London Midland Trains

[nitromatt1]

I rode a class 172 Snow Hill - Stourbridge Junction the other day and throughout the whole journey not one ticket inspector came and checked my ticket (I had a valid Network West Midlands Daytripper).

I don't ride very many trains - is this normal, to not have anyone check your ticket? Don't you get many faredodgers?

[Sh4318]

I rode a class 172 Snow Hill - Stourbridge Junction the other day and throughout the whole journey not one ticket inspector came and checked my ticket (I had a valid Network West Midlands Daytripper).

I don't ride very many trains - is this normal, to not have anyone check your ticket? Don't you get many faredodgers?

You get a lot of people who try and get away with it. Most conductors let you off, they don't show the same kindness if you're outside of the West Midlands, I've seen passengers get fined on several occasions. One train you'll probably never get checked on is the Wolverhampton - Walsall stopper, I've only been checked twice, ever

[vinh1000]

I rode a class 172 Snow Hill - Stourbridge Junction the other day and throughout the whole journey not one ticket inspector came and checked my ticket (I had a valid Network West Midlands Daytripper).

I don't ride very many trains - is this normal, to not have anyone check your ticket? Don't you get many faredodgers?

Faredodgers yes
Snow Hill station has a bypass you see :) Moor Street usually does as ticket barriers by stairs are usually open
Since now ive seen no ticket barriers operation Weekends (staff seem to work Mon-Fri now)
Ticket check rarely happens (it WILL happen if train goes outside PTE like the Cross City Line) and usually its only checked when it doesnt call at intermediate stations (ie SGB > Rowley Regis missing Langley Green)

[D10]

I rode a class 172 Snow Hill - Stourbridge Junction the other day and throughout the whole journey not one ticket inspector came and checked my ticket (I had a valid Network West Midlands Daytripper).

I don't ride very many trains - is this normal, to not have anyone check your ticket? Don't you get many faredodgers?

Faredodgers yes
Snow Hill station has a bypass you see :) Moor Street usually does as ticket barriers by stairs are usually open
Since now ive seen no ticket barriers operation Weekends (staff seem to work Mon-Fri now)
Ticket check rarely happens (it WILL happen if train goes outside PTE like the Cross City Line) and usually its only checked when it doesnt call at intermediate stations (ie SGB > Rowley Regis missing Langley Green)

On Sunday I got off the train at Snow Hill and no surprise, the barriers were open However, I got back on at Moor Street and was surprised to see the barriers were in force and being manned. Of course Moor Street is controlled by Chiltern not LM, so Chiltern may now manning the Moor Street barriers for at least some of the time at weekends.

[midlandred2003]

New street has 1 ticket barrier manned on sundays for 6 hours only, monday to saturday 07:00-18;30,moor st has the main gate manned but never seen the other one being used.Snow hill only ever seen the barriers being manned once when there was a meet the manager there?

[mikestone]

Moor St had both manned the last time I went to Stratford, and that was a Saturday afternoon.

[Bob]

London midland must lose so much revenue at certain times.  Loadsof times on a sat evening ive never paid and obviously if theres no barriers on im not gona offer to pay lol. A few saturdays ago I was on the 2318 cannock train and a horrific fight kicked off 3 or 4 blokes were battering rhis one guy. Where was the conductor?  Nowhere to be seen!

[vinh1000]

New street has 1 ticket barrier manned on sundays for 6 hours only, monday to saturday 07:00-18;30,moor st has the main gate manned but never seen the other one being used.Snow hill only ever seen the barriers being manned once when there was a meet the manager there?

Snow HIll is manned usually 7:30am - 5pm Mon-Friday but the St pauls barriers are generally open

[andy]

London midland must lose so much revenue at certain times.  Loadsof times on a sat evening ive never paid and obviously if theres no barriers on im not gona offer to pay lol. A few saturdays ago I was on the 2318 cannock train and a horrific fight kicked off 3 or 4 blokes were battering rhis one guy. Where was the conductor?  Nowhere to be seen!

1. Then you are effectively a thief. You shouldn't require enforcement to buy a ticket, perhaps you can bear this in mind when criticising the company for not doing this that or the other, as you think it should be a free service.

2. What do you expect the single conductor to do against 4 blokes? How far away from the conductor's cab were you? If there was a serious incident you could have gone to the cab and alerted the conductor or even pulled the pascom? Did you do anything?

[bususer12]

London midland must lose so much revenue at certain times.  Loadsof times on a sat evening ive never paid and obviously if theres no barriers on im not gona offer to pay lol. A few saturdays ago I was on the 2318 cannock train and a horrific fight kicked off 3 or 4 blokes were battering rhis one guy. Where was the conductor?  Nowhere to be seen!

1. Then you are effectively a thief. You shouldn't require enforcement to buy a ticket, perhaps you can bear this in mind when criticising the company for not doing this that or the other, as you think it should be a free service.

2. What do you expect the single conductor to do against 4 blokes? How far away from the conductor's cab were you? If there was a serious incident you could have gone to the cab and alerted the conductor or even pulled the pascom? Did you do anything?

For a period of about 6 months, Old Hill Station was closed after 10am, if i want an n network daytripper, I had no choice as there was only a permit to travel machine, which didn't accept notes. Now there is a card payment machine as well. The opening times are very poor, especially as there are certain tickets that machines cannot issue. The first time I needed a ticket, i approached the guard to let them know that I needed to buy a ticket, they said get on i'm busy!

I don't need to travel by train anymore, but if i did, I could just board a train in Old Hill holding a note, because there is no facility to accept them, or could just board a train at Lye because  I need an n network (It's cheaper to get one than buy a return to somewhere like Coventry.)

[Bob]

Effectively a thief? I get on at an unmanned station with a machine where you can only pay by card. I pay cash, its not my fault they cant bother their f#####g arse to send a conductor round to DO HIS JOB ir collect fares. Why should I have to queue up just because the conductor hasnt been round. And as for return journeys,  if theyre stupid enough not to send a conductor round to check tickdts/collect fares etc then thats their issue. They provide an absolutely crapservice any way, trains that dont turn up, trains that arent running last minute due to staff shortages ( despite this not being stated on their website), shocking service. Oh and they send a bloody single decker to cover the equivalent of a train resulting in a free for all for christs sake....

[Liverpool Street]

Effectively a thief? I get on at an unmanned station with a machine where you can only pay by card. I pay cash, its not my fault they cant bother their f#####g arse to send a conductor round to DO HIS JOB ir collect fares. Why should I have to queue up just because the conductor hasnt been round. And as for return journeys,  if theyre stupid enough not to send a conductor round to check tickdts/collect fares etc then thats their issue. They provide an absolutely crapservice any way, trains that dont turn up, trains that arent running last minute due to staff shortages ( despite this not being stated on their website), shocking service. Oh and they send a bloody single decker to cover the equivalent of a train resulting in a free for all for christs sake....

I'm with Bob on this one.

If they had the facilities and the service, then any 'normal' person wouldn't mind paying for a ticket knowing forwell there is a conductor lacking.

[vinh1000]

London midland must lose so much revenue at certain times.  Loadsof times on a sat evening ive never paid and obviously if theres no barriers on im not gona offer to pay lol. A few saturdays ago I was on the 2318 cannock train and a horrific fight kicked off 3 or 4 blokes were battering rhis one guy. Where was the conductor?  Nowhere to be seen!

1. Then you are effectively a thief. You shouldn't require enforcement to buy a ticket, perhaps you can bear this in mind when criticising the company for not doing this that or the other, as you think it should be a free service.

2. What do you expect the single conductor to do against 4 blokes? How far away from the conductor's cab were you? If there was a serious incident you could have gone to the cab and alerted the conductor or even pulled the pascom? Did you do anything?

For a period of about 6 months, Old Hill Station was closed after 10am, if i want an n network daytripper, I had no choice as there was only a permit to travel machine, which didn't accept notes. Now there is a card payment machine as well. The opening times are very poor, especially as there are certain tickets that machines cannot issue. The first time I needed a ticket, i approached the guard to let them know that I needed to buy a ticket, they said get on i'm busy!

I don't need to travel by train anymore, but if i did, I could just board a train in Old Hill holding a note, because there is no facility to accept them, or could just board a train at Lye because  I need an n network (It's cheaper to get one than buy a return to somewhere like Coventry.)

My Local station Jewellery Quarter also had its hours vastly reduced to only Friday 10-12 and 3-5 as opposed to 6:00 - 23:59 before considering its a busy station

[Tony]

London midland must lose so much revenue at certain times.  Loadsof times on a sat evening ive never paid and obviously if theres no barriers on im not gona offer to pay lol. A few saturdays ago I was on the 2318 cannock train and a horrific fight kicked off 3 or 4 blokes were battering rhis one guy. Where was the conductor?  Nowhere to be seen!

1. Then you are effectively a thief. You shouldn't require enforcement to buy a ticket, perhaps you can bear this in mind when criticising the company for not doing this that or the other, as you think it should be a free service.

2. What do you expect the single conductor to do against 4 blokes? How far away from the conductor's cab were you? If there was a serious incident you could have gone to the cab and alerted the conductor or even pulled the pascom? Did you do anything?

I agree Andy, coming in from Cannock if no conductor comes around fair enough that is the company's fault, but anyone boarding a train at New Street with 24hour ticket sales facilities is a fair dodger who deserves penalty fares or prosecution if caught.

Revenue Inspectors were at Walsall today, all exits, catching everybody getting off the trains from Birmingham and doing just that

[Stu]

I don't use the train very often, but am honest enough to buy a ticket anyway where I can.

I did raise my concerns with London Midland via FixMyTransport back in December 2011, their response makes interesting reading:
http://www.fixmytransport.com/campaigns/at-least-employ-ticket-checkers-on-t

I do recall another occasion when I did buy a ticket, however as I saw a conductor passing through my carriage, I got my ticket out ready for inspection, and the guy just walked straight past! The train wasn't even busy, so I presumed he was just heading to the other end before starting back for his checks, but he never returned.

It makes me wonder what data London Midland use to analyse how many passengers use their services, when it is so seemingly easy to get on a train without paying.

I just know though, that the first time I try evading the fare, I'll get caught and slapped with a fine. So I'll always buy a ticket from the office at the station if its open, or put some money in the Permit To Travel machine.