Are National Rail Enquiries based at Ryde Pier Head?

[306024]

The question is not quite as stupid as it looks! I’ve just got a new Samsung mobile phone, and when I dial National Rail Enquiries the phone suggests I am calling Ryde Pier Head Station. Doesn’t happen with the old Samsung phone, and you do get through to NRE, not Ryde Pier Head Station. It’s not important but would anyone know why please?

 

[ivorytoast28]

I know basing themselves on remote islands can be popular for some companies... but isle of wight would be a new tax haven

 

[STINT47]

When the pier was refurbished the only way they could get funding was to sell off the air rights above the pier head. National Rail Enquiries purchased this and built their main call centre in an office over the ferry terminal.

 

[Gloster]

There are no rail staff at Ryde Pier Head, except when a train is in the platform. Expect the whole system to be cut off periodically when there is a bit of wind or rain, or repairs to be done, or a shortage of willpower, etc. just like the Islandline normally is.

 

[mirodo]

I would imagine that the number for NRE has been added to the station’s contact details (in Google Maps?), absent of the ability to ring the station directly. For whatever reason, your phone is picking out Ryde Pier Head rather than any of the other stations which might also have that contact number listed.

 

[stuu]

The question is not quite as stupid as it looks! I’ve just got a new Samsung mobile phone, and when I dial National Rail Enquiries the phone suggests I am calling Ryde Pier Head Station. Doesn’t happen with the old Samsung phone, and you do get through to NRE, not Ryde Pier Head Station. It’s not important but would anyone know why please?

It's a google suggestion, not a Samsung suggestion. They do some weird things sometimes. I phoned Klarna recently and google suggested it was a boutique in Belsize Park

 

[306024]

It's a google suggestion, not a Samsung suggestion. They do some weird things sometimes. I phoned Klarna recently and google suggested it was a boutique in Belsize Park

Thanks for the replies, even the more creative ones So simply a case of technology trying to be too clever. Hopefully our nuclear deterrent doesn’t use the same system.

 

[Towers]

Thanks for the replies, even the more creative ones So simply a case of technology trying to be too clever. Hopefully our nuclear deterrent doesn’t use the same system.

I wonder how long it would take for anyone to notice if our nuclear deterrent erronously obliterated Ryde Pier Head station?!

 

[Gloster]

I think one of Islandline’s drivers would be the first to notice…glug, glug, glug.

 

[Atishyou]

No, the web and social media team are in South Yorkshire.

 

[mm333]

On my phone, Google Maps tells me that National Rail Enquiries is in Penrhyndeudraeth, but not at the station, but 3 minutes’ walk away.

 

[stadler]

The question is not quite as stupid as it looks! I’ve just got a new Samsung mobile phone, and when I dial National Rail Enquiries the phone suggests I am calling Ryde Pier Head Station. Doesn’t happen with the old Samsung phone, and you do get through to NRE, not Ryde Pier Head Station. It’s not important but would anyone know why please?

National Rail Enquiries are based in Mumbai in India in an outsourced call centre. If you phone 03457 484950 you get connected to their Mumbai in India call centre. They have no staff in the UK answering phones.

 

[WAB]

On my phone, Google Maps tells me that National Rail Enquiries is in Penrhyndeudraeth, but not at the station, but 3 minutes’ walk away.

Interesting. That sounds like it's picking up the Traveline Cymru call centre as being associated with NRE...

 

[jon0844]

Google uses a mix of methods to determine companies and locations, including crowd sourced data (I often get asked questions about companies and in return get points) and probably now AI.

As search results seem to be getting worse every month, it doesn't surprise me that there are mistakes.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Hopefully our nuclear deterrent doesn’t use the same system.

Don't worry, I think that uses a very old version of Windows. Like NT4. Truly.

 

[bussnapperwm]

The question is not quite as stupid as it looks! I’ve just got a new Samsung mobile phone, and when I dial National Rail Enquiries the phone suggests I am calling Ryde Pier Head Station. Doesn’t happen with the old Samsung phone, and you do get through to NRE, not Ryde Pier Head Station. It’s not important but would anyone know why please?

I would imagine that the number for NRE has been added to the station’s contact details (in Google Maps?), absent of the ability to ring the station directly. For whatever reason, your phone is picking out Ryde Pier Head rather than any of the other stations which might also have that contact number listed.

It's a google suggestion, not a Samsung suggestion. They do some weird things sometimes. I phoned Klarna recently and google suggested it was a boutique in Belsize Park

Its an integrated plug-in Samsung use called Smart Vall from a company called Hiya, a spam protection app. Source - am a Galaxy zFlip 4 user with it enabled.

 

[AlbertBeale]

National Rail Enquiries are based in Mumbai in India in an outsourced call centre. If you phone 03457 484950 you get connected to their Mumbai in India call centre. They have no staff in the UK answering phones.

If only they were based at Ryde instead of Mumbai, they might have a bit of knowledge of the British rail system and be able to answer questions other than the basic "what time is train A to B?" looked up on the same system anyone with internet access here can. I gave up asking them anything years ago. Really - what's the point of them, other than for people without internet access? Or will the hopeless new NRE interface drive more business their way again??

 

[bleeder4]

If only they were based at Ryde instead of Mumbai, they might have a bit of knowledge of the British rail system and be able to answer questions other than the basic "what time is train A to B?" looked up on the same system anyone with internet access here can. I gave up asking them anything years ago. Really - what's the point of them, other than for people without internet access? Or will the hopeless new NRE interface drive more business their way again??

I rang them on the day of an Aslef strike once and they didn't even know about the strike! On the plus side, if you want to know how bad the overcrowding will be on the train from Mumbai to Delhi, then they will probably be able to answer.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

If only they were based at Ryde instead of Mumbai, they might have a bit of knowledge of the British rail system and be able to answer questions other than the basic "what time is train A to B?" looked up on the same system anyone with internet access here can. I gave up asking them anything years ago. Really - what's the point of them, other than for people without internet access? Or will the hopeless new NRE interface drive more business their way again??

The last three times I phoned up National Rail, no one could understand what I was saying, and I had ridiculous answers.

"My train is cancelled, I fear the next (last of the day) will be too, will you put me up in a hotel if it is? It will take hours to travel 100 plus miles by road, and I have an early start tomorrow just to travel back here."

"Well sir, I'm really really sorry and completely very much understand the inconvenience and am really really sorry, but you will need to phone the train company sir, I'm really really sorry."

"But at 11:30pm, if I try to phone Transport for Wales, I will get an automated message telling me that they're closed, obviously."

"Well sir, I'm really very sorry and completely and utterly really very much understand the inconvenience and am really so so sorry, but I am here to help you sir - so I can advise you this: you can phone them in the morning and ask them then."

How on earth does it help telling me to phone them in the morning to ask if they'll put me in a hotel tonight?! All you get is grovelling apologies and useless advice.

We got stranded at Hertford East at midnight due to a complete shutdown of the WAML back in September, and we waited TWO HOURS for the taxi they were supposedly providing - and that was after being begged to phone Greater Anglia instead a hundred times, and me repeatedly telling them that GA's phone line was closed.

 

[duffield]

I guess if they make National Rail phone enquiries useless, eventually no-one will use it and it will be shut down "because of lack of demand". Or replaced by an AI - which from the sound of it, might not be any worse than the present service.

 

[BombayMix]

National Rail Enquiries are based in Mumbai in India in an outsourced call centre. If you phone 03457 484950 you get connected to their Mumbai in India call centre. They have no staff in the UK answering phones.

I was in Kendal once trying to find the time of a train going south, and I was repeatedly assured that there is no such station.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

The last three times I phoned up National Rail, no one could understand what I was saying, and I had ridiculous answers.

"My train is cancelled, I fear the next (last of the day) will be too, will you put me up in a hotel if it is? It will take hours to travel 100 plus miles by road, and I have an early start tomorrow just to travel back here."

"Well sir, I'm really really sorry and completely very much understand the inconvenience and am really really sorry, but you will need to phone the train company sir, I'm really really sorry."

"But at 11:30pm, if I try to phone Transport for Wales, I will get an automated message telling me that they're closed, obviously."

"Well sir, I'm really very sorry and completely and utterly really very much understand the inconvenience and am really so so sorry, but I am here to help you sir - so I can advise you this: you can phone them in the morning and ask them then."

How on earth does it help telling me to phone them in the morning to ask if they'll put me in a hotel tonight?! All you get is grovelling apologies and useless advice.

We got stranded at Hertford East at midnight due to a complete shutdown of the WAML back in September, and we waited TWO HOURS for the taxi they were supposedly providing - and that was after being begged to phone Greater Anglia instead a hundred times, and me repeatedly telling them that GA's phone line was closed.

To be fair NRE is for giving train running information, it is down to the TOCs to arrange hotels, taxis etc during disruption and if their customer service lines are closed before their last service has departed then that is a TOC issue that needs raising rather than a NRE one.

 

[Sleepy]

The last three times I phoned up National Rail, no one could understand what I was saying, and I had ridiculous answers.

"My train is cancelled, I fear the next (last of the day) will be too, will you put me up in a hotel if it is? It will take hours to travel 100 plus miles by road, and I have an early start tomorrow just to travel back here."

"Well sir, I'm really really sorry and completely very much understand the inconvenience and am really really sorry, but you will need to phone the train company sir, I'm really really sorry."

"But at 11:30pm, if I try to phone Transport for Wales, I will get an automated message telling me that they're closed, obviously."

"Well sir, I'm really very sorry and completely and utterly really very much understand the inconvenience and am really so so sorry, but I am here to help you sir - so I can advise you this: you can phone them in the morning and ask them then."

How on earth does it help telling me to phone them in the morning to ask if they'll put me in a hotel tonight?! All you get is grovelling apologies and useless advice.

We got stranded at Hertford East at midnight due to a complete shutdown of the WAML back in September, and we waited TWO HOURS for the taxi they were supposedly providing - and that was after being begged to phone Greater Anglia instead a hundred times, and me repeatedly telling them that GA's phone line was closed.

For future reference GA station help point & TVM remote assistance is open 24/7 (staffed in UK)

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

For future reference GA station help point & TVM remote assistance is open 24/7 (staffed in UK)

The Help Point at Hertford East connected me to NRE in Mumbai.

 

[AlbertBeale]

To be fair NRE is for giving train running information, it is down to the TOCs to arrange hotels, taxis etc during disruption and if their customer service lines are closed before their last service has departed then that is a TOC issue that needs raising rather than a NRE one.

The joys of a joined-up public service....

 

[Sleepy]

TT-ONR-NRN Oh that's poor - must only be the TVM assistance that's UK based then. Must be boring role at 0300 !!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

TT-ONR-NRN Oh that's poor - must only be the TVM assistance that's UK based then. Must be boring role at 0300 !!

Yes, we ended up standing around at Hertford East until 2am, when we should have been in our Stansted hotel by 11pm. Taxi never came so we called our own, and had no sleep ahead of our 7am flight. We checked out of the hotel about 90 minutes after checking in... she already preferred driving and has now vowed never to take a train to the airport again, so looks like I'll be stumping up the cost of airport car parking next time we fly... thanks GA/NRE...

 

[infobleep]

I would imagine that the number for NRE has been added to the station’s contact details (in Google Maps?), absent of the ability to ring the station directly. For whatever reason, your phone is picking out Ryde Pier Head rather than any of the other stations which might also have that contact number listed.

Unfortunately contact system isn't intelligent enough and nor are contact files that you can export and import into your phone with contact details

The Help Point at Hertford East connected me to NRE in Mumbai.

I've had this once at Chilworth. No help at all during disruption. Whether GWR have improved things since then I don't know. There was and may still be no mobile data reception at Chilworth on O2.

 

[Skimble19]

The Help Point at Hertford East connected me to NRE in Mumbai.

Out of interest, did you press Information or Emergency? At the TOC I work for you’ll get through to Mumbai for Information, but the UK if you press Emergency (and in a situation like the one you’ve described, our control will often post messages to the CIS / PA telling customers to press that, to get alternative transport sorted for them).

 

[Express380]

The Help Point at Hertford East connected me to NRE in Mumbai.

Have a feeling the GWR ones go to the same place too which on many occasions have been unhelpful and 9 times out of 10 put me to GWR staff in Swindon or wherever.