Railway by-law expert needed - walking through first class with std class ticket?

pinkteapot

As per the title really, just curious.... Hubby got a ticking off from the ticket inspector this morning for walking through a first class carriage with his standard class ticket (he didn't sit down). Apparently this contravenes a by-law. I always thought you just had to have a first class ticket to sit in first class.

Anyone know? He wasn't fined or anything. I'm just curious. We both commute and in the evening, the first class carriages are at the back of the train so at the last minute when the whistle's being blown you get a load of people jump on in first class and walk through to standard. Never seen this by-law enforced before.

pingu

pinkteapot wrote: »

We both commute and in the evening, the first class carriages are at the back of the train so at the last minute when the whistle's being blown you get a load of people jump on in first class and walk through to standard. Never seen this by-law enforced before.

not an expert but if you travel regularly and know where the first class is why not move a bit further and get on standard:D

kwaks

Will depend on which train company I believe.

pinkteapot

I almost always get on in standard, yes.

Hubby is one of those annoying people who wants to walk through the train as it's approaching London in the morning to be at the front when it pulls in (saves walking down the platform). First class is at the front heading towards London so normally he walks through. Today there was a guard at the first class entrance stopping people. I don't bother because I don't care about the few minutes spent walking down the platform once I leave the train.

The other instance I mentioned was in the evening. Commuters are always jumping onto trains seconds before they leave. After the ticket barriers, you have to walk past three or four first class carriages before you get to standard so you always get loads of people jump on first class as they doors are about to be locked and then walk through to standard. I've only done this once. The trains fill up well before departure so if you're doing this you aren't getting a seat. Wonder if they'll start posting bouncers at all the first class doors at the station.

Thing is, I actually think it's quite a sensible by-law. People in first class pay an absolute fortune so if I was sat in there I'd want quiet enjoyment; not hordes of riff-raff traipsing past my seat.

robt_2

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure that bye-laws come into it. The guard chose to stop people going into first class who had no business being in first class - nothing wrong with that.

As for the second example, it is one where I would hope common sense prevails

Mark_Hewitt

You still need a first class ticket even to stand in first class, so I think the guard was correct here. Part of the advantage of first class is that you have less distance to walk down the platforms at the London terminals, he hadn't paid for this!

However I don't see any problem getting *on* in 1st.

Mark_Hewitt

I had the opposite problem once. Had a 1st class ticket but got on at the other end of the train as it was about to leave. But it was so completely rammed it took me a good 20 minutes to get through the train to the 1st class carriage, at which point someone was sitting in my booked seat! So I had to stand in 1st class.. it wasn't so bad as I got a refund tho

Quentin

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

You still need a first class ticket even to stand in first class, so I think the guard was correct here.

You are encouraged to upgrade to first class if you want to on the train, so how could you (legally) attempt this were it against the law to enter a first class coach with only a standard class ticket?

Rolandtheroadie

Quentin wrote: »

You are encouraged to upgrade to first class if you want to on the train, so how could you (legally) attempt this were it against the law to enter a first class coach with only a standard class ticket?

Ask the ticket examiner when he comes to your standard class seat to check your ticket?

olly300

OP the guard was just being a jobsworth.

I hope your husband knows what he looks like so if he's on the train he knows not to walk down the carriages.

BTW one of my mates had a massive argument with a guard a couple of years ago about another issue. When the transport police were finally called they weren't impressed by the guard calling them and told him off.

olly300

scotsman4th wrote: »

Ask the ticket examiner when he comes to your standard class seat to check your ticket?

No they actually tell you on some trains to sit in 1st class and pay the difference when the guard comes.

It's from the time when you could get on a train without a ticket and pay without the guard trying to give you a penalty fare.