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Times staff bent the rules to help you

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Tryfan

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A couple of years back my Daughter and her boyfriend managed to leave a bag full of Christmas presents on an EMR MML service from St Pancras to Sheffield. We picked them up at Chesterfield station and set off for home. When we were back at the house my Daughter asks where are the presents we realise that they’re not here.

She got in touch with EMR eventually getting to speak to someone in lost property. They were able to work out that the train was now en route back to St Pancras, they called the crew on board and had them go check where they’d been sat on the way north. The bag of presents was still there in the luggage space between two seats. Seems they’d put the bag of presents there and then pushed a suitcase in afterwards. This pushed the presents further in and they’d thought the other had got it when they got off the train.

The crew onboard went searching and retrieved the bag of presents, took it to the train manager’s area and kept it there. They told the lost property person where it was. They called my Daughter and said we can collect it off of the Train Manager either at Derby or Chesterfield later that evening, when the set was on its way north again. Alternatively it could go into Lost Property at Derby and we could collect from there whenever we wanted. We decided to collect off of the train at Chesterfield. We were told where to stand and who to ask for. When the train arrived the introductions were made and the bag of presents was handed over with a smile. Nothing was missing and a good Christmas was had by all.
 
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Cloud Strife

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I was 17 and suffering from the mother of all hangovers (after a very ill-advised absinthe-fuelled party) on my way back from Liverpool to Aberdeen.

I spent the vast majority of the journey from Liverpool vomiting at regular intervals, and I looked so bad that the Virgin staff even offered to sort out an ambulance to take me to the hospital in Glasgow because I couldn't keep anything down. Anyway, I managed to leave my Glasgow-Aberdeen tickets on the train in my state, and I didn't have anywhere near enough money to get new tickets.

I went up to the guard while looking like death, explained that I'd been throwing up constantly and that I just desperately wanted to get home to my bed. Halfway through explaining, my stomach came up yet again. He took one look at me and told me to get on and get some sleep, and that he would sort out the ticket issue later. He never did, and I thought that was an incredibly decent thing to do to an obviously hungover-as-hell 17 year old.
 

Royston Vasey

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Not a biggy but I lost my outbound long distance cross-London ticket, about 15 minutes out of Victoria en route to Canterbury a couple of years back. I'd used it in the platform barrier to get to the train and never saw it again.

After a bit of searching the carriage and toilet retracing my steps, earning some funny looks, I opened a beer and resigned myself to hopefully being able to get away with just an hour of stressing and a PF as a lesson. I had the booking email, pickup receipt and return portion.

Got to Canterbury and had one last deep search of my rucksack before the gateline, partly to search for it and partly for show (!) and sheepishly approached the gateline staff who had a look at what I did have.

"Oh let's have a look, you're coming from where...? Oh well, no problem you obviously had it for the gates at Victoria" and through I went.

Very glad of the discretion. I guess I have an honest look!
 

Paul Jones 88

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About 20 years ago I was on an evening thumper service from Ashford to Hastings, the toilet was broken and I was busting for a wee, when we arrived at Rye, the guard held the train so I could use the public facilities across the road, I shall always be grateful to him.
 

Bletchleyite

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About 20 years ago I was on an evening thumper service from Ashford to Hastings, the toilet was broken and I was busting for a wee, when we arrived at Rye, the guard held the train so I could use the public facilities across the road, I shall always be grateful to him.

To be fair this isn't bending the rules. If a train should have had a toilet and doesn't, toilet stops are meant to be provided if necessary.
 

Anonymous10

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To be fair this isn't bending the rules. If a train should have had a toilet and doesn't, toilet stops are meant to be provided if necessary.
ive heard stories of guards letting a passenger off to use the loo and then the train left so i understand why
 
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I’ve got two very good ones, although they didn’t happen to me personally.

Back in I think the 80s, my dad was waiting on a small rural station in Kent. It might have even been a request stop. Around the corner comes his train, rather too fast, and stops some distance off the end of the platform, just beyond the next signal. “Damn!”, he thought, thinking that was that. However, the train reversed back into the station, where he boarded, before reversing again and continuing on its journey, deliberately SPADing the RED SIGNAL IT HAD JUST CREATED! Definitely bending the rules there!

Another example happened to someone I know rather more recently, within the last few years in fact. He had been out late one Saturday night, and was walking home. This involved crossing a level crossing. When he got there the barriers were down, nothing unusual about that, except that there were no trains all weekend as there was engineering further up the line. Fair enough, perhaps a works trains was going to the site. He waited a long time, and nothing passed. Then he had an idea. On the adjacent station platform, right next to the level crossing, there was a signal. He decided to phone the signaller to ask what was happening, as he knew that that specific crossing had often got “stuck down.“ The conversation went something like this:

”Hello signaller, this is a member of the public calling from xxx station”
”Hello member of the public, this is signaller xyx“
”I have been waiting at the level crossing here for a long time, and nothing has passed. Is there an issue with it?”
“Hmm that is strange. I know that there have been issues with this crossing before. Is there a bridge or another way round that you can use?”
”I am on foot and the nearest bridge is miles away. It will take several hours to walk there and back” (it was already late at night).
”That is a tricky situation (pause)...
Right, I am not allowed to give you permission to trespass on the railway. However, I am allowed to tell you that there are no trains anywhere near your vicinity, and there will not be any time soon. I also doubt I will be looking at the CCTV in the next five minutes.”
“Thanks signaller, message received. Over and out”

I will leave it to your imagination as to what happened next...
 

trebor79

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Had an advance purchase first class ticket. Arrived at the London termini very early as my meetings concluded sooner than they might have. Sat in the lounge doing work for an hour or so. Then wandered over to the train and got on. Sat in my reserved seat.
All fine until ticket check - "This isn't valid for this train". I'd stupidly got on the xx00 departure instead of the following xx30!
He was a little bit shirty with me, but calmed down when I just said "Oh, how silly of me I was meant to be on the next train" (I did feel an absolute fool sat in 1st class being penalty fared).
"It's meant to be that" showing me the full first class fare in his machine "but I'll make it this but you can stay in this seat" showing me the full standard class fare.

Fair enough.
 

Aictos

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A few years ago I was staying in the West Highlands and forgot my travel passes (I had driven up but was planning on using the train for a trip) so a visit to Fort William to ask them if I could have them sent there which they agreed to, I got them the next day and brought the staff a big box of chocolates to show my appreciation.

That's what I call service because they could easily have said no.
 

RailAleFan

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"Sorry, I'm not allowed to let you off other than at the stop, but there's not a lot I can do about it if you use the emergency button".

Was once on a football service bus that got stuck in traffic close to the ground and close to kick-off so the decision was made to abandon ship, driver kept out of it but those at the front learnt that the red button opens the door not the green one.
 

najaB

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Nice one yesterday on the way home from the forum meal...

I had a ScotRail Advance ticket from Inverkiething to Dundee. Arrived at the station to find the LNER service sitting at the platform waiting. Turned out that a passenger had taken unwell and they were waiting for an ambulance.

Asked the guard if I could travel with a ScotRail ticket and he said "Sure, whatever." So got home basically on time, rather than 30/40 minutes late.
 
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D6130

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Forty years ago - back in far off 1981 - I was working in Glasgow and living in Hyndland. One Summer weekend, I invited a friend and ex-colleague from my Wimbledon days to stay and on the Saturday we decided to make a day trip to Mallaig for sun, scenery and 37 haulage. All went swimmingly until the return journey (the London sleepers still ran on Saturday nights in those days - but not Sundays). The original plan was to alight at Dumbarton Central for an EMU connection back to Hyndland, but I decided that it might be an idea to stay on to Queen Street and clock up an extra 16 miles behind 37 081. However, somewhere near Westerton, the horrible truth dawned on me....the sleepers didn't go to Queen Street on a Saturday night, but ran directly to Mossend and then Carlisle! I hurriedly made my way through the short (4 coach) train to the brake and explained our dilemma to the guard. "Nae bother son. We stoap at Coolairs North tae change drivers. Ah'll open ma door and ye can baith climb doon!" So, at 23 30 on a warm Saturday night, two young railway clerks found themselves climbing down the steps from the inward-opening door of a mark 1 BCK into the pitch dark cess where Ashfield station has now been built....but in those days we had to scramble up the embankment, through a hedge into somebody's front garden, tiptoe along the drive and very quietly open and close their front gate. Luckily, they didn't appear to have a dog and we didn't disturb them. If we had done, or had been caught by the polis, we'd have had some explaining to do. There then followed a one and a half hour walk through some of the less salubrious parts of North West Glasgow - Possilpark, Ruchill and Maryhill amongst others - but luckily there wasn't a soul about and we made it safely back to my flat just after 01 00.
 

MotCO

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Forty years ago - back in far off 1981 - I was working in Glasgow and living in Hyndland. One Summer weekend, I invited a friend and ex-colleague from my Wimbledon days to stay and on the Saturday we decided to make a day trip to Mallaig for sun, scenery and 37 haulage. All went swimmingly until the return journey (the London sleepers still ran on Saturday nights in those days - but not Sundays). The original plan was to alight at Dumbarton Central for an EMU connection back to Hyndland, but I decided that it might be an idea to stay on to Queen Street and clock up an extra 16 miles behind 37 081. However, somewhere near Westerton, the horrible truth dawned on me....the sleepers didn't go to Queen Street on a Saturday night, but ran directly to Mossend and then Carlisle! I hurriedly made my way through the short (4 coach) train to the brake and explained our dilemma to the guard. "Nae bother son. We stoap at Coolairs North tae change drivers. Ah'll open ma door and ye can baith climb doon!" So, at 23 30 on a warm Saturday night, two young railway clerks found themselves climbing down the steps from the inward-opening door of a mark 1 BCK into the pitch dark cess where Ashfield station has now been built....but in those days we had to scramble up the embankment, through a hedge into somebody's front garden, tiptoe along the drive and very quietly open and close their front gate. Luckily, they didn't appear to have a dog and we didn't disturb them. If we had done, or had been caught by the polis, we'd have had some explaining to do. There then followed a one and a half hour walk through some of the less salubrious parts of North West Glasgow - Possilpark, Ruchill and Maryhill amongst others - but luckily there wasn't a soul about and we made it safely back to my flat just after 01 00.

You should have tried to blag a lift off the driver going back to the depot!
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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I had a Cheshire Day Ranger and a WMT ticket from Crewe to London, travelled back to Crewe from Liverpool on Avanti with the ranger and the TM said I could stay onto London because she wouldn’t wish “those awful small slow trains” on anyone. I was very happy and got home an hour and a half early.
 

greyman42

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Perhaps 5 years ago, a friend of mine lost/had stolen his staff travel pass between Paddington and Kings Cross. At Kings Cross he explained to the guard what had happened and the guard took his word for it and let him travel home to York without having to purchase a ticket.
 

Djgr

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Back in the day when I was at university, a person who shall remain nameless, at a location to remain nameless, allowed me to answer railway telephone enquiries for an hour.
 

Bletchleyite

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Not the mainline, but a number of years ago I got chatting to a Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) guard and said I was planning on getting the bus to Porthmadog to do the Ffestiniog as well. This resulted in me staying on board as the train was propelled into the shed and then getting a lift in his car to Porthmadog! :)
 

XAM2175

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Back in the day when I was at university, a person who shall remain nameless, at a location to remain nameless, allowed me to answer railway telephone enquiries for an hour.
Sounds more like they bent the rules to help themselves :p
 

185143

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I've had a few over the years!

Just last week I was on ScotRail service into Fort William which was late and missed the sleeper. The guard took the time, despite going over his day, to personally sort me a taxi out and seemed to genuinely care about getting me to the train. I suppose that's not really bending the rules as I was entitled to transport, but he could easily have walked off and left the station staff to deal with it, or even just told me to contact ScotRail myself.

I was on a train (a while, but within the last 10 years ago) and realised when I got gripped I'd left my tickets on the previous train. The guard asked where I was going and said he'd come back to allow me to look for them. Told him what had happened and he told me not to worry about it. As we got off, he asked to have a word and asked if I'd mind contacting the TOC (obviously without specific details) and put a good word in for him. I duly obliged. I'd actually done similar a few years earlier, but I'd either left my tickets on the station bench or on my previous train, except it was an RPI that caught me. Amazingly I got away with that one too! Though I had a season ticket for that TOC, but miles away and could describe exactly what tickets I had and where I bought them, as well as one of two places the ticket wallet would be. I bought a loophole ticket to get me home and then after running into flooding and a fatality, on two separate days, ended up with "fob off" vouchers from Virgin West Coast for approximately 10x the cost of the ticket!

Been let on many trains both earlier and later than booked too. I was actually told by a Train Manager last summer on a long distance train that I was the sole occupant of the front carriage and I didn't need to bother with a face covering unless someone else got on.

Slightly off topic but I was on a domestic flight into a major US airport a few years back. On alighting, the captain noticed me peeking into the open cockpit door he was stood infront of. And then promptly invited me in for a tour! This was significantly post-9/11 too.
 

Bletchleyite

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Slightly off topic but I was on a domestic flight into a major US airport a few years back. On alighting, the captain noticed me peeking into the open cockpit door he was stood infront of. And then promptly invited me in for a tour! This was significantly post-9/11 too.

Generally pilots are still happy to show off the cockpit to anyone who wants a look as long as you're on the ground with the doors open (as you'd not be able to cause any harm at that point). I've been in a few, all post 9/11. The thing that changed was going in there in-flight which is now an absolute no on Western airlines, though might still be possible on some obscure African airlines and the likes.
 

OhNoAPacer

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Not something that happened to me but to a work colleagues wife a number of years ago.

She was doing a training course that involved one day a week travelling from her home in Workington to Preston.
One evening travelling back home she fell asleep just after Penrith and woke up just as the train was departing Carlisle.
She found the train manager who, obviously could have charged her for the fare to the next station which was, if I remember correctly, Edinburgh. Instead he moved her into first class and told her to stay there when the train reached Edinburgh as it was going to form a southbound service, and not to worry about explaining to the next train manager as that was going to be him.
 

GW43125

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A couple of years ago, I was on one of the last Virgin services out of euston on a Saturday night. The train was full of rowdy football fans and it was a nightmare. I went to seek out the train manager and was promptly ushered into coach K.

More recently, last year we were on an Avanti family & friends in Liverpool and an incident closed Crewe. In an attempt to get back to Coventry, we went to the guard of the TPE service, armed with a sob story to try to get to Manchester for a cross country. On being presented with the tickets, he immediately ceased caring and put us in first class. We eventually got home on the second-last train, just the 4 hours later than planned, but he saved us a night in Liverpool!
 

nanstallon

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Many years ago and the people probably retired by now, I was having a trip over the Looe branch, coming back to Liskeard on the last train of the day. I was the only passenger on it. The guard came over to me and asked whether I minded being dropped off on the up main line platform, to save going in and out of the branch platform before proceeding to the depot. As this meant a ride over the connection linking the branch to the main line, which not even enthusiast specials were allowed to carry passengers over, I was more than pleased to agree. Some enthusiasts on the platform, seeing me alight, were green with envy!
 

nanstallon

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Another bit of luck, rather than anything else this time. Not so many years ago, I was on an Ipswich to Lowestoft train. I knew that we would be meeting a steam special in the opposite direction at Halesworth on the single track. I asked the conductor on my train whether there was time to get out and photograph the steam train as it came in, he said there was. So, I got out, foolishly leaving my rucsac in the train. As soon as the steam train came through I went back to my train and as I got to the door the conductor with a smirk said 'You're too late' and closed the electrically operated door. I tried to get a lift to Lowestoft, unsuccessfully, so had to wait for the next train (two hours on a Sunday) and got into Lowestoft. I was totting up the cost of replacing the rucsac and its contents, when a train rolled in from Norwich, forming my connection to eventually get to my accommodation in Sheringham. I thought it might just possibly be the same Sprinter as I'd travelled on from Ipswich, so looked around. Yes, it was, and my rucsac was still there. Thankfully, all contents still there.
 

lxfe_mxtterz

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A story from not too long ago - although rather than a personal experience, I witnessed this happening to somebody else.

A passenger had boarded the train with a railcard-discounted ticket, but claimed to had left their railcard at home. When the guard came through the train checking tickets, instead of issuing a penalty fare (or charging for an entire new ticket), he offered to sell the passenger a non-railcard fare from one of the major stations en route, where he knew there would be an onboard crew change. He even said something along the lines of "I'll sell you a ticket from x, so that if the next guard comes around, you can show that so you don't get into trouble."
 

dave87016

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Going back about 10 years now I was on a Freedom Of The South West Rover I got the evening HST train direct from Westbury to Torre

The guard came round shortly after departure from Westbury asked where I was going I said Torre he said to follow him and make my way to first class so I did and after departure from Dawlish he got a basket with sandwiches and biscuits and cakes in gave the 6 passengers including myself them I presume the stock was going to waste I thanked him and said that’s a nice supper for me back in my hotel room he gave me a couple more sandwiches and chucked a few packets of biscuits in a bag and passed them to me and said enjoy and during the remaining 5 days of my trip I saw him a couple of times working a HST he was one of the nicest chaps you could come across even before he offered the goodies to the passengers
 
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