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johoare
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« on: May 20, 2008, 10:12:16 PM » |
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I was on the 18.33 from Paddington, first stop Maidenhead tonight.. It's an intercity.. I don't usually get lucky enough to get one of these trains, we usually have turbos.. As we were approaching Maidenhead there was an announcement that to alight at Maidenhead we needed to be in the front 7 carriages.. Now, I knew for sure I wasn't in the rear carriage, I'd walked past first class before I got on, however I didn't have much time at Paddington, and didn't realise I had to count how many carriages there are on an HST so as to make sure I was in the front 7.... Fortunately a quick look around meant I could see the odd familiar face from regular commuters from Maidenhead who weren't panicking, so I didn't either.. I do think however a slightly more helpful announcement could be made (although I'm not sure what it could be - any ideas?)..
Incidentally this problem isn't confined to FGW.. If you travel on East Midland Mainline (something like that, they've been renamed recently..) from St Pancras on a train which stops at Luton Airport Parkway, they announce (shortly before arriving at Luton Airport Parkway) the letters of the carriages you should be in to enable you to get off at that station due to a short platform. Both times I've been on the train I have looked, and cannot see any obvious letters inside the train to help you decide if you should stay where you are because you are in the right carriage, or just panic.. Admittedly I've been standing in the door area both times as the train has been full... The first time I was on that train there was a lot of running up and down the train by people hoping to find the right door to get off before the train left!
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Mookiemoo
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« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2008, 10:20:35 PM » |
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I was on the 18.33 from Paddington, first stop Maidenhead tonight.. It's an intercity.. I don't usually get lucky enough to get one of these trains, we usually have turbos.. As we were approaching Maidenhead there was an announcement that to alight at Maidenhead we needed to be in the front 7 carriages.. Now, I knew for sure I wasn't in the rear carriage, I'd walked past first class before I got on, however I didn't have much time at Paddington, and didn't realise I had to count how many carriages there are on an HST so as to make sure I was in the front 7.... Fortunately a quick look around meant I could see the odd familiar face from regular commuters from Maidenhead who weren't panicking, so I didn't either.. I do think however a slightly more helpful announcement could be made (although I'm not sure what it could be - any ideas?)..
Incidentally this problem isn't confined to FGW.. If you travel on East Midland Mainline (something like that, they've been renamed recently..) from St Pancras on a train which stops at Luton Airport Parkway, they announce (shortly before arriving at Luton Airport Parkway) the letters of the carriages you should be in to enable you to get off at that station due to a short platform. Both times I've been on the train I have looked, and cannot see any obvious letters inside the train to help you decide if you should stay where you are because you are in the right carriage, or just panic.. Admittedly I've been standing in the door area both times as the train has been full... The first time I was on that train there was a lot of running up and down the train by people hoping to find the right door to get off before the train left!
There are only 8 on a HST ABCDEFGH If they remove the buffet there a 7 ABCDEGH |
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Mookiemoo
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« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2008, 10:22:02 PM » |
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TO be fair thought - on all short platforms they announce you have to be on the rear X carriages or front Y carriages
Most people on the route dont have a problem - maybe its because it was an unusual event or because on PAD - maidenhead I suspect there are a variety of units that can be used
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johoare
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« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2008, 10:30:57 PM » |
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Thanks Mookiemoo. I think it's just because I don't usually travel on an HST, the announcement made me realise that I didn't know exactly where on the train I was.. Although maybe telling people in the rear carriage to move up one carriage would be more sensible if there are only 8 carriages maximum!? I just wonder what happens to the non-commuter type traveller though...
As for the Luton airport parkway train.. That was chaos.. I can only assume that happens most days..
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Btline
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« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2008, 10:52:04 PM » |
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One merit of Virgin (or XC now) is that they display the coach number (e.g. Coach A) on the screen. But only sometimes...! And Virgin don't have problems with too long trains! Their problem is the shortness!  FGW should do this. Or slap a sticker onto the seat backs. |
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Mookiemoo
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« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2008, 11:02:42 PM » |
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Thanks Mookiemoo. I think it's just because I don't usually travel on an HST, the announcement made me realise that I didn't know exactly where on the train I was.. Although maybe telling people in the rear carriage to move up one carriage would be more sensible if there are only 8 carriages maximum!? I just wonder what happens to the non-commuter type traveller though...
As for the Luton airport parkway train.. That was chaos.. I can only assume that happens most days..
On FGW trains there is an indicator on the top section that say what carriage and seat you are at |
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Karl Friends of Penmere
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« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 12:32:27 AM » |
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Morning
It did surprise me as well, why didn't FGW have
digital readouts in the refurb coaches. OK there
were problems with the seat reservation readouts
above the seats on Voyagers, which are controlled
by satalite (I think); which causes chaos. Most
times when I have travelled on a Voyager and this
has happened, the anouncement has been along the
lines 'we're sorry and you can pretty much sit
anywhere'!
That aside and in hinsight a better system could of
been fitted and something else which I have pondered
over, is there could of been a digital display system
(again as per outside on Voyager), fitted where the
toilet window is. This usually gives you, train,
destination and coach number. With flat screen
technology and micro electronics to keep it mimamul
in space inside, it could of been done and would by
handy as frosty glass would of been replaced with
something more private and is next to the external door!
If Vigin/XC could put flatscreen/digital readouts on
the outside of a Voyager, I think FGW could of fitted
this in the toilet window space. With a mimamul sized
sturdy case, accesed only with the use of the guards key,
it should be preety child/vandal resistent. It could be
changed to suite destination by a master computer/device
in the gaurds van TGS.
But again I surpose it all came down to ££££££!
Regards
Karl.
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gpn01
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« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2008, 08:30:06 AM » |
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I wonder what happens if the passenger has a hearing impairment or if the speaker isn't working in the carriage or the passenger doesn't understand English ? Similar problem occurs on the tube when a non-too helpful announcement of "the rear carriage doors won't open at the next station - please move forwards" is made when the train is already overcrowded and you simply can't move forwards. The "solution" seems to be to always ensure you're in the middle of the train!
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Conner
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« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2008, 08:37:21 AM » |
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I can tell you something that not fitting TV's was not down to £££££££. FGW spent alot of ££££££ on the refurbishment programme and ££££££ doesn't come into it. They were originally fitted on the refurbishment showcase vecile, here and here. |
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devon_metro
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« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2008, 09:07:22 AM » |
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You should only really worry about where you get off if you are in First Class as that is at the rear! Does this service use the fast lines if it is often a turdo?
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Karl Friends of Penmere
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« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2008, 01:55:07 PM » |
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Afternoon
Alright Conner I didn't Know that FGW had a look
at doing that. This is the second time this week
I thought I had writtern a fare, friendly and
constructed message and felt I've been 'had up'
in the responses recieved on this group.
And I think there could of been more ££££ spent
in some aeas such as digital readouts and the
outside picture (first link), is presisely what
I had in my mindset. It does look good and easy
to read. I can see a problem in the second pic,
the strip light glare is over the digital readout,
but I don't that should be too difficult to air
out that problem.
Regards
Karl.
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argg
Newbie
Posts: 5
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« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2008, 01:58:31 PM » |
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You should only really worry about where you get off if you are in First Class as that is at the rear! Does this service use the fast lines if it is often a turdo?
...however sometimes the train is reversed. In my experience the 18.33 to Oxford is HST and runs on the fast lines but switches over just before Maidenhead. Generally the announcement does advice the letter of the carriages affected. |
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devon_metro
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« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2008, 04:32:10 PM » |
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No need for SDO then. Btline will be happy  |
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