In article . com,
(Paul Oter) wrote:

R.C. Payne wrote:
Colin Rosenstiel wrote:
In article
.com,
(Paul Oter) wrote:

Colin Rosenstiel wrote:

Their [FCC's] flying start is to scrap the refreshment trolleys
on the Cruisers. Cost-free to the TOC they were, too. Hardly in
line with their policy of encouraging off-peak travel.
They also seem to have scrapped the phrase "Cambridge Cruiser" in
favour of the phrase "Cambridge Express", according to the new
pocket timetable. Sensibly the description doesn't seem to be
restricted to the non-stop services but to all the fast trains
that Cambridge people would want to use.

Only if you go by the title of the pocket timetable leaflet. I
don't think the WAGN predecessor used the Cruiser name either. I
have to say WAGN seem not to have used the Cruiser branding much
recently anyway.

The departure boards at Kings Cross used the term. I've not been
up to London (down from Cambridge) since FCC took over.

Indeed I saw the term Cambridge Cruiser on the departure board at KX
this morning.

And I saw "FirstCapitalConnect" on them this evening. It only just fits,
hard up against "On Time" with no space.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Their [FCC's] flying start is to scrap the refreshment trolleys
on the Cruisers. Cost-free to the TOC they were, too. Hardly in

So far not much difference. http://www.jcheck.com/fcc is less useful
than it was as it carries info for both the WGC/HFN and Thameslink
services so is cluttered and doesn't help travellers on either line in
this way. They're aggressively gripping the regulars most mornings on
train and at KX with close and thorough inspections (but yer seasoned
avoider is still just train walking and changing at finsbury park or
highbury or claiming "the train woz just pullin in").

Yep, about the same really. They've already wasted a fortune changing
the train livery, stationary, timetables and converting the staff into
postman-pat look-alikes. I'd rather see "WAGN" on my timetable until
June and perhaps have something else improved. What a waste.

What a shame on the day they launched there were no trains via WGC and
on until June at weekends. Start as you mean to go on eh

D

In article 007c01c65cdf$0f2911d0$6400a8c0@DAVE, (Dave
Plumb) wrote:

Their [FCC's] flying start is to scrap the refreshment trolleys
on the Cruisers. Cost-free to the TOC they were, too. Hardly in

So far not much difference. http://www.jcheck.com/fcc is less useful
than it was as it carries info for both the WGC/HFN and Thameslink
services so is cluttered and doesn't help travellers on either line in
this way. They're aggressively gripping the regulars most mornings on
train and at KX with close and thorough inspections (but yer seasoned
avoider is still just train walking and changing at finsbury park or
highbury or claiming "the train woz just pullin in").

ROFL! That must have lasted all of two days. Back to the usual WAGN
pattern for me. Today, two grippers on my bit of the 10:15 Cambridge-KX,
both ex-WAGN with new uniforms. Nobody on the 19:15 off the Cross
tonight, as usual.

Yep, about the same really. They've already wasted a fortune changing
the train livery, stationary, timetables and converting the staff into
postman-pat look-alikes. I'd rather see "WAGN" on my timetable until
June and perhaps have something else improved. What a waste.

The pocket timetables needed re-issuing. The weekend services on the
last edition ran out before the 1 April - 10 June blockades.

What a shame on the day they launched there were no trains via WGC and
on until June at weekends. Start as you mean to go on eh

That bit is *not* FCC's fault. Typical Network rail, buggering up both
routes between Cambridge and London at weekends at the same time for the
second year running! :-((

--
Colin Rosenstiel

ROFL! That must have lasted all of two days. Back to the usual WAGN
pattern for me. Today, two grippers on my bit of the 10:15
Cambridge-KX,

Ahh, I changed at FPK the rest of the week as they were harassing Oyster
holders since they didn't all have a reader and demanded to know where
you got on etc (which is reasonable but doesn't deal with the persistent
fare evader they're all too scared to tackle).

The pocket timetables needed re-issuing. The weekend services on the
last edition ran out before the 1 April - 10 June blockades.

A smaller insert for the weekends would have done, not discard the WAGN
ones and reprint. I'm sure WAGN wouldn't have wasted the money in this
way for just a couple of months of timetable. If the timetable lasted
until December, fair enough, but to re-issue them for a couple of months
was a waste.

What a shame on the day they launched there were no trains via WGC
and
That bit is *not* FCC's fault. Typical Network rail, buggering up both

Not arranging for ticket acceptance on their other line at St. Albans
and Elstree stations is, even as a courtesy in addition to the 'bus'.
Even if you just do it for gold card holders. I don't use the railway
much at the weekends but this is quite a chunk out of the ticket that's
a bus service instead of a train. If I wanted to do it that way I'd have
bought a 4 zone travelcard and done it by bus to Arnos Grove!

My 15 minute journey is an hour by bus. FCC won't be charged track
access charges nor pay drivers for Sunday working. NR most likely pick
up the tab for the replacement buses, while FCC continue to sell rail
priced tickets and benefit from what they've charged me for the weekends
which is a useless service!

D

Dave Plumb wrote:
Ahh, I changed at FPK the rest of the week as they were harassing Oyster
holders since they didn't all have a reader and demanded to know where
you got on etc (which is reasonable but doesn't deal with the persistent
fare evader they're all too scared to tackle).

Last week, the front line grippers at KGX checked tickets, with people
standing behind using wands to scan Oyster card users. I simply waved
my Gold record card and quickly realised that waving /anything/ in a
plastic pocket would have sufficed.

Not arranging for ticket acceptance on their other line at St. Albans
and Elstree stations is, even as a courtesy in addition to the 'bus'.
Even if you just do it for gold card holders.

Don't I know it. I hoped FCC would have seen sense, but as soon as they
started quoting their requirements, it became clear we weren't going to
get any 'goodwill gesture' from them. It costs First absolutely nothing
(and, if anything would save them money) to do this, so I am rather
disappointed.

Jonathan

... waved my Gold record card and quickly realised that waving
/anything/
A woman in front of me flashed her oyster and the back line guy with the
reader wasn't quick enough, one of the front line guys said "after her"
and the bemused gripper with tool in hand was chasing across the
concourse shouting "excuse me" to anyone who'd listen as he only then
realised he didn't know what she looked like Meanwhile I went through
and flashed the oyster while they were too busy trying to work out who
they'd missed. Keystone cops at its best and for free too

Not arranging for ticket acceptance on their other line at St. Albans
It costs First absolutely nothing (and, if anything would save them
money) to do this, so I am rather disappointed.
Whilst that's true ... it would cost them the fare they'd otherwise make
so it's not in their business interests, especially now they've paid out
for all those second hand postie uniforms.

It would have to be a goodwill gesture and a shame so fresh into their
franchise one they aren't prepared to make. But it's no more or less
than I'd expect from WAGN so it's business as usual, albeit with this
"new way forward" crap everywhere.

D

Dave Plumb wrote:
Whilst that's true ... it would cost them the fare they'd otherwise make

I don't know how they'll combine the fare structure in the long run,
but if you've got a ticket from Hatfield then it makes no difference if
you take the bus, or go to St Albans and take the train. Or, it
shouldn't.

If they say tickets are valid on the Thameslink branch (During the
shutdown only, I'm not talking about using St Albans as and when you
please), it's only going to be existing ticket holders that will take
advantage of this offer. Anyone else will either buy a ticket and use
the bus, or go to St Albans and buy a ticket there (you wouldn't buy a
ticket at Hatfield/Potters Bar on the day THEN go to another station).

So, passing tickets wouldn't make much difference - other than to
create goodwill amongst season ticket holders, whether that be a 7 day,
30 day or annual ticket.

Bear in mind that the only time I've travelled on a weekend, I simply
told the guard at St Albans that there were no trains from Hatfield and
he let me through. I didn't actually lie did I?! It's possible you can
talk your way through, but it's potentially risky if you meet another
gripper between St Albans and the boundary (travelcard season ticket
holders). I came back in a car, so didn't have to try and get out of St
Albans using the same trick.

Jonathan

In article 008f01c65d42$e25a9610$6400a8c0@DAVE, (Dave
Plumb) wrote:

The pocket timetables needed re-issuing. The weekend services on the
last edition ran out before the 1 April - 10 June blockades.

A smaller insert for the weekends would have done, not discard the
WAGN ones and reprint. I'm sure WAGN wouldn't have wasted the money in
this way for just a couple of months of timetable. If the timetable
lasted until December, fair enough, but to re-issue them for a couple
of months was a waste.

I don't think we're talking of the same publications. The pocket
timetable I'm referring to is a single small piece of paper.

What a shame on the day they launched there were no trains via WGC
and
That bit is *not* FCC's fault. Typical Network rail, buggering up
both

Not arranging for ticket acceptance on their other line at St. Albans
and Elstree stations is, even as a courtesy in addition to the 'bus'.
Even if you just do it for gold card holders. I don't use the railway
much at the weekends but this is quite a chunk out of the ticket
that's a bus service instead of a train. If I wanted to do it that way
I'd have bought a 4 zone travelcard and done it by bus to Arnos Grove!

My 15 minute journey is an hour by bus. FCC won't be charged track
access charges nor pay drivers for Sunday working. NR most likely pick
up the tab for the replacement buses, while FCC continue to sell rail
priced tickets and benefit from what they've charged me for the
weekends which is a useless service!

Ah! Not a Cambridge issue then. Did you complain to FCC about the lack
of validity? The planning for the blockade was presumably done by WAGN.

--
Colin Rosenstiel