Wilts Wanderer
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2016
- Messages
- 2,564
Yesterday a family member and I travelled on the Royal Duchy railtour from Bristol to Par and back, operated by West Coast Railways on behalf of the Railway Touring Company. The train engine was 6233 Duchess of Sutherland with 47813 giving light assistance on the rear, plus hauling the diesel-only legs west of Plymouth. The whole trip, itinerary (including coach shuttle to/from Charlestown or Fowey), locomotive turnout and performance, rolling stock, timekeeping and overall organisation was very good, to the usual high standard I’ve experienced with this railtour company (RTC) in the past.
However there were a couple of on-train incidents that left a very bad taste in our mouths and unfortunately will likely remain the abiding memory of what should have been a perfect day out. Our seats were in the Mk1 corridor brake composite (BCK) which we had specifically requested due to my companion needing the extra kneeroom. Therefore we were sharing with two other travellers (who joined separately), who were both very pleasant company, one of whom was enjoying their first railtour experience. The BCK has a side corridor allowing safe enjoyment of the view from a standing position, looking through the open toplight windows.
The first incident occurred about 30 mins after departing Bristol on the outbound run. Our RTC steward, a very nice quite elderly chap, was given a public dressing down by the train guard, in front of passengers, for ‘not policing the corridors enough, I’m having to do it for you!’ This rather unpleasant gentleman then continued to make frequent passes up and down the corridor, accusing people of sticking their heads out of the window. At no point did I actually see anyone doing this.
The second incident of a similar nature occurred during our departure from Plymouth on the return; 6233 was being given her head for the run at Hemerdon bank and about 8-10 people were standing in the corridor listening to the fantastic soundtrack. I was standing next to the picture window at the end of the corridor near the guard’s office, recording the run on my phone, which was fully inside the train. Without warning I suddenly found myself being manhandled out of the way - the guard had spotted someone further down the corridor with a portion of their phone out of the window. He forced his way through and very irately shouted at this chap to ‘get inside your compartment, sit down and behave.’ I suspect the ‘don’t lean out’ rule was being slightly breached but the way in which it was enforced was disgusting. By coincidence the passenger involved was the ‘first timer’ from our compartment. The guard then proceeded further down the train.
The third incident occurred about five mins later. We’d completed a cracking ascent of Hemerdon and were hammering our way up to Ivybridge. I was now standing at the window next to our compartment, having put my phone away. I was leaning my forehead against the wood panelling above the toplight, with my arms resting against the handrail inside the coach. Again, at no time was any part of my anatomy outside the train in any way, I was simply enjoying the run and the breeze / smell of coal-fired exhaust. For the second time I was without warning roughly manhandled backwards into the compartment - our guard was returning to his office. He stood in my face and angrily told me to ‘stop putting parts of my body out of the train, like I told you before!‘ (We hadn’t previously spoken) ‘If you can’t follow the rules (I was) then sit down, stay in your compartment and behave!’
This was beyond tolerating and I felt obliged to stand up to him. He laughed at me in exasperation, shook his head, went into the spare compartment slammed the door and put the internal blinds down. We didn’t see him again until Exeter where he was relieved by a colleague (apparently the booked move.). I can only think that he had mistaken me for the passenger he previously dressed down.
This last incident ruined what should have been a really good day out. I am 100% in favour of the ban on window hanging and agree that people should be warned about allowing even a mobile phone to protrude outside. However there is absolutely no reason why paying customers should not stand in the corridor - it’s far safer than standing at a droplight door! - and the way which this guard was treating people was frankly disgusting. I said to my companion that if I was manhandled another time I’d be filing assault charges - what on earth are West Coast Railways training their staff in customer service!? The standard class ticket price was £130 and people want to hear the locomotive working and enjoy the sensory experience of heritage steam train travel. Unfortunately experiences like this are unlikely to do much to support the railtour market in the future. During the whole trip, the only people I witnessed window-hanging were WCR’s own staff - some of whom did not appear to be working the train.
Apologies for the long tale, I needed to get it off my chest as it’s still leaving a really sour taste. I’m considering submitting a complaint to RTC but I know it wasn’t their staff member (indeed their volunteers were excellent.) Another part of me thinks this absolute piece of work shouldnt be allowed anywhere near paying customers.
What do people think, and do you have your own experiences of unreasonable staff on railtours?
However there were a couple of on-train incidents that left a very bad taste in our mouths and unfortunately will likely remain the abiding memory of what should have been a perfect day out. Our seats were in the Mk1 corridor brake composite (BCK) which we had specifically requested due to my companion needing the extra kneeroom. Therefore we were sharing with two other travellers (who joined separately), who were both very pleasant company, one of whom was enjoying their first railtour experience. The BCK has a side corridor allowing safe enjoyment of the view from a standing position, looking through the open toplight windows.
The first incident occurred about 30 mins after departing Bristol on the outbound run. Our RTC steward, a very nice quite elderly chap, was given a public dressing down by the train guard, in front of passengers, for ‘not policing the corridors enough, I’m having to do it for you!’ This rather unpleasant gentleman then continued to make frequent passes up and down the corridor, accusing people of sticking their heads out of the window. At no point did I actually see anyone doing this.
The second incident of a similar nature occurred during our departure from Plymouth on the return; 6233 was being given her head for the run at Hemerdon bank and about 8-10 people were standing in the corridor listening to the fantastic soundtrack. I was standing next to the picture window at the end of the corridor near the guard’s office, recording the run on my phone, which was fully inside the train. Without warning I suddenly found myself being manhandled out of the way - the guard had spotted someone further down the corridor with a portion of their phone out of the window. He forced his way through and very irately shouted at this chap to ‘get inside your compartment, sit down and behave.’ I suspect the ‘don’t lean out’ rule was being slightly breached but the way in which it was enforced was disgusting. By coincidence the passenger involved was the ‘first timer’ from our compartment. The guard then proceeded further down the train.
The third incident occurred about five mins later. We’d completed a cracking ascent of Hemerdon and were hammering our way up to Ivybridge. I was now standing at the window next to our compartment, having put my phone away. I was leaning my forehead against the wood panelling above the toplight, with my arms resting against the handrail inside the coach. Again, at no time was any part of my anatomy outside the train in any way, I was simply enjoying the run and the breeze / smell of coal-fired exhaust. For the second time I was without warning roughly manhandled backwards into the compartment - our guard was returning to his office. He stood in my face and angrily told me to ‘stop putting parts of my body out of the train, like I told you before!‘ (We hadn’t previously spoken) ‘If you can’t follow the rules (I was) then sit down, stay in your compartment and behave!’
This was beyond tolerating and I felt obliged to stand up to him. He laughed at me in exasperation, shook his head, went into the spare compartment slammed the door and put the internal blinds down. We didn’t see him again until Exeter where he was relieved by a colleague (apparently the booked move.). I can only think that he had mistaken me for the passenger he previously dressed down.
This last incident ruined what should have been a really good day out. I am 100% in favour of the ban on window hanging and agree that people should be warned about allowing even a mobile phone to protrude outside. However there is absolutely no reason why paying customers should not stand in the corridor - it’s far safer than standing at a droplight door! - and the way which this guard was treating people was frankly disgusting. I said to my companion that if I was manhandled another time I’d be filing assault charges - what on earth are West Coast Railways training their staff in customer service!? The standard class ticket price was £130 and people want to hear the locomotive working and enjoy the sensory experience of heritage steam train travel. Unfortunately experiences like this are unlikely to do much to support the railtour market in the future. During the whole trip, the only people I witnessed window-hanging were WCR’s own staff - some of whom did not appear to be working the train.
Apologies for the long tale, I needed to get it off my chest as it’s still leaving a really sour taste. I’m considering submitting a complaint to RTC but I know it wasn’t their staff member (indeed their volunteers were excellent.) Another part of me thinks this absolute piece of work shouldnt be allowed anywhere near paying customers.
What do people think, and do you have your own experiences of unreasonable staff on railtours?
