FGW really do it this time
There must be something about the evening conductors. They're much less chirpy than their morning colleagues, some of whom need telling to shut up when you're trying to have a kip before work. Wednesday was bad enough. I was sat in my customer place (on the floor by a door) when the conductor starts his usual blather about stations, quiet zones, and the buffet car. He deviated from the standard text at this juncture, apologising profusely to those in First Class who wouldn't be able to have their at-seat service until at least after Reading. The reason he gave was that so many people got on late and crowded the vestibules in First Class that they wouldn't be able to get the trolley through. Ah yes, that's the problem, it's the lazy Standard Class passengers who got on late and didn't move through the train to find a seat, instead standing in the First Class vestibules. The problem couldn't possibly be that there was nowhere to move to within Standard Class, the aisles between the seats being occupied by people standing, along with all of the vestibules, oh no. Definitely Standard Class lateness and laziness.
This evening's conductor managed to top even this. I was once again sat by a door, this time in First Class. The conductor did his spiel but continued to say that since there were plenty of seats at the front of the train in Standard Class, anyone found standing in the First Class vestibules would be charged the excess for a First Class ticket. That's right, for standing in a spare bit of space, not taking up a seat, you would get charged an excess. Don't bother yourself with the fact that they announced the platform 5 minutes before the train was due to leave. Not wanting a fight, I decided to relocate to Standard Class. Where did I end up sitting? By the door in Standard Class, there were no spare seats further up the train.
For the pleasure of this service I get to pay three and a half grand a year. God bless you, First Great Western!
This evening's conductor managed to top even this. I was once again sat by a door, this time in First Class. The conductor did his spiel but continued to say that since there were plenty of seats at the front of the train in Standard Class, anyone found standing in the First Class vestibules would be charged the excess for a First Class ticket. That's right, for standing in a spare bit of space, not taking up a seat, you would get charged an excess. Don't bother yourself with the fact that they announced the platform 5 minutes before the train was due to leave. Not wanting a fight, I decided to relocate to Standard Class. Where did I end up sitting? By the door in Standard Class, there were no spare seats further up the train.
For the pleasure of this service I get to pay three and a half grand a year. God bless you, First Great Western!