Power points on trains

[Jan Mayen]

Following on from the thread about the Prime Minister on the Cornish Sleeper, I was wondering when did trains start having power points for the public.
I assume the first would have been for shavers. Anyone know when they were introduced?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I assume the first would have been for shavers.

And maybe then for vacuum cleaners intended for use by depot train staff. (Possibly marked "Not for public use").

 

[dgl]

In terms of standard sockets I would say early 2000's in first class at least, going by the promo video the Scotrail 170's had them in first (business?) class. Also I know the 444's had sockets in first and the standard carriage at the opposite end of the train.

 

[12LDA28C]

And maybe then for vacuum cleaners. (Possibly marked "Not for public use").

Indeed. Certainly I remember Mk2 coaches in the 1990s having a plug socket beneath the luggage rack at the end of the coach which was very useful for charging your mobile phone, as long as you kept an eye out to ensure nobody nicked it...

Although I suspect this is not what this thread is about.

 

[Jan Mayen]

I should have specified sockets intended for passenger use. Regarding shaver sockets, I'm sure they used to be common but seem to have disappeared.

 

[Russel]

I should have specified sockets intended for passenger use. Regarding shaver sockets, I'm sure they used to be common but seem to have disappeared.

I wonder if shaver sockets every saw much use for their intended purpose?

Can't imagine many people opting to shave on the train, rather than at home.

 

[WesternLancer]

I wonder if shaver sockets every saw much use for their intended purpose?

Can't imagine many people opting to shave on the train, rather than at home.

Pretty sure they had them in Mk3 sleepers form new and would have had them in Mk1 sleepers too maybe (I never used them when they were in service) - not sure if that would be from build date on the mk1`s

I think they had shaver sockets in Mk3 day carriage toilets from new too but I may be imagining that eg I seem to recall them from say the 1980s.

I think people may well have shaved on the train if they had a long journey before an important meeting for example, or left home in a hurry. Would certainly have done so on a sleeper.

I should have specified sockets intended for passenger use. Regarding shaver sockets, I'm sure they used to be common but seem to have disappeared.

Rise of the battery operated electric shaver probably makes them redundant. Not sure when battery operated shavers became common come to think of it.

I seem to think electric shavers that you plug in became popular from the 1960s - but it may be even before that, unsure what date they would have started to factor that in to on train facilities however.

 

[Carlisle]

In terms of standard sockets I would say early 2000's

Yes from memory Voyagers were the first to have plug sockets at every pair of seats from new..

 

[Russel]

Yes from memory Voyagers were the first to have plug sockets at every pair of seats from new..

I remember being surprised that the Pendolinos didn't have them at every pair of seats!

 

[Trackman]

Pretty sure they had them in Mk3 sleepers form new and would have had them in Mk1 sleepers too maybe (I never used them when they were in service) - not sure if that would be from build date on the mk1`s

I think they had shaver sockets in Mk3 day carriage toilets from new too but I may be imagining that eg I seem to recall them from say the 1980s.

I remember MK1, MK2 and MK3s having them. Not sure which builds, think MK2Fs were one. Further investigation reveals MK4s have them!

 

[edwin_m]

Did Eurostar have them from new - I think I recall them before the recent-ish refurbishment of the E300s.

 

[Busman]

Didn't the 375/377 have them in first class when they were introduced in the early 2000's or was that done in the latter years?

 

[Trainguy34]

Didn't the 375/377 have them in first class when they were introduced in the early 2000's or was that done in the latter years?

Don't believe the 375s did, they've only got them very recently IIRC in the newest refurb.

 

[12C]

I should have specified sockets intended for passenger use. Regarding shaver sockets, I'm sure they used to be common but seem to have disappeared.

It’s a while since I’ve travelled on one but I’m sure class 185s had electric shaver sockets in the toilets. Not sure if they’ve kept them since refurb but always thought it was a rather quaint feature for a modern unit.

 

[Kite159]

Didn't the 375/377 have them in first class when they were introduced in the early 2000's or was that done in the latter years?

Only the 377/4s & /5s had sockets in first class (of the 4 coach units) before the recent refresh which included fitting them everywhere

 

[The exile]

Rise of the battery operated electric shaver probably makes them redundant. Not sure when battery operated shavers became common come to think of

My parents (who aren’t exactly at the forefront of technology) bought me one as my first shaver in the early 80s. Problem was the short life of that era’s batteries. If they died mid cut it was painful!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I wonder if shaver sockets every saw much use for their intended purpose?

What else can they be used for, apart from, possibly, electric toothbrushes?

 

[OscarH]

What else can they be used for, apart from, possibly, electric toothbrushes?

With a dodgy adapter you could probably use them to charge a phone or laptop

 

[Mcr Warrior]

With a dodgy adapter you could probably use them to charge a phone or laptop

Every day's a school day. Would have thought that charging your mobile phone might well be do-able, not sure though about charging your laptop. And, of course, how long would the WC effectively be out of use?

 

[OscarH]

Every day's a school day. Would have thought that charging your mobile phone might well be do-able, not sure though about charging your laptop. And, of course, how long would the WC effectively be out of use?

Yeah, a laptop might be a slow charge at best. Depending on the socket type even a phone might be a very slow charge to be honest

 

[Gaz55]

I started uni at Leeds in 2011, I remember East Coast Mk3 and 4 coaches having sockets then. That's my first recollection of at seat power on trains.

 

[Neptune]

I’m fairly sure the TPE 158’s refurbished by Northern Spirit in the late 90’s had 3 pin sockets in FC.

 

[Carlisle]

Every day's a school day. Would have thought that charging your mobile phone might well be do-able, not sure though about charging your laptop. And, of course, how long would the WC effectively be out of use?

Indeed but useful via a continental adapter for phone charging in places like campsites that used to have loads of shaver sockets but no 3 pin plugs .

 

[edwin_m]

I’m fairly sure the TPE 158’s refurbished by Northern Spirit in the late 90’s had 3 pin sockets in FC.

Yes they did. Included in the (rather pointless) table lamps I think. I believe the First Class in the MML 170 centre cars had something similar.