I was travelling (one-way) from Keynsham to Bath Spa today, but
with engineering works on between Westbury and Bristol, the whole
service is replaced with buses. When the bus arrived I got on and
the driver asked me for a ticket, which I didn't have (as the 
ticket "office" at Keynsham is only open on weekday mornings) 
which I explained. He then said he didn't know the fare so "just 
pay me 3 quid". Once I paid the fare (which I've since found was 
not correct) he didn't even issue a ticket. He also didn't go to 
Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just 
went straight through to Bath Spa.  Is it normal not to issue 
tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?

Jon.

"Jon Combe"  wrote in message 
news:slrndip1fh.4bm.joncombe@joncombe.com...

>I was travelling (one-way) from Keynsham to Bath Spa today, but
> with engineering works on between Westbury and Bristol, the whole
> service is replaced with buses. When the bus arrived I got on and
> the driver asked me for a ticket, which I didn't have (as the
> ticket "office" at Keynsham is only open on weekday mornings)
> which I explained. He then said he didn't know the fare so "just
> pay me 3 quid". Once I paid the fare (which I've since found was
> not correct) he didn't even issue a ticket. He also didn't go to
> Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
> went straight through to Bath Spa.  Is it normal not to issue
> tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?
>
> Jon.


You should report this. The driver has no instructions to take money from 
you. That money wont be paid to the company but will end up in his pocket.

you can contact FGW customer services on 
customer.relations@gwt.firstgroup.com

Steve

>I was travelling (one-way) from Keynsham to Bath Spa today, but
> with engineering works on between Westbury and Bristol, the whole
> service is replaced with buses. When the bus arrived I got on and
> the driver asked me for a ticket, which I didn't have (as the
> ticket "office" at Keynsham is only open on weekday mornings)
> which I explained. He then said he didn't know the fare so "just
> pay me 3 quid". Once I paid the fare (which I've since found was
> not correct) he didn't even issue a ticket. He also didn't go to
> Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
> went straight through to Bath Spa.  Is it normal not to issue
> tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?


How naive are you??? That cash has gone straight into his pocket. If I were 
you I would have offered him 1 quid, winked and said, have a half on me, I 
won't say anything if you don't.

"Steve"  wrote in message 
news:eL%We.41037$k22.20446@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> "Jon Combe"  wrote in message 
> news:slrndip1fh.4bm.joncombe@joncombe.com...
>>I was travelling (one-way) from Keynsham to Bath Spa today, but
>> with engineering works on between Westbury and Bristol, the whole
>> service is replaced with buses. When the bus arrived I got on and
>> the driver asked me for a ticket, which I didn't have (as the
>> ticket "office" at Keynsham is only open on weekday mornings)
>> which I explained. He then said he didn't know the fare so "just
>> pay me 3 quid". Once I paid the fare (which I've since found was
>> not correct) he didn't even issue a ticket. He also didn't go to
>> Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
>> went straight through to Bath Spa.  Is it normal not to issue
>> tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?
>>
>> Jon.
>
> You should report this. The driver has no instructions to take money from 
> you. That money wont be paid to the company but will end up in his pocket.
>
> you can contact FGW customer services on 
> customer.relations@gwt.firstgroup.com
>


Wouldn't that be Wessex trains???

Steve wrote:

>you can contact FGW customer services on 
>customer.relations@gwt.firstgroup.com


This would be a bit pointless: FGW don't serve Keynsham. Try
contacting Wessex instead.


Neil Sunderland
-- 
Braunton, Devon
Please observe the Reply-To address.

NP: The Beatles - Think for Yourself (from the album 'Rubber Soul')

Jon Combe wrote:

> He also didn't go to
> Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
> went straight through to Bath Spa.


Sometimes there can be more than one bus with one running express
between the end points and one calling at intermediate stations.  I've
seen it at Derby where there is a bus straight to Nottingham and
another which calls at the intermediate stations which are a bit out of
the way if you're going by road.

If the bus was timetabled to call at Oldfield Park though then the
driver should have done so, and you could mention this in your letter
as well.

peter

Jon Combe wrote:

>He also didn't go to 
>Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just 
>went straight through to Bath Spa.


You weren't on the 0845 from Keynsham, were you? That's not booked to
call at Oldfield Park:
<http://www.wessextrains.co.uk/uploads/documents/650.pdf>


Neil Sunderland
-- 
Braunton, Devon
Please observe the Reply-To address.

NP: Lambchop - I Can Hardly Spell My Name (from the album 'Is A Woman')

"Thomas"  wrote in message news:3p3ga7F8i3smU1@individual.net...

> >I was travelling (one-way) from Keynsham to Bath Spa today, but
> > with engineering works on between Westbury and Bristol, the whole
> > service is replaced with buses. When the bus arrived I got on and
> > the driver asked me for a ticket, which I didn't have (as the
> > ticket "office" at Keynsham is only open on weekday mornings)
> > which I explained. He then said he didn't know the fare so "just
> > pay me 3 quid". Once I paid the fare (which I've since found was
> > not correct) he didn't even issue a ticket. He also didn't go to
> > Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
> > went straight through to Bath Spa.  Is it normal not to issue
> > tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?
>
> How naive are you??? That cash has gone straight into his pocket. If I
were
> you I would have offered him 1 quid, winked and said, have a half on me, I
> won't say anything if you don't.


Indeed. The only time I've ever travelled on the "railway" without paying a
fare was from one unstaffed station (Tutbury & Hatton) to another
(Uttoxeter) on a replacement bus service, on which the driver (correctly)
refused to take payment and which carried no railway staff. What is the
usual policy about this?

Regards

Jonathan

>> >I was travelling (one-way) from Keynsham to Bath Spa today, but
>> > with engineering works on between Westbury and Bristol, the whole
>> > service is replaced with buses. When the bus arrived I got on and
>> > the driver asked me for a ticket, which I didn't have (as the
>> > ticket "office" at Keynsham is only open on weekday mornings)
>> > which I explained. He then said he didn't know the fare so "just
>> > pay me 3 quid". Once I paid the fare (which I've since found was
>> > not correct) he didn't even issue a ticket. He also didn't go to
>> > Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
>> > went straight through to Bath Spa.  Is it normal not to issue
>> > tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?
>>
>> How naive are you??? That cash has gone straight into his pocket. If I
> were
>> you I would have offered him 1 quid, winked and said, have a half on me, 
>> I
>> won't say anything if you don't.
>
> Indeed. The only time I've ever travelled on the "railway" without paying 
> a
> fare was from one unstaffed station (Tutbury & Hatton) to another
> (Uttoxeter) on a replacement bus service, on which the driver (correctly)
> refused to take payment and which carried no railway staff. What is the
> usual policy about this?


The way I see it, is you have been inconvienienced enough, so why shouldn't 
you just this once, travel for free..

"Thomas"  wrote in message news:3p4oj2F7si2aU1@individual.net...


> > Indeed. The only time I've ever travelled on the "railway" without
paying
> > a
> > fare was from one unstaffed station (Tutbury & Hatton) to another
> > (Uttoxeter) on a replacement bus service, on which the driver
(correctly)
> > refused to take payment and which carried no railway staff. What is the
> > usual policy about this?
>
> The way I see it, is you have been inconvienienced enough, so why
shouldn't
> you just this once, travel for free..


Well, that was the way I looked at it - and I'm *not* normally one of the
"I'll pay if I'm asked" brigade.

Regards

Jonathan

On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 22:09:05 +0100, Jon Combe 
wrote:


>Is it normal not to issue 
>tickets and to guess fares on replacement buses?


It is normal not to issue tickets at all; replacement buses from
unstaffed stations may as well in most cases be free, which is partly
due to staffing issues but also in a way is a courtesy to the
inconvenienced passengers (unintentionally).  It is also unusual for
replacement bus drivers to even check tickets.

I suspect he pocketed the fare.  While it'd be your word against his,
I would report the incident in writing for investigation.  You won't
get your money back, but hopefully the driver will be asked to
explain.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

On 17 Sep 2005 14:55:58 -0700, in uk.railway "naked_draughtsman"
 wrote:


>Jon Combe wrote:
>> He also didn't go to
>> Oldfield Park station (which the bus was meant to go to) but just
>> went straight through to Bath Spa.
>
>If the bus was timetabled to call at Oldfield Park though then the
>driver should have done so, and you could mention this in your letter
>as well.


The road at Oldfield Park station is not accessible to buses.  There
should be a notice at the station telling passenegrs to walk down the
hill to the main road, though how you are supposed to identify which
bus to flag down is anybody's guess!


Long Distance Clara
-- 
Views do not reflect... etc...

If you lived in Pigeon Street,
Here are the people you could meet...

Jonathan Morton wrote:


> Well, that was the way I looked at it - and I'm *not* normally one of the
> "I'll pay if I'm asked" brigade.


If the railway has failed to provide you with an opportunity with which 
to purchase a ticket, why should you be feeling guilty? That's assuming 
that you tried to buy a ticket at the first available opportunity - the 
opportunity for which is still forthcoming!

-- 
Jonathan Stott
Canterbury Weather: http://www.canterburyweather.co.uk/
Reverse my e-mail address to reply by e-mail