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All across the Great Western territory / Fare's Fair / GWR & SWR trial new Android weekly season ticket.
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on: November 18, 2018, 20:33:13
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I saw a poster advertising this at Guildford today. I can't see any previous mention of it here despite it apparently starting in September. South Western Railway, in partnership with Great Western Railway, are trialing an exciting new smart ticket which will allow you to carry your season ticket on your Android™ mobile phone (sorry Apple™ users but this isn’t available for you just yet!). This will give you greater convenience, allow you to buy your ticket when you want (within 14 days of travel), with no need to queue or wait for collection.
To be part of the trial you must have a compatible Android™ phone (running 4.4 Kitkat operating system or higher with NFC and HCE functionality), a Gmail™ account and commute (starting and completing your journey) between Salisbury and Portsmouth including stations via Eastleigh and Fareham, or Woking to Portsmouth using any station along the route, and submit at least one survey. The trial will start this September, so why not get involved to help shape the future of rail ticketing.
We really want you to be involved so you will receive a £10** travel voucher for taking part. You will also be automatically entered into a draw for the chance to win an annual season ticket (worth up to £4,612*). You’ve got a great chance of winning as our trial will be limited to only 200 participants and selected trialists will receive a Samsung Galaxy S8 to use for the trail and to keep afterwards! |
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574
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Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: South Western Railway unveils refurbished carriages
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on: November 15, 2018, 21:21:16
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Of course the minibuffets were hardly ever used, ever since new. Sometimes used in the morning peak by the trolley person if the train was busy.
I wouldn’t consider this removal in quite the same way as GWR▸ ’s change from HST▸ to IET▸ ...
Paul
I used to use long distance services about 6 times a year when SWT▸ gave away free tickets for season ticket holders. Sometimes I would pass the buffet and in those 8 years I have never seen the shutters up and the buffet open. So I can't miss something I have never used. I would normally pop in to a shop near the station and buy beer or cider and crisps before I got on the train. (On my return journey! - Mornings would be a Cappuccino and a sausage roll or panini). |
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575
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Journey by Journey / South Western services / Re: South Western Railway unveils refurbished carriages
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on: November 14, 2018, 21:36:44
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I remember when FGW▸ trains were re-liveried into GWR▸ and the slow pace that took. The transition from SWT▸ livery into SWR» seems even slower. I very rarely see the new design that was introduced over a year ago. I know that SWR don't want to keep the suburban trains that I use daily but most of the fleet they do want to keep is still in Stagecoach colours.
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576
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Journey by Journey / South Western services / South Western Railway unveils refurbished carriages
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on: November 13, 2018, 22:02:06
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From ITV meridianNew refurbished train carriages have been unveiled by South Western Railway, albeit amid delays, as part of a £110 million upgrade.
The company's biggest ever upgrade aims to ease overcrowding on what is the busiest rail network in Europe.
£100,000 a carriage is being spent on new seats, carpets, power sockets and better information.
Around 5,000 more standard class seats are being added on 1,000 carriages used across the network.
On the fleet of long distance trains, the guards and buffet area has been removed, and first class is smaller to allow for extra seats to ease overcrowding.
The project is creating 200 new jobs in Eastleigh where the work is being carried out.
The ongoing refurbishment will continue over the next six months. The ITV link also contains a video report. A source at ITV tells me that their news stories don't always stay online for long. More photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/40172673@N03/30876744837/in/photostream/ Use the right arrow next to each photo to see more |
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577
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Defective on-train PA systems
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on: November 13, 2018, 21:28:32
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I've often wondered - how easy is it for the driver (or conductor?) to get the automated PA▸ back in sync when it's announcing the wrong stations? Presumably they are just as aware as most of the regular passengers it's gone wrong?
On my journey from Euston to Milton Keynes on Saturday (final stop Birmingham), it took until Bletchley for the automated PA and display to stop saying that the next stop was London Euston our final stop. It was then reset to announce the correct calling pattern. On SWT▸ / SWR» I have often heard announcements telling me that the next station is the one we had left 5 minutes earlier. Normally a manual announcement afterwards by the guard and throughout the journey to say the auto announcer is wrong, so I'm guessing some PA's are easier to reset mid journey than others. |
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580
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Stations with ... photo booths
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on: November 07, 2018, 21:40:10
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The photocard with my annual rail ticket is one I had done 14 years ago - just about still going
My photocard is about the same age but sadly will need replacing upon renewal next month. My photo is now very blurry, the consequence perhaps of it being in my back pocket most of the time and getting sweaty. If I am ever offered a smartcard to replace my paper ticket I fear I will snap it just by sitting on it. |
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581
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All across the Great Western territory / Across the West / Re: Stations with ... photo booths
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on: November 06, 2018, 22:18:18
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I took my photo for a rail photocard at home. Handheld digital camera whilst stood against a magnolia background. Cropped to head and shoulders and compiled on my computer a contact sheet of the correct passport sized dimensions, then printed onto cheap gloss paper. Admittedly you do need those elements to hand. I just happened to have them at the time I got my first Season Ticket.
You don't need to comply rigidly with passport rules for a rail photocard.
As for photo booths. Many branches of Boots, even relatively small ones have one. Boots in Clifton Down Shopping Centre next to the station has one. Many Post Offices also have them, as do major supermarkets.
I tried that for my latest passport. I took several photos and had to reject all of them because the lighting in my home with or without flash was not good enough. Every photo against a white-ish background had a shadow which the passport office will not accept. Eventually I ended up popping to Boots and using one of the new digital photo booths that gives you a code to transmit your photos to the passport office with your renewal application. I think it cost £6 Incidentally I quite like Burgundy coloured passports.  |
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583
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All across the Great Western territory / Fare's Fair / Re: Can I/should I claim compensation?
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on: November 01, 2018, 21:34:28
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Sorry, yes it was an ticket to London zone 3. The train I travelled on got cancelled at Reading so I think I will chuck a claim in.
If you were travelling to London City Airport, shouldn't your destination be London Zones 1 - 3? Although City Airport is in zone 3, I can't see an easy way of completely avoiding zones 1 and 2 to get there. I'm not completely sure what the final destination should be, but I am sure that it should include zone 1.
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