Friday's 6.55am Chippenham-Paddington was buggered again by mysterious mechanical faults (second time this week) so we all moaned, then waited for the 7.05am, which we trooped aboard much to the disgust of the incumbant passengers who've become used to a pretty sedate journey to Paddington as their train barely stops anyway on the way to town. I managed to grab a seat but by Swindon we were standing room-only and at Didcot the aisles began to fill with disgruntled commuters.
Then, between Didcot and Reading, the train manager made a rare but much welcomed announcement: "Will anyone with a railway industry rail pass sitting in standard class, including Network Rail passes, please give up their seats to paying passengers as the train is extremely crowded."
This is an announcementy I've only heard a handful of times during my two-plus years of commuting from Chippenham. I assume - and feel free to correct me if I've got this wrong - if you work for Network Rail or a train operating company, you must be able to get a rail pass that provides free rail travel as a perk of the job. And all fine, too. I'm sure most rail jobs don't pay massively well so a spot of free travel acts as an incentive and a benefit. But here's the thing that gets my goat...
The train manager made the announcement a second time: "Will anyone travelling on a rail pass in standard class please vacate their seats."
No one stood up. Not a solitary person - at least not in my carriage. And indeed, everytime I've heard this announcement made, I never seen a single person stand up to hand their free seat to a paying customer as requested.
Could it be that there was no one with a free rail pass in my carriage? Or could it be, that upon hearing their colleague's announcement, the railway staff hunkered down into their seats, pulled their hats lower and fained ignorance in order to cling onto their nice, comfy seats instead of having to stand in some freezing vestibule?
Now I'm sure being asked to vacate their seats in the middle of the morning rush hour is about as popular with rail staff as being asked to make the cringy announcement that it's happy hour prices in the buffet or when some poor female customer host has to talk about her 'breakfast baps' (no sniggering in their quiet coach!), but the reality is, if you're asked to give your seat up, THEN GIVE IT UP! It's fine for staff to have this perk, but if it's suspended by the train manager, then staff should be jumping up and making a show of offering their seats to poor, down-trodden commuters. If First Great Western wants some half decent PR, that's the way to do it.
So the next time you hear the train manager asking rail staff to give up their seats, just keep an eye out for how many people actually do as they've been asked.
11 comments:
In theory the train manager shouldn't need to make the announcement as a condition of holding a rail pass is that you will vacate your seat if the train is full. I must admit I have never seen the policy enforced by any rail operator, even when the train is standing only and all tickets are being checked. I agree though it would be a good PR exercise for First Great Western to enforce the policy at this time when the train is crowded. I suspect the majority of those holding a rail pass travelling into London don't work for Great Western.
LOL I would love to see the comment you removed.
You have been called a fair few names on this blog by testy FLW employees but it seems that you must have pushed someone over the edge.
If I were you I would be careful on the Chippenham line today. Don't go to the buffet car alone!
Well done.
Arthur, alas it wasn't me who removed the comment but the author of the comment itself, so I'm none the wiser. We shall never know its contents - good or bad.
Buffet car?? Hmm, soon if FARCE get there way, there won't be any 'buffet car' to go too....
Most (the huge majority) free passes in 1st are Network Rail, in my experience. First Group do not give free 1st class travel to many employees, most who do have them are recognisable to train-crew as they are pretty high up the food chain.
I know of one TM who claims to have gone through 1st after making a similar announcement and taken passes away from 9 pass-holders still occupying seats who refused to move.
Part of the problem is that if a train is that busy then the guard has other things to worry about than doing ticket inspections.
Forgive my anonymity. I work for Network Rail on what must be considered a derisory salary for someone with 5 years' experience, and I don't get free travel. The only people at NR who do are those carrying over their Privs from BR days. TOC staff, however, get free travel with their own company and 75% discount everywhere else.
Previous anonymous poster, you fail to mention the 75% discount is on a full standard fare. Not any discounted saver tickets which work out cheaper in some cases. Workers who hold BR Privs have to pay tax on those privs.
TOC staff only get free travel to work on their own operators services. Network Rail staff who joined the industry after privatisation pay the full public rate but can get an interest free loan. Only NR staff who are ex British Rail get priv seasons and are taxed (about #150 per year) on their priv tickets.
I receive staff travel as I was employed by BR before it was sold. I pay tax on it, quite a few hundred pounds. I could argue I am a paying passenger. When I travel while on duty, My meal break is sometimes sheduled on the train, and my company pay a fixed amount every year. So, I might suggest anyone not personaly paying the fare, stand too, how would that go down. I would give my seat up though to someone who looks as if they need it more than me, unless I'm having my grub!
Rail Pass helps me lot in getting passes for traveling by train.
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