That's because you didn't have a guard, you had a manager "guard".  And although they can be trained to work a train in 2 days, ticketing seems beyond that fast-tracking capability. 
TEs are off on strike too, which leaves RPIs^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) and any ticket trained managers who might be about.

Tara Street!

3. Liskeard

Looking at @FGW^▸ (First Great Western) twitter feed, they are saying:

If your booked train IS running, you MUST get that train.
If your booked train is NOT running, you can only travel on the PRECEDING or PROCEEDING train.
If your journey involves a line that is closed you can travel on the DAY AFTER the strike has FINISHED (Tuesday).

So, no flexibility at all really,

Marauding Active Shooter (MAS) training (abridged version).

Good practice for coping with a MAS situation: if you are in the immediate vicinity of the shooter/s be aware of your environment, note the nearest exit and make your way to it; if in an office stay there and close/lock door; if in a corridor, enter a room and close/lock door.

Under effective gun fire: take cover behind something, try to leave the area

Nearby gunfire: leave the area

Evacuation:  be aware of the location and direction of the threat, evacuate away from the danger.  Leave belongings behind, evacuate even if other don't agree to follow, prevent others from entering area, do not move injured people, call 999, do not congregate at RVPs

Inevacuation: if evacuation is not possible, hide out of view, lock the door and blockade if possible, turn off mobile phone/pager, unplug landlines/TV/radio, stay quiet.

Remain calm, stay low, don't make sudden movements.

DO NOT TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE MAS.

When the police arrive, remain calm and follow their instructions

"The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) railway is shit, they never have these problems abroad..."

And the follow on is that people deem there is no obligation to ever buy a ticket.

So, if you have AP tickets that include travelling on the listed lines, you can travel the following day after the strike, but on lines that will be "normally operated", you can only travel on the train before or after your booked train - but that is only an "ask".

St James Park is currently being repainted to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) green.

As you did it on a Sunday, you could have got a Dartmoor Rover, which this year includes all Devon FGW^▸ (First Great Western) rail services (so excluding XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) and SWT^▸ (South West Trains)) as well as certain buses, again for ^10 non discounted.

And to add, the Devon [Evening] Rover drops to ^5 non discounted after 18.00 (^3.30 discounted).

Not all staff will receive the uniform by September, some may be as late as February.

The journalist forgot to type the word 'not'?

or, TSSA members - Bloody hell, I could lose my bonus and chance of promotion with this!

What's that saying?
"You can't please all of the people..."

But the most vocal get what the most vocal want.

Isn't this what YOU have all wanted?  FGW^▸ (First Great Western) complaints and surveys show that:

- you want more standard capacity, so first class capacity has been taken away
- you want to be served in your seat, so buffets have been taken away
- you want the train to run during disruption, so the requirement for a guard has been taken away
- you want first class exclusivity upheld, so the train manager has been told his priority is the first class coaches at the expense of standard