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

[12LDA28C]

You're not the first to mention that!

A while ago I suggested you could, via an app, contact an outlet in a station down the line (where the train stops) and they bring the food/drink to the door for you. Not sure it's really practical, but another suggestion, a long-distance train without buffet or trolley could have a 15' break put into the timetable at a station that has those facilities on the platform.

To think Manchester > Bournemouth or further with zero catering is unthinkable!

I've called ahead and had pizza delivered to a train en route before. Anyone can do that, I don't know why more people don't.

 

[py_megapixel]

A while ago I suggested you could, via an app, contact an outlet in a station down the line (where the train stops) and they bring the food/drink to the door for you. Not sure it's really practical, but another suggestion, a long-distance train without buffet or trolley could have a 15' break put into the timetable at a station that has those facilities on the platform.

I think I've heard of refreshments being sold to passengers through the windows of trains stood in stations. Not sure if it's something that happened here before aircon stock with sealed windows became common, or if it's from elsewhere in the world.

I think that all long-distance trains should have relatively long (5-10 min) layovers booked at some stations, with station capacity increased to accommodate this. I'd rather have a slower service with plenty of opportunity to make up delays than a faster advertised service that gets later and later (leading, for example, to missed connections). Plus if the train is on time, getting on the train is much more relaxing if you're in less of a rush.

 

[robert thomas]

I think I've heard of refreshments being sold to passengers through the windows of trains stood in stations. Not sure if it's something that happened here before aircon stock with sealed windows became common, or if it's from elsewhere in the world.

I think that all long-distance trains should have relatively long (5-10 min) layovers booked at some stations, with station capacity increased to accommodate this. I'd rather have a slower service with plenty of opportunity to make up delays than a faster advertised service that gets later and later (leading, for example, to missed connections). Plus if the train is on time, getting on the train is much more relaxing if you're in less of a rush.

It certainly happened here. The last place I remember was Perth in the 1960s

 

[RT4038]

Regarding on train catering, all TOCs should cease direct involvement and lease their buffet and kitchen areas to Greggs or Subway.....

Why would either of those companies be interested? Staffing is too complicated, too expensive.

 

[Falcon1200]

Why would either of those companies be interested?

The comment was made in accordance with the thread title......

 

[nw1]

Maybe this post does have something of a logical foundation, but is probably more late-80s or 90s than 2020s in outlook, so perhaps not nowadays. But here we go:

Once HS2 is done, use the "classic" WCML to help introduce a new and revamped Cross-Country network, with InterCity-quality bi-mode or dual-voltage trains. Interiors similar to the originals for Mk-II and Mk-III (including HST).

Including a new version of what seems to have sadly become a laughing stock for some on here (despite running for 25 years), the Brighton-Manchester.

Service pattern:

Hourly IC service from Brighton, calling Gatwick, East Croydon, Clapham, Kensington, Watford, MKC then (alternate hours) Cov/International/New St and (alternate hours) Nuneaton, Crewe, Stockport and Piccadilly (stops with significant interchange potential have been chosen). To answer the usual criticism that there aren't hordes of Brighton residents wanting to go to Manchester, it wouldn't just be about the Brighton market: all sorts of intermediate flows could be catered for with such a service.

Hourly Bournemouth service, diverted after Oxford along EWR to MKC thence northbound up the classic WCML. Services alternating between Manchester and Scotland.

In addition, hourly Southampton-Birmingham to be retained via the classic route, part of a half-hourly Reading-Birmingham with the other 1tph starting back from Paddington. Paddington to Oxford "shorts" to be withdrawn as they would be covered by this service.

Half-hourly "classic Euston-Birmingham" service to be retained.

Something like this would finally give some much needed excitement to the XC network, which has, since Arriva took over, become moribund and unexciting.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Introduce a germ-spreaders carriage on commuter services so all those people who cough, sneeze, belch and fart their way through the journey can do so to their hearts content without infecting the rest of us!

 

[PacerTrain142]

It can never be zero risk. That would be impossible.

Our roads are plenty safe enough.

With five deaths a day on the roads? I don’t think so. Most dangerous form of transport.

The PacerEvolution unit was never going to be a long-term solution. Whilst it looked "like a modern train" for the first few weeks I'd question the quality of the workmanship on the conversion as it started to rattle and look tatty very quickly. Despite all the fanfare when it was launched, it still needed several exemptions to the accessibility rules, and was still powered by a rather dated and dirty pair of diesel engines from the 1980s. The 195s will hopefully last another thirty years or so, by which time there will hopefully be more electrification and/or improved battery technology (including improved charging infrastructure and cheaper batteries, which hopefully won't be quite as "problematic" from a procurement point of view). Even if all the 143s and 144s had been "evolved" they'd be lucky to last another 10-15 years.

Well the pacers are running just fine on preserved railways. Plenty of life left in them.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Well the pacers are running just fine on preserved railways. Plenty of life left in them.

There's a world of difference between pootling back and forth at 25mph a few times each month, and running frequent services between large towns and cities at speeds up to 75mph.

 

[nw1]

Extend third-rail to places where it makes operational sense (e.g. Basingstoke-Salisbury, Uckfield, Ashford-Ore, or Eastleigh/Southampton-Romsey-Salisbury).

This one is controversial, but does, arguably, have a firm foundation in logic (operational efficiency). Safety concerns I feel are exaggerated given that, in percentage terms, it would only be a small addition to the vast mileage of third rail present in the south of England already.

 

[jonnyf1970]

Bristol Temple Meads station is a complete and utter dump. User unfriendly, dingey, dark, miserable. I can't remember any modernisation in over 40 years improving it in any meaningful way. If money were no object I'd demolish it all and start again. Yes, the roof is amazing, the fake gothic front etc etc, but so what ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bristol Temple Meads station is a complete and utter dump. User unfriendly, dingey, dark, miserable. I can't remember any modernisation in over 40 years improving it in any meaningful way. If money were no object I'd demolish it all and start again. Yes, the roof is amazing, the fake gothic front etc etc, but so what ?

Totally agree. An improvement would be to provide a proper food concourse, booking office and decent loos in the old train shed a bit like Leeds, then remove all the clutter from the tunnel and refurbish it.

 

[stuu]

Bristol Temple Meads station is a complete and utter dump. User unfriendly, dingey, dark, miserable. I can't remember any modernisation in over 40 years improving it in any meaningful way. If money were no object I'd demolish it all and start again. Yes, the roof is amazing, the fake gothic front etc etc, but so what ?

Agreed.

If I were in charge, new straight(er) platforms would be built beyond the train shed, with that used for station facilities. Next to the entrance to the metro...

 

[12LDA28C]

Agreed.

If I were in charge, new straight(er) platforms would be built beyond the train shed, with that used for station facilities. Next to the entrance to the metro...

I'd be interested to know how you propose to do that bearing in mind the railway line curves sharply throughout the station and on the approaches from both East and West. Presumably a complete realignment of the track?

 

[yorksrob]

Fundamentally there's nothing wrong with Bristol Temple Meads other than a dearth of dining opportunities that the old train shead could be used for (as others have alluded).

The old bar needs to be reopened as a Tap with a good selection of ales as well.

 

[renegademaster]

When GBR takes over , abolish any parking fees at stations that that have significant empty space at peak times.

The free parking at every tram stop in Manchester was really useful when I was staying at a motorway service station hotel for a week. I drove every day to the tram stop and took the tram into the centre, if parking wasn't free I probably would have drove the whole way

 

[Krokodil]

Do you own a car? Are you (truthfully) scared of driving? I highly doubt you are because it's incredibly safe.

Incredibly safe for the occupants perhaps, not for the pedestrians they hit.

Bristol Temple Meads station is a complete and utter dump. User unfriendly, dingey, dark, miserable. I can't remember any modernisation in over 40 years improving it in any meaningful way. If money were no object I'd demolish it all and start again. Yes, the roof is amazing, the fake gothic front etc etc, but so what ?

Doesn’t need demolition, just needs a refurbishment to the standards that Paddington got.

Fundamentally there's nothing wrong with Bristol Temple Meads other than a dearth of dining opportunities that the old train shead could be used for (as others have alluded).

The old bar needs to be reopened as a Tap with a good selection of ales as well.

Lack of wiring is something that is wrong with it, all of those diesel engines chucking soot around are part of the problem.

 

[yorksrob]

Lack of wiring is something that is wrong with it, all of those diesel engines chucking soot around are part of the problem.

Indeed.

On the plus side, the individual platform canopies enable the fumes to escape quite easily !

 

[stuu]

I'd be interested to know how you propose to do that bearing in mind the railway line curves sharply throughout the station and on the approaches from both East and West. Presumably a complete realignment of the track?

A certain amount of land take would be needed, and Bath Road would be an "interesting" challenge, but the railway geometry is doable

 

[Krokodil]

Indeed.

On the plus side, the individual platform canopies enable the fumes to escape quite easily !

Not with Voyagers in platforms 3 and 5 under the overall roof.

 

[PauloDavesi]

All businesses with buildings next to railway tracks should be allowed totally free, and unrestricted, access to carry out improvements & or maintainence to their buildings, and be allowed to place whatever advertising signs and displays they want facing the railway.

 

[Mzzzs]

Thameslink not introducing the Cambridge to Maidstone East service is a mistake and should be added in some way even if not to Cambridge but to Lechworth.

 

[PGAT]

Thameslink not introducing the Cambridge to Maidstone East service is a mistake and should be added in some way even if not to Cambridge but to Lechworth.

Agreed. Kent’s so called capital has embarrassing frequency and connectivity

 

[SussexSeagull]

The peak time Littlehampton Thameslink services should be reinstated.

 

[owidoe]

Third-rail-ifying the Severn Beach line would be sensible and safe considering its lack of level crossings. It would also completely avoid conflict with future GWML OHLE, cut noise pollution in Easton and air pollution everywhere, and allow the replacement of the utterly clapped-out Turbos (which could then reinforce the poor beleaguered Portsmouth-Cardiffs) with nice cascaded ex-Southern stock cut down a bit.

 

[Archie810]

Toilets should be removed from congested services to provide more passenger space, also cutting cleaning and maintanance costs.

 

[PGAT]

Toilets should be removed from congested services to provide more passenger space, also cutting cleaning and maintanance costs.

Highly dependent on the route the train is taking.

 

[Archie810]

Highly dependent on the route the train is taking.

I'm thinking routes like say Lincoln-Leicester, short busy routes.

 

[yorksrob]

This would greatly reduce flexibility as you would have a different fleet of units that would be unsuitable for substitution on longer distance services.

Retaining the 153's would have been a far better idea.

 

[HarryF]

I would go the other way, all trains have toilets. Hertford - London can be a long journey without a toilet for some people, and the frequency isn't there to step off the train then back onto the next one with minimal delay.