On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 17:27:47 +0100, Matt Wheeler wrote:

To me the sitation with the Met and Chiltern isn't too much different
to lines out of London where the tracks are shared by local and
InterCity operators. (eg to Stevenage/Peterborough, Watford/Milton
Keynes). The Intercity operator being the faster "premium" service
(in our case, Chiltern), and the local operator operating being
equivalent to the Met services.

Perhaps I'm being picky and it just depends how you look at it, but
the faster services are not really a "premium" service. A standard
season ticket (price capped by legislation) is valid on all train
operators. The operator of the slower service may, if they wish,
introduce a discounted one valid only on their services.

Trying to do a set-down only stop at Amersham in the morning peak
would be futile, as all the passengers waiting on the platform would
cram onto the train anyway, so the only option would be not to stop at
all.

I dunno; they could do a ticket check afterwards, and the only tickets
that would be valid would be ones from Great Missenden, which they get
the revenue for. Perhaps I shouldn't give them ideas ;-)

asdf wrote:

On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 17:27:47 +0100, Matt Wheeler wrote:

To me the sitation with the Met and Chiltern isn't too much different
to lines out of London where the tracks are shared by local and
InterCity operators. (eg to Stevenage/Peterborough, Watford/Milton
Keynes). The Intercity operator being the faster "premium" service
(in our case, Chiltern), and the local operator operating being
equivalent to the Met services.

Perhaps I'm being picky and it just depends how you look at it, but
the faster services are not really a "premium" service. A standard
season ticket (price capped by legislation) is valid on all train
operators. The operator of the slower service may, if they wish,
introduce a discounted one valid only on their services.

Trying to do a set-down only stop at Amersham in the morning peak
would be futile, as all the passengers waiting on the platform would
cram onto the train anyway, so the only option would be not to stop at
all.

I dunno; they could do a ticket check afterwards, and the only tickets
that would be valid would be ones from Great Missenden, which they get
the revenue for. Perhaps I shouldn't give them ideas ;-)

I've seen such an idea work on the Bendigo-Melbourne route in
Australia- in the morning peak a couple of railcars arrive at Sunbury
(effectively the limit of the suburban service) from Bendigo as
set-down only, the train is clearly announced as not picking up and
nobody tries. Five minutes later the stopping train comes out of the
siding and everyobdy boards. As long as people know their train is
coming in a couple of minutes (and ideally can see it waiting for a
clear line) there's no problem.