Signalling Problems at Filton caused by Cable Theft 07/01.

[whole diary]

[RA]

The signalling system between Filton and Bristol Temple Meads has been affected since approximately 21:30 on Monday. Cause now confirmed as cable theft between Narroways Hill Junction and Filton Abbey Wood. Expect disruption on Tuesday morning.

[bobm]

Cross Country Services diverted via Swindon and Kemble.

Currently not possible to get IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) sets off Stoke Gifford depot.

Trains unable to run between Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester or Newport.

[froome]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website has said there are 'Minor Disruptions' all the time so far. Not sure I would describe today's disruptions as 'minor'! Especially as it also advises people not to travel unless absolutely necessary and that today's tickets will be accepted for travel tomorrow.

I'm hoping the latter is true, as I was due to travel earlier this morning but am now thinking of postponing my journey until tomorrow.

[froome]

Well I did postpone my journey and made it yesterday, and all train managers were very happy to accept the previous day's tickets, so no problems there (which was a relief).

However, on my return journey I also had a Revenue Inspector (if that is the correct term) who didn't appear to know that there had been cancellations the previous day or that it had been stated that tickets were transferable to the next day, and at one point it felt to me that he was going to issue me a penalty fare. Fortunately I had got my tickets stamped at Bath Spa station the previous day after the cancellations, and although that wasn't needed AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know), it seems to me that it was these stamps that convinced him not to issue a penalty fare.

Surely Revenue Inspectors should know about previous cancellations leading to tickets being allowed to be used the next day?

[grahame]

Surely Revenue Inspectors should know about previous cancellations leading to tickets being allowed to be used the next day?

They should ...

There's an issue with any such roles as revenue protection inspectors (RPIs^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context))) that they get to spend such a high proportion of their time dealing with their target group that they tend to assume that any "Joe Public" they approach who has a situation that isn't 110% standard is one of that group.   I recall previous issues here of people being asked rather strongly to move out of first class because they fitted (at a glance) a profile that doesn't usually travel first ... that even before a ticket check!

Not unique to RPIs - my wife's former partner was a cop ... and his modus operandii was (and probably still is) to treat everyone as if they're doing all sorts of things they shouldn't be doing until proven otherwise (and even then keep an eye on them ...).   Pretty poor approach to running a relationship ...