Well done FGW for ticket check

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

yes, there's a right of way from the canalside to the front of the station - but they ought to, with a tad of application, be able to re-route it across the bridge & down platform 1 and across the concourse - especially as there's the lifts available that way now to make it fully accessible

[Adelante_CCT]

They could install glass partitions along the length of P1 and P8/P9 with ticket barriers at the end as they have at Victoria (to segregate P2 from the retail outlets their)

[Oxonhutch]

I would have thought that they could reroute the right of way down past the new taxi rank, down the new stairs/lifts, and along the open part of platform 12.  It would be shorter than a deviation via platform 1. The Platform 8/9 right of way could then be extinguished.

1A02 from BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) first thing in the morning (and my regular commute) is booked into platform 9 and I do wonder how much of a revenue leak that allows from those boarding at Slough.  I wish there were more on-board checks on that final leg of the journey. The train managers appear reluctant to engage, preferring to check on the penultimate leg from Reading.

[NickB]

Again without wishing to add to the fare avoidance wiki site I have often mentioned at Meet the Manager sessions my 'free' journey back to Maidenhead in the evening which is platform 1 to Maidenhead Platform 1.  Both have no barriers.

[ellendune]

yes, there's a right of way from the canalside to the front of the station - but they ought to, with a tad of application, be able to re-route it across the bridge & down platform 1 and across the concourse - especially as there's the lifts available that way now to make it fully accessible

Better still reroute it through the taxi rank and in by the Bakerloo line entrance. 

[Jason]

There were yellow barriers and full tickets checks at Reading yesterday morning ~07:30 on the access to down to P9/10 on both sides of the bridge.
To catch people coming into the station via un barriered local routes ?

[rogerpatenall]

It's always puzzled me a little bit why several of the platforms at Paddington have remained without ticket barriers - anyone know the reason? Platform 1 is obvious to maintain access to the retail outlets, but 8/9 are a bit of an anomaly...is it something to do with the now defunct taxi rank?

Victoria had a similar problem on platform 2, and, to a lesser extent, platform 7. Both are now ensconced within barriers, albeit somewhat unsightly, but secure.




Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.

[chrisr_75]

It's always puzzled me a little bit why several of the platforms at Paddington have remained without ticket barriers - anyone know the reason? Platform 1 is obvious to maintain access to the retail outlets, but 8/9 are a bit of an anomaly...is it something to do with the now defunct taxi rank?

Victoria had a similar problem on platform 2, and, to a lesser extent, platform 7. Both are now ensconced within barriers, albeit somewhat unsightly, but secure.

Thanks all for the explanation regards the non-barriered platforms at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains), something that has long puzzled me is now solved!




Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.

[ChrisB]

I would have thought that they could reroute the right of way down past the new taxi rank, down the new stairs/lifts, and along the open part of platform 12.  It would be shorter than a deviation via platform 1. The Platform 8/9 right of way could then be extinguished.

Agreed....maybe they'll get around to it...subject to Westminster Council minnions though, no doubt.

[thetrout]

There are some excellent TMs^‡(resolve) that enforce the rules of First Class to the letter. Recently on the 16:30 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) - TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) we had a TM who checked tickets the moment that train left Paddington. His approach was different in the following:

"Would you like to upgrade sir?"

Which seemed a more diplomatic way to go about it. Some paid the upgrade, some moved. First Class was extremely well loaded with perhaps only 4 or 5 seats spare. In Coach K we had just 1 seat spare.

More recently I boarded a train (which I shan't list to protect the staff and the guilty...) and discovered First Class completely full. It was one of those insidious sets with just 1 First Class Coach... So I just perched myself in the vestibule and the TM then saw and recognised me and said:

TM: "I'll go kick'em out then as it's you..."
Me: "What do you mean?!"
TM: "We've been rammed since <redacted> so I got like 30 noobs* down here..."
Me: "Uh oh..."

Que the booting of a large handful of middle age folk... I could do nothing but look at the floor

*noobs is a derogatory term for new players who doesn't know what they're doing - computer gamer talk

[TaplowGreen]

More recently I boarded a train (which I shan't list to protect the staff and the guilty...) and discovered First Class completely full. It was one of those insidious sets with just 1 First Class Coach... So I just perched myself in the vestibule and the TM^‡(resolve) then saw and recognised me and said:

TM: "I'll go kick'em out then as it's you..."
Me: "What do you mean?!"
TM: "We've been rammed since <redacted> so I got like 30 noobs* down here..."
Me: "Uh oh..."

Que the booting of a large handful of middle age folk... I could do nothing but look at the floor

*noobs is a derogatory term for new players who doesn't know what they're doing - computer gamer talk

.............and that attitude to customers, my friends, may go some way to explain FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s woeful rating for customer service.

[ChrisB]

Which customers though...I suspect the Trout might be quite keen to give them a good score looking after him

[ellendune]

Which customers though...I suspect the Trout might be quite keen to give them a good score looking after him

There are some excellent TMs^‡(resolve) that enforce the rules of First Class to the letter. Recently on the 16:30 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) - TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) we had a TM who checked tickets the moment that train left Paddington. His approach was different in the following:

"Would you like to upgrade sir?"

Which seemed a more diplomatic way to go about it. Some paid the upgrade, some moved. First Class was extremely well loaded with perhaps only 4 or 5 seats spare. In Coach K we had just 1 seat spare.

But the first TM the Trout described would also have looked after him just as well... but would have been more customer orientated to those who he moved from 1st class and would have left the Trout feeling better rather than looking at the floor. 

[thetrout]

I guess I should clarify the case there...

The second TM^‡(resolve) handled the moving of passengers just as well as the first. This was a 'private' conversation that took place in the vestibule. Both me and this TM play the same computer game on the same server; hence their somewhat casual approach to our conversation.

Their way of handling it was - "I'm sorry folks, but I've got First Class ticket holders standing now, I'm going to have to ask you to upgrade or move down to standard now I'm afraid. There are now plenty of seats in Coach B"

A couple did remain and paid to upgrade. Those who moved seemed grateful to be able to sit down on what I'm told was a crushingly overcrowded train. But seemed happy enough that seats were now available in the Country end.

Nevertheless considering how I was dressed (tracksuit & overalls covered in paint and mud - long story!) I just felt socially awkward in that situation. That however was probably an Autistic thing vs. Normal Behavior.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... considering how I was dressed (tracksuit & overalls covered in paint and mud - long story!) ...

Were you trying to be a rainbow trout?