New Train Services To/From Stafford.

[c0tt0nt0p]

I’m with you on this. The world is ever more digital and physical cash is pretty much dying out (exacerbated by Covid) albeit slowly.

Close the ticket offices and the few who use them will soon cotton on to buying online or from a machine.

How many of you buy a ticket for a flight or ferry from a cash desk? You won’t have done in years, and if you’ve needed to get hold of a physical boarding pass chances are you’ll have paid for it

Having said that, for both examples you have you don't purchase your ticket at the point of travel, it's done in advance.

 

[DoggedWalker]

Just to share an experience that has made me pause for thought;

This evening I disembarked a train from Euston well lubricated it’s fair to say. Almost as soon as I was off the train I realised I’d left my AirPods but not quick enough to catch the departing train.

The station staff and team leader were very quickly on the case and amazingly they’ve been recovered and returned to Stafford.

Made me think about the benefit of those station staff after all

 

[tek-monkey]

Just to share an experience that has made me pause for thought;

This evening I disembarked a train from Euston well lubricated it’s fair to say. Almost as soon as I was off the train I realised I’d left my AirPods but not quick enough to catch the departing train.

The station staff and team leader were very quickly on the case and amazingly they’ve been recovered and returned to Stafford.

Made me think about the benefit of those station staff after all

But without them you'd have to buy new airpods, and that's better for the economy. Won't someone think of the shareholders!

 

[Thehooperman]

Just to share an experience that has made me pause for thought;

This evening I disembarked a train from Euston well lubricated it’s fair to say. Almost as soon as I was off the train I realised I’d left my AirPods but not quick enough to catch the departing train.

The station staff and team leader were very quickly on the case and amazingly they’ve been recovered and returned to Stafford.

Made me think about the benefit of those station staff after all

Platform staff will still be required for train dispatch so there will be station staff even if the booking office were to be closed.

 

[Mudgie]

Platform staff will still be required for train dispatch so there will be station staff even if the booking office were to be closed.

But working out on which platform someone might be dispatching a train and making ones way over there isn't quite as convenient as asking at the booking office.
And it won't be many years until they think that if Penkridge and Stone railway stations can manage without anyone dispatching the trains so too can Stafford.

 

[Thehooperman]

But working out on which platform someone might be dispatching a train and making ones way over there isn't quite as convenient as asking at the booking office.
And it won't be many years until they think that if Penkridge and Stone railway stations can manage without anyone dispatching the trains so too can Stafford.

Penkridge and Stone are only timetabled for local stopping trains and are easier/quicker to dispatch than a longer train with more passengers getting on or off at stations such as Stafford.

 

[Mudgie]

Penkridge and Stone are only timetabled for local stopping trains and are easier/quicker to dispatch than a longer train with more passengers getting on or off at stations such as Stafford.

But if they can decide that some trains down south don't need a guard they can decide that longer trains can be dispatched by the train staff.
Anything is possible !

 

[kyoto49]

Just to share an experience that has made me pause for thought;

This evening I disembarked a train from Euston well lubricated it’s fair to say. Almost as soon as I was off the train I realised I’d left my AirPods but not quick enough to catch the departing train.

The station staff and team leader were very quickly on the case and amazingly they’ve been recovered and returned to Stafford.

Made me think about the benefit of those station staff after all

I foolishly left a bag on the Stafford to Liverpool train a few years back. A quick phone call to the train manager from the station staff and I was able to pick it up on the trains return journey later that day, credit cards and money intact. Was impressed with the service all round.

 

[Thehooperman]

But if they can decide that some trains down south don't need a guard they can decide that longer trains can be dispatched by the train staff.
Anything is possible !

Driver Only Operation (DOO) is not the same as dispatching a train by onboard staff (driver and guard)

DOO drivers have supplementary equipment platform mirrors, cameras or onboard CCTV to cover every door whereas onboard staff wouldn't necessarily have this equipment.

I can't see either method ever being deployed at Stafford for safety reasons alone. The unions and ORR won't extend DOO use at the moment anyway.

Plus the staff often assist those of us who are less able so I think we will still have dispatch staff for some time.

 

[Mudgie]

Driver Only Operation (DOO) is not the same as dispatching a train by onboard staff (driver and guard)

DOO drivers have supplementary equipment platform mirrors, cameras or onboard CCTV to cover every door whereas onboard staff wouldn't necessarily have this equipment.

I can't see either method ever being deployed at Stafford for safety reasons alone. The unions and ORR won't extend DOO use at the moment anyway.

Plus the staff often assist those of us who are less able so I think we will still have dispatch staff for some time.

I don't know the details but was just suggesting that staff cuts aren't made without implications for passengers.

 

[Thehooperman]

I don't know the details but was just suggesting that staff cuts aren't made without implications to passengers.

Totally agree with you.

I was just trying to explain that getting rid of platform staff is not as simple as closing the booking office might be.

 

[kyoto49]

There are so many reasons to keep the ticket office. In a world where Spain and Germany are offering not only a far superior train service they are currently offering very reasonable prices/free travel to help customers out. In the UK we are doing everything we can to put people off travelling by rail and keep hiking prices so as to make it financially out of the reach of many families. The whole thing is a joke and the profiteering going on behind the scenes shameful.

Germany... 9 euro

9-Euro-Ticket

Energy costs are rising. As one response, the German government is planning to launch a special-offer ticket as part of its support package for bus and rail transport. For 9 euros, you can travel throughout Germany on local/regional trains for a whole month in June, July or August. Sales at...

www.bahn.com

Spain FREE.

Spain: Free train travel scheme extended until December 2023

The policy could be here to stay with commuters being encouraged to ditch their cars in favour of taking the train.

www.euronews.com

 

[Theresa Green]

Who built the Stafford to Salop line?

 

[Thehooperman]

Who built the Stafford to Salop line?

The Shroppie if I remember correctly.

 

[Thehooperman]

The Shroppie if I remember correctly.

I.e.the Shropshire Union canal and railway company but it may have been Cross-country trains

 

[Gramaisc]

Who built the Stafford to Salop line?

Didn't the original plans include a tow path?

 

[Theresa Green]

200,000 Irishmen

Wheelbarrows and the Graft (Spades)

Fat Boys and Tippers

 

[Gramaisc]

I've always understood that it was closed due to the expense of continually replacing the light bulbs.

 

[littleme]

200,000 Irishmen

Wheelbarrows and the Graft (Spades)

Fat Boys and Tippers

Navvys* darling

*I imagine it's not a political correct term in this day & age, but my nan always went on about 'Dirty Navvys'.... amongst other things....

 

[Gramaisc]

Navvys* darling

Navvies, sweetie.