[News] UK rail passengers face biggest rise for five years

[Surrey Seagull]

Those were the days.

Sorry, what exactly are you implying there?

 

[Easy 10]

Sorry, what exactly are you implying there?

Implying ?

I'm not implying anything. Just harking back to the era you mentioned.

 

[Pevenseagull]

On the subject of trains, on Friday I've got to get the 7:20 from Hove to go for a scan at King's.
What are the chances of getting a seat in standard class?
Wouldn't normally be a problem but I'm only allowed to consume water from 9pm tomorrow and outwardly I don't look like the sort of person you would give up a seat to.

 

[nicko31]

Nonsense..
Many can take a pay cut and work locally doing something similar and if not try something else or move somewhere else for a better quality life.

You may get 70-100k in many of those jobs but the time you commute and pay high taxes you'll realise there's a better way of doing things if you really want too.

Yeah, get a job down the local Asda. People need to stop being upwardly mobile and greedy

 

[Sussexscots]

When I worked in the City in the early eighties, commuting didn't seem so bad. The old buffet car back from London Bridge was rather like a somewhat smoky pub but the atmosphere was convivial.

Happily, I rarely have to go into London during business hours these days. When I have had to, it seems a thoroughly miserable experience. I guess it shows that the British qualities of tolerance and forbearance are still alive. Given the amount of road rage we hear about, it's maybe surprising we seldom hear of things kicking off on trains.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

All of this....................including possibly flouncing off once I'm in a position to do so (about 3.5 years I reckon, thanks to the changes in pension rules a while back that makes 55 the new 67 )

Working from home 2-3 days a week keeps me sane. There is no way in the world I would go back to a 5 day a week commute. I went in 2 days last week - issues both days (one Southern, one Jubilee line). Only problem with irregular commuting is the costs are eye-watering - basically £50 a day to get to work.

Indeed. I found that when I had no season ticket I was always looking to work at home....I have one now so work from home only when it makes sense to do so (1-2 days a week). But....the commute has become horrible. Very crowded...freeloaders sitting in first class - guard turning a blind eye, which means I have to plan my journey carefully in the evening to get a seat (yes, 'boo hoo', but with my scoliosis and ****ed up knee I can't stand for an hour and twenty). And the latest load of old bollocks is there are no toilets on trains to Victoria between 7.40 and 10...... 'shortage of cleaners' - so they lock them. Consequently the train makes prologed toilet stops - when the guard can be arsed (pardon the obvious pun). What a joke. Trains now worse than they have ever been in my 28 years of commuting - far worse than before privatisation. John Major - what a ****.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On the subject of trains, on Friday I've got to get the 7:20 from Hove to go for a scan at King's.
What are the chances of getting a seat in standard class?
Wouldn't normally be a problem but I'm only allowed to consume water from 9pm tomorrow and outwardly I don't look like the sort of person you would give up a seat to.

Get yourself a 'baby on board' badge and sit in first class. Worked a treat for somone on my train home tonight

 

[dazzer6666]

Get yourself a 'baby on board' badge and sit in first class. Worked a treat for somone on my train home tonight

Was it a bloke ?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On the subject of trains, on Friday I've got to get the 7:20 from Hove to go for a scan at King's.
What are the chances of getting a seat in standard class?
Wouldn't normally be a problem but I'm only allowed to consume water from 9pm tomorrow and outwardly I don't look like the sort of person you would give up a seat to.

ps - at 'King's'? I work at Kings and thought my recent scan (knee) was on the 3rd floor, Lambeth wing, Tommy's, and it was in fact at Guy's! There is also Kings college hospital at Denmark hill. All part of the same 'trust' (what a word). Read your appointment letter carefully

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Was it a bloke ?

Nnnnnnah....

 

[dazzer6666]

You can point fingers at privatisation and governments all you like. The infrastructure is knackered. They were shit when it was NR and its still shit now my guess is it'll still be shit in 20 years. People moan about the increases every single year but its just a fact of life. As others have pointed out in real money terms its actually pretty minimal granted if you go back 10 years and compare the cost it'll be a hefty chunk but you could say the same about petrol.

I've just changed jobs and moved out of the city to Stratford. First couple of weeks I used the train but I thought I'd give driving a go. I'm certainly not going back to the train out of choice. Cost wise it's roughly the same, obviously I'm putting miles on my car which probably makes it more expensive in the long run but the experience is so much nicer. I can leave home/work as and when I please. I don't have to put up with inconsiderate passengers, lazy guards, striking staff, cancellations, short formations and all the other delights trains and tubes offer. I can listen to what I want at what volume I want to, have the temperature at a level I want and most important of all it is actually quicker. I'm finding I'm getting home at least 45 minutes earlier than I was on the train. The best I've done is door to door in an hour and half, worst has been two and half and that was only because some pillock decided to walk through the Blackwall Tunnel and they shut it. My door to door going home on the train was 2 hours 45 and that was when everything worked as planned.

Been wondering about this now I’m only commuting 1-2 days a week. I work in the Wharf, so usually get the train to London Bridge and then the Jubilee line. What got me thinking was the West Ham game, where I drove to the O2 in the morning so I had the car nearby to get home after the game. Took me about the same length of time to drive in as the train. Even with parking at £20 or so it wouldn’t be any more expensive. Might try it out once or twice and see how it goes.

 

[Pevenseagull]

ps - at 'King's'? I work at Kings and thought my recent scan (knee) was on the 3rd floor, Lambeth wing, Tommy's, and it was in fact at Guy's! There is also Kings college hospital at Denmark hill. All part of the same 'trust' (what a word). Read your appointment letter carefully

Denmark Hill, I'm a regular there whilst they keep me ticking along despite my shit genes.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Denmark Hill, I'm a regular there whilst they keep me ticking along despite my shit genes.

Good luck, and safe journey!

 

[Bry Nylon]

Denmark Hill, I'm a regular there whilst they keep me ticking along despite my shit genes.

Hopefully they won't be too bothered about your trousers.

 

[Ernest]

On the subject of trains, on Friday I've got to get the 7:20 from Hove to go for a scan at King's.
What are the chances of getting a seat in standard class?
Wouldn't normally be a problem but I'm only allowed to consume water from 9pm tomorrow and outwardly I don't look like the sort of person you would give up a seat to.

More chance if you try and get on middle to rear of the train, watch where the regulars stand on the platform so you'll be by a door and get your elbows ready but hopefully you'll get a seat as quite a few get off there to go into Brighton

 

[Pevenseagull]

Hopefully they won't be too bothered about your trousers.

I won't have eaten for 12 hours and seeing even boiled eggs with an immodium chaser goes to through me like Indian street food with a bad pint laced with draino I should be fine.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I won't have eaten for 12 hours and seeing even boiled eggs with an immodium chaser goes to through me like Indian street food with a bad pint laced with draino I should be fine.

Well, on that basis I should imagine you are pretty much guaranteed a seat. In fact you will most likely have a whole carriage to yourself.

 

[Pevenseagull]

More chance if you try and get on middle to rear of the train, watch where the regulars stand on the platform so you'll be by a door and get your elbows ready but hopefully you'll get a seat as quite a few get off there to go into Brighton

Cheers, might take my walking stick as well, or maybe plug my stomach peg into my mobile feed ng apparatus .... that normally freaks people out

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

I haven't used trains for some years but I have to go and meet people off the train just before Christmas.
How much is a platform ticket these days?
Is it much more than the 2d it cost me last time?

 

[Weststander]

I haven't used trains for some years but I have to go and meet people off the train just before Christmas.
How much is a platform ticket these days?
Is it much more than the 2d it cost me last time?

I heard they got rid of Third Class and Pullman carriages.