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Missing but wished-for features on trains

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TT-ONR-NRN

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First Class?

For me it should be increased legroom, one fewer seat across the train than Standard (so 2+2 if Std is 3+2, and 2+1 if Std is 2+2), some single airline seats, and it should cost 50-60% more than any given Standard ticket (Off Peaks included) and no more than that. Window alignment should be good.

Freebies? I don't care for them at all (though I suppose tea/coffee/water is cheap and easy to do). I'd rather have paid-for at seat service of the buffet menu on proper crockery/cutlery as DB do. If I want something I'll pay for it, if I don't I won't.

If that was the First Class "package" across the country, I would probably default to it and stop travelling Standard.

Notably, it basically *is* the package in Germany and Switzerland. And I often do travel 1st in those countries.

OK, well if you complain about free hot meals then that's, well, unusual.

So basically you want first class to have minimum facilities, you want it to be literally a much larger price for extra legroom.

OK, you're definitely in the minority there.

If travelling on First class on IC routes:

Most people like complementary meal service;

Most people like their seats to recline;

Most people would like a free drink or two;

Etc.
 
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Mordac

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OK, well if you complain about free hot meals then that's, well, unusual.

So basically you want first class to have minimum facilities, you want it to be literally a much larger price for extra legroom.

OK, you're definitely in the minority there.

If travelling on First class on IC routes:

Most people like complementary meal service;

Most people like their seats to recline;

Most people would like a free drink or two;

Etc.
^^^^
The best thing about first class on Virgin is the free booze!
 

ooo

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OK, well if you complain about free hot meals then that's, well, unusual.

So basically you want first class to have minimum facilities, you want it to be literally a much larger price for extra legroom.

OK, you're definitely in the minority there.

If travelling on First class on IC routes:

Most people like complementary meal service;

Most people like their seats to recline;

Most people would like a free drink or two;

Etc.
Except those meals aren't really free. You're paying for them in the ticket price. Personally I think GWR's freebie offering is pretty good. Free and good drinks and snacks at all times of the week (from the buffet when no host) with meals available for extra on pullman trains.
 

Bletchleyite

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OK, well if you complain about free hot meals then that's, well, unusual.

So basically you want first class to have minimum facilities, you want it to be literally a much larger price for extra legroom

No, I want it to be a more reasonable step up in price from Standard, and for that to receive extra legroom and extra seat width only, possibly plus use of proper cutlery/crockery for any food I choose to pay for. This is how it is in most of Europe.

Freebies aren't free, they are factored into the often outrageous price. The key is that I want it to be made more affordable by removing the gimmicks.

I don't really care either way about reclining seats TBH.
 

Rick1984

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The bike area on a class 156 is excellent. Simple and effective and can hold loads of bikes and luggage. Probably a consequence of days when they carried parcels?
If only other trains had a similar area.

On screaming children; a family area like in Switzerland would be a good idea
 
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delt1c

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Agree on bar coaches, sadly we're about to lose buffet cars as IETs replace HSTs :cry:
Catering on the Continent is way ahead of the UK, In Italy as well as counter catering ( with coffee at reasonable prices) , on some services there are even vending machines with quality coffee and snacks.
 

brel york

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Cab air con limited to only be able to output air at temperatures which humans can actually survive (ie. not left on heating mode in the summer).

Large, plentiful saloon hopper windows able to be unlocked remotely by crew on full-and-standing trains with failed air con.

Internal saloon<->cab doors which do not open into people's knees or elbows.

Gangway doors which you actually can "slide to open" if they decide to go horribly wrong (would help traincrew to get them opened, as well as passengers).

Charging mounts in lockers for revenue equipment, now it's all so fancy.

External PA speakers. More informative than a whistle and a bloke (or lady) shouting at people.

More litter bins, perhaps with a weight sensor which will then give a small credit back to a smartcard, to encourage people to bin their litter.

Floor coverings which do not show so much dirt. *Cough* Electrostar vinyl *Cough*.
Light coloured Lino is used as it increases lux levels at low level
 

Wivenswold

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Got to agree with the Family area. My experience of kids in continental Europe is that they're much better behaved generally.

Though a pair of noise-cancelling Sennheisers does the trick for me on UK trains.
 

Bletchleyite

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Compartments are good up to 16.666% loading (i.e. one each), and unpleasant above that.

Heating on this train. (OK, it's only one coach that it is out in but I can't be bothered moving).
 

brel york

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Catering on the Continent is way ahead of the UK, In Italy as well as counter catering ( with coffee at reasonable prices) , on some services there are even vending machines with quality coffee and snacks.
We thought about vending machines back in the 1950s
 

delt1c

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There was an SK with o
We thought about vending machines back in the 1950s
There was an SK with a compartment converted to vending machines, but it didnt catch . You have to use the continel trains to see how far ahead they are in service and ambience
 

tankmc

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- Seatback tables that are big enough for a laptop or don't squeak.
- Seats aligned properly! It's not hard.
- Onboard ticket machine like they have in Germany. Makes sense for rural stations.
- Vending machines where a buffet car is not needed.
- Better Wifi
- Foldable tables like on the Chiltern Clubman sets.
- The first class that's actually worth it or not at all! (I'm looking at you Great Nothern electro stars)
- A quiet coach that does not have auto announcements for those of us who would like some quiet and is adults only.
- A family coach to contrast the above.
- Better luggage storage.
- A better indication of when a seat is reserved or not.
- First class compartments?

Things not needed
- Coat Hooks. 1. They never align properly and 2. I have never seen anyone use them
- Reading lights on Electrostats. Never see anyone use them.
-
 

fowler9

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Working toilets. I'd be happy with that. Seems next to impossible to achieve these days though.
 

Mordac

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Catering on the Continent is way ahead of the UK, In Italy as well as counter catering ( with coffee at reasonable prices) , on some services there are even vending machines with quality coffee and snacks.
I have to say, I don't really agree with this, at least in my limited experience. The catering in first class on an ICE is nowhere near as good as on a Virgin Pendolino.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I have to say, I don't really agree with this, at least in my limited experience. The catering in first class on an ICE is nowhere near as good as on a Virgin Pendolino.
However, the catering available to standard class passengers, who are the vast majority, is a million times better on an ICE than on either a Pendolino or anything else in the UK that I've experienced. Also far better value/far less of a rip-off (depends how you look at it!).
 
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43096

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I have to say, I don't really agree with this, at least in my limited experience. The catering in first class on an ICE is nowhere near as good as on a Virgin Pendolino.
Well you have to pay for the food. But a visit to an ICE's BordRestaurant is one of the great pleasures of rail travel. Always excellent quality, good value and in a superb travelling environment.
 

delt1c

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I have to say, I don't really agree with this, at least in my limited experience. The catering in first class on an ICE is nowhere near as good as on a Virgin Pendolino.
How many journeys have you made on mainland Europe? I have made many journeys on Italian and German , regional and express routes and can say that the quality and cost of catering leaves the UK in the shade. try it and see. The problem in the UK is we think that Britain still has Great in front of it and leads the world. The fact is it doesn't and we can learn a lot from others inead of (stubornly) trying to to prove that the UK is always correct
 

fowler9

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I have to say, I don't really agree with this, at least in my limited experience. The catering in first class on an ICE is nowhere near as good as on a Virgin Pendolino.
We were obviously on different trains.
 

delt1c

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Well you have to pay for the food. But a visit to an ICE's BordRestaurant is one of the great pleasures of rail travel. Always excellent quality, good value and in a superb travelling environment.
fully agree, Dont mind paying for quality , but what can a standard class passenger purchase in the UK?
 

Mikey C

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fully agree, Dont mind paying for quality , but what can a standard class passenger purchase in the UK?

Most people stock up at the station anyway. The number of small supermarkets that have opened in the last 10 years has massively improved things
 

Bletchleyite

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Most people stock up at the station anyway. The number of small supermarkets that have opened in the last 10 years has massively improved things

Indeed.

I now only have 2 main use-cases for on-train catering;

- A coffee on a journey of more than an hour (I'll almost always board with one if there was any way to get one in advance of doing so).
- A full sit-down meal on a long journey.

I have no particular use for a buffet car - for the former a trolley is fine (selling decent filter coffee, ideally, which is easily done - just make a flask of it before boarding), for the latter a seated area is better than a "shop".
 
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