It was unfortunate last night. I could not get a ticket machine to harass the punters with. Sometimes these things happen if one fails, or if someone drops theirs and the memory card falls out (it is only a glorified PDA afterall). BUT even then, if I walk through a train making sure people are okay, and safe, then I am still in he wrong:

"Why aren't you checking tickets"
"I paid £x thousand for my season ticket, but your not doing anything to sell to anyone else"
"You are a disgrace to the company"

To be absolutely honest, I wish i did not have to go walking through the train. I would be really happy if I could just hid at the back all night, reading papers, and twiddling my thumbs, but I don't. Ticket machine or not, I walk through the train chatting to the passengers, helping those that have trouble, watching out for those that have passed out, fallen, collapsed or are too stoned to realise they have missed their station. I don't walk through the train to be abused, threatened or spat at.

Needless to say, its nice to hear that my delightful managing director would be ashamed to hear this. Ohhhhh No. He does not get that sort of feedback back from the front line. Moral apparently has NEVER been higher, and guards are pleased to be ordered to be militant and unforgiving.