Great Western Coffee Shop

Is it just me ... or are the power points on trains out of action quite often?

I find that USB sockets are worse for that with them easily breaking (in First Class, on Turbos and on newer buses as well)

Part of the problem is that the public can bring any old thing and plug it in, so the RCD trips.  It is amazing what is found plugged in sometimes, no PAT for the general public.

Makes sense ...

But all I wanted was to listen to the radio and have a cup of coffee ...  ;D

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/coffeeradio.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAWh2rzXsAUkihn?format=jpg&name=medium)

I will admit to having plugged an electric fan into an onboard socket on a train ! Against the rules no doubt but it was VERY hot. Uses less power than many laptops, so I doubt that I broke anything.

BUT that looks like a standard class seat you are sitting in. Was there no First or buffet car? Ah well, at least the fan will keep your sandwiches and bottled beer cool.

Now you will give a member of this forum an idea.

It is not me in the picture. Train looks like Looks like a networker, or something very similar. No buffet on networkers. A few have first class.
The longer distance networkers were intended to have a mini buffet, as they were replacements for the slam door "kent coast" stock which had full buffets.
I think that the picture MIGHT show the area intended for mini buffet. Note the non standard bulkhead behind one row of seats. And of course the power socket which AFAIK is not intended for customer use.
And BTW, an electric fan wont cool sandwiches or beer under any normal circumstances.

Broadgage has a punkah wallah to take care of that sort of thing, as well as a retinue of bearers to transport a side of beef and a barrel of Port should he ever feel thirsty/peckish...…...the local militia can be relied upon to clear the rabble out of the way in order that he has a compartment to himself with adequate storage for his sedan chair in the Guard's van.

Unlike the woman who plugged her curling tongs into a power socket on an HST.  Luckily I was sitting the other side of the aisle and an HST has separate power circuits down each side of the carriage.

I find the location of the sockets in the IET most inconvenient! 

On the HST, the scoket being behind the seat in front was fine - could prop phone/table on the table and get in/out without issue.

Now with the IET if you're in the window seat, you have to carefully climb over the cable as it plugs into your own seat rather than the seat in front!  Usually i end up knocking my phone onto the floor as the cable gets caught round my leg!

The same with tables - why not have the sockets in the wall where they used to be!

I've said the same for some time, ever since the mock up was producd in fact.

Sold to me that having them on the wall isn't great because you may have to reach over a stranger if you're in the aisle seat.   OK  - I understand that but I do wonder if one 'issue' is resolved and another created.

Speaking as someone who has two non functioning wrists and one non functioning elbow (due to infection), the IET sockets are completely out of the question for me. However, I am promised a new elbow early next year, and then, maybe, two new wrists, by which time I expect that they may have moved the sockets to a less ridiculous position.

Regarding availability of sockets, each coach has it's own separate power supply, so if a circuit breaker in one carriage has tripped out due to a hairdryer being plugged in, then chances are the rest of the train is OK.  Even with an advance ticket, I would imagine most TM's would be sympathetic to you changing carriages if seats are available if you explain and ask to move.

My experience is that IETs are rather better than HSTs.

But ... about six months ago, on an IET, I found that the previous user had pulled their plug out of the socket in such a way that they'd left their earth pin jammed in the hole.

I reported this to the Train Manager when he passed (it's not the kind of defect that'll get noticed!).

There was something else wrong with the train (perhaps the air-conditioning) and we must have had a fitter onboard from Oxford. At about Reading I can see the TM talking to an overalled person in the vestibule, and they're pointing in my direction.

Overalled person produces a set of mole grips and extracts the offending earth pin. How's that for service?

The only time I've ever been told off for not sitting in my booked seat was on Grand Central.  A friend and I had 2 seats in first on a table for 4, and decided to move to a 2 instead, as it was better for us, and would also mean a 4 was available if 3 or 4 people wanted to sit together.  We moved the reserved cards too so no one would think they couldn't sit there!  I would have thought this improves things all round, but the guard was really stroppy!

No other guard has cared less where I've been sitting, as long as it's the correct train if an AP.

Young sir, you are at times prone to exaggerate a little.
The side of beef would soon spoil in the recent heat.
Port in the cask should not be moved as the sediment is thereby disturbed.
Even with aid of the local militia, I could not obtain a private compartment as new trains don't have compartments.
GWR cant even manage surfboards, let alone sedan chairs.