Last Chance To Take Photos from Trains.

[Envoy]

It would appear that with the withdrawal of HST’s from many routes over the next 3 years, that the opportunity to take photographs from trains without looking through glass will be lost. At least with the HST’s, it has been possible to go to the vestibule and lower the window on the door to get a clear view. Looks like in future, any photos from trains will be through tinted glass. I just hope that the tinting on the new class 800 trains is not too strong as dark tinting can make the views look awful. Internal lights left on also causes reflections on the windows as does light coloured fitments - such as those awful cream coloured tables on the XC Voyagers.

I am sure that many people would appreciate having flip down windows in at least one coach on scenic lines such as those in highland Scotland and mid Wales. If ever such lines were to get new trains, I wish that that would be a requirement. Of the present fleet with fixed windows, I think that the Class 170 Turbostars offer the best view out due to their large windows and slim pillars.

 

[duesselmartin]

Some will Go to ScotRail, Chiltern also still use Mk3. So all is not lost yet.

 

[DY444]

Some will Go to ScotRail, Chiltern also still use Mk3. So all is not lost yet.

The retained HST trailers are getting power doors

 

[goblinuser]

I also find it a great shame that opening windows on trains have been lost. It's a huge step back and takes the fun freedom aspect away from rail travel.

It may be safer, but it's also safer to stay inside your home and never go out.

 

[Darandio]

It may be safer, but it's also safer to stay inside your home and never go out.

Except that isn't true at all.

http://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/general/facts-and-figures/

* More accidents happen at home than anywhere else

* Every year there are approximately 6,000 deaths as the result of a home accident

Although granted, it might be a safer to stay at home than stick your head out of a train window, as people have sadly found to their cost.

 

[goblinuser]

Except that isn't true at all.

http://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/general/facts-and-figures/



Although granted, it might be a safer to stay at home than stick your head out of a train window, as people have sadly found to their cost.

Opening windows are safe and incredibly pleasant when used responsibly. However, if I were a train operator in 2017, I would not have new stock with fully openable windows as people could misuse them and injure themselves and the TOC would be seen as at fault.

 

[Lockwood]

Most accidents happen in your own home.
This is why I spend so much time round my friend's house.

 

[Monty]

Opening windows are safe and incredibly pleasant when used responsibly. However, if I were a train operator in 2017, I would not have new stock with fully openable windows as people could misuse them and injure themselves and the TOC would be seen as at fault.

Granted, if you are opening a window for ventilation or in the case of the train using that to open a door after the train has arrived at a station (like old BR slamdoor stock) it is perfectly safe. But to stick your head of of photos? Not so much, this isn't a new thing either (referring to the incident on the 442 stock last year), but railway history is littered with deaths and serious injuries from people sticking their heads out of windows. But as you said, in the current climate you are in most TOCs wouldn't dream of installing droplights into modern trains.

 

[ctyerkes]

Some will Go to ScotRail, Chiltern also still use Mk3. So all is not lost yet.

Haven't Chiltern Mk3s all got refitted doors with sealed/non-drop windows?

 

[HainultLoop]

Haven't Chiltern Mk3s all got refitted doors with sealed/non-drop windows?

Not all of them I believe. Some are left with the original, drop-down windows on the Mk3 coaches. I don't know whether they are going to fit all of them with the 'plug doors'. Also, won't the Mk3s on the Night Riviera continue operating with drop-down windows? GWR don't seem to want to replace them in hurry - they're just starting a refurbishment programme for them!

 

[CommuterPigeon]

Chiltern have 1 MK3 set left with slam doors which does a peak service in each direction. I don't believe they have plans to PRM it so it probably won't be around much beyond 2019.

 

[Class 170101]

One rake of Chiltern Stock has drop down windows. Doesn't it have a specific diagram too?

 

[t_star2001uk]

One rake of Chiltern Stock has drop down windows. Doesn't it have a specific diagram too?

In the new diagrams it doesn't stable at Wembley all day but is taken back to Banbury...

 

[shodkini]

The Welsh Highland Railway has recently changed to non-drop windows in their carriages - previously every table had a drop window at its outer edge - good for photos - now they are sealed units - last set of pictures from their newest carriage I took were mainly unusable.

 

[AY1975]

AFAIK East Midlands Trains has no immediate plans to replace its remaining HSTs or to fit them with power doors. The GWR Night Riviera Sleeper will also still be Mark 3s for the foreseeable future, as the GWR Sleeper stock is being refurbished, though it remains to be seen how long it stays slam door.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I also find it a great shame that opening windows on trains have been lost. It's a huge step back and takes the fun freedom aspect away from rail travel.

It may be safer, but it's also safer to stay inside your home and never go out.

What is "fun" about having an open window on a train? Not only that but why is it a "huge step back"? Just curious that's all.

 

[Master29]

What is "fun" about having an open window on a train? Not only that but why is it a "huge step back"? Just curious that's all.

It`s a bit like the Routemaster "I jumped off the platform at the back type of thing. A kind of fake nostalgia really.

 

[RichmondCommu]

It`s a bit like the Routemaster "I jumped off the platform at the back type of thing. A kind of fake nostalgia really.

Well quite. There's nothing fun about having your head knocked off.

 

[copernicium112]

What's happening with the ATW Mk3 loco hauled stock?

 

[BestWestern]

Well quite. There's nothing fun about having your head knocked off.

Yes, either that or they've travelled on a hot, stuffy, claustrophobic train with entirely sealed windows and no air flow whatsoever, very possibly on a roasting hot day and with failed aircon. A Voyager I suffered last summer comes to mind. Genuinely vile, is the only way I would describe it. 20 minutes was sufficient that I felt ill by the time I got off the rancid thing. Thankfully it was late evening, and although the heat remained at least there weren't 5000 people crammed into it as is the case most of the time.

Droplights have their issues, but on a hot day it's 1000 times more pleasant being on a "draughty" HST than being sealed into some railbourne suffocation chamber.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Yes, either that or they've travelled on a hot, stuffy, claustrophobic train with entirely sealed windows and no air flow whatsoever, very possibly on a roasting hot day and with failed aircon. A Voyager I suffered last summer comes to mind. Genuinely vile, is the only way I would describe it. 20 minutes was sufficient that I felt ill by the time I got off the rancid thing. Thankfully it was late evening, and although the heat remained at least there weren't 5000 people crammed into it as is the case most of the time.

Droplights have their issues, but on a hot day it's 1000 times more pleasant being on a "draughty" HST than being sealed into some railbourne suffocation chamber.

In all fairness I cannot recall a time when I last traveled on a train with failed aircon. I travel into Waterloo most weekdays using a air conditioned train. I travel up to Manchester several times a month using a Pendolino. And I travel up to Derby during the football season twice a month (on average) using a train with aircon. Perhaps you're just unlucky?

Just a quick thought but is a Voyager carrying 5,000 people a world record? Such a pity that Roy Castle has passed away or else he would have been very interested.

 

[GW43125]

In all fairness I cannot recall a time when I last traveled on a train with failed aircon. I travel into Waterloo most weekdays using a air conditioned train. I travel up to Manchester several times a month using a Pendolino. And I travel up to Derby during the football season twice a month (on average) using a train with aircon. Perhaps you're just unlucky?

Just a quick thought but is a Voyager carrying 5,000 people a world record? Such a pity that Roy Castle has passed away or else he would have been very interested.

I travel on 450s most days and one opening window at least would be a godsend...

Even with the carriage key locks a la class 442, it'd still be better than nothing IMO.

 

[jopsuk]

Mark 2/mark 3 doors are a serious issue for the shorter/fatter/less able if they want to alight and there's no-one to help them

 

[jopsuk]

And obviously they'll still be around in the correct place- heritage charter trains and preserved railways. Onwards to a better future!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It is perfectly possible to take good pictures through the double glazed windows in rolling stock.

Here's one below.

You'll find quite a lot more on my Twitter feed @Peter_Mugridge - anything which I have hashtagged #trainfromatrain will be done in this way. There's a very small number which I have done from a droplight, but that's about 1% or less of the total.

 

[Envoy]

Presumably to take photos through tinted glass you need to switch to infinity mode (autofocus disabled). Once the photos are loaded to a computer, it may be possible to correct the tint caused by the glass to some degree.

You don’t have to stick your head out of the window in order to take photos.
Open windows generally lead to a vast increase in internal noise as well as letting in fumes when in tunnels. However, the air con system can also do this as I bet the staff do not have the time to switch on & off the intake of external air at tunnels. (Modern cars do of course have a switch to re-circulate internal air when in standing traffic to prevent sucking in fumes).

When I travelled on the Welsh Highland Railway, I headed for the one coach that did not have windows. It was a great experience to be travelling through Snowdonia on a warm day.

 

[krus_aragon]

What's happening with the ATW Mk3 loco hauled stock?

Nothing until the imminent franchise renewal is done. Thereafter: who knows?

 

[co-tr-paul]

In the original Night Riviera refurbishment plan, sliding doors were mentioned but this was before the design for the HSTGTi became available so was dropped.
Guess its down to the same people who design seats and interiors....... !!
Reminds me of the time my local coach company changed from Viceroys to Supremes !

 

[yorksrob]

Well quite. There's nothing fun about having your head knocked off.

No one's forced to stick their head out of the window whilst the train is moving.

It is nice to be able to get fresh air though (from inside the envelope of the carriage, of course).

 

[yorksrob]

Guess its down to the same people who design seats and interiors....... !!
Reminds me of the time my local coach company changed from Viceroys to Supremes !

New manager a Diana Ross fan ?