Train travel

moneyistooshorttomention

So when did train travel become so awful?

You can tell I've not been a regular train passenger for some time.

I'm old enough to remember separate little train compartments and dining cars and that feels terribly civilised compared to 21st century train travel.

I certainly - in my naivety - thought that the average train journey consisted of trains having many sets of 4 seats with tables in between and a buffet car (as that is how it was when I was a regular train traveller).

I won't be travelling by train ever again if I can possibly help it after recent train journeys. I hadn't realised its now become a case of having to be sardine crammed into a seat facing the back of the row of seats in front and a high chance of lots of people not being able to find a seat at all (thus making for an uncomfortable journey for themselves and an even more "crammed" and uncomfortable journey for those who have got a seat). I was left wondering how anyone even manages to get to the loo when needed - with all the people standing everywhere.

I didn't spot a single buffet car on any train I was in - just a trolley going up and down and totally impossible for that trolley to do that much of the time because of all people standing in the aisles everywhere.

I was also rather shocked - having noticed how many adult women were standing (some middle-aged to elderly) in one train to realise (when it disengorged many of the passengers at one time) how many children and men had remained seated and not offered their seats to these women. There had been many children small enough for two of them to share a seat between them - but they had stayed sitting in a seat each whilst adult women stood.

Awful experience all round and such a shame - as train travel used to be pleasurable in the past - to find that its now become something that I will avoid at all costs in the future (or, if the journey is absolutely necessary, then pay extra and go first class and I presume at least there wouldn't be any crowding then in those carriages).

This won't help the environment one little bit for train journies to be so awful. Who on earth, in their right mind, would go on train journies of this type if they have a car?

Time to put the clock back and return train travel to the more civilised way it used to be - if only to encourage people back out of their cars and back onto trains. I can understand why people aren't getting tempted at the moment - when they can't even rely on a seat or not getting someone else standing bang in front of them and blocking their way everywhere if they do manage to get a seat.

cool-dog

Regarding giving the seats up to women why?

If they are elderly, disabled or pregnant, then yes of course the seat should be given up, but otherwise why? I thought women wanted equal rights? Why should a man have to be treated like a second class citizen for a woman to pick and choose what part of equal rights they want to use.

The men that were sitting down, got on the train first so chances are paid more for the ticket then the women standing who got on later, so why shouldn't they sit?

This is 2013 not 1913.

paddyrg

You complain of wanting people back out of their cars and onto the train - yet already said it was too crowded! ;-)

Seriously though, different train sets and operators run to different standards. What you describe in your memory is exactly how first great western trains to London are in first class. Buffet car and everything. Standard class don't all get tables across from one another, but airlines style tables and seating, mind.

And if you want it less busy, travel off peak, it's Bliss!

Alias_Omega

If you want a seat, you will need to get on the train early. If you want a table seat, your going to have to book it.

Seating - More seating = more passengers, which means more income.

I have often sat in the doorway between cars from London to Liverpool. Did i get a refund? Nope..

fredandwilma

The last time i remember travelling on a train with passenger compartments, was in the early 1970's.



http://citytransport.info/Compartment.htm




Nowadays, you pay for transportation from A to B. Not for a seat.




http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/content/NRCOC_old_2011.pdf


Note section 40 -

40. Reserving seats
Seats in some trains can be reserved before you travel and you may have to pay a fee.
Unless you have a seat reservation, the Train Companies do not guarantee to provide a
seat for your journey. You must have a valid ticket for your journey before reserving a seat.
This ticket allows you to reserve no more than one seat per person for each part of your
journey.




Even if you reserve a seat, there's no guarantee you actually get to sit in that seat. If someone is sat in your seat and they refuse to move, no one can make them move. Not even the train manager. I've had instances when this has happened to me.

gb12345

fredandwilma wrote: »

The last time i remember travelling on a train with passenger compartments, was in the early 1970's.

They still had them on the lines into Charing Cross from Kent in the late '80s early '90s, I remember them from when I first started commuting.

moneyistooshorttomention

Even if you reserve a seat, there's no guarantee you actually get to sit in that seat. If someone is sat in your seat and they refuse to move, no one can make them move. Not even the train manager. I've had instances when this has happened to me.[/QUOTE]

....and you didn't "accidentally" spill a drink over them a bit later as you were passing?;)

Remarkably restrained of you:rotfl:

moneyistooshorttomention

cool-dog wrote: »

Regarding giving the seats up to women why?

If they are elderly, disabled or pregnant, then yes of course the seat should be given up, but otherwise why? I thought women wanted equal rights? Why should a man have to be treated like a second class citizen for a woman to pick and choose what part of equal rights they want to use.

The men that were sitting down, got on the train first so chances are paid more for the ticket then the women standing who got on later, so why shouldn't they sit?

This is 2013 not 1913.

Equal rights yes...but courtesy and commonsense should still apply. It is a fact that womens bodies are physically weaker than mens bodies and I would say that, accordingly, there probably isn't as much strength to cope with physically standing. Also, many women will be wearing pretty uncomfortable footwear (heels or the like) and very few men will be. Anyway...it's never possible to tell if a woman is pregnant or no (unless she has obviously reached an age where this wouldn't be the case).

As a middle-aged woman myself I no longer have to offer my seat to anyone - as there will always be children or men sitting down (ie so it's clearly not up to me to be the one to do so). But, when I was younger I would give up a seat for an elderly person (of either sex) and just glare meaningfully at the child or man who should have been the one to do so instead.

As a middle-aged woman - if I could see that everyone sitting was same sex and at least same age group, then I would give up my seat for someone obviously older/iller than myself.

Mind you, I did notice a couple of men who were sitting down and the woman they were with was standing and was amusing myself wondering how long the relationship would last after the train journey was over before the woman had the sense to start analysing whether the man concerned was maybe a bit too selfish/thoughtless of her needs to stay in a relationship with him....I would have been a bit shocked if any boyfriend I ever had had expected to me stand by his side whilst he sat down and he would soon have been "history".

Its all just common courtesy.

But - to come back to the point at issue - train seats really do need to always be designed for comfort (not "sardine packing" in) and for there to be enough carriages put on every train that is/might be likely to be busy - so that everyone can sit down.

Zinger549

If the Women is Elderly,Disabled or has kids then you should give the seat up. If they are fit and healthy then why should they get the seat just because they're a women. If you go in the rush hour then the train will be busy and people who use train regularly know that. it's not nice but there is not a lot that you can do.

davenport151

Thats why I love visiting our heritage railways (railtours do this to). They have the 'old stock' , the four seats to a table, plenty of leg room and a buffet car.
Though adding to whats being said it does vary considerably over the whole network. Time of day/year makes a huge difference. I also love the fact you think you are on a crowded train but spot the odd seat where someone has sat on the aisle seat and put their bag on the one next to them. Some train companies do ask people to move bags etc when trains get busy to free up seats.

possibly you were just unluckly with your choice of route/day?

yangptangkipperbang

paddyrg wrote: »

And if you want it less busy, travel off peak, it's Bliss!

..............or you can get bargain Advance First Class fares.