A Couple of Questions on c2c

[NSE]

Hey guys, thought I'd kill a few birds with one thread here. Been travelling a lot on c2c recently and had a few questions.

1. The quiet coach.
Why?
Its not something I ever aim for (Though of course, if I end up in one, I'll be quiet) but on this route it just seems pointless. On long distance routes like Virgin or East Coast it makes sense as some journeys are 4/5 hours plus, having the quiet zone makes sense for sleep, or to utilise the table/wifi/plug socket provisions for working, or just the fact you may have paid a whacking great sum for an anytime ticket and want to have your journey in peace. But on c2c, theres no 'working provisions', its a commuter route so people are all often standing, even off peak, and the journeys are only ever an hour tops (Assuming you take the direct routes). Plus, its all DOO so no guard to enforce it, it just seems pointless. Its never quiet when I've ended up there. Kids sit in groups and talk, workers all sit there and take calls. I understand the point, but with no one to enforce it, just seems pointless.

2. Stops after Benfleet.

During peak hours, trains skip stops. Great. Why not after Benfleet? Both AM and PM peaks when I've used trains, I found some great fast services, but skipping stops only seems to happen after Benfleet towards London, and is always all stations after Benfleet from London. Why? Chalkwell and Westcliff always seem pretty quiet so probably wouldn't be missed on the odd couple. A couple of trains running, Shoebury-Thorpe Bay-Southend East-Southend Central, Leigh, Benfleet, Fenchurch Street would be good in the morning, and the same in the evening. Not loads, but a couple as sort of a 'Southend/Shoebury express'. Could it happen?

3. Laindon Shuttle

On a similar vein to the above, Laindon has the middle platform. Off peak, would there be much credibility in running a stopper to Laindon, and then making the semi-fast Shoebury train run fast to Laidon, then Basildon, Benfleet and all Stations? I only ask as West Horndon is as quiet as a grave, and will still get its 2tph to Fenchurch Street, and I don't think it would really cause much of an issue having to change at Laidon instead of having the through Shoebury train. and from Upminster onwards, you have the 2tph also from Ockendon plus the Tube and so on. So would there be capacity to turn 2tph round at Laindon? Would there be capacity down the mainline to Fenchurch Street (I'm working on the basic assumption you could dispatch the fast, then slide the slow in behind)? Would it be beneficial? or is it just a nice dream that would benefit me coming in from Thorpe Bay and not many others?

Cheers for any comments

 

[colchesterken]

On the subject of the quiet coach I got the norwich to London the other day. I often get the quiet coach cos I get fed up hearing peoples life story on their mobiles

There was 4 posh ladies with "plumb in the throat accents" must have got on at Diss they were laughing loudly all the way to Liv st made more noise that all the people on their mobiles would

Ps I am an immigrant form the east end

 

[Class 33]

The Quiet Coach on c2c?! What a joke that was/is! Used to travel on c2c regularly between 2006 and 2008. I did allways aim to sit in the Quiet Zone to enjoy a peaceful relaxing but albeit short journeys. But sadly hardly anyone took any notice of it. When commuting back from work, you'd allways get the office workers babbling on their phones to their colleagues regarding business matters, and then at other times you'd get general people babbling to their friends or family about what they did at the weekend or what clothes they brought, what they're having for tea, etc. Taking no notice of the signs that you shouldn't talk on mobile phones in these carriages. A number of times I did say to these offenders that this is a Quiet Zone and pointing to the signs. Usually they'd say "oh sorry" and ended their phone conversation. Though some people would I expect not be so friendly about the issue...

c2c made a great fuss in 2007(or was it 2008) about them introducing mobile phone blocking filters in their Quiet Zones, so that mobile phone use in these carriages would be impossible. Was all over the papers and on local TV news. But this never ended up being introduced! So so much for that!

I expect it's a lot worst now that it was in 2008!

 

[NSE]

Oh yeah, I've seen noise come from people of all walks of life. But with no one to supervise it just seems silly and more likely to cause friction. With all due respect, the line does pass through some rather unsavoury areas, and I've been on the quiet coach when a group has got on. I'm sure they're harmless, but a large group of youths; I didn't fancy asking them to be quiet. So I just think its a bit pointless, not having a quiet coach, just having one on this route

 

[asylumxl]

I think it's meant as a deterrent more than anything else. Despite the fact some don't take any notice I think the signs probably do have some impact, otherwise they would have been removed long ago.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I think it's meant as a deterrent more than anything else. Despite the fact some don't take any notice I think the signs probably do have some impact, otherwise they would have been removed long ago.

Without anyone being there to know if they are working or not I imagine the stickers will just stay where they are. Not out of success!

 

[W-on-Sea]

Don't know about that. As another former c2c commuter (from Westcliff, obviously), I got the impression that there were reasonably regular meetings of passengers' representatives with people from the company, and quiet zones were among the issues discussed. The fact that they are now onto the third style of signs suggests both that the zones are not always widely respected (in my experience, in morning peaks, at least, they were), and that c2c were keen to at least keen to be seen to promoting them or encouraging self-enforcement of them. Outside the rush hour, though - especially on one unit (four carriage) trains - when can often get quite crowded - I'm not sure I see the point really, on this line.

 

[racyrich]

I commute daily from Basildon on c2c.
I'd say that in the mornings most people are quiet whatever carriage they're on. To completely stereotype, the noisy sods are builders and young women.
In the evening peak 99% of people getting on at Fenchurch st on the quiet coach want the peace. Then at West Ham the babbling hordes join. Luckily most only to Barking.

I've had some fun in the past with a phone jammer

 

[NSE]

Yeah I'm always surprised how often the stereotypes ring true. I'm also surprised there's no automated announcement either. Or indeed anything rolling across the PIS

 

[hassaanhc]

Yeah I'm always surprised how often the stereotypes ring true. I'm also surprised there's no automated announcement either. Or indeed anything rolling across the PIS

I'm sure I recall a DVA/PIS announcement on a c2c service? About Coach A being designated as the quiet coach, on departure from Fenchurch Street and either Limehouse or West Ham

 

[Searle]

I'm sure I recall a DVA/PIS announcement on a c2c service? About Coach A being designated as the quiet coach, on departure from Fenchurch Street and either Limehouse or West Ham

I thought that too actually!

 

[W-on-Sea]

Certainly used to be an announcement and associated display text - the latter was notable for referring to "'mobile' phones" with quotation marks around 'mobile' as among the things not to be used in Coach A. But in my experience people on these trains - far more than elsewhere in the south-east, people will tell others who are being noisy or kids who are causing trouble to put a sock in it or stop it... not always, perhaps not even most of the time, - although more commonly in the peaks than at other times - but sufficiently often that I found it noticeable. (I also think that the toughness of some of the places on the line is a bit overstated, too...)

A slight tangent, but on the topic of Essex stereotypes on c2c trains, has anyone seen the film 'Fish Tank'? (Filmed mostly around what was the Mardyke estate on the borders of Rainham, Hornchurch and Dagenham): the lead character, not a professional actor, was cast by the actor after the director saw and heard her arguing with her boyfriend in a particularly vigorous and characterful manner at Tilbury Town station and on the train from there to Upminster...

 

[455driver]

The Quiet Coach on c2c?! What a joke that was/is! Used to travel on c2c regularly between 2006 and 2008.

So you literally spent 2 minutes on the train in the evening and think you are an authority on them!




Think about it!
Technically its 3 minutes but that wouldnt be as good a line!

 

[Muzer]

To be fair, that's more the railway's fault for insisting on missing out the dot/colon .

 

[hassaanhc]

I thought that too actually!

Certainly used to be an announcement and associated display text - the latter was notable for referring to "'mobile' phones" with quotation marks around 'mobile' as among the things not to be used in Coach A. But in my experience people on these trains - far more than elsewhere in the south-east, people will tell others who are being noisy or kids who are causing trouble to put a sock in it or stop it... not always, perhaps not even most of the time, - although more commonly in the peaks than at other times - but sufficiently often that I found it noticeable. (I also think that the toughness of some of the places on the line is a bit overstated, too...)

I saw the announcement/display in January so only about 3 months ago

 

[bewildered]

I've had some fun in the past with a phone jammer

And also breaking the law! I wanted to install phone jammers for work related reasons in sensitive areas. It appears as the jammers emit a radio signal under UK law it's is legal to own a jammer but illegal to use it. This would explain why we haven't seen them fitted to quiet coaches. In fact the only place where they can be legally used is in prisons.

 

[Muzer]

Passive jammers, of course, are presumably fine - ie attempting to block as much RF as possible through the windows.

 

[Essexman]

As another poster said, the main problem with quiet coaches is between Barking & West Ham - residents of Barking who don't appear to believe that the rule applies to them.

I brought up the subject of quiet coaches at a C2C meet the manager session last year. The answer was that they are supposed to be self policing and that passengers are quite entitled to ask others not to use their phones. I do this every so often with mixed results. Last time a bloke simply couldn't accept that he was doing anything wrong because he had received rather than made the call, and didn't consider that he should ahve moved to another coach.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Laindon shuttle idea - I can't work out if this is proposed as an extra train or to take out stops west of Laindon on an exisiting train.
I'm not sure that more trains can be justified off peak and I wouldn't like to see the Upminster & West ham stops taken out of any existing servcies. Upminster is busy and people are now used to the ten minute service so can turn up at any time, not for a specifc train, and West Ham is busy interchange for Jubille Line.

 

[NSE]

It never amazes me the ignorance of some people. I agree it happens a lot between Barking-West Ham, but I guess that's more due to being loads more passengers. Still, I'd just do away with it personally. On todays train I didn't see/hear any automated announcements.

Re The Laindon shuttle: It would be an extra service, but running all stops Fenchurch Street-Laindon. So West Ham-Barking-Upminster wouldn't have any less services to London, but towards Southend there wouldn't be the semi-fast Shoebury service, as that would be fast to Laindon, and the calls picked up by the Laindon shuttle.

 

[Essexman]

Barking to Upminster passengers & quiet coach. It is not down to numbers it is the type of passenger who gets on at Barking. To define this any more would not be politically correct I fear.

If Laindon shuttle is an extra service then can only be a good thing, although I'm not sure there is a demand. Some trains do start & terminate at Laindon in the rush hour and are all stations to London. They are known to be the berst ones to board at / for Upminster as they are less full in the morning peak.