Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory => Across the West => Topic started by: centralman on April 03, 2009, 19:22:55



Title: First Class Carriages
Post by: centralman on April 03, 2009, 19:22:55
Hi.

New time user and I have a question.

I am going up First Class on Thursday (9th) and I have got tickets in Coach H. Now normally at the other end (Coach A) is the Quiet Carriage. I know that Coach G is the First Quiet Carriage.

So I am asking is the quiet carriage next to the buffet car or at the front if traveling to London?

Hope I have made it clear  ;)

CentralMan


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: devon_metro on April 03, 2009, 19:31:31
London End   Powercar - H - G(Quiet) - F(buffet) - E(Disabled) - D(family) - C(unreserved) - B - A(Quiet) - powercar 

HTH


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Super Guard on April 03, 2009, 19:35:34
If the CIS says "First Class at the Rear, Standard at the Front" then the reverse obviously applies and Coach A leads London end.


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: moonrakerz on April 03, 2009, 19:41:59
If the CIS says "First Class at the Rear, Standard at the Front" then the reverse obviously applies and Coach A leads London end.

..................and just to confuse the majority of the traveling public the platform announcement is usually "this train is traveling in reverse formation".   The Red Arrows flying backwards ?


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 03, 2009, 20:13:25
Well, within minutes of your posing the question here, centralman, I'm delighted to see that you've been given a fairly detailed answer!

And welcome to the Coffee Shop forum, by the way!  ;) :D ;D


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: centralman on April 03, 2009, 20:32:42
Thank you very much for your help. It seems crazy when the website says that the carriage is at the end to keep the peace, but when your in First Class you have to walk through the quiet carriage and that carriage is by the buffet car! :D

While I am thinking of it. What is the First Class Lounge like at London Paddington?

Thanks once again

CentralMan


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 03, 2009, 21:03:38
What is the First Class Lounge like at London Paddington?

I have been led to believe, centralman, that it looks rather like picture 6, at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4432.msg38161#msg38161

Either that, or it's Mark Hopwood's office!  ;) :D ;D


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: centralman on April 03, 2009, 21:05:19
What is the First Class Lounge like at London Paddington?

I have been led to believe, centralman, that it looks rather like picture 6, at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=4432.msg38161#msg38161

Either that, or it's Mark Hopwood's office!  ;) :D ;D

Very nice. Thanks for your help. :)

CentralMan


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: thetrout on April 03, 2009, 21:29:57
While I am thinking of it. What is the First Class Lounge like at London Paddington?

The First Class Lounge at London Padd offers a modern style seating area as well as an older victorian style seating area (Shown in the link Chris posted ;) ). The Lounge offers a selection of drinks and plenty of snacks, when I last went they had complimentary sandwiches on offer ;D

Also the lounge benefits from Internet Access (via a laptop) and it's own toilets, so theres no need to pay 20p !

I would have thought you would enjoy the lounge myself :) I've been twice and have really enjoyed it ;D


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: centralman on April 03, 2009, 21:36:53
While I am thinking of it. What is the First Class Lounge like at London Paddington?

The First Class Lounge at London Padd offers a modern style seating area as well as an older victorian style seating area (Shown in the link Chris posted ;) ). The Lounge offers a selection of drinks and plenty of snacks, when I last went they had complimentary sandwiches on offer ;D

Also the lounge benefits from Internet Access (via a laptop) and it's own toilets, so theres no need to pay 20p !

I would have thought you would enjoy the lounge myself :) I've been twice and have really enjoyed it ;D

Thanks for that. I may write a review when I have tried it myself. Is the service good? Mind me and my brother bought the first class tickets for ^24.50 each way when booked in advance, plus it was a birthday pressie...so glad I am going in style!

CentralMan


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: plymothian on April 03, 2009, 21:44:26
it's own toilets, so theres no need to pay 20p !


30p!!


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: moonrakerz on April 04, 2009, 09:32:28
This is a photograph of the 1st Class Lounge at Paddington when it was the Royal Waiting Room. No date unfortunately.
The wall panels are still the same, the doors have been removed but the doorway shape is still the same.
Compare with photo #6 from link in post #6.

A First Class ticket wouldn't get you in then !


(http://i39.tinypic.com/fkd0qu.jpg)


Photo from an old postcard


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Super Guard on April 04, 2009, 13:48:41
If the CIS says "First Class at the Rear, Standard at the Front" then the reverse obviously applies and Coach A leads London end.

..................and just to confuse the majority of the traveling public the platform announcement is usually "this train is traveling in reverse formation".   The Red Arrows flying backwards ?

Announcements nowadays say "Please note this train is running in reverse formation, first class accommodation is situated at the rear of the train, standard accommodation is situated at the front of the train".

Still, the number of people who just don't listen and look confused when the train comes in always baffles me.


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 04, 2009, 18:35:31
Which reminds me ... I meant to post this at the time.  ::)

About a month ago, I boarded an HST at Nailsea, on my way into Bristol, having politely gestured two ladies to board in front of me.  They were clearly not frequent train travellers, as they promptly stood like frightened rabbits in the gangway, while one of them said to the other, "Quick, we'll have to move along the train - we've got on in First Class!"

I gently pointed out to them that they were in fact welcome to sit where they were - we were in Coach B.  What they'd have made of an actual First Class carriage, if they were so impressed by a refurbished FGW standard class, I can't imagine!  ::) ;) :D ;D


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: thetrout on April 04, 2009, 21:24:57
30p!!

Disgraceful >:(

Announcements nowadays say "Please note this train is running in reverse formation, first class accommodation is situated at the rear of the train, standard accommodation is situated at the front of the train".

Still, the number of people who just don't listen and look confused when the train comes in always baffles me.

I witness that all too often... ::) If your sat on the train it can be quite irritating if a rush of people surge through the carriage letting in the cold air or clouting me with a rucksack! Makes me laugh though, but that could be because I have a strange sense of humor...! ::)

The service in the Paddington Lounge is very good CentralMan, I'm sure another one of our moderators (Phil) can tell you all about it as he commutes to Paddington First Class on a regular basis ;D


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Super Guard on April 04, 2009, 21:28:10
Chris, that actually happens more often than you think... I've had people walking down coach after coach muttering "it's all first class coaches"...   :D

thetrout, it also amuses me how bad some peoples Geography is, when the "the train now approaching" announcement goes out, everyone looks one way, when clearly i'm looking in the other - towards the train...  ;D  So that sometimes explains why people do not know where the "rear/front" of the train is if they have no idea which way it is coming in!


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: centralman on April 04, 2009, 21:38:34
If the CIS says "First Class at the Rear, Standard at the Front" then the reverse obviously applies and Coach A leads London end.

..................and just to confuse the majority of the traveling public the platform announcement is usually "this train is traveling in reverse formation".   The Red Arrows flying backwards ?

Announcements nowadays say "Please note this train is running in reverse formation, first class accommodation is situated at the rear of the train, standard accommodation is situated at the front of the train".

Still, the number of people who just don't listen and look confused when the train comes in always baffles me.

I will listen out carefully then!

CentralMan


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: thetrout on April 04, 2009, 21:40:52
Slightly aside but I do have to laugh when people stick their heads out the window ready to open the door... thetrout however is preparing to open the other door as he knows thats the side the train will be platformed ;D

That one can really confuse people... :P

Another interesting one that happened on Friday, the 09:19 to London was rather busy indeed, thetrout took a suitable First Class seat in coach F, trout wondered why he wasn't getting offered a cup of tea, 30 minutes later the TM informed trout that he was in a declassified FC carriage, 10 minutes after that, trout changed trains... Joined by a cup of tea ;D ::)


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: grahame on April 04, 2009, 22:48:36

The term "spend a penny" was first used in 1945 ... since when inflation would have raised it to somewhere around 26p to 30p .. so perhaps it's not all that disgraceful!

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/spend-a-penny.html
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=1296


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: inspector_blakey on April 05, 2009, 12:49:49
About a month ago, I boarded an HST at Nailsea, on my way into Bristol, having politely gestured two ladies to board in front of me.  They were clearly not frequent train travellers, as they promptly stood like frightened rabbits in the gangway, while one of them said to the other, "Quick, we'll have to move along the train - we've got on in First Class!"

The old antimacassars on the unrefurbished HSTs used to say just "First Great Western" on them, which apparently led to lots of people who weren't regulars assuming that it indicated that the seats were "First" class. They changed the design eventually so that it said "Standard Class" in huge letters with a little FGW logo in the corner.


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: caliwag on April 05, 2009, 17:58:13
Indeed, apart from knowledge of Geography, that is entirely the problem in the bowels of New Street...as a seasoned traveller and buff, I am still disoreinted, so on the occasions when I am waiting for the Wolverhampton to Euston I have no idea which direction it's coming from, so God help the travelling granny when they calmly announce that the standard class is at the rear (sic)...just the nature of a, more or less, tunnel bound station.
Still surprises me that London bound and Cross Country North bound trains depart in the same direction...York doesn't have this problem because you can see the sun! ::)


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: broadgage on April 06, 2009, 08:58:49
Additional confusion was caused by FGW applying theire "first" logo to all windows, many less frequent travellers believed that this denoted FIRST class, and not the name of company, FIRST great western.


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: moonrakerz on April 06, 2009, 11:34:50
A similar thing used to happen in East Anglia when "ONE" existed.
Many visitors, on hearing a station announcement about the "one service" to wherever, got the impression that there was only one train a day !


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Btline on April 06, 2009, 13:12:39
A similar thing used to happen in East Anglia when "ONE" existed.
Many visitors, on hearing a station announcement about the "one service" to wherever, got the impression that there was only one train a day !

Not as bad as misinterpreting the "1150 'one' service to Liverpool Street"!


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: Tim on April 06, 2009, 17:14:48
Chris, that actually happens more often than you think... I've had people walking down coach after coach muttering "it's all first class coaches"...   :D


Used to happen more often when "first" was printed on all theantimacassars. 


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: IndustryInsider on April 07, 2009, 11:16:24
A similar thing used to happen in East Anglia when "ONE" existed.
Many visitors, on hearing a station announcement about the "one service" to wherever, got the impression that there was only one train a day !

And, even funnier, they thought the 13:20 'One' service to Liverpool Street was the 13:21 service!


Title: Re: First Class Carriages
Post by: centralman on April 13, 2009, 11:55:40
Hi all,

Just to say I had a lovely trip up in First Class on Thursday. It was running on time and with First Class at the front heading to London and at the back heading back to Bristol ;D ;D

Had 2 cups of complmentary tea and a pastry on the way up and a cup of complmentary tea on the way back ;D

Thanks for all the info on it before the trip :)

CentralMan



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