Case has been resolved. Thank you to Trans Pennine Express, good customer service

Becles

yorkie2 wrote: »

Which Company operated that service?

If this was a Northbound East Coast service, the quiet coach becomes the loud coach from York, due to the position of the stairs at York station (the drunken people from the North East do not know about the underpass and cannot be bothered to walk far along the platform). To avoid them simply move to the rearmost Standard class coach at York.

It was a Cross Country train that we joined at Birmingham.

dzug1

Altarf wrote: »

Mildly unpleasant, then don't pull the cord.

However it is clear that was not the situation in the OP's case -



So the simple question is, why did the station staff and the train staff not do anything about the situation?

If you were in a pub enjoying a quiet drink and someone came up to you screaming that you were a motherf-ing w-ker would you just put up with it for an a couple of hours? I doubt it.

The problem has been caused by the station staff allowing the drunks to travel, and the train staff to allow the drunks to threaten and abuse passengers.

If the station and train staff won't do anything, then they shouldn't be surprised when passengers do.

Not disagreeing with you, but in practical terms what could they actually do about it? They no more want to get into a fight with a drunk than a passenger would

Lifeforms

Trains stop at various points along the route. If you are having an issue and no train guard comes along the train (or attendants, or otherwise) then simply block the door from closing at the next stop. The guard on the station will come along to find out, and will be able to communicate with onboard staff if the situation is as critical as posted.

Altarf

dzug1 wrote: »

Not disagreeing with you, but in practical terms what could they actually do about it? They no more want to get into a fight with a drunk than a passenger would

Plan ahead.

Football matches tend to be publicised. Friday / Saturdays from town centres occur every week. So having BTP at the station to stop the worst drunks getting on the train in the first place would be a start.

If it is likely that there will be problems on the train, and it seems clear that there are known problem trains, then if the drunks manage to bypass BTP at the station, then either have BTP on the train or ready to meet the train at specific locations if trouble breaks out.

For persistent nuisances, deal with them like other businesses and ban them.

Or the station / train staff can hide away, and let the passengers suffering the abuse take what they deem to be the right action.

Wickwar

Had the misfortune on being on trains more than once at weekends with drunks coming out of London BTP just seem to want to get them on the train & out of London.

Altarf

Wickwar wrote: »

Had the misfortune on being on trains more than once at weekends with drunks coming out of London BTP just seem to want to get them on the train & out of London.

And if the BTP don't want to deal with it, then the train staff certainly won't.

Perhaps if BTP actually did something people's attitude may change - Tell people they are not travelling and to go away until sober, or give them the option of seeing the inside of a cell block and a visit to the magistrate.

However if the train companies encourage abusive drunks to travel, then they can hardly complain when the passenger has to take responsibility, and choose to use 999 and the emergency handle.

davenport151

Interestingly some companies do operate 'dry trains' but i guess this is not as a whole. I do also think X Country are one of the worst for guards not showing on busy/lively services.
Lifeforms had a good point in making yourself known at a station to the guard.

Altarf

davenport151 wrote: »

Lifeforms had a good point in making yourself known at a station to the guard.

So what do you do when your train does not have a guard, and the few stations the train does stop are all unmanned at that time of the night.

The only way to communicate with the single member of train staff on the train (the driver) is to pull the emergency cord.

meer53

Loud passengers aren't an emergency though are they ? The OP was taken to their destination by the train company, no refund due. The train companies never promise a peaceful journey do they ? Headphones are always a good idea.

geordie_taxi

meer53 wrote: »

Loud passengers aren't an emergency though are they ?

Yes but drunken, threatening and abuse ones are, especially if all their aggression is towards you.

meer53 wrote: »

The OP was taken to their destination by the train company, no refund due. The train companies never promise a peaceful journey do they ? Headphones are always a good idea.

Railway byelaw 4 states

(1) No person shall enter or remain on the railway where such person is unfit
to enter or remain on the railway as a result of being in a state of
intoxication.

Railway byelaw 6 states

1) No person shall use any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language
on the railway.

so if any rail staff are inform ie passenger verbal complaint, then the train company has a legal responsibility to do something about it.

IMHO Defo grounds for some compo