One for the train nerds...

[Wobblers]

Incidentally, a poster at Wolverhampton station proclaimed that cable theft cost the taxpayer £43 million last year. Discuss.

Would this be the one that the public bears all the cost and risk while the private companies get to walk away with the profit?

 

[Wobblers]

Yep. There are two naming conventions to avoid. Stations called parkway and towns called spa.

Would it not be wise to add "any station with the word Croydon" in it to that convention?

 

[theclaud]

Would this be the one that the public bears all the cost and risk while the private companies get to walk away with the profit?

That'll be the one...

 

[dellzeqq]

I don't think we should rush you on this. Yes I do remember the occasion, but had forgotten the exact circumstances. I didn't tag you but sharp-eyed Cyclechatters might have spotted a veiled reference to you in the thread title...

Nerd is a tad tough. A person who has train companies text him when certain tickets become available twelve weeks before the date of travel and then passes this information on to his friends is not a nerd - he's performing a public service. And I write as an expert on the stresses and strains of train travel.

 

[theclaud]

Nerd is a tad tough. A person who has train companies text him when certain tickets become available twelve weeks before the date of travel and then passes this information on to his friends is not a nerd - he's performing a public service. And I write as an expert on the stresses and strains of train travel.

I'm reclaiming the term. It is now cool.

 

[theclaud]

Thanks to @Adrian for this:

 

[Wobblers]

Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that I have an obsession about it.

What, are you asking for forgiveness?

 

[Archie_tect]

That doesn't work at Kings Cross.... oh no.

 

[swansonj]

Well, sort of. It's about tickets rather than locomotives, but you have to be a bit of nerd these days just to avoid paying a zillion pounds to go anywhere.

Anyway, just suppose I have bought an Advance ticket, and it is for the 20:08 from Bristol Parkway to Swansea. I am waiting on the platform at Bristol, and the 19:42 to Swansea is delayed, and is now expected at 20:13. The 20:08 to Swansea is delayed by an uncertain and growing number of minutes - latest prediction is 20:32. Now, obviously I'm going to get on the train that departs at 20:13, because a) it's the obvious thing to do and b) I'm scared of missing last orders at the pub thanks to an indefinitely delayed train. But is it allowed, or is it against the rools, given that the "20:08" on my reservation arguably refers not to an actual time of departure but to a specified service? Do the rools require me to wait for the next train? Has anyone ever tested this and had a barney with a ticket inspector as a result?

Yours interestedly

TeeCee

Thread Resurrection for the purposes of acknowledging Credit Where It's Due

Any of you who happen to be members of the Institute of Physics and happen to read Physics World and happen to persevere as far as the back page [that should have narrowed it down to about one-and-a-half people on this entire forum] may have thought there was more than a passing similarity between the May "Lateral Thoughts" and @theclaud's original question. So this is my public acknowledgement to her inspiration. We have negotiated that her commission will be 500% of the fee received.