O L Leigh]

Expecting a uniformed railway employee to know what's going on with the railway? How unreasonable.

In John Lewis (which sets the standard for customer service) the employee would make an effort to find out what the problem was and not simply say "I'm very sorry but I can't help".

No wonder the general public hold the railways and their employees in such low esteem.

You think...?

Well, I suppose I could have just grunted "dunno" and skulked off to the messroom leaving him standing there. As it was I explained that I didn't know and why, and directed him towards two sources of information that he was not prepared to take advantage of. He'd already got the advantage over me by even knowing that there were problems with the trains. Not sure there's much I could have done anyway without delaying my next working.

As it happened I had no problems hearing or understanding the station PA announcements when they were made, but by that time the chap had already swanned off. If he'd waited I could have interpreted them for him.

O L Leigh

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I arrived at Reading one afternoon on a terminator (platform 7)
I got out the cab and a man came up to me, off my train, and said
Man: What Platform for Slough
Me: Sorry I have just got off this train and I don't know but if you see the platform staff (pointed him out) he will tell you
Man: How come you don't know, you work on the railway don't you
Me: Where do you work sir
Man: Nat West Bank
Me: How much do I have in my account
Man: How the hell should I know
Me: Well you work in a bank don't you

Good reply bet he was speechless!

 

[starrymarkb]

I once got someone to storm out of Halfords.

"Can you tell me where the baby seats are?"
"I'm sorry, I don't have the foggiest."

They then gave an audible "Harrumph", and stormed out, presumably muttering under their breath about useless staff.

I don't work there. I've never worked there. I wasn't even dressed like a Halfords employee. I was only in there buying some wiper blades.

I had that yesterday - was looking a bike gear when I was asked a question by a punter.

Used to get it a lot in Solo or Martian in my younger days, longer hair and band shirts meant I must have looked like someone who worked there! (The Bandshirts remain, the hair doesn't!)

 

[tony_mac]

but there is often a problem getting information.

A train may not be running - it may be the last train of the night. Somebody, somewhere knows why that train is not running, where it is, and what plans they have to get a service running (even if those plans are still being formed).

However, that information doesn't get to the passengers waiting for that train, who may (if they are lucky) hear an announcement that the train will be delayed.

They can ask the information point, who will look up on their computer which says 'the train hasn't departed', and that's all the information they get. They can ring up National Rail Enquiries, who will say 'the train hasn't departed', and have no more information.
The only thing left to try is the uniformed man at the station, if they are lucky enough to find one, and he just says 'I don't know, have you tried the information point?' and won't attempt to contact somebody who might know.

And nobody can see why that might be frustrating?

 

[EM2]

My friend Tara works in M&S at Liverpool Street. I met her for lunch one day and as we were walking through the station and out to a pub, someone asked her, 'Do you work here?'. My friend got as far as 'Yes, but not for...' before the person let fly with a stream of questions about fares, platforms and restrictions.
When they finished, my friend said 'I have absolutely no idea.'
'Well, why not? You said you work here!'
Now, Tara does not suffer fools gladly and said very slowly and deliberately, 'What does it say on my shirt and my badge?'
'Er...M&S'
'If you'd let me finish I was going to say '...but not for the railway. I work for Marks & Spencer. Well?'
'Um...Er...'
'Bugger off!' and so away scurried a very embarrassed passenger

 

[Nonsense]

My friend Tara works in M&S at Liverpool Street. I met her for lunch one day and as we were walking through the station and out to a pub, someone asked her, 'Do you work here?'. My friend got as far as 'Yes, but not for...' before the person let fly with a stream of questions about fares, platforms and restrictions.
When they finished, my friend said 'I have absolutely no idea.'
'Well, why not? You said you work here!'
Now, Tara does not suffer fools gladly and said very slowly and deliberately, 'What does it say on my shirt and my badge?'
'Er...M&S'
'If you'd let me finish I was going to say '...but not for the railway. I work for Marks & Spencer. Well?'
'Um...Er...'
'Bugger off!' and so away scurried a very embarrassed passenger

Classy. Your friend is wasted in retail.

 

[Flamingo]

Best question I've been asked so far (and I'm including various Yanks asking me if this is the Bakerloo line when I'm standing beside a HST on Platform 8 in Paddington) is the numpty who asked me, on the platform in Cardiff Central, "When I get to Oxford, what number bus do I need to get to XXXX?"

I replied "I don't know, ask at Oxford station". I resisted the temptation to say "3A"

I know some of you will say I should have found out for him, but, seriously, how the hell am I supposed to?

 

[strange6]

I sometimes go on the train in a high-viz when going to places that require it for work and you wouldn't believe how many people stop me and ask questions. Luckily, I know the answers to most of them but even with my yellow high-viz on, I don't look like a railway employee (except if I have my white shirt and grey trousers on perhaps - like the 'First' people)! Good fun though

 

[O L Leigh]

My friend Tara works in M&S at Liverpool Street.

Is that in the West Mall near the Broadgate entrance or the one on the mezzanine?

O L Leigh

 

[EM2]

Is that in the West Mall near the Broadgate entrance or the one on the mezzanine?

O L Leigh

On the mezz. To be strictly accurate, I should say 'worked' as she left last week.

 

[Polarbear]

In BR days, IC services did not run into Scotland on New Years' day, and finished quite early on New Years Eve.

In my early 20's, I was at Crewe one New Years Eve when I was approached by a chap wanting to get to Glasgow. Trying to be helpful, I tried telling him in as gentle terms as possible that he'd missed the last train & that he wasn't going to get beyond Carlisle by train until Jan 2 the following year!

Cue a string of expletives & cussing about how usless railway employees were & that it was all "my" fault. I then informed him that I couldn't help him any further as I worked for the Inland Revenue & not the railway.

That seemed to shut him up!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

How many people genuinely have multiple wallets on the go? :roll:

You've just saved me £200!

I'm trying to get used to this 'one wallet' lifestyle.
Anyway, I'm doing Newcastle - London and back tomorrow and know exactly where my tickets are - so that when I get up in the small hours of the morning I'll just scoop up everything that I've left out (keys, tix, etc). No problem.

Er.
I've just checked. And . . . aaarrrgh, my wallet (with Railcard) isn't there!
Oh, yes, I remember now, I had to use another card in the wallet in the supermarket earlier (food, domestic stuff, wine, the usual). Perhaps the wallet will be in one of the Tesco bags in the kitchen, maybe?

I go and search (thanks to this post and nothing else).
It was there. But I wouldn't have looked if it wasn't for your post!!!
(Guards on here: please consider that sometimes, just SOMEtimes, excuses could be genuine - I've already had one Advance knocked up to a replacement walk-up KGX - NCL in the past month due to a similar trivial oversight. We're not all trying to take some perverse advantage from a finance-department's poorly-thought strategy for demand management (i.e. Advance tickets).
Some of us might simply forget that we put our one wallet in the Tesco carrier-bag the night before the early morning train.

 

[LE Greys]

More to do with the fact that modern life gives us so many cards. I've just checked my spare wallet, and it contains several expired society membership cards, my old student card, an EHIC, my BA Executive Club card (yes, I do fly sometimes) and an old Co-op card that I never get the chance to use down south. Oh yes, and some old library cards and my Aberdeen photocopier card. Thank God for Railcard wallets, somewhere to keep both card and tickets.

 

[Ferret]

You've just saved me £200!

I'm trying to get used to this 'one wallet' lifestyle.
Anyway, I'm doing Newcastle - London and back tomorrow and know exactly where my tickets are - so that when I get up in the small hours of the morning I'll just scoop up everything that I've left out (keys, tix, etc). No problem.

Er.
I've just checked. And . . . aaarrrgh, my wallet (with Railcard) isn't there!
Oh, yes, I remember now, I had to use another card in the wallet in the supermarket earlier (food, domestic stuff, wine, the usual). Perhaps the wallet will be in one of the Tesco bags in the kitchen, maybe?

I go and search (thanks to this post and nothing else).
It was there. But I wouldn't have looked if it wasn't for your post!!!
(Guards on here: please consider that sometimes, just SOMEtimes, excuses could be genuine - I've already had one Advance knocked up to a replacement walk-up KGX - NCL in the past month due to a similar trivial oversight. We're not all trying to take some perverse advantage from a finance-department's poorly-thought strategy for demand management (i.e. Advance tickets).
Some of us might simply forget that we put our one wallet in the Tesco carrier-bag the night before the early morning train.

The part I hate about the job sometimes - you know that some people have just genuinely fouled up rather than trying anything malicious, but your scope for discretion is limited! Mind you, I must be going soft in my old age - young girl today with a railcard 1 day out of date. I couldn't bring myself to ching the poor lass for a new ticket!

 

[YorkshireBear]

The part I hate about the job sometimes - you know that some people have just genuinely fouled up rather than trying anything malicious, but your scope for discretion is limited! Mind you, I must be going soft in my old age - young girl today with a railcard 1 day out of date. I couldn't bring myself to ching the poor lass for a new ticket!

i did that the other week i just completely forgot to renew it, went to keighley on the saturday morning then returned sunday evening, it expired saturday. When the guard called me up on it i just got money out to pay full fare and apologised and tried to make it clear i wasnt pulling a fast one. He had put in the ticket details but decided to let me off. As i had offered to pay the fare straight away, which i guess in his eyes proved that i wasnt trying to scam the system, so.... needless to say i went to station as soon as i got off train and renewed.

 

[t0ffeeman]

Had the Oxford one plenty of times at Euston. Why they can't say Circus or Street after it is beyond me and I really do not know which one they want. So I direct them to Paddington every time.