Keeping Train Windows Clean - Best And Worst

[londonmidland]

Another vote for First Capital Connect Class 319's. Here's a video I took quite a while back - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPQtpMpBLIY

 

[themiller]

You would have thought that, as most trains of the Cumbrian Coast terminate in platform 2 at Carlisle (a bay with platform faces on both sides) that the windows would be immaculate. However, this winter they seem to have become dirtier by the week. How hard can it be.....? Even after prompting Northern appear to have done nothing to remedy this problem on a very scenic line.

As far as graffiti is concerned the longer it's left the more appears. It works the same way as advertising in that the "tag" is the advert and the object of the exercise is to get maximum exposure. If it's cleaned quickly each time it appears, the perpetrators become disillusioned and either give up or go elsewhere.

 

[bailey65]

A lot of the country is now officially in drought and if water restrictions are brought in this could affect carriage cleaning.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

You would have thought that, as most trains of the Cumbrian Coast terminate in platform 2 at Carlisle (a bay with platform faces on both sides) that the windows would be immaculate. However, this winter they seem to have become dirtier by the week. How hard can it be.....? Even after prompting Northern appear to have done nothing to remedy this problem on a very scenic line.

As far as graffiti is concerned the longer it's left the more appears. It works the same way as advertising in that the "tag" is the advert and the object of the exercise is to get maximum exposure. If it's cleaned quickly each time it appears, the perpetrators become disillusioned and either give up or go elsewhere.

Good point ......(used to arrange special window cleaning sessions when the carriage washers were U/S , as indeed did Wales&West for the Devon and Cornwall routes as stock could not be washed properly frequently)

Management is attention to detail.
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Another vote for First Capital Connect Class 319's. Here's a video I took quite a while back - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPQtpMpBLIY

If you cant get the train cleaned , and who wants to cancell a peak train for this reason - one NYC tactic was to spoil the "artwork" by spraying a couple of lines over the murals , thus denying the vandals of the kudos of their "piece" (short for "masterpiece" (!) in public service. Advertising graff trains gives kudos to the vandals, unfortuntly.

Not so much around these days. Those partially buffed look a mess.

 

[tsr]

Since one lot of graffiti will generally not lead to too much more being added (believe it or not, graffiti artists have a strange respect that means that most won't paint over the work of others), here's an idea... why not have a competition in problem areas to allow graffiti artists to submit clever designs promoting the good stuff about their area? The winners of the competition could, with supervision, spray a train that was planned to work the appropriate local route. Perhaps this could be in return for a pledge not to illegally vandalise property.

The same idea has been tried by councils and youth groups for the decoration of public buildings. Giving people permission to create artistic graffiti in the right places actually works.

 

[jon0844]

I had a thought once when coming in to King's Cross and seeing all the graffiti on the walls; imagine if you did something like when the Tube began to allow buskers to perform legally. Now, first of all, allowing people to go onto the tracks would require suspension of services - but imagine creating special areas where an artist could paint anything in their designated space on a wall - as long as it was not deemed offensive. As you say, it's unlikely anyone would paint over it.

Some graffiti can be quite good - usually when it's not just a silly tag, but something clever. What got me thinking was the fact that there is one bit of wall somewhere around Finsbury Park that is quite good - and welcoming to London. Can't picture it in my head right now, but I am sure plenty of people have seen it.

If it was tied in with engineering work, under strict supervision and perhaps the opportunity to work with BTP and other people to explain the dangers of trespassing etc, it may all be good. It would also save on having to periodically paint over the mess we have today, although obviously I doubt it would eliminate tagging completely - but many taggers may actually feel it's a chance to do something more productive.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Difficult one - some graff does have merits , but I suspect what would happen is that the "legalised" painting would be one thing , but the unlegalised would continue.

 

[Midlandman]

Another vote for Northern - 1420 Carlisle to Barrow today, hardly possible to see out of the windows.

 

[lordhinton]

back to private owner wagons anyone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40534206@N02/5144469192

the term graffiti is improperly used, it is actually an art if done properly (kind of like public images) but thanks to the stupid "tags" it has been ruined, i personally think it is right to have places to do graffiti at around citys/towns. like disused buildings

thanks

dan