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Water trains

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sonorguy

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I hang my hed in shame. Back to the Daily Mail comments section it is....... :oops:

One of my favourite jokes;

How do you confuse a Daily Express/Mail reader?

Tell him that the illegal immigrant is the natural predator of the paedophile.

There was also the comment somewhere that if either of the aforementioned journals has a question as a headline (eg will eating Mars bars reduce property prices?), the answer is invariably no.
 
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Chris M

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me123

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This is Betteridge's Law of Headlines:
"Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge's_law_of_headlines

Interestingly, often true of scientific research papers as well. Positive results are more likely to be reported as a statement (Drug X cures cancer), whereas negative results are more likely to be posed as a question (Does Drug X cure cancer?). Not just a crime of the tabloids, it seems.
 

al78

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Interestingly, often true of scientific research papers as well. Positive results are more likely to be reported as a statement (Drug X cures cancer), whereas negative results are more likely to be posed as a question (Does Drug X cure cancer?). Not just a crime of the tabloids, it seems.

Not a crime, it could be a just a title that suggests challenging results published in earlier journals. That is how science works, by skepticism, research, publishing and questioning, which ultimately converges to our best estimate of the truth.
 

theblackwatch

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i have spoke to somebody at southeastern trains about it before (a miracle even getting hold of them on the phone if you ask me) and they said the water is being used partly to test the tracks, but also in the creation of a large reservoir which a friend tells me is not far from devils dyke. i'm also waiting on more information and am happy to share.

Could you also tell us where you have read or seen the news that these 'water trains' are going to be running more at night? It might give us an understanding of what they actually are.
 

richieb1971

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I haven't read every bit of this thread so forgive my ignorance if I am way off.

Enthusiasts use the term "Water Train" to describe this working -

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H35949/2017/04/06/advanced

It carries French flavored water in 40+ cargo wagons to DIRFT. It doesn't seem to go through East Sussex currently and the timings are later at 7am. All I am saying is this working is almost daily and its a very long train by UK standards. An enthusiast would not use the term Water Train to describe anything else since they know the terms and acronyms of the railway better the average joe.

I noticed the OP did not clarify what is meant by Water train so put this out there. If there are diversions happening perhaps they will go East Sussex at an earlier time.

At 04:12 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4ClNaDl_Ok&t=140s
 
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Polarbear

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I'm surprised that the OP is surprised that living near to a railway line may involve hearing noises in the night!.:roll:

Sorry, but if you've chosen to live near to a railway line, that's your choice - deal with it! For the record - I also live next to a railway. Do I complain about the noise - no.

Railways have a business to run, and whether certain individuals like it or not, they have to carry out that business in such a way that maximises revenue for the company, whilst causing the least disruption to it's customers. True, it doesn't always go to plan, but that's the way private enterprise works.

This, by the way, is the same private enterprise that is so revered by the likes of the Daily Express, which cannot do anything wrong, as opposed to those nasty public sector workers or anyone who, these days' isn't politically orientated to somewhere to the right of Atilla the Hun.

I suggest, respectfully, that the OP researches their facts before coming on a Rail forum to kick off about something they appear to have heard about from a third party, that may not have even happened yet (if at all), rather than an actual experience of wrong-doing.

Rant over. <(
 

Agent_c

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Right, so the water train is both testing the tracks *and* also filling a reservoir?

And someone at SouthEastern customer services, a passenger operator, was able to tell you this? (They don't serve anywhere near Devil's Dyke anyway...) :lol:

Okay, I was patient at the beginning, but I think this is surely a wind up.

I'm not an anorak, so forgive me for not knowing the right term, but I think I might know what he means. Is there a train they might send for stress/weight testing that would use water as a ballast/simulated load? That would both "test the tracks" and then be free for emptying into a reseviour.
 

Deepgreen

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I'm not an anorak, so forgive me for not knowing the right term, but I think I might know what he means. Is there a train they might send for stress/weight testing that would use water as a ballast/simulated load? That would both "test the tracks" and then be free for emptying into a reseviour.

If the reservoir is several hundred feet above the railway (as in Devil's Dyke), that's going to be quite an exercise!
 

plymothian

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Why would you want to artificially fill a reservoir by transporting in water? Surely the point of building one is that you are damming the resource that is there already so it is self filling.
 

me123

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Not a crime, it could be a just a title that suggests challenging results published in earlier journals. That is how science works, by skepticism, research, publishing and questioning, which ultimately converges to our best estimate of the truth.

I do understand the scientific process. I also expect that any reasonable scientist would read the article in its entirety before coming to any conclusions, but it's interesting to see that the same slight twisting of words is used. Pick up a scientific journal and it's amazing how often you can guess the outcome just by reading the title of the study.

In fairness, it does leap off the page more and the scientists will want their articles to stand out as they go through the rigorous process of peer review (something the tabloids wouldn't even remotely consider). To go back to my (deliberately vague) example "Drug X cures cancer" is a more appealing read than "Does Drug X cure cancer?", whereas the latter is much more interesting than "Drug X does not cure cancer".
 

QueensCurve

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You wouldn't happen to be a Daily Mail reader would you, trackdood? It's just that misinformed rants and the illogical usage of 'broken britain' are rather telling characteristics.

Where is the like button when you need it.
 

6Gman

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I'm afraid you've missed out the essential points about an Express story, especially a front headline:

- something about Diana or Maddie
- something about house prices
- something about extreme hot,cold or stormy weather
Can't remember the fourth one,might be to do with miracle cures or or wine/chocolate is good/bad for you etc.

Water trains cause cancer.




But cure Alzheimers.
 

DPWH

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Personally I think we need more water trains. Mr Bulleid built lots of trains that ran using water. Bring em back I say. Of course, nobody would get to work on time, but at least we'd have more fun along the way, and they sound so much better, particularly at 3 o'clock on a cold still winter's morning.
 

fflint

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Ssssh. Keep quiet and creep away he may not realise we've gone.................:)
 

gage75

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Could be worse, could have to worry about earthquakes in the early hours waking you up, they do tend to sneak up on you without any noise, tricky little buggers them
 

zuriblue

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Water trains cause cancer.




But cure Alzheimers.

No that's the Mail. The Associated Newspapers Ongoing Oncology Project aims to classify all known and unknown substances into those that cause cancer and those that cure it.

The Express is for those obsessed with Maddie and Diana Conspiracy Theories.
 

3141

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Seems most likely to me that he got what he wanted from his first post, getting people to take him seriously enough to make suggestions based on the bits of made-up "facts" he provided, and then seeing how long it was before they started to realise he was a fake.
 

HH

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As steam is the gaseous form of water I think he meant Steam Trains... :p
 

tellytype

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Must say I'm disappointed! Was rather hoping for a strategic water reserve under Devils Dyke being filled for when the Nuke hits in a few weeks, to provide good water to steam the SSR up to power ;)
 
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