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shadow
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« on: January 11, 2008, 22:58:19 » |
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Sorry if this is in the wrong area or anything, But i wanted to see what peoples opinions are on something that has been bothering me for a while, since XC▸ took over the cross country franchise. I know this was talked about a little when Graz started a post on the CrossCountry franchise draft timetable consultation ( http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=824.0) Anyone who uses/used a Virgin/XC train from anywhere in the SW. What do you think about this idea of taking out the shop out and one of the toilets, and replaceing it with more seating? I can't see it adding much more seating, and the trains in the busy period, would 14 to 20 seats really make much difference? Also, if they take the shop and replace it with a trolley, how is the trolley going to get though when the train is really busy? Also, the hot food would go. Ok, so they only offer three items of hot food, but from experience when I've not had time to have breakfast, a bacon roll is good enough to fill me up. Also, what about stock and stuff? people could buy all the beer in the first 5 minutes of the journey, then they wouldn't have any till the next 'stock stop'. And what about when they bring the 5 or so HST▸ 's into play? would they get rid of the buffet on those?? Ok, i know these are silly questions, but i just wanted to get people's opinions on the matter. |
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Graz
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« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2008, 23:14:45 » |
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I agree, I can't say I used the buffet too often personally, but a trolley service is just inadequate for long distance travel as is the removal of a toilet. I don't agree with the proposals, a few more seats will be gained which is a plus but surely there are other ways of doing that?
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shadow
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« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2008, 23:19:12 » |
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Add another charage? Have a 6 charrage instead of 4/5
I know theres been 'chat around the water cooler' about have 10 charage voyager/super voyagers (have to call them mega voyagers or something) Maybe double up a glasgow/dundee etc, and have the second train decouple at which ever stations first, and carry on up?
Ok, maybe some far fetched ideas i guess.
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Timmer
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« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2008, 08:22:56 » |
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I think getting rid of one of the toilets, even though they smell, is a very bad idea as XC▸ services are more often then not full or overcrowded. If you thought they smell now, just imagine a set with just two toilets on it. I realise that a two car 158 has only one toilet on board but on services operated by 158s passengers tend to travel on them for shorter distances whereas XC passengers in the main are travelling for an average of 2 hours+
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Conner
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« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2008, 09:04:48 » |
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158's Have two toilets.
And I think Cross Country are really stupid to get rid of the shop, it is usefal and I've never seen a trolley that is adequate before. They won't be able to get through the train.
The removal of the shop and toilet will create luggage space which in turn will free up space for seats as the seats by the old toilet/ old shop will have no windows.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2008, 09:46:14 » |
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Add another charage? Have a 6 charrage instead of 4/5
I know theres been 'chat around the water cooler' about have 10 charage voyager/super voyagers (have to call them mega voyagers or something) Maybe double up a glasgow/dundee etc, and have the second train decouple at which ever stations first, and carry on up?
Ok, maybe some far fetched ideas i guess.
If they are going to add more carriages, at least add enough. 8 coach minimum if you ask me. |
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vacman
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« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2008, 10:23:30 » |
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On the subject of trolleys, a lot of passengers would prefer it, particularly the elderly, when we used to have trolleys on the units people were always glad to not have to get out of their seats, particularly on a busy train when someone could nick their seat when they go up to the buffet, with regards to storage, I would have thought that they will use the pantry area in the first class where there are fridges etc. I would miss the bacon rolls though!
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smokey
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« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2008, 11:47:34 » |
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I thought the Idea on Arriva XC▸ was to remove the Disabled toilet from One Coach and replace with 2 standard toilets and extra seats.
Someone got it wrong when Voyagers were built, they thought Every toilet had to be disabled friendly:
NOT SO, 1 needed in every unit, NOT every Carriage.
The Disabled toilets take up about 1/4 of a carriage
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vacman
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« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2008, 11:54:30 » |
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I thought the Idea on Arriva XC▸ was to remove the Disabled toilet from One Coach and replace with 2 standard toilets and extra seats.
Someone got it wrong when Voyagers were built, they thought Every toilet had to be disabled friendly:
NOT SO, 1 needed in every unit, NOT every Carriage.
The Disabled toilets take up about 1/4 of a carriage
Nope, they are replacing the buffet area with luggage space and then the luggage space in the saloons will be replaced with seats, remember, theres no windows in the buffet area! |
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devon_metro
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« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2008, 11:57:10 » |
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Disabled toilets are awful, I have problems working out where all the buttons are. Don't see what wrong with a mk3 'closet' toilet.
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Btline
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« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2008, 18:34:46 » |
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They are removing one disabled toilet and the shop.
The problem is:
If they have all the luggage space where the shop was, won't this cause security problems- people not seeing their luggage, and won't there be overcrowding were the luggage is? People in Coach A having to go to D to get their luggage at their station.
Can't see it working. people will board the train in their carriage, and have nowhrere (except the pathetic overhead racks) to put their luggage.
People with no reservations will not want to waste time putting their luggage in D- they will want seats!
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Jim
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« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2008, 22:33:45 » |
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theres no windows in the buffet area!
About the same view available there as half the seats then! |
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Cheers Jim  AG's most famous quote "It'll be better next week" |
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Btline
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« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2008, 23:42:16 » |
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theres no windows in the buffet area!
About the same view available there as half the seats then!   But the voyagers are not as bad as Pendalinos when it come to this. All/most "restricted view" seats on voyagers have some window. On Pendalinos, some seats have no (or perhaps 1 inch (2.54 cm) of window). |
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zebedee
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« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2008, 09:39:10 » |
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Interestingly, XC▸ have made the 8:03 train (from Newton Abbot) to Manchester a carriage shorter (4 instead of 5) - I asked why and apparantely Virgin took many of the 5 carriage ones with them.
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Tim
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« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2008, 13:42:34 » |
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Two toilets is very bad. A couple of years ago I travelled on a Scotland - Penzance Voyager from Brum to Bristol TM‡. One of the toilets was out of use because it was blocked. Another was out of use because the stupid sliding door was broken and the other shut itself down near Cheltenham because its tank was full. As we were putting into Bristol the TM accounced that the stop was for 5 minutes and that there were toilets in the station underpass but that passengers would need to be quick because the train would not wait for them. As I got off teh train at Bristol, I looked back to see two blokes pissing against the side of the train and thought it was an appropraite comment on such a useless train.
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