Farewell to GNER

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 05 Jan, 2008 6:32 pm

In my experience GNR staff were arrogant. Their customer care was non existent. And they were very expensive. I give three examples: (i)We travelled fro Leeds to Edinburgh on a cheapo ticket. The return train was late, and we had a connection at Leeds City. I was attempting to use the loo in the first class adjacent to the buffet car, and was told peremptorily to "get out" I explained that I only wanted to use the loo to no effect. So I admit I was pretty peeved and said that if the train was late into Leeds and I missed the connection I'd be making a claim. For some reason this train travelled to Leeds from Edinburgh via Doncaster and Wakey. It was late and was supposed to stop at Wakey. There were people waiting to get off there - but it didn't stop!(ii) It was the Christmas break and I my wife and daughter decided at short notice to spend a day in London. We went to Westgate in Wakefield, and when I tried to book I was told it would b £180.00 for all three of us (this was about 10 years ago) I was taken aback at this but was told that if I didn't book in advance I had to pay full fare. Like on planes they said. The train was in, so I coughed up and we went to the platform, as we approached it the guard shut the doors and the platform staff wouldn't have them re-opened for us. They said that it cost £1000 per minute for the train to be in the station. They'd just taken £180 off me and wouldn't let me on the train. That doesn't happen on the planes! We caught one 30 minutes later, which waited on Doncaster station 20 minutes after its time because they'd run out of bacon butties! So much for £1000 per minute!(iii) We booked a weekend away in London, to see the Ideal Homes and Les Mis. We waited on Wakey station, and the Midland Mainline train came in, but it stayed there broken down. We had to wait for them to move it. When it was moved our train came through the station but the GNR person on the platform said it wouldn't stop and there was no one on it. Well it didn't stop but there were certainly people on it. She also said that we should claim off Midland Mainline as it was their train that had caused the delay! We missed more or less the first day of our four day break, thanks to GNER. We did claim - off GNR - we got about £20 back. Poor compensation in my view.So no I'm not sorry to see them go. Good riddance.

Post by **cnosni** » Sat 05 Jan, 2008 9:21 pm

Trojan wrote: In my experience GNR staff were arrogant. Their customer care was non existent. And they were very expensive. I give three examples: (i)We travelled fro Leeds to Edinburgh on a cheapo ticket. The return train was late, and we had a connection at Leeds City. I was attempting to use the loo in the first class adjacent to the buffet car, and was told peremptorily to "get out" I explained that I only wanted to use the loo to no effect. So I admit I was pretty peeved and said that if the train was late into Leeds and I missed the connection I'd be making a claim. For some reason this train travelled to Leeds from Edinburgh via Doncaster and Wakey. It was late and was supposed to stop at Wakey. There were people waiting to get off there - but it didn't stop!(ii) It was the Christmas break and I my wife and daughter decided at short notice to spend a day in London. We went to Westgate in Wakefield, and when I tried to book I was told it would b £180.00 for all three of us (this was about 10 years ago) I was taken aback at this but was told that if I didn't book in advance I had to pay full fare. Like on planes they said. The train was in, so I coughed up and we went to the platform, as we approached it the guard shut the doors and the platform staff wouldn't have them re-opened for us. They said that it cost £1000 per minute for the train to be in the station. They'd just taken £180 off me and wouldn't let me on the train. That doesn't happen on the planes! We caught one 30 minutes later, which waited on Doncaster station 20 minutes after its time because they'd run out of bacon butties! So much for £1000 per minute!(iii) We booked a weekend away in London, to see the Ideal Homes and Les Mis. We waited on Wakey station, and the Midland Mainline train came in, but it stayed there broken down. We had to wait for them to move it. When it was moved our train came through the station but the GNR person on the platform said it wouldn't stop and there was no one on it. Well it didn't stop but there were certainly people on it. She also said that we should claim off Midland Mainline as it was their train that had caused the delay! We missed more or less the first day of our four day break, thanks to GNER. We did claim - off GNR - we got about £20 back. Poor compensation in my view.So no I'm not sorry to see them go. Good riddance. Hello TrojanIm sorry you feel that GNER let you down,but i would like to take you up on a few points.Your first point does not make a great deal of sense,are you saying all GNER staff were arrogant?I ask this as you have given no instance when they were arrogant,except possibly when you were going to use the loo in first class,which considering there are six in standard class on a mkiv/electric service and 11 on a HST/diesel is a little unusual especially as you were travelling standard at the time.The point about the train returning from Edinburgh to Leeds going via Doncaster is down to the fact that this service IS booked to go on this route,this is because the traction booked to carry out this journey is a mkiv/electric set,which is physically unable to travel from York directly to Leeds because that particular route is not electrified.As for the service not stopping at Wakefield on this journey i do not know why this is the case because if it was booked to stop then it should have,the signaller has to take the train off of the through line in this direction for a train to get in to Wakefield so if it was meant to stop there and did not then both the signaller and train driver would have been in DEEP trouble.Both the driver and signalle would have been taken off the job IMMEDIATELY and screened for drugs/alcohol because this is not only a money issue(train operating companies are fined thousands of pounds for not stopping at a station) but a safety one,if the driver has not stopped at a station where they are booked to stop,and the signaller had not routed the train to do so then they are would be thoroughly investigated and in some cases disciplined or even sacked. The only reason i can think that the train did not stop at Wakefield at this time is when there are engineering works /isolation of line in place at Wakefield platform,when this happens there are replacement bus services put in place,despite this there are nearly always examples of people ignoring announcements etc or just assuming that because a train is going via a particular route then it will stop at a particular station on that route,and therefore thats when people get caught outSecondly,when you were travelling to London at Christmas and the train was in the platform,and then you decided to buy a ticket,then how did you think you would be able to pay for the ticket and have time to board the train?Clearly a little preparation on your part would have told you what time a train departs from a station.As for the platform staff at the station refusing to open the doors for you then they did indeed act correctly,not only in the practices of GNER but EVERY rail operator in the country,once the doors are closed then thats it,and as for this not happening on aeroplanes then i have to ask you when was the last time anyone ran out on to the runway and waved at the pilot to stop when the doors have been closed?Well never obviously,because when the check in gate is closed then its closed,same with a train,it has a schedule to keep and when someone turns up late or leaves it to the last minute to get a train then unlocking the doors and starting the whole despatch procedure again would cost at least 4-5 minutes in delay,thus inconveniencing the passengers on the train and more than likely adding even further delay to the service because the train would lose its "Path",which is the booked times at particular places where a train is supposed to be,losing this path means that the train may be held at junctions to allow on time trains to maintain their punctuality.Now as for stopping at Doncaster for 20 minutes for bacon sandwiches then im afraid that you are clearly mistaken,NO train would be held at any station for catering supplies,never ,ever,ever.Your assertion that this is the reason is misleading.There are services that are booked to be held at Doncaster for a good length of time,especially at weekends/bank holiday,this is the "Path" that i referred to,some services are given booked "Dwell" time at certain stations,Doncaster,Retford,Newark and Peterborough are particular examples,without affecting the published arrival time into Kings Cross.As for your final point, i am at a loss as to why you would think GNER were responsible for your lost day.As you said it was a Midland Mainline train that was in the platform at Wakefield,holding everything up.Continuing on this final point the platform staff informed you that the next train would not be stopping at Wakefield and it did not.This,as i mentioned earlier,is because it would not have been booked to stop..Just because the next GNER train through Wakefield station would appear to be yours does not mean that it is.A failed train causes severe disruption,one that fails in a station platform which has no other line to allow trains behind to pass it causes even more delay,trains are held at every signal behind this failed train until it is moved,so these trains are then late,and should have probably passed the station a heck of a lot earlier than what they do when there is disruption.Im not saying everyone on GNER is an angel,and i am sure there are occasions when complaint is justified but in the three examples you have given do not seem to be valid reasons for slagging them off.

roundhegian · Post by **roundhegian** » Sat 05 Jan, 2008 9:31 pm

jf wrote: roundhegian wrote: I do agree that GNER was an admirable company and arguably the best of the companies that operated the newly-privatised railway. It inherited old rolling-stock which it gradually refurbished and as raveydavey writes it dealt very competently with incidents at Great Heck and near Hatfield . That's not actually correct - GNER inherited the most recently modernised line (electrified in the late 80's) with the majority of rolling stock dating from the same period. It got a better deal in this respect than most other operators whose assets dated from the 60's and 70's. These other operators have now invested in new stock (more precisely are leasing it from banks who have fronted the cash) and are catching up. There are some issues with the infrastructure - the BR electrification was achieved with a degree of cost engineering typical of that era, and is less robust than it ought to be, with masts spaced further apart to save on materials but less capable of standing up in the gales. I didn't comment on the line . I fully accept that the ECML was fairly newly-electrified and thus relatively modern which clearly helped the train operater . However the line had the engineering problems you list and it had bottleneck difficulties at for example Hatfield Viaduct . I understand there were power-supply problems when traffic was heavy at peak-periods and of course that peak traffic of commuter-laden trains also caused delays .I was trying to make the point that GNER did have a refurbishment programme for its rolling-stock but fully accept that the stock was more modern than that of many operaters . I can remember in the 1990s travelling from Wakefield to Leeds on a local 3-car slam-door EMU which had I think been transferred from the London area .

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 05 Jan, 2008 9:39 pm

cnosni wrote: Trojan wrote: In my experience GNR staff were arrogant. Their customer care was non existent. And they were very expensive. I give three examples: (i)We travelled fro Leeds to Edinburgh on a cheapo ticket. The return train was late, and we had a connection at Leeds City. I was attempting to use the loo in the first class adjacent to the buffet car, and was told peremptorily to "get out" I explained that I only wanted to use the loo to no effect. So I admit I was pretty peeved and said that if the train was late into Leeds and I missed the connection I'd be making a claim. For some reason this train travelled to Leeds from Edinburgh via Doncaster and Wakey. It was late and was supposed to stop at Wakey. There were people waiting to get off there - but it didn't stop!(ii) It was the Christmas break and I my wife and daughter decided at short notice to spend a day in London. We went to Westgate in Wakefield, and when I tried to book I was told it would b £180.00 for all three of us (this was about 10 years ago) I was taken aback at this but was told that if I didn't book in advance I had to pay full fare. Like on planes they said. The train was in, so I coughed up and we went to the platform, as we approached it the guard shut the doors and the platform staff wouldn't have them re-opened for us. They said that it cost £1000 per minute for the train to be in the station. They'd just taken £180 off me and wouldn't let me on the train. That doesn't happen on the planes! We caught one 30 minutes later, which waited on Doncaster station 20 minutes after its time because they'd run out of bacon butties! So much for £1000 per minute!(iii) We booked a weekend away in London, to see the Ideal Homes and Les Mis. We waited on Wakey station, and the Midland Mainline train came in, but it stayed there broken down. We had to wait for them to move it. When it was moved our train came through the station but the GNR person on the platform said it wouldn't stop and there was no one on it. Well it didn't stop but there were certainly people on it. She also said that we should claim off Midland Mainline as it was their train that had caused the delay! We missed more or less the first day of our four day break, thanks to GNER. We did claim - off GNR - we got about £20 back. Poor compensation in my view.So no I'm not sorry to see them go. Good riddance. Hello TrojanIm sorry you feel that GNER let you down,but i would like to take you up on a few points.Your first point does not make a great deal of sense,are you saying all GNER staff were arrogant?I ask this as you have given no instance when they were arrogant,except possibly when you were going to use the loo in first class,which considering there are six in standard class on a mkiv/electric service and 11 on a HST/diesel is a little unusual especially as you were travelling standard at the time.The point about the train returning from Edinburgh to Leeds going via Doncaster is down to the fact that this service IS booked to go on this route,this is because the traction booked to carry out this journey is a mkiv/electric set,which is physically unable to travel from York directly to Leeds because that particular route is not electrified.As for the service not stopping at Wakefield on this journey i do not know why this is the case because if it was booked to stop then it should have,the signaller has to take the train off of the through line in this direction for a train to get in to Wakefield so if it was meant to stop there and did not then both the signaller and train driver would have been in DEEP trouble.Both the driver and signalle would have been taken off the job IMMEDIATELY and screened for drugs/alcohol because this is not only a money issue(train operating companies are fined thousands of pounds for not stopping at a station) but a safety one,if the driver has not stopped at a station where they are booked to stop,and the signaller had not routed the train to do so then they are would be thoroughly investigated and in some cases disciplined or even sacked. The only reason i can think that the train did not stop at Wakefield at this time is when there are engineering works /isolation of line in place at Wakefield platform,when this happens there are replacement bus services put in place,despite this there are nearly always examples of people ignoring announcements etc or just assuming that because a train is going via a particular route then it will stop at a particular station on that route,and therefore thats when people get caught outSecondly,when you were travelling to London at Christmas and the train was in the platform,and then you decided to buy a ticket,then how did you think you would be able to pay for the ticket and have time to board the train?Clearly a little preparation on your part would have told you what time a train departs from a station.As for the platform staff at the station refusing to open the doors for you then they did indeed act correctly,not only in the practices of GNER but EVERY rail operator in the country,once the doors are closed then thats it,and as for this not happening on aeroplanes then i have to ask you when was the last time anyone ran out on to the runway and waved at the pilot to stop when the doors have been closed?Well never obviously,because when the check in gate is closed then its closed,same with a train,it has a schedule to keep and when someone turns up late or leaves it to the last minute to get a train then unlocking the doors and starting the whole despatch procedure again would cost at least 4-5 minutes in delay,thus inconveniencing the passengers on the train and more than likely adding even further delay to the service because the train would lose its "Path",which is the booked times at particular places where a train is supposed to be,losing this path means that the train may be held at junctions to allow on time trains to maintain their punctuality.Now as for stopping at Doncaster for 20 minutes for bacon sandwiches then im afraid that you are clearly mistaken,NO train would be held at any station for catering supplies,never ,ever,ever.Your assertion that this is the reason is misleading.There are services that are booked to be held at Doncaster for a good length of time,especially at weekends/bank holiday,this is the "Path" that i referred to,some services are given booked "Dwell" time at certain stations,Doncaster,Retford,Newark and Peterborough are particular examples,without affecting the published arrival time into Kings Cross.As for your final point, i am at a loss as to why you would think GNER were responsible for your lost day.As you said it was a Midland Mainline train that was in the platform at Wakefield,holding everything up.Continuing on this final point the platform staff informed you that the next train would not be stopping at Wakefield and it did not.This,as i mentioned earlier,is because it would not have been booked to stop..Just because the next GNER train through Wakefield station would appear to be yours does not mean that it is.A failed train causes severe disruption,one that fails in a station platform which has no other line to allow trains behind to pass it causes even more delay,trains are held at every signal behind this failed train until it is moved,so these trains are then late,and should have probably passed the station a heck of a lot earlier than what they do when there is disruption.Im not saying everyone on GNER is an angel,and i am sure there are occasions when complaint is justified but in the three examples you have given do not seem to be valid reasons for slagging them off. a)They shut the doors with me and mine standing on the platform. The platform staff's attitude was arrogant to say the least!b) I bought the ticket to travel with GNER and therefore in law any claim is with GNER, it is up to them to recover cost from whoever caused the delay - the platform staff were misleading their customers. More lack of customer care (I do know something about this I'm in selling myself)c) The train to and from Edinburgh was a diesel. It was late arriving on the outward journey and late back on the return. I was waiting in the buffet for my sandwich to be made and tried to use the loo. d) Whether it's correct or not, the guard came on the intercom and said there would be a delay whilst the buffet car was restocked.The instances I quote are some of the worst examples. Nearly every time I travelled with them something went wrong. IMO the were cr@p and deserved to lose the franchise.

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Sun 06 Jan, 2008 3:51 am

Cnosni - the train that Trojan refers to from Edinbourgh was indeed an H.S.T. set, but it was also booked to run via Doncaster and Wakefield for one simple reason - the booked crew for this service were not from a link that signs the stretch between Colton Junction and Leeds.However - in GNER's defence it was booked to set down only at Wakefield Westgate, as was the weekdays only 22.10 from Kings cross to leeds.Now I am not saying this was an official standing with GNER but I have often used the 22.10 in years gone by and it was common practice for the conductor on leaving Peterborough to do a walk through and check all tickets, if there were no Wakey pasengers on then he would do another quick check after Doncaster (the last pick up point) then inform the driver that there were no wakey passengers aboard, I assumed the info was also phoned forward to Wakey staff and the train often didn't stop at wakey.I assume a similar arrangement was in place with the HST from Aberdeen / Edinburough.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sun 06 Jan, 2008 11:34 am

BIG N wrote: Cnosni - the train that Trojan refers to from I assume a similar arrangement was in place with the HST from Aberdeen / Edinburough. I may be mistaken here, but I believe that the train arrived at Waverley from Glasgow. It was defintely a diesel, it definitely went via Doncaster, and there were definitely passengers standing in the doorways expecting to get off at Wakefield, I know, I was one of them intending to get off there and get the bus home in case I missed the last Morley train out of Leeds.I'm a big railway fan, although not what could be called an enthusiast. I like travelling by train, I think there should be more use made of the railway both for passengers and freight. But IMO GNER had an attitude problem, they thought they were God's gift to railways and they weren't.The nineties privatisation is a dog's breakfast. All the various bits are able to blame the other various bits for anything that goes wrong (like the problems at Rugby) The passenger (customer : < ) is to say the least bemused as to who to contact when anything goes wrong and is prey to being misled by railway employees.If the railway is to be privately owned then it should be carved up more or less regionally as it was before nationalisation. Of course many of their problems come from years of under investment when they were state owned - particularly under Thatcher, when all the profitable bits - the ferries, the hotels were sold off and the railway left to stagnate on its own.

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 06 Jan, 2008 6:29 pm

BIG N wrote: Cnosni - the train that Trojan refers to from Edinbourgh was indeed an H.S.T. set, but it was also booked to run via Doncaster and Wakefield for one simple reason - the booked crew for this service were not from a link that signs the stretch between Colton Junction and Leeds.However - in GNER's defence it was booked to set down only at Wakefield Westgate, as was the weekdays only 22.10 from Kings cross to leeds.Now I am not saying this was an official standing with GNER but I have often used the 22.10 in years gone by and it was common practice for the conductor on leaving Peterborough to do a walk through and check all tickets, if there were no Wakey pasengers on then he would do another quick check after Doncaster (the last pick up point) then inform the driver that there were no wakey passengers aboard, I assumed the info was also phoned forward to Wakey staff and the train often didn't stop at wakey.I assume a similar arrangement was in place with the HST from Aberdeen / Edinburough. Perhaps you are getting mixed up with with services from York that are diverted by Colton Jonction to Church Fenton,down to Ferrybridge on to Turners lane,up to Normanton Junction and down through Stourton,this is now being improved by the way as Leeds drivers and guards are in the process of learning the route via Castleford,thus removing the need to go via ferrybridge if there is disruption/engineering.Any passenger (not ECS) that arrives in Leeds at that time of night are manned with a driver/guard fom Leeds,all leeds drivers and guards sign via Colton junction to Leeds,it is a matter that this service is booked to call at Doncaster,change ends and then proceed along the West Riding to Leeds.The service that Trojan was referring to originates from Glasgow and was origainally a Mkiv set,i know i have worked it.However there are occasions when a HST will be used.This can occur with just about any service when required.

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 06 Jan, 2008 6:57 pm

Trojan a)They shut the doors with me and mine standing on the platform. The platform staff's attitude was arrogant to say the least!b) I bought the ticket to travel with GNER and therefore in law any claim is with GNER, it is up to them to recover cost from whoever caused the delay - the platform staff were misleading their customers. More lack of customer care (I do know something about this I'm in selling myself)c) The train to and from Edinburgh was a diesel. It was late arriving on the outward journey and late back on the return. I was waiting in the buffet for my sandwich to be made and tried to use the loo. d) Whether it's correct or not, the guard came on the intercom and said there would be a delay whilst the buffet car was restocked.The instances I quote are some of the worst examples. Nearly every time I travelled with them something went wrong. IMO the were cr@p and deserved to lose the franchise.The platform staff will not have just shut the doors with you stood on the platform,the despatch procedure would have started about 30 - 45 seconds before the doors actually closed (this is an average time)The despatch procedure is thus:-Platform staff will blow the whistle as a warning to passengers that this is their last chance to board the train.After a short while the platform staff will then indicate to the train guard ,who is stood on the platform,to begin the door closed procedure by simultaneously raising above their head a white spoon shaped plastic baton and blowing the whistle again,this is called the first tip.The guard will then step onto the train and press the door close (Door Lock on HST) buttons and return back onto the platform.From this point there is no boarding of the train allowed because the despatch procedure has begun in ernest,only an emergency will allow the doors to be opened/released.The platform staff will then ensure that all doors appear to be closed/ locked,and exterior door warning lights are unilluminated.When this is confirmed the platform staff (who,along with the guard are not allowed to speak to anyone from the beginning of the despatch process until the train has completeley left the palatform,and if they do so will face disciplinary action if they are observed to be doing so)will then once more raise the baton and blow the whistle to the guard,indicating that paltform duties are complete and that the guard can close the doo from which they are despatching from,this is called the second/last tip.So when you arrived on the paltform and the doors closed ,they were not closed on you personally,but were closed the final part of a safety critical procedure tahts had started before you got on to the platform.Seems quite petty doesnt it?Well i suppose it does but i have learned since working on the railway that these procedures have come about because of errors made in the past,where passengers have been injured getting stuck in closing doors,and worse when passengers have been dragged down a platform to their deaths because the safety critical staff involved did not do their jobs.Its a different world to working in sales,your not responsible for peoples safety and lives,which if affected by negligence results in being investigated by HMRI and a possible dismissal and appearance at a coroners court to explain your actions,with a possibility of prosecution.As for the loo there is a toilet immediately next to the buffet on a HST,in the vestibule of the adjacent coach,perhaps the member of staff thought,obviously wrongly in this case,that you were trying to pull as fast one and get in first class without an upgrade,this does happen a lot ,and has done so on this particular service when there are those who have had too much to drink are game for anything.There was an instance about 2 years ago when this service was delayed between Edinburgh and Newcastle when a mass brawl between football fans and the police with dos and riot gear were called in,people pulled the cord and jumped out on to the track to escape the fighting.As for the delay at Doncaster i can only assume that the delay that was referred to was in fact the delay to the buffet bar opening,not the train proceeding,this would never occur in any circumstance whatsoever.Any way GNER are gone,but the staff and procedures are the same,there are always improvements that can be made but delayed tarins will never be irradicated in Britain,so im afraid we are stuck with it.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sun 06 Jan, 2008 7:55 pm

cnosni wrote: Trojan The platform staff will not have just shut the doors with you stood on the platform,the despatch procedure would have started about 30 - 45 seconds before the doors actually closed (this is an average time)Wakefield Westgate is not Leeds City. The platform staff could clearly see me, my wife and daughter coming through the entrance to the platform, they could have asked, they could have said something, instead they allowed the doors to be closed and when I protested they were very arrogant. In my business the customer always has the last word, because if you're not careful that last word might be **** off. There is no room for an arrogant and patronising attitude where customers are concerned.

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 06 Jan, 2008 11:32 pm

Trojan wrote: cnosni wrote: Trojan The platform staff will not have just shut the doors with you stood on the platform,the despatch procedure would have started about 30 - 45 seconds before the doors actually closed (this is an average time) Wakefield Westgate is not Leeds City. The platform staff could clearly see me, my wife and daughter coming through the entrance to the platform, they could have asked, they could have said something, instead they allowed the doors to be closed and when I protested they were very arrogant. In my business the customer always has the last word, because if you're not careful that last word might be **** off. There is no room for an arrogant and patronising attitude where customers are concerned. The despatch procedure is the same at all stations,irrespective of rail operator.It is laid down in what is known as "The Rule Book"All safety critical rail staff have to abide by the rules in it,so to say that Wakefield is not Leeds City is geographically correct,but that is all.Its does not matter if you even wave a £50 note in the air to the despatcher and guard as a sweetener to stop the door close procedure,once it starts its stops for nothing except an emergency,this is nothing to do with "Customer Service",this is a serious business,running trains SAFELY.In fact at Kings Cross recently an MP for Hull,with his personal plain clothes policeman and a plethora of armed policemen was refused entry on to the platform because the procedure had started,despite the vociferous protestations of his security team.When it comes to safety procedures it takes precedence over customer service, and public status every single time.Safety on the railway is not a handshake and a smile so comparisons to your particular vocation are irrelevant,once again i can assure you that the procedure for closing the doors would have been well down the road when you appeared,the despatcher and guard did not decide to spite you and close the doors just to stop you getting on the train.No one is allowed to board a train when the procedure has started or those who are carrying out the despatch,if seen to allow anyone onboard during this time,will have their safety critical permit removed from them,mediscreened for drink/drugs and investigated ,possibly with disciplinary action.It is that seriously viewed on the railway.As for the platform staffs reaction to you i can only accept your version of events as to how they responded,but as i have experienced myself the verbal and threat of physical assault by irate passengers who have missed their train then on occasion one does tend to react in a manner to which one is being spoken to.Im pretty sure you dont get assaulted in your place of work,either verbally or physically by your customers.Clearly you have been upset by this ,and other incidents,and i cannot condone the attitude of the platform staff if they did react in a particular way.Any way thats my last on this subject,i hope you experience only positives on the railway in the future ,and i hope that the persons whom you are putting you and your families safety in are carrying out their safety critical roles to the full to ensure you get to your destination safely.