Rail travellers could soon be able to use "ticket-to-mobile" technology to buy train tickets , rail company chiefs have announced (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5361802.stm

The headline of "another thread to member's jobs" states the RMT's view and indeed it's their role to look after their members. But as technology marches forward and things get more efficient, different jobs and metircs are created.   I could have had great fun, 100 years ago, doing what all young lads wanted and working on the railways - perhaps in an office role such as roster and timetable planning, or looking after a major ticket office. Such jobd have already all but ceased with computers doing the most oif the work.  Am I despondent about that? No - I utterly enjoy the job I happen to have which is one that wouldn't have existed 100 years ago.   And I certainly hope we don't have a great war coming up in 8 years time as was the case in 1906.

Print-your-own tickets, ticket-to-mobile, credit card swipe barriers, oyster cards.  Just go down to the station, get on the train, and know that you'll get a monthly statement.   Significantly, I'm quoted that the biggest cost of running the TransWilts service is in the staffing, which is said to be 1.5 to 2 times the line's subsidy need.   Now - there's no way it's feasible to do it as a driverless train operation but theres the thought that if the same number of staff who run the service at present were to run double the trains single manned, we would have a healthy, commercial service.  I rathe suspect that the technologoies that are used on the tube and in Docklands couldn't be applied to Wiltshire though.