Controversial railway opinions (without a firm foundation in logic..)

[eldomtom2]

Not controversial and does have a firm foundation in logic.

It is controversial in America and I think most people in this thread have ignored the "without a firm foundation in logic" part.

 

[owidoe]

Mainline steam locomotives trundling around at 20 mph on preserved lines look absolutely tragic and a museum would be better.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Continuing the reversal of BR rationalisation. Much has been done already but, more redoubling, 3 or 4 tracking, single lead junctions to double, reinstating disused platforms*, passing loops.

*Like Swindon, Hartlepool and soon, Newquay...

WRT Newquay, reinstating a second platform at the very end of a long single-track branch is just about the daftest way to spend money if boosting capacity is the aim.

 

[Falcon1200]

So largely useless for anyone other than commuters, would require more units to run than the existing service and each unit would spend the bulk of the day sitting idle.

In accordance with the thread title, opinions stated here (and not just mine) may not be intended to be taken seriously......

 

[willgreen]

WRT Newquay, reinstating a second platform at the very end of a long single-track branch is just about the daftest way to spend money if boosting capacity is the aim.

They’re also sticking a passing loop at Tregoss Moor - it’s part of the so called Mid-Cornwall Metro plan - presumably the second platform is needed for resilience.

 

[Meerkat]

They’re also sticking a passing loop at Tregoss Moor - it’s part of the so called Mid-Cornwall Metro plan - presumably the second platform is needed for resilience.

I assumed it was so the ‘metro’ (laughable name) could shuttle in and out whilst an Intercity was stabled?

 

[willgreen]

I assumed it was so the ‘metro’ (laughable name) could shuttle in and out whilst an Intercity was stabled?

IIRC they are doubling the frequency although I may have made that up

 

[norbitonflyer]

Presumably the Central Line will be extended to bring in Cardiff Central, Exeter Central and Southampton Central, otherwise points West will be somewhat screwed by the underground?

To be fair the potential for visionary tube extension is massive:

Bakerloo to Bredbury
Piccadilly and Victoria to Manchester (well they shadow each other around Euston/St Pancras so why not)
Circle Line to Cathcart and Fife

Combine the Bakerloo extension proposals with the BML2 proposals (both of which seek to re-purpose the Mid Kent Line between Lewisham and Elmers End) to create a BakerLewes line.

 

[nw1]

The nice thing about train services being reduced is that it leads to simpler timetables and a more modern remaining fleet.

If the timetables have been re-designed recently for a lower base frequency of course (and I will give the lower WCML as an example of that, as @Bletchleyite says; perhaps also Chiltern too?)

The problem with a lot of the timetables in existence now (hello SWR) is that they are the pre-Covid timetable with bits hacked out. An utter mess.

Better quality food and drink should be available in 1st class with silver service provided in proper restaurant cars

I partly agreed up to this point, in the sense that I would bring back restaurant cars (though the restaurant car should be open to all), but...

on dedicated trains and no second class passengers should be allowed to board those special trains to ruin the ambiance

No!

Existing IC trains (HST, WCML MkIII sets, Pendolino) already have, or had, first-class all in one area and standard in the rest. So the existing IC setup already minimises the risk of standard passengers wandering into first.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Existing IC trains (HST, WCML MkIII sets, Pendolino) already have, or had, first-class all in one area and standard in the rest. So the existing IC setup already minimises the risk of standard passengers wandering into first.

I prefer to remember the days of yore when fine dining was something to be expected in the restaurant cars prior to WWII.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I prefer to remember the days of yore when fine dining was something to be expected in the restaurant cars prior to WWII.

You may be one of the oldest members of this forum but even you are not old enough to have an actual memory of this! As such congratulations on a fine piece of hyperbole.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

You may be one of the oldest members of this forum but even you are not old enough to have an actual memory of this! As such congratulations on a fine piece of hyperbole.

Indeed I am one of the old fogeys (born in April 1945), but I have always been interested in the railway history of Britain and have over 300 railway books that I have accumulated over the years in my railway archives. O.S.Nock is a favourite railway author I admire.

 

[317 forever]

Greggs offer such delicious and nourishing food that a sausage roll (meat or vegan depending on preference) should be given free to every passenger.

Talking of Greggs at stations, these should offer 1 free snack and drink for people with a valid ticket from that station.

 

[matacaster]

Interestingly the Central Line tube stock has staggered seating. Only place I've seen it in the UK.

Ale trains to Marsden have normal seating but staggered passengers

Has there ever been a statistical analysis of how many disabled people travel on rail network, the nature of their disabilities (eg blind people might not need a disabled toilet, but would benefit from tactile platform edges? It seems like now pretty much overkill with a new or upgraded station regardless of cost.

 

[Mzzzs]

Bring back the class 153 but as build formation so 2 cars and a refurbishment
It could be a lot of help to some operators

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Bring back the class 153 but as build formation so 2 cars and a refurbishment
It could be a lot of help to some operators

You'd just end up with crew depots divided into "small cab" and "big cab" factions... It'd be like that movie "The Warriors" but on rails!

 

[Alanko]

Mainline steam locomotives trundling around at 20 mph on preserved lines look absolutely tragic and a museum would be better.

Likewise larger diesels like Deltics, 50s etc. pootling along with half the inmates from the local borstal flapping limbs out the windows of the front carriage to will it to go faster. Tragic.

 

[eldomtom2]

North American signals are impressive in the sheer degree of needless complexity they have as well as the lack of any desire to at least standardise on one system.

 

[Pinza-C55]

I think the British generally hate their railways and there is no possible set or type of improvements which could be made to rolling stock, staff, infrastructure or train frequency which would stop people whingeing about them.

 

[YourMum666]

Unpopular opinion - Standardisation doesn’t ruin the railways, it in fact makes it better. Only people that have an issue with standardisation are people that don’t understand the complexity and cost of running 4 different classes of trains

 

[The Ham]

Unpopular opinion - Standardisation doesn’t ruin the railways, it in fact makes it better. Only people that have an issue with standardisation are people that don’t understand the complexity and cost of running 4 different classes of trains

(Someone from Northern)
"For classes of train, luxury we've got 11 and half classes of train, don't know you're born"

(Half class being the 769's)

 

[PacerTrain142]

Train drivers should accelerate faster and brake later when running late to make up time. I posted this in the “what happens if a driver is late” thread but it didn’t go down very well…

 

[PGAT]

Isn’t that just common sense? (assuming it’s done responsibly)

 

[D6130]

Train drivers should accelerate faster and brake later when running late to make up time. I posted this in the “what happens if a driver is late” thread but it didn’t go down very well…

That's what we used to do back in the day....and there used to be an instruction to that effect in the frontispiece to the working timetable. However that doesn't wash in the present day risk-averse climate of 'defensive driving'.

 

[YourMum666]

Unpopular opinion - sleepers are not worth the money, in my opinion they are expensive and have little justification for cost

 

[devon_belle]

Unpopular opinion - sleepers are not worth the money, in my opinion they are expensive and have little justification for cost

How do we keep the rails the right distance apart then <\sarcasm>

 

[owidoe]

Takts don't work in Britain because we don't live in an all-XC hellscape like the German-speaking countries. The national preference for direct trains from everywhere to everywhere ought to be celebrated.

 

[D6130]

Takts don't work in Britain because we don't live in an all-XC hellscape like the German-speaking countries. The national preference for direct trains from everywhere to everywhere ought to be celebrated.

It worked pretty well in Scotland back in the 1980s.

 

[LUYMun]

At some point in the future, the practice of leaning out of windows on the mainline will be tolerated once again, perhaps just restricted to railtours. When in the future? Who knows.

 

[778]

I think the British generally hate their railways and there is no possible set or type of improvements which could be made to rolling stock, staff, infrastructure or train frequency which would stop people whingeing about them.

There are probably more railway enthusiasts in Britian, than in all the other countries in the world put together.