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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think SE Trains are bloody useless!!

19 replies

84CharingCrossRoad · 07/06/2018 16:24

For those who dont know my DS2 Wilf is profoundly deaf, autistic and has learning difficulties. He doesnt live with me but i try and help with booking things on the phone due to his deafness!ff
Four times ive had to ring them up.
First was when he was travelling to friends on a Saturday it was a short distaance so no disabled assistance needed. There was a rail replaceent bus and I was told to ring them on the morning to find out where the bus was leaving from. I was told two different places and of course couldnt risk him being in the wrong place so paid £20 for a taxi to get him there!
Second was a very exciting day. His first solo trip to London. All went well on the journey there, on the return leg he got to St Pancras and tried to tell the guard he had disabled assistance booked. The guard was very rude and told Wilf to just get on the train. No one helped him off at 10.30pm and he had to walk through the underpass on his own. I wouldnt feel happy doing that on my own let alone him!
When i rang up on Monday the woman supervisor i spoke to said "I suppose he doesnt look disabled does he?" Shock I was so shocked i didnt know what to say and im kicking myself now!
Wilf was refunded £30 and got a grudging letter from them for that!
Third, it took them almost 9 weeks to refund my £20 taxi fare i had to ring three times before i was told there was a problem with their refund system!
Fourth . I rang to clarlfy a point of a disabled booking i made yesterday. Despite me quoting the reference on the email the woman i spoke to said there was no booking. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was on hold ten minutes. Original woman came back and said the booking was there. I asked why she had said there wasnt. She denied and then admitted saying it!!
Thats without being stuck on their train wirh Bumbledog for an hour and a half last week because a prowler was on the tracks!
They really are bloody useless!!!!

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MrsTerryPratchett · 07/06/2018 16:28

They are hilariously bad even when you are very assertive, with no additional needs.

The only plus is that it sounds like Wilf did well in very challenging bloody awful circumstances. Any MPs, papers, Twitter, anything you could make a huge fuss to?

84CharingCrossRoad · 07/06/2018 16:32

Will see how this weekend goes first!
My best friend said if he had been the woman on the phone when I rang today he would be moving house country and changing name!!! Grin

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bookmum08 · 07/06/2018 16:43

Do you mean SouthEastern Trains (when you say 'SE'). I believe the only SouthEastern train that uses St Pancras is the fast one that goes to Kent. Most of St Pancras trains are Thameslink or East Midlands (and Eurostar). That means it will be either Thameslink or East Midlands will run the station - but if you tried to arrange via SouthEastern the info was quite probably not communicated across. It happens a lot at stations run by one train company but used by several different ones (London Bridge I'm looking at you....). This of course does not excuse such a crappy and awful experience for your son. I hope he is OK.

84CharingCrossRoad · 07/06/2018 17:10

Yes I do mean South East Trains. I forgot to say they wanted him to press one on the info buttons to get assistance.... Err he's deaf and won't hear what's said to him!! (Faceplant!!)
The info was very clear because I got a copy of the email sent to him...
Wilf is a little anxious but we are telling him he can do it!

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MrsTerryPratchett · 07/06/2018 17:43

Well at least this thread has reminded me how much I loved working with people with additional needs and their families. The resourcefulness in the face of bureaucratic nonsense always reminded me to cheer up.

84CharingCrossRoad · 07/06/2018 17:48

@MrsTerryPratchett. I just want to give them a good shake!!! HmmHmmHmm

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84CharingCrossRoad · 07/06/2018 19:53

Bump

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Nottheduchessofcambridge · 07/06/2018 20:01

Wow that’s disgusting. Disability awareness is discussed a lot in my train company so I assume it would be the same for other train operating companies. Maybe a couple of tweets will make them review their policies.

84CharingCrossRoad · 07/06/2018 20:27

@Nottheduchessofcambridge. I tweeted them twice this afternoon and got bugger all responses!!! Hmm

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84CharingCrossRoad · 08/06/2018 14:33

I'm on tenterhooks for tomorrow. I have to say South Western Trains sounded far more organised as they are doing the second part of the journey and they were on the ball!!

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MrsTerryPratchett · 08/06/2018 15:21

Make a fuss up the chain then. Make it someone's problem.

84CharingCrossRoad · 08/06/2018 17:27

They are bombarding him with emails this afternoon re tomorrow. Its either famine or feast with them!!

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84CharingCrossRoad · 08/06/2018 21:40

act.autism.org.uk/page/24292/petition/1?locale=en-GB
Just seen this. Please sign and share!!!!

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84CharingCrossRoad · 09/06/2018 10:15

Today's the day!!!

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MrsTerryPratchett · 09/06/2018 18:17

How did it go?

84CharingCrossRoad · 09/06/2018 22:26

All good. Train back from Hampton was delayed. Rang SE and they changed the train and organised assistance!! He's now home...

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MrsTerryPratchett · 09/06/2018 22:31

Yay. Go Wilf.

I may be slightly over-invested...

PermanentPortakabin · 09/06/2018 22:48

I was at the same venue as Wilf today, 84 (love that book, btw!).

He is a lovely polite young man, and had an absolute blast today. I’m glad he got home ok, and that the train company were more on the ball for him.

84CharingCrossRoad · 10/06/2018 05:12

@PermanentPortakabin Thankyou. That's made my weekend!!! Smile

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