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Author Topic: Rail Travel in the UK: Why So Many First Class Carriages?  (Read 8909 times)
Chris from Nailsea
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« on: May 02, 2012, 21:05:13 »

From the Huffington Post blog:

Quote
My wife and I arrived at Paddington railway station on Sunday lunchtime after a wet cold weekend in London. We were at the head of the queue entering the platform to board the train to Exeter. As I walked along the platform I counted three first class carriages out of a total of eight.

It was fortuitous that we were at the head of the queue so we managed to get a seat. By the time the train was ready to depart, every seat in our carriage was occupied with a few people standing between carriages. On leaving the train at Exeter I walked past the train trying to gauge how many people were in the three first class carriages. As far as I can tell there were four or five passengers in each coach.

I fully understand and appreciate that first class passengers have paid more and should expect a bit more comfort than the rest of us ordinary people. First class passengers can have their table at every seat, extra leg room and reclining seats but three coaches for 15 passengers! That smacks of incompetence, particularly when the rest of us are packed like sardines, with some passengers not even having a seat.

Assuming that companies conduct analyses of the way space is used on their trains, how can such an anomaly happen? Fragmenting the railways, and having different operators running the trains is supposed to create competition, and that should force companies to treat their passengers fairly and with more consideration. But we had no choice of which train company to use. Anyone travelling on a particular day at a certain time has to use the train available.

The findings of a study comparing rail travel in Europe, reported in the Independent, presents its conclusions as:

"The analysis looked at three different kinds of commuter journeys to the "principle city" in the eight European countries: short commutes of between five and 16km, medium journeys of between 17 and 40km, and longer trips of between 41 and 80km. It found that in all three categories, "unrestricted day return" fares, which allow commuters to take any train they choose, were more expensive in Britain than any of the other countries examined.

"Commuters making a journey in the medium band [in Britain] have to pay 59 per cent more than those in Switzerland, the second most expensive country in that category, while the fare is more than three times the cost of commuters making a similar trip in Spain."

In addition to cost, overcrowding and the bewildering price structure were also highlighted as a contributing factor to satisfaction rates among commuters dropping to below 30% on some routes. Don't panic; this article is not going down the enigma wrapped in mystery of the ticketing structure of rail travel in the UK (United Kingdom).

What is so galling is that with some planning, more care and a dose of common sense, those of us travelling standard class could have been made more comfortable without affecting the comfort of the first class passengers.

The Rail Regulator should take companies to task in the way their travelling space is allocated. Also, we the Standard class rail users need to challenge train companies by complaining about the unfairness, stupidity and incompetence that allows such a ridiculous split in space allocation between first class and standard class train travel.
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JayMac
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« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2012, 21:27:22 »

Two and half carriages at most.

And should someone tell the blog writer about Weekend First?

As for 'fragmentation' on the railways being part of the problem, it should be pointed out that many of the consists running around the network today have the same ratio of 1ST to Standard Class as they did in the years prior to privatisation.

I do agree though with the sentiments regarding the 'bewildering price structure'. I'm frequently bewildered and I like to think I know a fair bit about fares.....
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Rhydgaled
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« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2012, 22:52:55 »

Given that one of the first class carriges is the buffet, and hence only half of it is seated, I'd say 'three' first class coaches is probably about right given that having a power car at each end (which only have a cab at one end of end) means you can't take a coach out at quite times during the day easily. I don't understand why the (nine coach) Intercity 225s have had their buffet cars turned round and converted to standard though, 6 TSOs (The Stationary Office (now OPSI)), a buffet first and 2 FOs would make more sense to me, but then again I don't go near London very often so maybe the 3 FOs I believe East Coast's IC225s have do get near full sometimes.
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----------------------------
Don't DOO (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) it, keep the guard (but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea if the driver unlocked the doors on arrival at calling points).
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« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2012, 13:19:00 »

East Coast used to have several (six from memory) 'Pullman' sets of Mk IV coaches which had 3 1/2 First Coaches - these were meant to run on the key bussiness trains from Leeds and Newcastle but set swaps meant they were often on the wrong diagram and this led to overcrowding in standard (which had one less coach).

When GNER (Great North Eastern Railways) did the 'Mallard' upgrade they took the chance to move to a standard formation with 3 First in every rake and turning the buffet gave a better area to serve passengers. 

Filling first class seats should not be a problem with proper yeild management -the FCOP ticket (booked in advance)

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Worcester_Passenger
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« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2012, 03:32:27 »

East Coast's IC225s have do get near full sometimes.
Filling first class seats should not be a problem with proper yeild management -the FCOP ticket (booked in advance)
My (limited) experience with East Coast is that they work the yield management quite hard. I've been offered cheap deals in First on off-peak trains. When I've travelled, the First has been quite full. They seem to aim for having the whole train full. FGW (First Great Western) don't seem to work that logic.

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Andrew1939 from West Oxon
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« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2012, 17:18:43 »

Having travelled a number of times from Charlbury to Paddington on a peak hour HST (High Speed Train) from Worcestershire I have found it very useful to have had reserved seats in first class as by the time the train reaches Oxford, first class seats are often fully occupied. I think its the Charlbury/London city folk on their sky high salaries and the Chipping Norton set that can afford the sky high fares that I can only rarely justify.
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broadgage
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« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2012, 17:44:19 »

I consider the provision of two and a half coaches of first class to be about right on average.
More would be ideal on some business trains, and less at weekends, but that is not readily achieved with modern trains.
I have regularly seen first class well filled on the 18-03 and 19-03 from Paddington.

The difference in comfort between first and steerage has increased recently, not because first is better, but because steerage has been "improved" by higher density seating, fewer tables, and reduced luggage space.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2012, 03:07:29 by broadgage » Logged

A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
Umberleigh
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« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2012, 09:57:51 »

Good to see this blogger taken to task in the comments section below his piece...

I would bet a First Class Return ticket ( Wink) that there was a seat in standard for each and every one of the alleged standees. As ever, it's people hogging the spare seat next to them and joining passengers opting to stand rather than challenge/ask for a seat.

Anyway, looking forward to this chap's next blog on how he took a flight to Sydney and was stuck in the middle of the aircraft, crammed into a row of four, whilst up ahead there were spare seats in First Class...  Grin
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Milky Bar Kid
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« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2012, 22:04:04 »

Its about offering a service, if you get in quick you can advanced first class cheaper than standard.
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Btline
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« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2012, 23:57:45 »

Its about offering a service, if you get in quick you can advanced first class cheaper than standard.

Not on XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) anymore!  Angry Angry
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TonyK
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« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2012, 00:57:35 »

Its about offering a service, if you get in quick you can advanced first class cheaper than standard.

Agreed. I got Falmouth - Tiverton Parkway once, First Class ^7.00, second ^9.00
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