Unnecessary features on rolling stock that are bad or inconvenient for passengers

[Bletchleyite]

One particularly annoying feature of London Midland's trains at the moment is the adverts for their free WiFi and entertainment service that obscure the windows at the carriage ends

The so-called "clear" bit of the contravision has been cut out on some units so you can now see out again. I guess a lot of people complained.

I complained when they put the BTP stickers on the bottom of the 323 windows as it stopped kids seeing out. They should have gone at the top.

 

[takno]

To be honest, it's more that the doors on Voyagers can't even detect when someone is trapped in the door, never mind walking through it. So everytime there's a reasonable queue to get off at a station, you usually end up with someone getting themselves whacked.

Wow. I'd got so used to that behaviour I'd forgotten about it. It's actually strong enough to knock me off my feet if it catches me unawares, which is crazy. I think I still rate it better than one that flaps open and shut continuously through the journey due to feeble push, somebody in lobby, or overzealous edge detection.

 

[rebmcr]

Unnecessary features on rolling stock that are bad or inconvenient for passengers

Door close buttons in the driver's cab!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Would it not be easier to hold the lid with a bit of ( clean - out of the holder! ) toilet paper in your hand while you lower it? Then put that bit of paper in the bin unless you're quick enough to flick it into the pan just as the lid closes?

There's another one:- toilet paper dispensers that shred either the paper, your hand, or more likely both when you try to use them! Though the railway isn't the only sinner in that department of course.

 

[gg1]

To be honest, it's more that the doors on Voyagers can't even detect when someone is trapped in the door, never mind walking through it. So everytime there's a reasonable queue to get off at a station, you usually end up with someone getting themselves whacked.

Pendolinos are the same. I'm sure it couldn't be that difficult to have designed the doors so when they feel a certain amount of resistance the doors open again.

 

[xotGD]

Armrests that are stuck permanently in the down position next to the window is a big gripe of mine that is found on most rolling stock these days (175's being a pleasant exception). Even worse are the Chapman seats on ATW Pacers that have the indents and spacing for armrests and tables but lack them altogether for no apparent reason.

I have a problem with the reverse - armrests on 158s that are jammed in the up position between the seat and the wall. I like to rest my elbows on the armrests while reading.

Anyway, my number one gripe is 3 + 2 seating!

 

[DarloRich]

Anyway, my number one gripe is 3 + 2 seating!

useful on commuter lines at peak hours, even if it is unpleasant.

 

[Bletchleyite]

useful on commuter lines at peak hours, even if it is unpleasant.

Not that useful. Side-facing seating and 2+2 at 3+2 width is far better for cramming more in. The S-stock layout is probably as ideal as it gets for a long distance stopping commuter service.

I don't think *anyone* likes a 350/2 turning up.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Not that useful. Side-facing seating and 2+2 at 3+2 width is far better for cramming more in. The S-stock layout is probably as ideal as it gets for a long distance stopping commuter service.

I don't think *anyone* likes a 350/2 turning up.

On the contrary, many have posted on here that they're popular with families.

 

[cav1975]

On Southeastern 395s the lack of any response from the door opening system for several seconds after the open button has been pressed. There is not even a change of tone or of flash rate on the button surround.

 

[Bletchleyite]

On the contrary, many have posted on here that they're popular with families.

OK, I've posted that

No *individual* likes.....

 

[tbtc]

Toilets where you are sitting looking at yourself in the mirror as you are sat doing your business... I really don't want to see what I look like at that particular moment - I think the 185s are like that - really badly placed!

Personally I think electronic reservation displays are the best thing since sliced bread, they save a ridiculous amount of paper, they can be updated up to the second, and you don't have the issue of a late arrival not giving the on board staff time to put the new ones out. Sure they have the occasional glitch, and the Pendolino ones which just say 'Reserved' aren't as helpful as the ones which say 'Reserved from X to Y', but overall they are a brilliant idea. Improvements such as showing the amount of reservations in each carriage, as Virgin do now, negate your issue to some extent by guiding you to a less-reserved carriage at the outset.

I think it'd be better if they had a red/ amber/ green light next to them so that you knew if the seat was "reserved right now" / "reserved later in the journey" / "free for the whole journey", so avoiding the need to read it for a second or two, when there's a queue of people building up behind you.

 

[pdeaves]

I think it'd be better if they had a red/ amber/ green light next to them so that you knew if the seat was "reserved right now" / "reserved later in the journey" / "free for the whole journey", so avoiding the need to read it for a second or two, when there's a queue of people building up behind you.

Possibly with, say, blue for one of red/green (for the colour blind), and definitely angled so they are easily visible from the carriage end.

 

[Mikey C]

I'm not sure there is a solution, with the design of the Electrostar body, but the destination displays on the side of the Overground 378s are annoying as with the sideways seating, for tall people they're in the perfect place to bang your head!

 

[superalbs]

Possibly with, say, blue for one of red/green (for the colour blind), and definitely angled so they are easily visible from the carriage end.

With seat sensors that turn the light off because it'd get annoying with lights on for the entire journey.

 

[BucksBones]

Seems overblown to me. Honestly the toilets on a train, no matter how awful ( and I don't think they are very often - beyond the smell) are nothing compared to the toilets at lower league football grounds. If a train toilet worries you these will flip you out

Whilst I entirely take your point, it would be nice if someone would design a vacuum loo bowl to which.... er.... stuff doesn't adhere like fluff to a boiled sweet! No matter how many times it's flushed...

 

[delt1c]

useful on commuter lines at peak hours, even if it is unpleasant.

Having spent 15 years commuting to Liverpool St on 317's and 315's. 3+2 seating is a pain , much preffer 317/6's with 2+2 and more standing room. On 3+2 the poor Barsteward in the middle usually gets crushed , therefore the middle seat is often vacant

 

[jon0844]

By the way - it is always advisable to test first that the hand washing systems actually work; if they are the modern sensor operated type there is a high chance that they will not...!!

I certainly don't like the 387s (and similar) that have sensors to dispense soap automatically before the water starts. If the water runs out, you've now got a hand full of soap!

I get the idea, but I purposely avoid the soap and wait for the water. If the water comes, I then attempt to get some soap from the bowl.

Oh and these basins often have poor drainage, and if you see the water not draining - shield yourself when the hand dryer kicks in or it may spray it all over you.

Poor design IMO.

And talking of 387s.. My son demonstrated another issue yesterday on the Gatwick Express. He's five and I'd shown him how to open the doors (he is learning to read, so now knows Open and Close) but sadly yesterday someone opened the doors at Victoria and he then pressed the illuminated button just after - which was of course door close.

Now the thing I realised is that if you press door close then it will close the doors after they open and during that time the open door button doesn't activate so you can't change it. Even having your foot breaking the beam in the footwell doesn't work!

Luckily not too many people were getting off and I had to apologise. Frankly, I'm surprised you don't see kids doing this 'for the lols' but I assume they aren't aware.

 

[Mojo]

At least they do stay shut, though.

Unless the train has come to a stand on a piece of canted track where the door opens about 5 cm and the motor then clicks in to close it, followed immediately by the door then opening and then the motor clicking in to close it, followed by... (and repeat).

 

[Clansman]

The supporting beam below the pantograph on older EMUs is an annoyance, with it penetrating into the saloon and complimenting the low roof, lack of luggage space, and dodgy window alignment, for a monstrosity of an interior. Definitely not the place on the train to be if you're looking for a quiet, spacious and bright atmosphere to spend your journey in.

Glad to see the design of interiors under the pantograph has evolved well on modern EMUs.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Putting the wheelchair area and large bog there seems to be popular, probably because of a lack of a need for luggage racks as there's room on the floor should any wheelchair user need it (and they wouldn't be able to reach the racks anyway).

 

[Filton Bank]

I think it'd be better if they had a red/ amber/ green light next to them so that you knew if the seat was "reserved right now" / "reserved later in the journey" / "free for the whole journey", so avoiding the need to read it for a second or two, when there's a queue of people building up behind you.

That's what 800s have got.

 

[Taunton]

Anyway, my number one gripe is 3 + 2 seating!

This works well for families with small children, and services with a lot of school traffic.

Where it falls down is the operator then pretending it's a full, proper seat for full fare paying passengers, and only providing stock on that basis. At least nobody seems to have been silly enough to put armrests in triple seats.

 

[DarloRich]

Whilst I entirely take your point, it would be nice if someone would design a vacuum loo bowl to which.... er.... stuff doesn't adhere like fluff to a boiled sweet! No matter how many times it's flushed...

I think that is more to do with what went into the person making a deposit rather than the toilet design. Moving on....................

 

[joncombe]

Long gone now of course, but plated over door controls on the inside doors of 411, 421 and 423. Forcing you to open the window, lean out and use the handle on the outside (as still the case on HSTs, of course). Many passengers of course would then not close the windows again afterwards making the train freezing cold in winter or forcing those still on board to walk down the carriage closing all the windows (more a problem on the 423s, of course).

 

[philthetube]

Long gone now of course, but plated over door controls on the inside doors of 411, 421 and 423. Forcing you to open the window, lean out and use the handle on the outside (as still the case on HSTs, of course). Many passengers of course would then not close the windows again afterwards making the train freezing cold in winter or forcing those still on board to walk down the carriage closing all the windows (more a problem on the 423s, of course).

I would have taken bets on that getting a mention

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Long gone now of course, but plated over door controls on the inside doors of 411, 421 and 423. Forcing you to open the window, lean out and use the handle on the outside (as still the case on HSTs, of course). Many passengers of course would then not close the windows again afterwards making the train freezing cold in winter or forcing those still on board to walk down the carriage closing all the windows (more a problem on the 423s, of course).

I'm guessing this was a temporary situation with those units, as in the later stages of Slammers on the South Western the inside door controls were in place.

 

[Bevan Price]

I have thought for sometime. Although this would in a UK context only realisticaly work for UK train designers. The Actual CAD designers etc should be given x days free travel on uk network. It would actualy mean they travel on trains and see what works what does not. Designers for driving CABS should front end, eslecially at night, as you get the impression they havs never been in moving train cab. Example are sander buttons. Left hand on power lever right hand accross body pressing sand button just above power controller. With a ZF 6 speed box some drivers notch down as the rpm increases as slightly more slip happens, once into next gear put power up. Does not work all the time.

Poor engineering design is a common feature, not just on railways. Some designers seem to think only "where can I fit that component", not "how the he** can I get it out" when it needs to be repaired / serviced.

(e.g. my gas central heating system is a nightmare for service engineers..)

 

[edwin_m]

The supporting beam below the pantograph on older EMUs is an annoyance, with it penetrating into the saloon and complimenting the low roof, lack of luggage space, and dodgy window alignment, for a monstrosity of an interior. Definitely not the place on the train to be if you're looking for a quiet, spacious and bright atmosphere to spend your journey in.

Glad to see the design of interiors under the pantograph has evolved well on modern EMUs.

It's actually the housing for the high voltage cable on its way down to the transformer.

 

[Bevan Price]

Personally I think electronic reservation displays are the best thing since sliced bread, they save a ridiculous amount of paper, they can be updated up to the second, and you don't have the issue of a late arrival not giving the on board staff time to put the new ones out. Sure they have the occasional glitch, and the Pendolino ones which just say 'Reserved' aren't as helpful as the ones which say 'Reserved from X to Y', but overall they are a brilliant idea. Improvements such as showing the amount of reservations in each carriage, as Virgin do now, negate your issue to some extent by guiding you to a less-reserved carriage at the outset.

Part of the problem is that the display text is too small and cannot be read quickly from a distance of several feet. Doubling the size of the text would help a lot.