A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

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GunnerBill
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A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by GunnerBill »

wobblybob
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by wobblybob »

Yes, a very positive story. :D
b308
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by b308 »

As long as the other TOC agrees it can still be done if the delay is only a few minutes... We got SWT to hold the Barnstaple train a few days ago when the Aberdeen was late... Trouble is you have to have someone nice in Control as everything is so hung up on targets these days that its difficult to get agreement... BR were heading that way in the mid 90s, I remember getting a rebate on my season ticket due to their "average" not being up to scratch... it would have probably gone the same way as it has now had they still been around...

I HATE targets... they get in the way of True Customer Service, not help it.... :x

(Though to be fair its probably how the targets are used that is the issue... usually as a sledge hammer to crack a nut... :roll: )
Mortimer Hill
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by Mortimer Hill »

did they have radios on trains then?
NSE DAZ
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by NSE DAZ »

Good old day's :cry:

Great story

Darren NSE DAZ
Unleashing the toothpaste livery!!!Thank you for travelling Network SouthEast
b308
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by b308 »

Mortimer Hill wrote:did they have radios on trains then?
Early days of radio telephones i think...
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GunnerBill
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by GunnerBill »

Somehow I thought that holding a train for someone is even more of a thing than keeping a plane waiting.

It was a pretty impressive thin to do but now I fear the gaurd wouldn't be able to do that even though it was the right thing to do.
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by Bushey Troughs »

Well the Guards on the Dartford Loop, used to look after me. When I was a bit of a tear arse, I used to go partying have a few jars and catch the last train home. Well some times I fell asleep and wound up in Dartford, having missed Sidcup the nearest station to home. The Guard would check the train find me and wake me up. The train was usually returned the same way, The guard would make sure I was OK and see me out at Sidcup. Then one night the last train went to Slade Green Depot. The Guard woke me up, I thought I'm shafted its a long walk if I can't find a cab office (long before mobile phones). The Guard said where do you live I said Old Bexley, he said wait down there by the cars and I'll give you a lift, I live in Welling, sorted. Perhaps there are/were some iffy Guards on the Loop, but I never met one. Dave the hippy Guard who never wore his uniform cap was the nicest of them all, Jeez I owe him a few pints..... :)
COLIN.
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Mortimer Hill
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by Mortimer Hill »

The writer is a piece of truly repulsive scum.

He considered it acceptable to steal a car or to burgle. He should be deprived of the oxygen of publicity.

The BBC is wrong to publish an article promoting such an attitude, but sadly its lack of morality means that it allows articles such as this. Yet another reason to abolish the BBC
joshing_man
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by joshing_man »

Seems you missed the point of the article. I would guess he was exaggerating his ability or willingness to do the dirty deed and embellished it over time but the point was the kindness shown to him changed his attitude and behaviour to others for the good. Perhaps your bah humbug attitude shows you haven't been offered the same degree of kindness. Soft and schmaltzy? Surely better than hard and bitter?

Not sure it says anything about BR pre or post privatisation but it does say a lot about human nature and how little it costs to be positive, show kindness, smile etc. I await the more cynical members responses but beats stories about murder, war and family break ups that we get fed on a daily basis.

Andrew
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bsa77
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by bsa77 »

Super story and goes to show how a bit if kindness can help people who are heading down the wrong road.

Shame companies don't recognise the PR this gives an organisation.
0121modeller
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by 0121modeller »

Yes, a very touching story, & very well told.
Its nice to read stories like that, as the guy openly admitted he considered such desparate measures as stealing a car etc, under the circumstances many people would've thought the same & even gone as far as stealing a car etc under such desparate circumstances, but of course its wrong to do so, there should be no excuses.

The real bad people steal cars, burgle houses etc just for fun or to feed a drug habit & have no consideration or show genuine remorse for their mindless & selfish acts, they are the ones who need to be "denied of oxygen".

The persistance of the kindly gaurd on the train in helping this chap should be admired, & the chap with his desparate problems has changed his outlook on life & on how to regard help & respect others & a great example of how a good samariton made another person better & decent ..., the story basically told that.

Mortimer Hill; Why was it so wrong for the BBC (or who-ever) to publish such an article ?
& Why still regard the writer/man in that dilema as in your words "scum" ? , Did you read the whole story ?
If so, then you're entitled to your own opinions M.H. , I think most would dis-agree with you, but maybe you have personal reasons for your harsh views on this, which is fair enough, but without niether of us meeting or knowing the guy in order to decide wether he genuinely repents his former attitude, then are'nt you jumping the gun a little ?

Dave.
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b308
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by b308 »

joshing_man wrote:Seems you missed the point of the article.
Thats what I thought as well... He was considering all the bad things in his desperation to get home... from what I can see the Guard's act of kindness resolved the immediate situation and changed his way of thinking and his future life... If only it could happen more often.
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by Bushey Troughs »

b308 wrote:
joshing_man wrote:Seems you missed the point of the article.
Thats what I thought as well... He was considering all the bad things in his desperation to get home... from what I can see the Guard's act of kindness resolved the immediate situation and changed his way of thinking and his future life... If only it could happen more often.
Thats it exactly, I'll always pick up a hitch hiker, and when I carried all my kit in the Landy, I've been know to tow a break down to the next garage. Its really different over here, there's always someone ready to give you a helping hand. Jobsworths are pretty rare on the ground. "If you can't do someone any good, never do them any harm". The law of Karma works for me, makes me feel good about myself too..... :)
COLIN.
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wobblybob
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Re: A Good Samaritan Railway Story from BBC.

Post by wobblybob »

MH, you definitely seem to have missed the point of the article. The 'incident' occurred in 1982: here is Hodder & Stoughton's thumbnail biography of the man you malignly call 'repulsive scum' - http://www.hodder.co.uk/authors/author. ... orID=26231

Seems an upright sort of character who earns his keep and pays his taxes. The BR guard's act of kindness may well have helped in some small way. As other posters have said, it is good to hear good news!
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