Really really annoyed - anyone work for Chiltern Railways?
09 August 2006, 10:19 AM
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Really really annoyed - anyone work for Chiltern Railways?
Was in a fine mood this morning. Drove to Gerrards Cross station bought a train ticket and parking ticket and parked the car. Then headed off in to London.
Now found out that I forgot to put the parking ticket on the dashboard so will probably have a penalty ticket waiting for me.
No worries I thought. I'll give them a call and let them know the situation and see if I can avoid a fine until I can show the attendent the ticket (which is timestamped as of this morning). I know the attendant and he's a friendly chap that says hello whenever I use the station.
Could I find a telephone number? All I had was a customer service number for Chiltern Railways.
So I rang them and explained the situation, they said they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries - who were very helpful but said that they couldn't find one and that Chiltern really should know, as they own the station.
So rang Chiltern again. And ended up speaking to the same girl who told me they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries. No worries I thought. As they were customer services, I changed the question and asked "OK, understand you don't have the number - but who should I speak to at Chiltern that will be able to give me the number?"
Response was, "we don't have the number to give you".
To which I said "I know you don't, you've told me that already. But who should I talk to that will know how to provide the number"
Response was "but we don't have the number to give you"
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh! And on and on and on.
Finally I got somewhere, she says "let me talk to my manager". I wait a while ....
She comes back on line and say "what you need to do is ...."
Wait for it .....
"Visit the station personally and they can help you with your enquiry". Unf*cking believable!
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
I tried some more and asked exactly how Chiltern are able to contact the station, for example in an emergency like the Tesco tunnel collapsing last year. The humor was lost on her when I asked if they used pigeons to send messages instead.
I got nowhere after 20 mins on the phone and will now end up with a fine of some sort - simply because I can't call the bloody station and explain the situation.
Was kind of hoping someone on here would go - "don't worry I have the number" or "don't worry, I'm the Customer Services Director and I'll smooth the way".
Will ScoobyNet come to the rescue?
Now found out that I forgot to put the parking ticket on the dashboard so will probably have a penalty ticket waiting for me.
No worries I thought. I'll give them a call and let them know the situation and see if I can avoid a fine until I can show the attendent the ticket (which is timestamped as of this morning). I know the attendant and he's a friendly chap that says hello whenever I use the station.
Could I find a telephone number? All I had was a customer service number for Chiltern Railways.
So I rang them and explained the situation, they said they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries - who were very helpful but said that they couldn't find one and that Chiltern really should know, as they own the station.
So rang Chiltern again. And ended up speaking to the same girl who told me they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries. No worries I thought. As they were customer services, I changed the question and asked "OK, understand you don't have the number - but who should I speak to at Chiltern that will be able to give me the number?"
Response was, "we don't have the number to give you".
To which I said "I know you don't, you've told me that already. But who should I talk to that will know how to provide the number"
Response was "but we don't have the number to give you"
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh! And on and on and on.
Finally I got somewhere, she says "let me talk to my manager". I wait a while ....
She comes back on line and say "what you need to do is ...."
Wait for it .....
"Visit the station personally and they can help you with your enquiry". Unf*cking believable!
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
I tried some more and asked exactly how Chiltern are able to contact the station, for example in an emergency like the Tesco tunnel collapsing last year. The humor was lost on her when I asked if they used pigeons to send messages instead.
I got nowhere after 20 mins on the phone and will now end up with a fine of some sort - simply because I can't call the bloody station and explain the situation.
Was kind of hoping someone on here would go - "don't worry I have the number" or "don't worry, I'm the Customer Services Director and I'll smooth the way".
Will ScoobyNet come to the rescue?
09 August 2006, 10:26 AM
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Last time i had a problem with the ticket machines at Marylebone (and it was actually entirely my fault), i wrote to them and got travel vouchers back for my inconvenience within a week. Result. Try that - always works better than phoning.
09 August 2006, 10:51 AM
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Surely the car park is actually owned and supervised by the council (You'll be suprised which car parks they own....) Might be worth ringing them and seeing where that gets you?
Good luck.
Good luck.
09 August 2006, 11:02 AM
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yell.co.uk view of life
1 results for "station"
Matches located in Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross Railway Station
Station Approach, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire SL9 8PP
Tel: 0845 7484950
1 results for "station"
Matches located in Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross Railway Station
Station Approach, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire SL9 8PP
Tel: 0845 7484950
Trending Topics
09 August 2006, 11:14 AM
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Thanks for finding the number guys - but that is the number for National Rail Enquiries I rang previously. If you ring it you get a nice person who says to ring Chiltern Railways for the real number.
The Gerrards Cross Station number should start with 01753 (Slough!) if its a proper number.
The Gerrards Cross Station number should start with 01753 (Slough!) if its a proper number.
09 August 2006, 11:34 AM
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That is indeed crap.
I'd say phone the police station (which came up on google) and tell them its an emergency and could they pop over the road.....but thats an 0845 number so probably a regional cal centre aswell !
I'd say phone the police station (which came up on google) and tell them its an emergency and could they pop over the road.....but thats an 0845 number so probably a regional cal centre aswell !
09 August 2006, 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Ipkis' Wifey
Ring the gas board too 
(As per Not The Nine O'Clock News)
(As per Not The Nine O'Clock News)
09 August 2006, 12:31 PM
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Just a thought. If you DO get a ticket, there will inevitably be a number or address on the back if you want to challenge it, no? Can't you just wait and see what happens tonight and take it from there if they have ticketed you? Phoning them intra-day isn't likely to make much difference is it? 
09 August 2006, 12:39 PM
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Oh lordy. We had this discussion last week. The offence will be "failing to display a ticket", not failing to buy one. Through stupidity, he committed the offence and will be asked to pay a fine, like everyone else.
What's not to be avoided is the utter cerebral vacuum of the woman on the helpline who said he should visit the station personally - that's a fair cause for a rant!
What's not to be avoided is the utter cerebral vacuum of the woman on the helpline who said he should visit the station personally - that's a fair cause for a rant!
09 August 2006, 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by James Neill
Was in a fine mood this morning. Drove to Gerrards Cross station bought a train ticket and parking ticket and parked the car. Then headed off in to London.
Now found out that I forgot to put the parking ticket on the dashboard so will probably have a penalty ticket waiting for me.
No worries I thought. I'll give them a call and let them know the situation and see if I can avoid a fine until I can show the attendent the ticket (which is timestamped as of this morning). I know the attendant and he's a friendly chap that says hello whenever I use the station.
Could I find a telephone number? All I had was a customer service number for Chiltern Railways.
So I rang them and explained the situation, they said they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries - who were very helpful but said that they couldn't find one and that Chiltern really should know, as they own the station.
So rang Chiltern again. And ended up speaking to the same girl who told me they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries. No worries I thought. As they were customer services, I changed the question and asked "OK, understand you don't have the number - but who should I speak to at Chiltern that will be able to give me the number?"
Response was, "we don't have the number to give you".
To which I said "I know you don't, you've told me that already. But who should I talk to that will know how to provide the number"
Response was "but we don't have the number to give you"
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh! And on and on and on.
Finally I got somewhere, she says "let me talk to my manager". I wait a while ....
She comes back on line and say "what you need to do is ...."
Wait for it .....
"Visit the station personally and they can help you with your enquiry". Unf*cking believable!
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
I tried some more and asked exactly how Chiltern are able to contact the station, for example in an emergency like the Tesco tunnel collapsing last year. The humor was lost on her when I asked if they used pigeons to send messages instead.
I got nowhere after 20 mins on the phone and will now end up with a fine of some sort - simply because I can't call the bloody station and explain the situation.
Was kind of hoping someone on here would go - "don't worry I have the number" or "don't worry, I'm the Customer Services Director and I'll smooth the way".
Will ScoobyNet come to the rescue?
Now found out that I forgot to put the parking ticket on the dashboard so will probably have a penalty ticket waiting for me.
No worries I thought. I'll give them a call and let them know the situation and see if I can avoid a fine until I can show the attendent the ticket (which is timestamped as of this morning). I know the attendant and he's a friendly chap that says hello whenever I use the station.
Could I find a telephone number? All I had was a customer service number for Chiltern Railways.
So I rang them and explained the situation, they said they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries - who were very helpful but said that they couldn't find one and that Chiltern really should know, as they own the station.
So rang Chiltern again. And ended up speaking to the same girl who told me they didn't have a number and to ring National Rail Enquiries. No worries I thought. As they were customer services, I changed the question and asked "OK, understand you don't have the number - but who should I speak to at Chiltern that will be able to give me the number?"
Response was, "we don't have the number to give you".
To which I said "I know you don't, you've told me that already. But who should I talk to that will know how to provide the number"
Response was "but we don't have the number to give you"
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh! And on and on and on.
Finally I got somewhere, she says "let me talk to my manager". I wait a while ....
She comes back on line and say "what you need to do is ...."
Wait for it .....
"Visit the station personally and they can help you with your enquiry". Unf*cking believable!
AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
I tried some more and asked exactly how Chiltern are able to contact the station, for example in an emergency like the Tesco tunnel collapsing last year. The humor was lost on her when I asked if they used pigeons to send messages instead.
I got nowhere after 20 mins on the phone and will now end up with a fine of some sort - simply because I can't call the bloody station and explain the situation.
Was kind of hoping someone on here would go - "don't worry I have the number" or "don't worry, I'm the Customer Services Director and I'll smooth the way".
Will ScoobyNet come to the rescue?
What car do you have - colour, make, model etc..... I am talking with a helpdeck for you they may be able to transfer me to Gerrards Cross.
09 August 2006, 01:12 PM
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Look, if/when you get a fine write and tell them that you had displayed a ticket and that the attendant was lying. Enclose the ticket. They'll waive the fare.
Next pour superglue into the ticket machine so it is completely fcuked up and will cost them in excess of the price of the ticket and/or your time wasted trying to contact them. That is their punishment for being useless spastics.
Then try and get on with the rest of your life.
Next pour superglue into the ticket machine so it is completely fcuked up and will cost them in excess of the price of the ticket and/or your time wasted trying to contact them. That is their punishment for being useless spastics.
Then try and get on with the rest of your life.
09 August 2006, 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by gpssti4
QUICK RESPONSE NEEDED from originator of thread.
What car do you have - colour, make, model etc..... I am talking with a helpdeck for you they may be able to transfer me to Gerrards Cross.
What car do you have - colour, make, model etc..... I am talking with a helpdeck for you they may be able to transfer me to Gerrards Cross.
Thanks for your help - but looks like I've missed the boat. Will see what awaits me later.
09 August 2006, 01:55 PM
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...and why are you parking in the downstairs carpark? The one at the top of the hill is cheaper. Left the WRX in there every day for a year (before it was upgraded) and never had any problems.
I've always found the staff at the station are really friendly - in the event you do ever manage to speak to them, I'm sure they'll sort it all out for you!
I've always found the staff at the station are really friendly - in the event you do ever manage to speak to them, I'm sure they'll sort it all out for you!
09 August 2006, 02:01 PM
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ooooh, I didn't know that. How much is the one at the top of the hill then?
I get to expense it, so not a problem - but might as well save some money for the company.
I get to expense it, so not a problem - but might as well save some money for the company.
09 August 2006, 02:11 PM
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Well, it's been a while - but last time I was parking there on a regular basis the one at the bottom was £5 a day and the one at the top had gone up to £2 a day. (it used to be 70p a day before they tarted it all up and put the CCTV in!)
May have changed since then - but would guess it's still plenty cheaper.
May have changed since then - but would guess it's still plenty cheaper.
09 August 2006, 06:14 PM
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Well folks, I have a happy ending for you.
Turned up and no ticket But the attendant was waiting for me. He said he wouldn't have given me a ticket anyway and would have just asked for me to buy a ticket before I left. When he heard my story he was most understanding.
In fact he said if ever I was hurrying for the train in the morning - don't bother buying a parking ticket as he'll just let me get one in the evening without a problem.
Certainly helps restore faith in human nature.
I still think Chiltern's telephone customer services is ****e and from now on should instead be staffed by their parking attendants if they want to improve their service metrics.
Turned up and no ticket
But the attendant was waiting for me. He said he wouldn't have given me a ticket anyway and would have just asked for me to buy a ticket before I left. When he heard my story he was most understanding.In fact he said if ever I was hurrying for the train in the morning - don't bother buying a parking ticket as he'll just let me get one in the evening without a problem.
Certainly helps restore faith in human nature.
I still think Chiltern's telephone customer services is ****e and from now on should instead be staffed by their parking attendants if they want to improve their service metrics.