Trivia: Common railway related fallacies

[py_megapixel]

Not controversial at all! As a starting point, it cannot be that difficult to simply block the reserving of seats in the quiet coach by any individual or group where there is a child ticket in the transaction.

Don't forget child fares go up to age 15, plenty of more mature sensible children will cause no disruption to the quiet coach.

 

[trainophile]

If you have an under-5(?) travelling free, do they need to be included on a ticket booking, or is it assumed they will occupy a lap?

 

[43096]

Don't forget child fares go up to age 15, plenty of more mature sensible children will cause no disruption to the quiet coach.

Plenty of children of that age playing on tablets/phones and making a noise, too.

 

[Aaron1]

it is the departure time of a train in the platform and the doors has started closing and locking, but a passengar is running for the train, they expect the train to wait for them and once the train has started moving off the platform if the passengar running to board it desperately knocks on the window then the train will stop and reverse back to pick them up.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Plenty of children of that age playing on tablets/phones and making a noise, too.

That's what headphones are for.

 

[A Challenge]

Might it be a good idea to not automatically issue reservations in the quiet coach unless the train is otherwise full or quiet is requested (or seat selectors)?

 

[ungreat]

DMUs used to have a big round wheel in front of the driver (parking brake?) Looked just like a steering wheel %)

They did.
We often used to raise the curtain behind and pretend we were steering!

 

[GusB]

The Midland Mainline ends at St. Pancreas in London.

The Midland Mainline terminus is named after an organ

 

[MCSHF007]

That's the problem. Most early-teens (especially those travelling with parents) are well-behaved. Toddlers and babies should not be allowed in a Quiet Coach.

 

[futureA]

Trains are usually late or delayed.
Japanese or German management would be able to get the trains to run on time within a few months.
Hs2 is being built so people can get from London to Birmingham 20 mins faster.
Leaves on the line is nothing but a poor excuse.
Train drivers get paid £5000 an hour to push a lever. - also anybody can drive a train.
The railway could be automated tomorrow which would lead to a massive reduction in fares.

 

[Ianno87]

That's the problem. Most early-teens (especially those travelling with parents) are well-behaved. Toddlers and babies should not be allowed in a Quiet Coach.

Where should they go then? There is no dedicated space at all.

Why do a tiny number of people who want to travel in solemn hushed silence get an entire coach for their whims, taking precedence over kids who need space but aren't given anything at all?

If you want to travel in silence, perhaps invest in a pair of ear defenders or something.

 

[Dai Corner]

Where should they go then? There is no dedicated space at all.

Why do a few people who want to travel in solemn hushed silence take precedence over kids who need space?

Didn't one or two TOCs experiment with 'family coaches'?

 

[Ianno87]

Didn't one or two TOCs experiment with 'family coaches'?

Not really suitable for babies/toddlers who need crawl/play space. It's just a regular coach with some stickers on the windows.

I was thinking more along the lines of the Kleinkindbereich found on German ICEs. Actual proper space for babies, toddlers and unfolded pushchairs.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Where should they go then?

Only 48 seats in the Quiet Coach on a Pendolino.

Think that leaves another 322 seats in Standard class to use on a 390/0 (or another 396 seats on a 390/1).

 

[175mph]

it is the departure time of a train in the platform and the doors has started closing and locking, but a passengar is running for the train, they expect the train to wait for them and once the train has started moving off the platform if the passengar running to board it desperately knocks on the window then the train will stop and reverse back to pick them up.

I can't seem to find it, but I seem to recall reading a post on these forums where exactly that happened somewhere on the Irish rail network.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I can't seem to find it, but I seem to recall reading a post on these forums where exactly that happened somewhere on the Irish rail network.

Not quite that, but there is a story about my great-grandfather, whose first posting as an army officer was in Crosshaven, Co Cork c1905. His diary records that on one occasion, he got into a long conversation and realised that, as he must have missed his train, he might as well stay chatting a little longer. Some time later, a boy arrived panting from the station to ask when the gentleman was coming as they couldn't hold up the train much longer.

 

[ComUtoR]

... also anybody can drive a train.

It isn't hard that's for sure. Driving is the easy bit.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Japanese or German management would be able to get the trains to run on time within a few months.

Japanese management probably could, but not within a few months and not without issues.

 

[37201xoIM]

Japanese or German management would be able to get the trains to run on time within a few months.

That Germany still has an efficient and punctual railway system!

 

[cjmillsnun]

South Western Railway is not the name of the First Group operation from Waterloo and instead, it is any of ‘South West Rail’, ‘South West Trains’ ‘South Western Trains’, ‘South West Railway’, ‘South Western’ ‘Southern West Rail’ etc etc.

Even Geoff Marshall has fallen foul of that one!

 

[CaptainHaddock]

A ticket to "London terminals" entitles you to use the London Underground for free to get to the station of your choice.

 

[Watershed]

A ticket to "London terminals" entitles you to use the London Underground for free to get to the station of your choice.

And since there has to be an exception to every rule:

A ticket to "London terminals" cannot entitle you to use the London Underground for free

 

[norbitonflyer]

A ticket to "London terminals" entitles you to use the London Underground for free to get to the station of your choice.

Although both St Pancras and Blackfriars are part of the "London terminals" group, and there are plenty of trains that serve both, a ticket to "London terminals" is only, in fact, valid to one of the two.
(Except if it is valid on HS1)

But then again, there are people who don't realise a "London Terminals" ticket allows you to change stations at Waterloo/ Waterloo East to get to London Bridge or Charing Cross. I've known people get the Underground from Waterloo to both of those destinations, paying extra for a longer journey.

Even more, I've known people complain that Southwark Cathedral seemed an awfully long walk from the Tube station - which it is if you take the Tube to Southwark instead of London Bridge!

 

[pdeaves]

It's quicker/simpler/cheaper/better to add tracks to the existing railway than to build a new parallel railway on a more appropriate alignment.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

There seems to be a massive fallacy, even on here, that the "quiet" coach is a "silent" coach.

 

[py_megapixel]

There seems to be a massive fallacy, even on here, that the "quiet" coach is a "silent" coach.

Better description might be "calm coach". There is no need for it to entirely silent, some conversation is fine, but equally you don't want people constantly wandering up and down, which may be quiet but is not calming.

 

[OuterDistant]

Many lines listed for closure in the Beeching Report were actually making money, with Beeching merely being a pawn for a powerful road lobby.

 

[Sunset route]

Everybody calls it on the BML “Ouse valley Viaduct” when all our actual diagrams show it officially as “Ouse Viaduct”

That all trap points are catch points are one of the same thing, when the rule of the thumb is that trap points are worked (controlled) and face on coming traffic and catch points are unworked and trail to traffic usually on gradients. There are always exceptions to the rule though.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Everybody calls it on the BML “Ouse valley Viaduct” when all our actual diagrams show it officially as “Ouse Viaduct”

To be fair, National Heritage refer to the Grade II listed structure as the 'Ouse Valley Railway Viaduct', which is also its statutory address, so who are we to argue? The Ordnance Survey refer to it as the 'Ouse Valley Viaduct' so that's hardly a fallacy. And sometimes, of course, it's alternatively referred to as the 'Balcombe Viaduct'.

 

[2392]

I was at the North Tyneside Railway's 30th anniversary Gala back in July. The have one of the former Harton Colliery electric locomotives there. Which is round 100+ years old [the Harton system being electrified before the First World War!]. I jokingly remarked to another couple that the sooner "they" go electric the better and get rid of these dirty smelly steam engines the better! I went to remark how part of their system along the coast from Westoe Colliery to Whitburn Colliery had been operated under the light railway act and offered a passenger service. The line had survived until the sixties before the Coal Board closed it and the Colliery, then lifting the line. The woman replied that that Beeching had a lot to answer for...... My reply then being: What's Beeching got to do with the National Coal Board?