Virgin Trains removes standard class quiet zone; worst intercity TOC in living memory

[First class]

Disabling the WiFi in the quiet coaches could have been an effective way to "police" quiet zones. The reality is that some TOCs should have set an example, prosecuting a few people under Byelaw 6(8) - and getting some press attention, which probably would have been supportive.

Greater Anglia have done this on their Mk3 stock.

 

[The Planner]

I thought wi-fi was disabled anyway considering how flakey it is normally and the connection you get.....

 

[TimG]

Given that pretty much everyone who works in an office manages to cope with an open plan work space I'm not sure there that much point.

 

[transmanche]

Given that pretty much everyone who works in an office manages to cope with an open plan work space I'm not sure there that much point.

Although not everyone on a train is 'at work'. Some people just want a nice quiet and calm atmosphere.

 

[fowler9]

At the risk of repeating myself, well, I am just repeating myself, aren't Virgin just eliminating complaints by getting rid of the source of them? Standard class is pretty full for much of the day on many of their services. And where do these people who need silence on the train normally work any way? Are they vicars or priests?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Disabling the WiFi in the quiet coaches could have been an effective way to "police" quiet zones. The reality is that some TOCs should have set an example, prosecuting a few people under Byelaw 6(8) - and getting some press attention, which probably would have been supportive.

Greater Anglia have done this on their Mk3 stock.

Prosecuting people for being loud in the quiet zone? Seriously?

 

[transmanche]

Prosecuting people for being loud in the quiet zone? Seriously?

Why not? There's a byelaw which says, "No person shall molest or wilfully interfere with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway". Similarly there's one which says that "no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound". There seems little point in having byelaws if you never enforce them.

Compare with Merseyrail prosecuting people for putting feet on seats and T&W Metro prosecuting people for obstructing the doors.

 

[adrock1976]

Why not? There's a byelaw which says, "No person shall molest or wilfully interfere with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway". Similarly there's one which says that "no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound". There seems little point in having byelaws if you never enforce them.

Compare with Merseyrail prosecuting people for putting feet on seats and T&W Metro prosecuting people for obstructing the doors.

"no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound".

Would it be time for an amendment to the above with the additional text at the end?

For example, delete "sound" and replace with:

"amplified sounds that are output by means of internal or external loudspeakers"

The amended text would therefore read as:

"no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of amplified sounds that are output by means of internal or external loudspeakers"

Any better suggestions for amendments?

 

[WillPS]

And the award for most hysterical thread title of the year goes to...

 

[Flamingo]

And the award for most hysterical thread title of the year goes to...

Wot he said^^^^^.

There are lots of TOC's doing things that are detrimental to passenger service and safety. This is WAYYYY down the list...

 

[Doctor Fegg]

...by which logic you might as well not do anything apart from run cattle-trucks on time and with seatbelts.

Virgin West Coast needs to provide a premium product to lure people out of their cars/the plane. (They sure as heck charge the premium prices for it.) This is another move away from that.

 

[Senex]

...by which logic you might as well not do anything apart from run cattle-trucks on time and with seatbelts.

Virgin West Coast needs to provide a premium product to lure people out of their cars/the plane. (They sure as heck charge the premium prices for it.) This is another move away from that.

Exactly!!

 

[yorkie]

Disabling the WiFi in the quiet coaches could have been an effective way to "police" quiet zones. The reality is that some TOCs should have set an example, prosecuting a few people under Byelaw 6(8) - and getting some press attention, which probably would have been supportive.

How would disabling WiFi be an effective way to "police" quiet zones? I don't see how someone using WiFi is any more likely to be generating noise than someone who isn't. Voice calls do not use WiFi!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

...by which logic you might as well not do anything apart from run cattle-trucks on time and with seatbelts.

Virgin West Coast needs to provide a premium product to lure people out of their cars/the plane. (They sure as heck charge the premium prices for it.) This is another move away from that.

Indeed!

 

[Hadders]

Poor show if Virgin remove the standard quiet coach.

It generally has a far better ambiance than the rest of the train, meaning one can get on with some work or relax without the cackle you often get in other coaches.

I don't always travel in the quiet coach, if I expect to have to make or receive a phone call I'll go to one of the other coaches. If I'm travelling with a group of friends we never go in the quiet coach so we can have a conversation without the risk of being shushed!

 

[TheEdge]

How would disabling WiFi be an effective way to "police" quiet zones? I don't see how someone using WiFi is any more likely to be generating noise than someone who isn't. Voice calls do not use WiFi!

It doesn't. NXEA/AGA set up their quiet coaches to be WiFi free, it doesn't really do anything apart from my point of view take away WiFi from the one group of people who might wan't it to do work in quiet...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Quite. Electronic communication on a touchscreen device on mute doesn't make any noise at all.

 

[cjmillsnun]

What did British Rail provide?

They didn't provide quiet zones.

It's fuss over nothing. I can quite happily get work done in any coach on any train, as long as I get a seat.

I don't need a power point (I make sure my laptop is charged before I board). I don't need WiFi, as I can do offline work, and if I need to do online work, can tether my phone. And I don't need a quiet zone. I'll bung in my headphones which get rid of the worst of the noise, and put some music on at a low volume

Someone moaned that the new USB standard isn't compatible with the old one without an adaptor. That's true, USB-c isn't. But how many computers use USB-C? Precisely one, made by a fruity manufacturer that has a history of offering new standards (FireWire, Mini DisplayPort, Thunderbolt) that don't catch on.

 

[beeza1]

This thread has answered a question that has puzzled me for a while regarding the "Quiet Coach" on XC, I always book a seat in coach F if possible, because it is the quiet zone, but recently all the notices informing PAX it is the "Quiet Coach" have disappeared, yet I am still able to book a seat on said quiet coach (on the XC website) even though it no longer exists.
I did find though the policing of the rule was very hit and miss, (like most rules on the railway).
With regards to business people working on the train, they can be at best a pain and at worst a damn nuisance, on my last midweek journey from BHM to MAN a young woman spent the whole of the one and a half hour journey yattering on her mobile phone, at the end of the journey I knew all about her business dealings that day. That's why I prefer the quiet coach.

 

[alxndr]

I don't commute, I don't often work on trains, I prefer an increased chance of peace and quiet and use quiet coaches where possible. Yes, occasionally it isn't dead quiet and there's the odd person talking (often cyclists who are simply there to remain close to their bikes on FGW trains rather than through wanting quiet), but it's ultimately always been quieter there than any other coach in my experience. I wouldn't say they don't work, just not as well as they ideally should, if they didn't work at all then why would there be a thread on it?

 

[TheNewNo2]

I lament the demise of quiet coaches, as they're always my favourite place to travel.

Still, as my girlfriend said when I mentioned the title of this topic, she doesn't want a quiet coach so much as a baby-free coach.

 

[Jonny]

I lament the demise of quiet coaches, as they're always my favourite place to travel.

Still, as my girlfriend said when I mentioned the title of this topic, she doesn't want a quiet coach so much as a baby-free coach.

Now that would be a good idea.

 

[cf111]

I'm sure NXEC would win the title at the top of the thread!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm sure NXEC would win the title at the top of the thread!

Or the VT of the late 1990s. The VT of 2015 is to me a relatively competent operation.

 

[snail]

Earplugs drown out low frequency noises (such as the rumble of a diesel engine) but they don't drown out high frequency noises (such as loud speech).

How many types have you tried? My Sony XBA noise blocking ones do a pretty good job - I can still tell people are speaking and announcements are being made but can't make out the detail. No fancy tech just well fitting with a combination of foam and silicone to block out ambient sound. I had a couple of pairs of Shure before that which were just as good but don't find the latest design as comfortable.

I still find Coach A generally quiet when on the WCML but in some ways it just makes the loud people more annoying because they are in the minority.

 

[Andrewlong]

I can't speak for Virgin but on the chuggy service between Waterloo and Reading when in the quiet coach I often find passengers cannot resist taking mobile phone calls. Passengers also often get on the train on the phone and will carry on talking until someone points out the coach they are in.

As to switching off wifi - we don't have it and yet there is still a problem. It's about self control and which many passengers don't have!

 

[FordFocus]

Quiet Zones

Hard to police on DOO trains, unnecessary potential conflict for staff on other trains, before an era of tapping laptops, constant talking on mobiles and MP3s - iPhones with tinny earphones that leaked out noise.

Not surprised by this. Expect more TOCs to follow suit.

 

[driver9000]

Transpennine Express have removed their quiet zone. I used to always made sure to make use of it. I have since moved over to Virgin Trains West Coast for a variety of reasons. But now they have gone and done the same...

I don't think TPE ever had a quiet zone. I certainly don't remember them having one anyway.

 

[thenorthern]

One thing I was impressed with Virgin Trains was that they didn't advertise their improved coverage in Coach A or Coach H presumably to stop people using their phones in these coaches.

I must admit though I do still personally think the Pendolino is the most modern and advanced train to be operating in the United Kingdom and I credit Virgin Trains for introducing them.

 

[khib70]

Wot he said^^^^^.

There are lots of TOC's doing things that are detrimental to passenger service and safety. This is WAYYYY down the list...

Indeed. Can't believe we've got people baying for prosecution of people for using mobile phones or listening to music. By all means run trains like mobile 1960's public libraries. Just don't expect anyone normal to use them, or any money to be made. The police state mentality in full baying cry on a rail forum is quite a scary thing.

And the hysterical thread title is just ALR providing clickbait for his fellow anti-Virgin ranters. At least no-one's used the B word yet,. But I'm sure it won't be long.

 

[yorksrob]

Given the Nation's many pressing concerns at this time, I don't think that the Courts would welcome a flurry of quiet coach related prosecutions!

 

[route:oxford]

Given the Nation's many pressing concerns at this time, I don't think that the Courts would welcome a flurry of quiet coach related prosecutions!

I doubt if they would ever work.

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