Yesterday evening, the monthly Banbury TweetUp (#BanburyTweetUp) was fortunate to have Emma Gascoigne as the guest speaker - Emma, of course, being the 'E' on the @chilternrailway twitter account.
As part of Chiltern's press and marketing team, Emma has a specific role as Social Media Manager and can justifiably claim to be one of the driving forces behind Chiltern's very successful social media strategy. She took the Banbury gathering through the development of this strategy from the early days of 'lurking' (seeing what was being said about Chiltern Railways) through to the current policy of active engagement with a 'smiley face'...
Emma's (and the company's) Eureka moment came during the snow of 2010 when she was snowed up at home but Chiltern's services were continuing to run. She realised that the # tag #uksnow was being used by Tweeters so began to actively tweet information on Chiltern's services using that tag... the rest, as they say, is history!
Emma uses HootSuite at work, TweetDeck when on the move, and even, occasionally, Twitter on the Web... She monitors mentions of Chiltern, Chiltern Railways, etc but has a policy of NOT intruding on private conversations unless there are major factual errors which need correcting. Naturally, she and the rest of the Chiltern team do engage with those who use @chilternrailway in their tweets.
Emma is particularly proud of Chiltern's use of FourSquare. Being 'Mayor of Marylebone' can of course lead onto the honour of switching on the Christmas Tree Lights (we'll draw a veil over the image of Emma crouched under the table to actually plug in the lights as the 'switch' was thrown...).
Emma also looks after the Chiltern presence on Facebook and Google+ but she enjoys the immediacy of her work with Twitter.
Finally, as ever with Chiltern, it is 'watch this space (or Twitter feed)'. The new timetable starts in December but before then Emma was dropping discreet hints about improvements to on-board services...
Friday, 5 October 2012
Monday, 1 October 2012
LondonMidland 'Great Escape' promotion details
The online vouchers for the Great Escape 'off-peak' promotion are now available with tickets available from LondonMidland stations from Wednesday (the promotion itself runs from Saturday 20th October to Sunday 4th November). Also available is a list of strengthened services to cope with the demand expected to be generated by the ticket prices of £15 (£5 child) standard class and £25 (£10 child) First Class. Birmingham-London through services benefiting are:
Monday-Friday 0913 Euston-New Street; and Saturday 1513 Euston-New Street
NOTE that the promotional tickets will NOT be available on services departing Euston between 1700 and 1815 Monday-Friday.
Railcard discounts are available on both the Standard and First prices with the bonus that Network and Gold railcard holders are NOT restricted by the usual Network SE boundary rule (ie the promotional tickets will be available north of Long Buckby.
Vouchers are limited in number for each day (63,000 vouchers available overall) so don't delay if you know when you are travelling.
Monday-Friday 0913 Euston-New Street; and Saturday 1513 Euston-New Street
NOTE that the promotional tickets will NOT be available on services departing Euston between 1700 and 1815 Monday-Friday.
Railcard discounts are available on both the Standard and First prices with the bonus that Network and Gold railcard holders are NOT restricted by the usual Network SE boundary rule (ie the promotional tickets will be available north of Long Buckby.
Vouchers are limited in number for each day (63,000 vouchers available overall) so don't delay if you know when you are travelling.
Friday, 28 September 2012
LondonMidland / Virgin Trains combo
Thanks to LondonMidland's ParalympicsGB promotion, I was able to travel to London yesterday on the 0753 from Birmingham New Street First Class for the princely sum of £11.90 (Advance First Single with 34% discount). I wrote in August on the pros and cons of using LondonMidland and yesterday's journey was as good (and had the same weaknesses) as ever. As a way of getting to London before 1030 at a very cheap price, the 0753 cannot be beaten - just remember to take work or a good book!
The ParalympicsGB promotion runs until Sunday. Towards the end of October (20th - 4th November), LM are doing the Great Escape promotion once more: First Class Off-peak journeys for £25 using a voucher available from Monday.
Of course, one of the weaknesses of the LM service is the journey time, especially in the evening (who wants to sit on a train for over 2 hours after a long day?). Fortunately, Virgin Trains offers low-price First Class Advance fares on the 21.03 back to Birmingham from Euston. At £23.50, this fare is a veritable bargain compared to the ridiculous walk-on First Class fare of £92.70 (don't forget if you do walk-on to split the fare at Birmingham International), and, of course, offers so much more in addition to speed than LM's normal Advance First of £16 (free wifi, refreshments, First Class lounge).
Despite the low fare, First Class last night was virtually empty. Tim O'Toole is going to have his work cut-out to raise the patronage level of the WCML Pendolinos from the current 35% to his planned 50%...
The ParalympicsGB promotion runs until Sunday. Towards the end of October (20th - 4th November), LM are doing the Great Escape promotion once more: First Class Off-peak journeys for £25 using a voucher available from Monday.
Of course, one of the weaknesses of the LM service is the journey time, especially in the evening (who wants to sit on a train for over 2 hours after a long day?). Fortunately, Virgin Trains offers low-price First Class Advance fares on the 21.03 back to Birmingham from Euston. At £23.50, this fare is a veritable bargain compared to the ridiculous walk-on First Class fare of £92.70 (don't forget if you do walk-on to split the fare at Birmingham International), and, of course, offers so much more in addition to speed than LM's normal Advance First of £16 (free wifi, refreshments, First Class lounge).
Despite the low fare, First Class last night was virtually empty. Tim O'Toole is going to have his work cut-out to raise the patronage level of the WCML Pendolinos from the current 35% to his planned 50%...
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
LondonMidland Great Escape returns
LondonMidland continue their brilliant off-peak promotions by returning the 'Great Escape' over the October half-terms (Sat 20 Oct - Sun 4 Nov). £15 Standard and £25 First Class outside peak hours. 63,000 Vouchers available for download from Monday 1 October http://bit.ly/SAHKvo
Friday, 21 September 2012
A good week for the three TOCs but Christmas looms
Readers of Business Traveller magazine have for the sixth year in
succession voted Virgin Trains the Best UK Domestic Rail Operator. The award was presented on Monday (17th September) to Communications Director Arthur Leathley (press release from Virgin Trains here).
On Thursday (20th), Chiltern Railways scooped the Award as Passenger Operator of the Year at the National Rail Awards, and were Highly Commended in the Putting Passengers First category for the Barcode Ticket service (press release from Chiltern here).
The winners of this latter category were LondonMidland for Operation Synergy - the company's brilliant Social Media strategy.
Congratulations to all.
Not wishing to poop the party but Virgin Trains have just published plans for services in Christmas week "irrespective of who will actually be running long distance services on the West Coast Main Line by this time.” As work at Bletchley will close the southern leg of the WCML for part of the week (starting on Sunday 23rd), considerable disruption is expected, with no normal services New Street to Euston. WHY start before Christmas Day when the Sunday / Monday are likely to be seen as key travel days? Has anyone told Tim O'Toole?
On Thursday (20th), Chiltern Railways scooped the Award as Passenger Operator of the Year at the National Rail Awards, and were Highly Commended in the Putting Passengers First category for the Barcode Ticket service (press release from Chiltern here).
The winners of this latter category were LondonMidland for Operation Synergy - the company's brilliant Social Media strategy.
Congratulations to all.
Not wishing to poop the party but Virgin Trains have just published plans for services in Christmas week "irrespective of who will actually be running long distance services on the West Coast Main Line by this time.” As work at Bletchley will close the southern leg of the WCML for part of the week (starting on Sunday 23rd), considerable disruption is expected, with no normal services New Street to Euston. WHY start before Christmas Day when the Sunday / Monday are likely to be seen as key travel days? Has anyone told Tim O'Toole?
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Democracy in action: House of Commons scrutiny of the West Coast Mainline Franchise Decision
Monday 17th September saw a debate in Westminster Hall on the West Coast Mainline Franchise debacle following the successful raising of an e-petition by Ross McKillop. The three hour debate was opened by Rosie Cooper MP and closed for the Government by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Hammond.
The debate can be seen in full on parliament.tv and can be read in Hansard
The week before had seen Virgin Trains and First Group appear before the Transport Select Committee (my blog on which is here). The coverage on parliament.tv can be at found here whilst the uncorrected transcript can be read here (the corrected version will be published as HC 537-i (Session 2012-13).
Subsequently, the new Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick Mcloughlin, appeared before the Committee and stressed his “determination” to press ahead with the FirstGroup bid. The uncorrected transcript can be read here (the corrected version will be published as HC 584-i (Session 2012-13) whilst the parliament.tv coverage can be seen here.
Finally, the Department for Transport has let it be known that a team from the Directly Operated Railways company is being readied to take over the West Coast Main Line from December 9th... One does wonder if the Office of Fair Trading will have a view on one company running two main lines in direct competition?
The debate can be seen in full on parliament.tv and can be read in Hansard
The week before had seen Virgin Trains and First Group appear before the Transport Select Committee (my blog on which is here). The coverage on parliament.tv can be at found here whilst the uncorrected transcript can be read here (the corrected version will be published as HC 537-i (Session 2012-13).
Subsequently, the new Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick Mcloughlin, appeared before the Committee and stressed his “determination” to press ahead with the FirstGroup bid. The uncorrected transcript can be read here (the corrected version will be published as HC 584-i (Session 2012-13) whilst the parliament.tv coverage can be seen here.
Finally, the Department for Transport has let it be known that a team from the Directly Operated Railways company is being readied to take over the West Coast Main Line from December 9th... One does wonder if the Office of Fair Trading will have a view on one company running two main lines in direct competition?
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
LondonMidland Paralympic delight
Following on from the celebration of the Olympic gold rush, the Paralympians have done even better for LondonMidland passengers by enticing the company to give a 34% online discount on off-peak and advance tickets (including First Class once more) up to the end of September.
Don't forget that the 0753 LondonMidland service from Birmingham New Street is by far the cheapest way to get to London before 10.30 Monday to Friday as it is priced as an off-peak train AND, of course, there are NO peak restrictions in the evening back from Euston! Thus, with the discount, a Standard Class off-peak return would cost £18.50 (or £30.35 First) whilst Advance standard can be as cheap as £9.25 (or £10.55 First). Don't forget that journey times are 2 hours plus without refreshments or on-board wi-fi... however, the Desiros do ride well and aren't as claustrophic in Standard Class as the Pendolinos.
Don't forget that the 0753 LondonMidland service from Birmingham New Street is by far the cheapest way to get to London before 10.30 Monday to Friday as it is priced as an off-peak train AND, of course, there are NO peak restrictions in the evening back from Euston! Thus, with the discount, a Standard Class off-peak return would cost £18.50 (or £30.35 First) whilst Advance standard can be as cheap as £9.25 (or £10.55 First). Don't forget that journey times are 2 hours plus without refreshments or on-board wi-fi... however, the Desiros do ride well and aren't as claustrophic in Standard Class as the Pendolinos.
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