Is someone within their rights to move you out of a prebooked seat?

PeterParker957

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Over 200 passengers or so get a seat per journey depending on the size of the train, sometimes double that amount. See if there is something that you can do to help you be one of them.

Already done - it's called Irish Rail not being dickheads and putting the f**king reservations above the seats.

GM228

PeterParker957 wrote: »

Already done - it's called Irish Rail not being dickheads and putting the f**king reservations above the seats.

Do you think IE purposley have a problematic system?

PeterParker957

GM228 wrote: »

Do you think IE purposley have a problematic system?

No, they're just useless.

The Moldy Gowl

PeterParker957 wrote: »

No, they're just useless.

Try ask someone nicely the next time if you could possibly sit down.

Might work.

PeterParker957

The Moldy Gowl wrote: »

Try ask someone nicely the next time if you could possibly sit down.

Might work.

Tried that when the pain was bad - got replies ranging from outright ignoring, to "no" to "being fat's a disability now eh. Funny old world"

I'd prefer to have a system that works, so IR put up the names of who is booked - papers on seats if not - no one allowed on train till either done and then that way, everyone who gets to a seat in time can have one, knowing it is theirs.

monument

PeterParker957 wrote: »

Already done - it's called Irish Rail not being dickheads and putting the f**king reservations above the seats.

Banned for three days for being warned to improve their posting style.

— moderator

joeysoap

I think PP957 made some valid points. I certainly would move if I sat in a booked seat and the person who booked it asked me to move ( I would ask for some evidence). But equally I would be very annoyed if I sat on what appeared to be a free seat and somebody later sat next to me (me taking a window seat and later passenger taking aisle seat) and their seat was actually free when I sat down. That’s clearly IE’s fault.

*Maybe the thing to do is sit in an aisle seat anyway even if first on board? But it’s still guesswork?

PeterParker957

joeysoap wrote: »

I think PP957 made some valid points. I certainly would move if I sat in a booked seat and the person who booked it asked me to move ( I would ask for some evidence). But equally I would be very annoyed if I sat on what appeared to be a free seat and somebody later sat next to me (me taking a window seat and later passenger taking aisle seat) and their seat was actually free when I sat down. That’s clearly IE’s fault.

*Maybe the thing to do is sit in an aisle seat anyway even if first on board? But it’s still guesswork?

FYI the train I got Friday had no names over until Kildare - they came on an hour after I boarded, and the wifi was working fine.

Jamie2k9

Just back from a few days away and happened to travel on a GWR service and as part of the platform announcement they stated, reservations are not available on this service due to a technical fault, customers with reservations should sit in any seat. In addition it was scrolling on the departure screens.

On the flip side they had reservation display operating and paper ticketing on the new IEPs on a different service.

Perhaps at a minimum IE should have an announcement pre boarding if reservations are not working however, I suspect this won't happen because it would be applicable for most services rather than the exception!!

Hilly Bill

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Just back from a few days away and happened to travel on a GWR service and as part of the platform announcement they stated, reservations are not available on this service due to a technical fault, customers with reservations should sit in any seat. In addition it was scrolling on the departure screens.

On the flip side they had reservation display operating and paper ticketing on the new IEPs on a different service.

Perhaps at a minimum IE should have an announcement pre boarding if reservations are not working however, I suspect this won't happen because it would be applicable for most services rather than the exception!!

If you are suggesting that the reservation fail on most services then I'd say you are mistaken.
An announcement may be grand at a station like Tralee or Waterford etc but it's not practical at the larger stations.
A train pulls into a platform full of people around 5 to 10 minutes before departure, doors open then it's a free for all regardless if the names are showing or not. You go and check to see if the Reservations is working, you see that it's not so you enter the train id, it will either work and upset a few people who has now sat down on a booked seat or it will fail and upset even more people who booked but didn't get their seat. At this point, i don't think it's practical to go off and get around a 100 labels of some discription and start placing them on seats and moving people. At the same time a wheelchair or 2 might want assistance onto the train and the driver informed before you can check any reservations.
Send them your findings and see what they say to you.
The new onboard customer service staff might be in a position to address some of your issues

Jamie2k9

Hilly Bill wrote: »

If you are suggesting that the reservation fail on most services then I'd say you are mistaken.
An announcement may be grand at a station like Tralee or Waterford etc but it's not practical at the larger stations.
A train pulls into a platform full of people around 5 to 10 minutes before departure, doors open then it's a free for all regardless if the names are showing or not. You go and check to see if the Reservations is working, you see that it's not so you enter the train id, it will either work and upset a few people who has now sat down on a booked seat or it will fail and upset even more people who booked but didn't get their seat. At this point, i don't think it's practical to go off and get around a 100 labels of some discription and start placing them on seats and moving people. At the same time a wheelchair or 2 might want assistance onto the train and the driver informed before you can check any reservations.
Send them your findings and see what they say to you.
The new onboard customer service staff might be in a position to address some of your issues

Friday afternoons are the worst, you are guaranteed for multiple services with issues. In the GWR case it was a late inbound arrival and they announced a 10 minute delay (departed 4 min) late and before the platform came up they had a message about no reservations and the very first announcement also contained the info. It was at London Paddington so its very possible at main stations.

Typical turnaround times for trains during peak at Heuston is 30-45 minutes which a lot of units just been moved into platforms with boarding around 20 minutes pre departure.

I they are not displayed by boarding a simple announcement is required however cannot be an "excuse" for the continued effort to address the problem. The biggest reliability issue is not the system completely failing but rather not functioning until 30 minutes into a journey. Now how can somewhere like Heuston have WI-FI issues.

The new on board staff are also going to have those labels printed so are going to have to do it if/when as required. IE have mentioned the labels publicly.

devnull

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Friday afternoons are the worst, you are guaranteed for multiple services with issues. In the GWR case it was a late inbound arrival and they announced a 10 minute delay (departed 4 min) late and before the platform came up they had a message about no reservations and the very first announcement also contained the info. It was at London Paddington so its very possible at main stations.

That's normally the way it works with GWR, if there is a delayed arrival normally they'll update the board with an expected time and also put information up on the board if there will not be reservations and also normally with an announcement, as the HSTs do not have electronic reservations and it's deemed better to turn the train around as quickly as possible rather than spend time walking through the train setting them up and delaying everyone further.

I'm not so sure that the passenger displays at Irish Stations are really cut out for the same kind of information though, the quality and depth of information shown on the displays in most cities in the UK is vastly better. The latest version of the displays used in Paddington is able to show pictograms of the trains, loading information and also times for every stop en-route.

A different approach is certainly taken at major stations in the UK to that is taken by Irish Rail, where it's pretty much as minimal information as possible with screens that show as little info as possible and often are laid out badly or in poorly thought out positions.

Jamie2k9

devnull wrote: »

That's normally the way it works with GWR, if there is a delayed arrival normally they'll update the board with an expected time and also put information up on the board if there will not be reservations and also normally with an announcement, as the HSTs do not have electronic reservations and it's deemed better to turn the train around as quickly as possible rather than spend time walking through the train setting them up and delaying everyone further.

I'm not so sure that the passenger displays at Irish Stations are really cut out for the same kind of information though, the quality and depth of information shown on the displays in most cities in the UK is vastly better. The latest version of the displays used in Paddington is able to show pictograms of the trains, loading information and also times for every stop en-route.

A different approach is certainly taken at major stations in the UK to that is taken by Irish Rail, where it's pretty much as minimal information as possible with screens that show as little info as possible and often are laid out badly or in poorly thought out positions.

Irish Rail could add a reservation note (just like change at) and they can updated delayed info. I do agree the system is far better in the UK. There was two other people watching the board and were going to go for a drink but then "preparing" flashed up on the board. The recent updated screens in Heuston (not the big departure board) should allow them add more info.

Not sure but the detailed info staff can view at the ticket office is the same software the UK use.

devnull

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Irish Rail could add a reservation note (just like change at) and they can updated delayed info. I do agree the system is far better in the UK. There was two other people watching the board and were going to go for a drink but then "preparing" flashed up on the board. The recent updated screens in Heuston (not the big departure board) should allow them add more info.

Not sure but the detailed info staff can view at the ticket office is the same software the UK use.

Haven't been in Heuston since the screens change - I'm mostly on DART and Northern Commuter. Which screens have they changed? The on platform ones that can also be found at DART stations or the monitors shown in the hall?

If Irish Rail have the same information systems as the UK for staff, there should not be the difference in quality between Ireland and the UK that there is. The standard of information for passengers at stations in Ireland and also online is very poor in comparison.

Pretty much all the UK cities have their screens provided by Infotec, with the control rooms running Tyrrell with all the modules that make it up and the web facing stuff powered by JourneyCheck which is very comprehensive, although I know some PR people in operators think JC is too open as it lists every single issue.

Hilly Bill

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Friday afternoons are the worst, you are guaranteed for multiple services with issues. In the GWR case it was a late inbound arrival and they announced a 10 minute delay (departed 4 min) late and before the platform came up they had a message about no reservations and the very first announcement also contained the info. It was at London Paddington so its very possible at main stations.

Typical turnaround times for trains during peak at Heuston is 30-45 minutes which a lot of units just been moved into platforms with boarding around 20 minutes pre departure.

I they are not displayed by boarding a simple announcement is required however cannot be an "excuse" for the continued effort to address the problem. The biggest reliability issue is not the system completely failing but rather not functioning until 30 minutes into a journey. Now how can somewhere like Heuston have WI-FI issues.

The new on board staff are also going to have those labels printed so are going to have to do it if/when as required. IE have mentioned the labels publicly.

How many gwr trains did you take?

They won't have any labels printed. What leads you belive they will? At best they will have a manifest of who's booked on. It won't be much use if a set is faulty though and they can't determine which coach is which.

GM228

Hilly Bill wrote: »

How many gwr trains did you take?

They won't have any labels printed. What leads you belive they will? At best they will have a manifest of who's booked on. It won't be much use if a set is faulty though and they can't determine which coach is which.

All GWR services have backup labels printed incase the system goes down. You regularly see this on the 800s.

devnull

GM228 wrote: »

All GWR services have backup labels printed incase the system goes down.

On HSTs labels are always printed as they have no electronic reservations.

GWR policy is that labels should always be put on HSTs prior to departure providing that it will not delay the departure of the train.

GM228

devnull wrote: »

On HSTs labels are always printed as they have no electronic reservations.

GWR policy is that labels should always be put on HSTs prior to departure providing that it will not delay the departure of the train.

It's also happening on the 800s.

Jamie2k9

Hilly Bill wrote: »

How many gwr trains did you take?

They won't have any labels printed. What leads you belive they will? At best they will have a manifest of who's booked on. It won't be much use if a set is faulty though and they can't determine which coach is which.

3 (2 intercity, 1 commuter)
Apologies have looked again and your right its a passenger manifesto, they should have labels printed. Be nice to give them a bit of work to do, however if they are just going to do a Cork and Belfast hosts job, they shouldn't bother wasting money on it.

Jamie2k9

devnull wrote: »

Haven't been in Heuston since the screens change - I'm mostly on DART and Northern Commuter. Which screens have they changed? The on platform ones that can also be found at DART stations or the monitors shown in the hall?

If Irish Rail have the same information systems as the UK for staff, there should not be the difference in quality between Ireland and the UK that there is. The standard of information for passengers at stations in Ireland and also online is very poor in comparison while notes of disruption also appear.

Pretty much all the UK cities have their screens provided by Infotec, with the control rooms running Tyrrell with all the modules that make it up and the web facing stuff powered by JourneyCheck which is very comprehensive, although I know some PR people in operators think JC is too open as it lists every single issue.

New PIS and Arr/Dep Boards. Its a new system so they surly have more flexibility on these and I'm sure they still have on the old departure board. The train size is a recent addition to old boards.

Huston Changes:
https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/search/?q=platform+Screens&c=photos#i=0

Hilly Bill

GM228 wrote: »

All GWR services have backup labels printed incase the system goes down. You regularly see this on the 800s.

It used to be on the Belfast train, they don't have access to that anymore. It would be handy alright.

Hilly Bill

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

3 (2 intercity, 1 commuter)
Apologies have looked again and your right its a passenger manifesto, they should have labels printed. Be nice to give them a bit of work to do, however if they are just going to do a Cork and Belfast hosts job, they shouldn't bother wasting money on it.

Trust me, they will be busy enough.

Quackster

Hilly Bill wrote: »

If you are suggesting that the reservation fail on most services then I'd say you are mistaken.

From substantial personal experience, whilst the display of reservations on the Dublin/Cork loco-hauled sets is almost 100% reliable, at least a substantial minority (if not the majority) of the ICRs I have travelled on in the past 12 months have not displayed reservations until after the train's departure (if at all). In other words, there hasn't been any noticeable improvement over the past few years as far as I can see.

I can't speak for the Enterprise as I've not used it recently.

devnull

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

New PIS and Arr/Dep Boards. Its a new system so they surly have more flexibility on these and I'm sure they still have on the old departure board. The train size is a recent addition to old boards.

Huston Changes:
https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/search/?q=platform+Screens&c=photos#i=0

Certainly an improvement on what was there before and a much needed upgrade if you ask me, even if it isn't as comprehensive as the UK system in terms of information, it should be easier to add features on the old ones which were really hideously out of date.

Hopefully Connolly gets the same treatment, although due to the high amount of traffic, could do with something more like this:

devnull

Quackster wrote: »

I can't speak for the Enterprise as I've not used it recently.

What is the on-board passenger information like on there? They have the same system as used on Thameslink 700s on the UK which has had a number of problems, although by all accounts it's a very advanced system.

Hilly Bill

They can be entered manually on the enterprise seat by seat if the system failed. It will just show a red light instead of the name.

Jamie2k9

devnull wrote: »

Certainly an improvement on what was there before and a much needed upgrade if you ask me, even if it isn't as comprehensive as the UK system in terms of information, it should be easier to add features on the old ones which were really hideously out of date.

Hopefully Connolly gets the same treatment, although due to the high amount of traffic, could do with something more like this:

Indeed, Irish Rail's should also be in lower case and not all capitals.

Its madness that so few stations have somthing as basic as PIS screens. One would hope that the new control center when built may mean it will happen but I wouldn't hold out much hope!