The Ticket Collector

New Rail Forum Launched.

A new rail forum for employees and enthusiasts working on and around the East Coast Mainline has recently been launched by our friends at Eastcoastchat.co.uk. Launched only in March the site has seen steady growth with a solid user base.

The forum has something for everyone whether you’re a steam enthusiast or working on a station platform. If your interested in anything to do with the East Coast Mainline we would strongly suggest you pay our friends at at Eastcoastchat.co.uk a visit.

Ticket names to change.

As if you were not already confused by the huge number of different ticket names, the powers that be have decided to change the names yet again.

So say goodbye to the SuperSaver, the Saver, the Cheap Day Return, the Standard Day Return and say hello to Super Off-Peak and Anytime.

The new ticket types are as follows.

First Group bans hands free mobiles

First Group will ban employees from using mobile phones even with legal hands-free kits, from next year.

FirstGroup’s bus and train drivers are already banned from using them and this ban will extend to any staff on business.

The firm commissioned research which suggests talking behind the wheel can quadruple the risk of accidents.

The Transport Research Laboratory study found hands-free kits provided no safety advantage over illegally holding a phone while driving.

According to the research, a driver on the phone was more distracted than a driver who had drunk as much as the legal alcohol limit.

The risk of a crash was four times higher when the driver was on the phone, it found.

Poor weather conditions in Scotland and England

We have just been informed that their are bad weather conditions expected in the next few hours. Speed restrictions are expected on some costal lines. Also be aware that poor rail conditions will cause some delays.

We are also hearing that delays are expected for tomorrow morning, we will let you know as soon as we recive the information, as this has not yet been confirmed.

GNER cancelations today:
15:30 Kings Cross (London) to Edinburgh due 20:19 - no reason given

No Smoking on ANY UK station.

Smoking Ban finally arrives.

So its finally arrived, the national smoking ban. All of the railway companies have decided to make all of their premises and property completely smoke free areas.

If you are caught lighting up in a enclosed public area or on a railway station you will face a fine of £50. Railway stations are covered by existing bye-laws and belive it or not were smoke free before the new national smoking ban even came into force.

Also dont drop your fag ends on the floor as this will result in a fine of £80. There are lots of Enforcement officers just waiting around the corner to fine you.

Flooding in the Midlands

Ok so I come back off holiday in a warm sunny place (wish I could go back), and I come back to see everywhere flooded. Most of GNER lines have been affected and services still cannot stop at Wakefield due to the line still being under water.

The photo on the left is the Marshgate Bridge on the main East Coast Mainline near Doncaster. Services were suspended due to the water being over the safe height.

The second photo on the left is of adwick, on the main Leeds to Doncaster line. This is why services still cannot use this line to go via Wakefield.

GNER is on an emergency timetable until Tuesday, and possibly further into the week. Central Trains are not running between Mansfield and Worksop.

Before traveling it is advised to check the NationalRail website and the Train Company’s website.

FCC is the worst Operator - National Passenger Survey

The National Passenger Survey was released yesterday and it comes up with some bad reading for many of the Train Companies mentioned.

The latest survey compared the passengers satisfaction levels for individual train operating companies with the survey carried out in Spring 2006. Since 2006 four Train Companies satisfaction levels have declined significantly (First Great Western, First ScotRail, First Capital Connect and Northern Rail), and three have significantly improved (Midland Mainline, Arriva Trains Wales and Heathrow Express). Fourteen have had no statistically significant changes in their overall satisfaction results compared with Spring 2006.

• The lowest ratings for overall satisfaction were given to First Capital Connect [First Group] (71%), First Great Western [First Group] (72%), One [National Express Group] (72%), Southeastern (74%), and Silverlink [National Express Group](76%).

• The highest ratings for overall satisfaction were achieved by Heathrow Express (94%), Gatwick Express [National Express Group] (92%), Chiltern Railways (90%), Midland Mainline [National Express Group] (90%), c2c [National Express Group] (89%), and TransPennine Express [First Group] (89%).