<![CDATA[going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets)]]>going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/8b5557ac-28ed-49f1-bafd-32ff5d04fafd/going-somewhere-on-a-train-in-britain-is-a-symmetric-processs-first-you-buy-tickets-then-you-get-somewhere-2-5-hours-late-then-you-refund-the-ticketsRSS for NodeFri, 15 May 2026 03:15:43 GMTFri, 01 May 2026 00:37:42 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 07:49:40 GMT]]>@whitequark @crzwdjk

Ah, so not the same timetabled departure time?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/david_chisnall/statuses/116498221005943018https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/david_chisnall/statuses/116498221005943018Fri, 01 May 2026 07:49:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 07:48:54 GMT]]>@david_chisnall @crzwdjk it happened because of a really unlucky delay affecting one of them!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116498217999127446https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116498217999127446Fri, 01 May 2026 07:48:54 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 07:41:26 GMT]]>@crzwdjk @whitequark

It would be useful. Most stations ensure that there are not two trains with the same (timetabled) departure time, so you know that the 15:27 is your train. Occasionally there are two departures at the same time, but to different destinations. This is often a bit annoying because you have to get the 15:27 to Faraweighburough stopping at Mydestinationton and the latter bit isn’t shown on most of the signs.

Somehow @whitequark saw a thing I have never seen, of two trains with the same departure time and destination (and different operators).

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/david_chisnall/statuses/116498188640637834https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/david_chisnall/statuses/116498188640637834Fri, 01 May 2026 07:41:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 04:46:43 GMT]]>@xek you get it!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116497501608607108https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116497501608607108Fri, 01 May 2026 04:46:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 04:43:27 GMT]]>@whitequark Reversible computing meets mass transit, I can dig it.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/xek/statuses/116497488787230734https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/xek/statuses/116497488787230734Fri, 01 May 2026 04:43:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 02:01:30 GMT]]>@whitequark It's one of the stranger aspects of the GB rail network, basically everewhere else I have seen puts the train number in the public timetable. Even Amtrak which doesn't publish timetables as such anymore still has the train number on tickets and the train times search and so on.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/crzwdjk/statuses/116496851974074724https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/crzwdjk/statuses/116496851974074724Fri, 01 May 2026 02:01:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 01:38:41 GMT]]>@whitequark Germany and Britain are two evil twins 🙂

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/angelthorns/statuses/116496762216034515https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/angelthorns/statuses/116496762216034515Fri, 01 May 2026 01:38:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 01:03:53 GMT]]>@whitequark *gets indefinite leave to remain*
5 seconds later
I'm going into politics

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/aburka/statuses/116496625408493920https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/aburka/statuses/116496625408493920Fri, 01 May 2026 01:03:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:54:09 GMT]]>@whitequark there was a fascinating incident where the Caledonian Sleeper service arrived hours late in the Highlands due to a signalling fault on the WCML somewhere, so much so that after taking the minimum overnight rest the train crew were about 20min late clocking in the next day, delaying the service. they blamed Network Rail and the signalling fault for the 20min delay

but, no, it was actually Caledonian Sleeper's responsibility to ensure their staff start on time, so if they want to avoid this kind of occasional incident and possibly financial penalties, they'd need to keep an entire standby traincrew at Fort William, Inverness, Aberdeen... cheaper just to eat the penalty though!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/jackeric/statuses/116496587114653912https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/jackeric/statuses/116496587114653912Fri, 01 May 2026 00:54:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:50:52 GMT]]>@whitequark The system that DB has was also surprisingly smooth. (though weirdly enough I had to use it because the NS fucked up, not DB)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/mifune/statuses/116496574248380519https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/mifune/statuses/116496574248380519Fri, 01 May 2026 00:50:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:48:28 GMT]]>@whitequark managers don't turn everything into a KPI challenge (impossible)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/outfrost/statuses/116496564810465082https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/outfrost/statuses/116496564810465082Fri, 01 May 2026 00:48:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:46:04 GMT]]>@whitequark fond memories of searching for public documentation about venerable train status monitoring software TRUST, and encountering the archives of the Delay Attribution Board, the body that adjudicates disputes for responsibility for delay between the train operating companies and Network Rail

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/jackeric/statuses/116496555358138465https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/jackeric/statuses/116496555358138465Fri, 01 May 2026 00:46:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:44:04 GMT]]>@whitequark my favourite is when you don't even have to apply for the refund. Depending how you buy the ticket sometimes the refund is automated.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/defer/statuses/116496547477986927https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/defer/statuses/116496547477986927Fri, 01 May 2026 00:44:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:43:43 GMT]]>@whitequark huh i guess its a region thing then. my only major delays have been because someone literally died or because armed police were called for a gas leak for some reason or smth

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://floofy.tech/users/mynotaurus/statuses/116496546134755219https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://floofy.tech/users/mynotaurus/statuses/116496546134755219Fri, 01 May 2026 00:43:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:41:14 GMT]]>i'm going to enter UK politics. if elected prime minister i will make sure that every timetable displays train headcodes and then immediately resign

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116496536314829812https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116496536314829812Fri, 01 May 2026 00:41:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:40:18 GMT]]>@mynotaurus considering the causes of delays have been mostly been failures of trackside equipment i don't think the train operating company matters

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116496532636254324https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116496532636254324Fri, 01 May 2026 00:40:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:39:39 GMT]]>@whitequark curious which rail companies you travel on to get such bad train luck

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://floofy.tech/users/mynotaurus/statuses/116496530112773200https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://floofy.tech/users/mynotaurus/statuses/116496530112773200Fri, 01 May 2026 00:39:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to going somewhere on a train in britain is a symmetric processs (first you buy tickets, then you get somewhere 2-5 hours late, then you refund the tickets) on Fri, 01 May 2026 00:39:31 GMT]]>there's entire infrastructure built around the expectation of this happening

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]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116496529558086252https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.treehouse.systems/users/whitequark/statuses/116496529558086252Fri, 01 May 2026 00:39:31 GMT