[canucklad]

Firstly feel free to suggest a new topic title , if you feel I’m being a bit over dramatic

I delayed writing this , until I got an official reply from my letter to Northern Rails Managing Director

On my recent trip to HKG, I used CX’s service from MAN. Me and my mate decided to stay overnight at the Crowne Plaza (highly recommended) rather than risk flying down on the same morning we trained down from Edinburgh to the airport station. We then decided to head into Manchester for a few drinks/live music.

Got to the airport train station and being good citizens pre-purchased off-peak return tickets for Piccadilly @ £3.20 each from the self -service machine..
Checked the departure board and hopped on the next train for the short 10 minute journey to Piccadilly.
Took our seat, heard a mumbled announcement and off we headed for our night out!
Moments later, our conductor seemed to be harassing passengers for payment, even though they were producing their pink little BR type tickets. At no point, did I think we would fall foul of his interrogation …..Alas, I was wrong !!
The machine spews out TPE only tickets !!
As a result, we had no choice but to pay £ 5.20 single each, or fall foul of the law!!

In my letter to Northern’s managing director I pointed out that if an experienced UK rail user falls foul of this confusing system what hope in hell do newly arrived visitors to the UK have have !!
And more importantly, surely it’s incumbent on a transport company to make a great first impression of Great Britain.

The country of Shakespeare, Bronte, wellington and others should not impose another one of our historical characters on our new friends …aka Dirk Turpin !!!

His simple answer …….Thank you for you feedback —-Blah,blah, blah —–more corporate mumbo jumbio , and then —–cut to the chase
You were using an invalid ticket !! Nothing about how I or anybody else is expected to buy a valid Northern ticket easily !!

as we move towards Brexit, surely it’s the responsibility of all service providers to up their game and make Britain a Great place to visit!!

[FDOS_UK]

Checked the departure board and hopped on the next train for the short 10 minute journey to Piccadilly.

You were obviously charged a premium for the Concorde of rail, as TPE trains take 15-20 mins to get to Piccadilly 😉

[capetonianm]

When I read the title of this posting, I thought it was going to be about the current spate of robberies and holdups in and around London where people are attacked by little thugs (I am being polite) on motor scooters. Since it’s not, I’ll return to topic.

A couple of years ago I had a ticket from Chester to St. Albans via Milton Keynes and Watford. The VT service from Chester to MK was about 30 minutes late, so I missed my connection and simply got onto the next train – as you would. Along comes a worthless pathetic specimen of subhumanity, Mr. Officious Obnoxious Jobsworth ticket inspector, to whom I handed my ticket. He reacted as if he had caught me nicking the Crown Jewels, pompously telling me that I was travelling without a valid travel authority and subject to a penalty and a new full fare ticket. I told him I was not prepared to pay and he told me I would be sent a penalty notice and if I didn’t pay I’d go to court ……. so I said “see you in court, and by the way I’ll tell you where you can send the penalty notice”.

He called me ‘mate’, which I detest, and told me that he didn’t have to take abuse from the public, which somewhat took me aback since I hadn’t been abusive, he clearly didn’t know what the word meant, and I told him that he could send the ticket to VT as it was their fault I was not travelling on the train as booked, or he could have me arrested by the British Transport Police at Watford.

Like most bullies, when you stand up to them, he backed off, muttering : “I ‘aven’t got the time to argue wiv you.”

The huge majority of these people are pleasant and reasonable, but when you get one such as the above ……….. well …. I don’t want to invoke Godwin’s Law.

[nevereconomy]

Never any of this kind of nonsense in the good old British Railways days…

[LuganoPirate]

[quote quote=869639]Never any of this kind of nonsense in the good old British Railways days…[/quote]

Fully agree Nevereconomy.

As to Godwin’s law, never came across that one before so I Googled it. Interesting.
To quote “A term that originated on Usenet, Godwin’s Law states that as an online argument grows longer and more heated, it becomes increasingly likely that somebody will bring up Adolf Hitler or the Nazis. When such an event occurs, the person guilty of invoking Godwin’s Law has effectively forfeited the argument”.

[Flightlevel]

Rail travel in the UK has always been crooked since privatisation years ago.
Latest government idea (of 250 previous that were never actioned!) is simple tickets that are the same for all and so that a long distance ticket on several companies adds up to the same as buying several shorter tickets – its more costly now!
The same idea would have all tickets on the same route at the same fare – doubt it will ever come to fruition – the previous 250 government plans didn’t!
Godwins Law is true for most long arguements,online or not?

[Author]

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