View Full Version : Virgin
Howard_lfc
25-01-07, 01:19 PM
This is not what you think !!! :haha:
I upgraded my rail ticket last week to First Class.
When I got on the train - it was chokker block - with people sitting between the carriages on their travel bags etc. This was even the case in First Class. The train had been 'de-classified' which meant that people could sit where they liked - in any carriage. There were no empty seats.
THe good man on the intercom intercom informed us that the train had been de-classified and that by way of compensation - those in first class can come to the buffet car for a cup of tea (so long as they bring their First Class ticket). Oh - but don't all come at once because we can't cope!
£15 for a cup of tea eh? No wonder Richard Branson is bleeding loaded.
Seriously though - why do we put up with shite like this? I can't believe that this level of service is accepted so readily across the rest of Europe? The Germans certainly wouldn't - and the French would probably go on strike or barricade the railway lines!!! But not us Brits - we like to moan about it - and then do f*** all about it. Like me. :grr:
Mumsafan
25-01-07, 01:35 PM
I rarely pay on the train :haha:
But yeah some of the prices are a disgrace, especially when they are over crowded, the toilets smell and don't work, and the wine costs a fortune.
The_weatherman
25-01-07, 01:41 PM
But not us Brits - we like to moan about it - and then do f*** all about it. Like me. :grr:
That´s exactly what we do in Iceland too, and we are being royally buttfucked on a consistant basis too :rant:
Last time I went to london, we had to change somewhere, anyway, the train had come all the way down the UK and was jam packed, walked through skivvy class, and some of the carriages were RIPE! what a stink! So we had a look in first class, and I managed to blag a table with 2 irish guys and some boring business type with his nose buried in a book.. so anyway, we got chatting, no one checked the tickets, all I didn't get was free sarnies... which you could get by showing your ticket! Anyway, the guy reading the book didn't even look up, until he cracked a smile, and the irish guy next to me says - "ooooh look, he just read a saucy bit!" well that was it, the businessman finally cracked and pissed himself laughing.....
that was a good trip :D
Maestro
25-01-07, 01:50 PM
The British need to complain more. Officially.
To any official body that can affect change.
Complaining on a forum, in a taxi or over a pint is not the same.
Everyone thinks "Sod it, what's the point?"... that's the problem.
If it makes you feel any better, we don't have such problems in Austria.
I've yet to hear such an announcement over the intercom intercom. :crackoff:
I rarely pay on the train :haha:
That's cause Lasty drives them? :eyebrow:
Mumsafan
25-01-07, 02:01 PM
That's cause Lasty drives them? :eyebrow:
:haha: I'd forgotten about that :haha:
Neil Young
25-01-07, 03:00 PM
This is not what you think !!! :haha:
I upgraded my rail ticket last week to First Class.
When I got on the train - it was chokker block - with people sitting between the carriages on their travel bags etc. This was even the case in First Class. The train had been 'de-classified' which meant that people could sit where they liked - in any carriage. There were no empty seats.
THe good man on the intercom intercom informed us that the train had been de-classified and that by way of compensation - those in first class can come to the buffet car for a cup of tea (so long as they bring their First Class ticket). Oh - but don't all come at once because we can't cope!
£15 for a cup of tea eh? No wonder Richard Branson is bleeding loaded.
Seriously though - why do we put up with shite like this? I can't believe that this level of service is accepted so readily across the rest of Europe? The Germans certainly wouldn't - and the French would probably go on strike or barricade the railway lines!!! But not us Brits - we like to moan about it - and then do f*** all about it. Like me. :grr:
Have you written to them asking for your money back? I can't believe you won't get it if you're persistent.
Shouldn't be like that but then the railway privatisation was such a rip-off and the network has been underfunded for decades. Virgin Trains are a disgrace.
I rarely pay on the train :haha:
.
because of people like you, my train ticket from Cardiff to Liverpool is 50 fecking quid :eyebrow:
because of people like you, my train ticket from Cardiff to Liverpool is 50 fecking quid :eyebrow:
Can't you fit into a carriage of a Double 00 gauge hornby? :p
Can't you fit into a carriage of a Double 00 gauge hornby? :p
are you trying to say i'm short? :eyebrow:
Can a midget BE tall?
shut up trigger :p
I've occasionally sat in first class when there's not been any space elsewhere, although usually I just stand for short journies.
It's pretty obvious to me that train operators are putting fewer and fewer carriages on to reduce costs, and while it's harsh on people in first class they should just write off to the operator and get a refund. :handshake:
are you trying to say i'm short? :eyebrow:
Of course not...
shortarse....
whilst on the subject of train journeys, it made remember the last long train I took.
When we lost 3-2 to Chelsea in the carling cup final, about 5 of us travelled down via car on the Friday nite as we were staying at mates house who was in uni in Cardiff. We went out on a 3 day bender and after the final on the sunday 3 of the lads(one which was driving) decided to head back to Liverpool. Me and another lad decided to stay another night and get the train back in the morning.
Next day we wake up a bit hung over - i'd properly lost my voice from the day before and couldn't speak a word and my mate had lost his contact lenses and couldn't see. It was like being in that gene wilder film Hear no evil See no evil. Anyway at Cardiff station we were on the platform and had about 30 mins wait. There was a train there with Liverpool showing as the destination, I pointed at the train and whispered to my mate "that trains going home" as he couldn't see it he didn't believe me so he asked some women(looked a bit weird to me) wearing a hi-vis Network Rail jacket. She confirmed it was going to Liverpool so we jumped on. The train was empty and we thought they must of put extra trains being the cup final. Of we set on the journey and the ticket fella came along, looked at our tickets and said "what you doing on this train, it's going direct to Norwich, with one stop in bristol!" We told him this lady had told us it was going to Liverpool, he described the women perfectly and said she is a local nutter/train spotter and he started pissing himself laughing. We had to change Bristol, then get to Birmingham New St and Change again to lime street. Moral of the story
Don't trust the welsh
it's going direct to Norwich, with one stop in bristol!
Don't trust the welsh
giggle :haha:
do you know the women rocket? Wales being a small town and all that, can't be many nutters hanging round train stations, wearing hi vis jackets and giving false information to tourists
Know her? It's his mum/sister/auntie*
*delete as appropriate.
is anyone in wales
catherine zeta jones
shirley bassy
Of course Catherine Zeta - as soon as she had a chance she bailed,
shirley bassey, ok I'll give you that one :crackoff: :jizz:
catherine zeta jones
shirley bassy
do they spend their spare time in train stations, wearin hi-vis jackets
captainfog
25-01-07, 04:50 PM
I work for Virgin - not for the trains though - and trust me, he is not making a mint from the trains.
I have to say though, although I am sure Virgin Trains are bad - you have experienced nothing unless you have travelled on One Rail. They are abysmal - the worst ever - the trains are dirty and decrepid, the service is terrible with trains being delayed and cancelled on a daily basis and what's more the staff are all Norfolk inbreds......
Believe me, I would swap One Rail for Virgin rail in a blink of an eye.
saveferris
26-01-07, 04:45 PM
Virgin trains made quite a lot of investment in new trains, which look good, when they are empty. Unfortunately due to the long routes they run and the number of people travelling on the trains they are not very practical.
Virgin's own competitive pricing policy has led to severe overcrowding as they are competitive with low cost airlines but arrive in the city centre.
Virgin were really struggling on their trains front for quite a while a few years back due to the compensation system for late trains.
nobbylad
26-01-07, 04:54 PM
I enjoy travelling with Virgin most of the time. The breakfasts are good, the journey to London only takes 2:15hrs and the evening meals are pretty good too.
Friday fish and chips and on the last Wednesday of the month, it's curry!
Plus free booze....makes the trip more palatable.
Jaco_Pastorious
26-01-07, 05:56 PM
I work for Virgin - not for the trains though - and trust me, he is not making a mint from the trains.
It's not just the trains that he is not making a mint from under the Virgin banner.
Luckily enough for him, the man is more than savvy enough to keep pushing into other fields and recoup and make more that way.
Everything about the rail system in this country fucking stinks - some of it literally.
I've lost count of the number of times I've paid for a ticket (after about six years solid of bunking) and stood up for the entire journey with my face in the armpit of some smelly goon. :rant:
Jaco_Pastorious
26-01-07, 06:29 PM
Everything about the rail system in this country fucking stinks - some of it literally.
I've lost count of the number of times I've paid for a ticket (after about six years solid of bunking) and stood up for the entire journey with my face in the armpit of some smelly goon. :rant:
Come over and use the Irish rail system for a bit, and you will never complain about the rail systen in Britain again. :jaw:
I find that so very very difficult to imagine.
Jaco_Pastorious
26-01-07, 06:34 PM
I find that so very very difficult to imagine.
Oh it is true. I loathe the train service in the Republic. They were doing a survey of late on journey times, and discovered that a lot of the routes are actually taking longer than they did thirty years ago.
The mind boggles mate, the mind boggles. :shake:
Jaco_Pastorious
26-01-07, 06:41 PM
The mind boggles mate, the mind boggles. :shake:
And don't expect a smile from any of the workers there either.
Neil Young
27-01-07, 11:04 AM
I work for Virgin - not for the trains though - and trust me, he is not making a mint from the trains.
I thought Virgin Trains pay Richard Branson £1m a year for the licence to use the Virgin name.
I realise a million may not be much to Branson but it is to most of us.
Jaco_Pastorious
27-01-07, 12:01 PM
I thought Virgin Trains pay Richard Branson £1m a year for the licence to use the Virgin name.
I realise a million may not be much to Branson but it is to most of us.
Yes he is paid a fee for the name usage, similar to the deal he has set up for Virgin Moblie after he sold it.
Mumsafan
28-01-07, 11:30 AM
Katherine Jenkins :D
I like her. Very nice young lady. Can actually sing as well.
I like her. Very nice young lady. Can actually sing as well.
also got a cracking rack too :handshake:
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