FGW to "refresh" First Class

[whole diary]

[Btline]

It won't happen, as I've said before. First Class passengers won't want a longer walk!

[JayMac]

First Class passengers seem to cope okay with 'long' walks at places like Gloucester (nearly 1/4 mile from the booking office), Swansea, Penzance, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Glasgow Central.....

Is there any reason other than convenience to London boarding customers that 1st Class is most often at the buffer stops end of London termini?

[Btline]

Most people on these trains are travelling to London. So yes.

[Umberleigh]

3) Enforce First Class. Sorry, but too many train crew look the other way. It's not rocket science. My suspicion is that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are too anxious to collect surcharges from Standard passengers with the wrong ticket, rather than focus on this issue. Quite frankly, on almost every EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) departure I've travelled on, if you could get past the barriers on the platform* then you could enjoy a free FC^‡(resolve) journey to Taunton - the tickets are almost never checked.

In my 20 odd years of regular travelling (but not commuting) with BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))/FGW between Paddington and the far West I cannot recall a journey where my ticket has NOT been checked after departure from Paddington.  Yesterday (Saturday 24/03) I travelled up and back to Paddington and my ticket was checked three times on the way up and twice on the way down as well as at the barriers at Paddington.  Indeed on the Down journey (1706 from Paddington) the conductor checked the tickets of those that boarded in First Class after every station departure (as far as Plymouth where I alighted)

Hi, forgive me, I was alluding to the journey from Exeter up to London. On occasions, the first ticket check has been as late as Castle Cary

[EBrown]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have tweeted one of the "refreshed" areas:

First Class customers will now be offered complimentary therapeutic massage in Paddington lounge from 1-5 Tuesdays & 3-7 Thursdays. 

[broadgage]

I know its been discussed before but I'm all for turning First Class to the front at Paddington.  On the occasions this has happended to me its been a delight (and I don't mind the stroll down the Platform, indeed now the Hot and Cold is the best way to exit east it would be great, oh and I'd be the first off the platform and out of the car park at my home station as well ).

I would prefer First at the country end, but it would seem that I am in a minority regarding this.
Many first class ticket holders feel strongly about the extra walking involved at Paddington, but ignore the shorter walk that would result at other stations.

The absence of latecomers, with rucksacks, dogs, baby carriages and screaming infants walking through First would in my view be worth a longer walk.


It is certainly a welcome change if the train is the wrong way round.

[mjones]

It would also make life easier at Reading while trains are stopped at the country end of Platform 7 during the reconstruction, reducing the need for standard class travelers to board in the first class coaches.

[Southern Stag]

The main problem at Reading is that passengers don't listen to announcements and don't read the signs. It's quite clear where standard class will be but most people still wait outside the Pumpkin Cafe until their train arrives before running up the platform or just piling in to First Class.

[mjones]

The main problem at Reading is that passengers don't listen to announcements and don't read the signs. It's quite clear where standard class will be but most people still wait outside the Pumpkin Cafe until their train arrives before running up the platform or just piling in to First Class.

Well lots of people do wait in the right place, there are always plenty of other people with me up a the ABC end of the train when I'm there. But that doesn't exactly help with the very common situation of being in a rush to get to the train having just arrived at platforms 4 to 6 or from the footbridge. But hey, it's much easier just to blame those silly passengers again isn't it. Fancy people not noticing every single one of the plethora of signs places you see on a rail journey, especially when trying to find your way round a very crowded station and focusing on not missing your train.

[Southern Stag]

Every time I've been at Reading there are still a large number of passengers waiting by the first class area, and it's not just the signs, there are manual announcements before most trains arrive that standard class will be at the far end of the platform.

[johoare]

Some of the platforms are very long though (for example the first one you get to without going up any stairs (sorry can't remember the new numbers.. I'd guess at 7 if I had to guess)... It's not obvious where the train is going to stop there (well to me at least) so not easy to gauge where the carriage you're booked in is.. Which might explain people standing in the wrong place...

[Southern Stag]

That platform, which is 7, is the main problem. Trains used to stop as close to exit end as possible, but now stop at the furthest end of the platform possible. There are lots of signs up which state where each carriage stops, but then for the Oxford and Bedwyn service run by Turbos they stop in a completely different place, which must be quite confusing. For services run by Turbos there is a note on the screens to wait in the blue zone, outside the Pumpkin Cafe effectively as that's where the Turbos stop, an extra note on HST^▸ (High Speed Train) run services added that Standard Class is at the far end of the platform would probably be useful.

[JayMac]

...an extra note on HST^▸ (High Speed Train) run services added that Standard Class is at the far end of the platform would probably be useful.

Until a HST comes in back ass to front. Or in railway terminology, reverse formation. 

[Super Guard]

3) Enforce First Class. Sorry, but too many train crew look the other way. It's not rocket science. My suspicion is that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are too anxious to collect surcharges from Standard passengers with the wrong ticket, rather than focus on this issue. Quite frankly, on almost every EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) departure I've travelled on, if you could get past the barriers on the platform* then you could enjoy a free FC^‡(resolve) journey to Taunton - the tickets are almost never checked.

In my 20 odd years of regular travelling (but not commuting) with BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))/FGW between Paddington and the far West I cannot recall a journey where my ticket has NOT been checked after departure from Paddington.  Yesterday (Saturday 24/03) I travelled up and back to Paddington and my ticket was checked three times on the way up and twice on the way down as well as at the barriers at Paddington.  Indeed on the Down journey (1706 from Paddington) the conductor checked the tickets of those that boarded in First Class after every station departure (as far as Plymouth where I alighted)

Hi, forgive me, I was alluding to the journey from Exeter up to London. On occasions, the first ticket check has been as late as Castle Cary

You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about free EXD-TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) first class travel.  The following is a little ( ) tongue-in-cheek, but hopefully illustrates that it's not a case of "can't be bothered to deal with first class until after Taunton".

At EXD, we have to dispatch at the rear of the train ie. Coach A.  (We are allowed rear 3 coaches, but a fair few crew changes happen, so it is natural for the TM^‡(resolve) to be at the rear, especially with the PA^▸ (Public Address) in the guards van.)

Leave EXD, make our required speil over the PA... Now time to run that 5 coach gauntlet to come check your ticket... block out all questions that are thrown at us from standard class passengers... someone on their phone in A?  Oh dear... only 10 minutes to Tiverton... ignore seat reservation queries, ignore moving luggage so those boarded can find suitable space or even just get through vestibule doors... Of course that's while I smack everyone out of the way in the aisle walking to/from the buffet... Phew... coach F... Oh - PA announcement for arriving at Tiverton?  Quick, back to the buffet to get to the PA, or run through G/H ignoring you in first class to use the PA there, and then back through H to the correct door panel.

Even if we did all that, and processed even 1 or 2 upgrades that would be happily sitting there for us after Taunton, the chances are  we won't even make it to coach H by Taunton.

I am going to assume you have a valid ticket?  Thank you - your business is appreciated.  Enjoy your trip and let us worry about incorrect/non-existant tickets please - a reminder - we are not revenue protection officers - we are guards.  Our job does not start and stop with tickets.

However, I do have immense sympathy regarding the standard masses standing in first class out of London/Reading issue.  Perhaps having revenue protection on the first class doors would help as each service gets ready to depart, even if it just drives the message home - however - unless you cut off the time completely that someone can come through the barriers at 2 minutes before departure, I don't see how you can stop standard class passengers boarding at the rear of first class at departure time without delaying the train.

[JayMac]

I don't see how you can stop standard class passengers boarding at the rear of first class at departure time without delaying the train.

Reverse all HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets to have 1st Class at the country end out of PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)/RDG^‡(resolve).

Problem solved.