The return of British Rail

[anonymous-user]

I will be quite interested to see how this turns out.

Personally, I would welcome a return to ‘one brand’ with regards to fares, timetables, tickets, branding and so on. I think our current system is fragmented and potentially confusing.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co....

https://news.sky.com/story/franchises-scrapped-and...

[Unbusy]

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

[gruffalo]

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

And the filthy, late trains that broke down all the time, that was if you were lucky enough for one to turn up in the first place.

God I hope not but I fear that the Unions will end up like they were before when having zero pride in your work or what you do was fine, after all it couldn't go bust.

The rail industry is not ready for nationalisation, the Unions are too strong and militant.

[Mr_Yogi]

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

Oh I don't know, didn't the 125s originally have proper travelling chefs as opposed to a microwaved burger?

[Atmospheric]

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

[Atmospheric]

gruffalo said:

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

And the filthy, late trains that broke down all the time, that was if you were lucky enough for one to turn up in the first place.

God I hope not but I fear that the Unions will end up like they were before when having zero pride in your work or what you do was fine, after all it couldn't go bust.

The rail industry is not ready for nationalisation, the Unions are too strong and militant.

This exactly. People have extremely short memories. People have been spoilt by the abundant new rolling stock

The timetabling and fares are currently ridiculous - so this may have a "good" aspect to it, but the government shouldn't run it. At all. Only manage the private entities and set the operational parameters, but it really needs to be run dat-to-day privately IMO

[Hereward]

Makes sense given the astonishing events of the last 14 months. Hopefully the unions will be sidelined as much as possible so they cannot bully passengers. I'm a Southern user for the last 16 years or so and I will never forget the impact the union strikes had on my mental health.

[Atmospheric]

Mr_Yogi said:

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

Oh I don't know, didn't the 125s originally have proper travelling chefs as opposed to a microwaved burger?

The days of a regular travelling chef are well and truly over when they replaced the Class 43. The 800s are more high density Intercity than High Speed, so catering took a back burner.

[NewBod]

I normally enjoy rail travel, but haven't stepped foot on a train since December 2019. Hoping to change that soon though.

Thing that annoys me is the fact that it seems so damn expensive to use in this country.

My local area seems to have terrible provision too. The first train to the main city in my county leaves just after 9am, the last one back sets off just after 4pm. There are no trains on Sunday anywhere either.

[dukeboy749r]

Atmospheric said:

Mr_Yogi said:

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

Oh I don't know, didn't the 125s originally have proper travelling chefs as opposed to a microwaved burger?

The days of a regular travelling chef are well and truly over when they replaced the Class 43. The 800s are more high density Intercity than High Speed, so catering took a back burner.

I see what you did there...

[Bam89]

Main bit of interest for me is the flexible season tickets that have been announced.

Looks like I'll be in the office a couple of days a week once we go back to normal, but at the moment a peak day return + parking on the HS1 route is around £50, if they can bring that in line with what the average cost was under a monthly season ticket it'll be far more palatable

[bumblebee]

Unbusy said:

Will it involve the return of the infamous British Rail Sandwich? I still haven’t recovered from my last one.

Reminds me of the old joke: How do you know what’s on the menu in a British Rail restaurant car?

Just look at the table cloth and guess...

[CraigyMc]

Bam89 said:

Main bit of interest for me is the flexible season tickets that have been announced.

Looks like I'll be in the office a couple of days a week once we go back to normal, but at the moment a peak day return + parking on the HS1 route is around £50, if they can bring that in line with what the average cost was under a monthly season ticket it'll be far more palatable

Where I live the annual season ticket is 52 weeks for the price of 40. Given that you take some of those 50 off in vacation time anyway I generally look at it more like 40 weeks for the price of 50, in other words a 20% discount.
Various rail forums have suggested that the new part-time season tickets will be more like a 10 to 15% off thing, a smaller discount level than you'd get with a 5-day-a-week one.

Apparently the split means that people who can get carnets of tickets already (I can't, my home station doesn't support them) are going to have to make a decision because it'll depend on whether you're on 2 or 3 days a week as to whether it works out better one way or another.

I'm not looking forward to spending £5K a year of post-tax pay on sitting in a metal tube for a couple of hours a day again.

[Sway]

Can only hope it's done in the same manner as the Teesside Airport takeover - or the German model of nationalised industry...

[Bam89]

CraigyMc said:

Bam89 said:

Main bit of interest for me is the flexible season tickets that have been announced.

Looks like I'll be in the office a couple of days a week once we go back to normal, but at the moment a peak day return + parking on the HS1 route is around £50, if they can bring that in line with what the average cost was under a monthly season ticket it'll be far more palatable

Where I live the annual season ticket is 52 weeks for the price of 40. Given that you take some of those 50 off in vacation time anyway I generally look at it more like 40 weeks for the price of 50, in other words a 20% discount.
Various rail forums have suggested that the new part-time season tickets will be more like a 10 to 15% off thing, a smaller discount level than you'd get with a 5-day-a-week one.

Apparently the split means that people who can get carnets of tickets already (I can't, my home station doesn't support them) are going to have to make a decision because it'll depend on whether you're on 2 or 3 days a week as to whether it works out better one way or another.

I'm not looking forward to spending £5K a year of post-tax pay on sitting in a metal tube for a couple of hours a day again.

I'm lucky enough that my employer seems to think 2-3 days a week in the office is the right balance, but can certainly understand the sentiment behind your last sentence.

Looking at my specific journey, and including tube travel

Paying Daily
Anytime return - £43.40
Parking - £11.90
Total - £55.30

7 day
Travelcard - £145.90
Parking - £44.30
Total - £190.20, or £38 per day based on 5 days a week actual use

Monthly
Travelcard - £560.30
Parking - £143.70
Total - £704, or £35.20 based on ~20 days a month

I'd be hoping for something close to the £40 mark all in with the flexible tickets, but its still a ridiculous amount of money out of the take home just to get to and from the office.

[BritishBlitz87]

Bam89 said:

I'm lucky enough that my employer seems to think 2-3 days a week in the office is the right balance, but can certainly understand the sentiment behind your last sentence.

Looking at my specific journey, and including tube travel

Paying Daily
Anytime return - £43.40
Parking - £11.90
Total - £55.30

7 day
Travelcard - £145.90
Parking - £44.30
Total - £190.20, or £38 per day based on 5 days a week actual use

Monthly
Travelcard - £560.30
Parking - £143.70
Total - £704, or £35.20 based on ~20 days a month

I'd be hoping for something close to the £40 mark all in with the flexible tickets, but its still a ridiculous amount of money out of the take home just to get to and from the office.

Your monthly commute costs over half my net salary

How do all the care workers, shop assistants and the like survive in London?

[Morningside]

The is the age of the train - I wonder who we could use for the advertising campaign? Is that guy we used before still around?


Seriously, they are just too expensive. I would have happily used them but for £60 a week compared to £50 a fortnight by car they have become a luxury mode of transport.

[edgyedgy]

BritishBlitz87 said:

Bam89 said:

I'm lucky enough that my employer seems to think 2-3 days a week in the office is the right balance, but can certainly understand the sentiment behind your last sentence.

Looking at my specific journey, and including tube travel

Paying Daily
Anytime return - £43.40
Parking - £11.90
Total - £55.30

7 day
Travelcard - £145.90
Parking - £44.30
Total - £190.20, or £38 per day based on 5 days a week actual use

Monthly
Travelcard - £560.30
Parking - £143.70
Total - £704, or £35.20 based on ~20 days a month

I'd be hoping for something close to the £40 mark all in with the flexible tickets, but its still a ridiculous amount of money out of the take home just to get to and from the office.

Your monthly commute costs over half my net salary

How do all the care workers, shop assistants and the like survive in London?

Working tax credits and other low paid benefits at a guess

[Gecko1978]

When I worked in the wharf I rode the bike in 40 miles eqch way door to door 45 mins. Train 90 mins door to door. Petrol for the bike about £45 a week plus £2 a day parking. Train about 100 a week parking for car 35 a week, fuel about £15 a week. So £150 and 90 mins public transport £55 a week 45mins on the bike. If we go back to the office full time it will come down to cost of the C charge.

[anonymous-user]

Gecko1978 said:

When I worked in the wharf I rode the bike in 40 miles eqch way door to door 45 mins. Train 90 mins door to door. Petrol for the bike about £45 a week plus £2 a day parking. Train about 100 a week parking for car 35 a week, fuel about £15 a week. So £150 and 90 mins public transport £55 a week 45mins on the bike. If we go back to the office full time it will come down to cost of the C charge.

Electric motorcycle required?