Noticed a couple of interesting things when I passed through durham station at the weekend both of which leave me in some puzzlement.

Big signs have appeared demanding that passengers surrender up their tickets to staff "in the correct manner" as outlined in railway byelaw something or other.

Can someone enlighten me as the what the 'correct manner' of producing a ticket may be?

Also Durham has sprouted a crop of "railway enforcement officers". They dress as policemen (flak jackets, flouro and silly hats) but are most definitely not BTP officers.

Anyone know what they are for apart from standing around fondling their moobs inside their flak vests and looking menacingly at people in hoodies?

fondling their moobs inside their flak vests and looking menacingly at people in hoodies

you SURE they aren't cops?

wombles?

mmw – certainly not British Transport Police officers.

Their general demeanour indicated that they thought they should be though. Mainly wondering what their powers are?

There appears to be a general proliferation of 'officers' whose powers are a complete mystery to me:
– PCSOs – any powers whatsoever?
– Railway Enforcement Officers – likewise
– Civil Enforcement Officers – appear to be traffic wardens but they also appear to have the power to move on beggars/drunks etc

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8128000/8128052.stm

A few weeks ago NATIONAL EXPRESS handed back the franchise to the government,as they couldnt afford the bills they had to pay, so now us the tax payer are funding the train company that was previously GNER, and ownbed by Sea Containers, strangely they failed despite have almost a monoply on running trains from oop north to down south.

strangely they failed despite have almost a monoply on running trains from oop north to down south.

Mostly because the price they paid the Government for the franchise assumed passenger numbers would keep rising. With the recession people have cut down on train travel so NX couldn't afford to pay their next instalment to the Govt. So the Govt got the franchise back.

And now it looks as if a foreign company wants to buy them , and stagecoach has offered to buy the bus coach and train side.

We have pretend policemen on South West Trains as well. I think it's to make you feel safe. I always feel more secure when a tubby guy in a fluorescent vest is around.

Surrendering a ticket "in the correct manner" is only good form. As you know, you are never supposed to hand money to a barrister, you slip it into the back pocket of his gown. If you're giving money to a lapdancer, you tuck it into her g-string. If you're surrendering a ticket to a national express ticket checker, you should remove your hat, and then hand the ticket to him face up, unfolded, using the thumb and forefinger of your right hand. Some people don't know this.