Tom C
Member
- Joined
- 4 Jul 2005
- Messages
- 549
think many of the above arguments are irrelevant - members of this forum (as a generalisation) like 'old' trains which offer more excitement (heads out, slamming doors, clag thrash and all the rest) rather than a genuinely improved travelling experience.
The majority of passengers think the new plastic is an improvement over older trains - just look at passenger satisfaction surveys. With my engineers hat on I must agree, lower NVH, controlled environment, improved performance etc are a real benefit and sentiment MUST not be allowed to impede progress.
I know there are reliability issues; robust engineering solutions to these must be found. Station dwell times are also extended but this is 2005 - ALL risks to passengers must be minimised otherwise the ambulance chasers will be smiling.
DO NOT CONFUSE REAL PROGRESS WITH ENTHUSIAST SENTIMENT
How can appalling reliability and cheap interiors on flagship routes be "irrelevant"
The WCML is one (if not THE) flagship route in this country and it is run by trains that sometimes cannot get through the day without failing. Not only that but the interiors are just not acceptable for the fares that people have to pay if they cannot book their trip a month (at least) in advance!.
Real progress is when we get trains that are capable of running an effective service which will be attractive to the public so it is used again and again and from various passenger groups (as you mention!) this is certainly not the case especially from commuters who have had to pay through the nose and in the mouth for a season ticket. Virgin trains have one of the worse records for Customer satisfaction which admittedly is not just down to the introduction of new trains, however this is not to say that complaints are rare (far from it!)
I do wish people would stop and listen before dismissing peoples opinions as enthusiastic bum fluff. I do want the replacements for Mk1 stock to come but they have to be decent replacements which have been thoroughly tested and are known to be able to cope with the job infront of it and also to have passenger accommodation that has been fitted with thought rather than an after thought!. Just because people are don't fall madly in love with anything that runs on their local line does not make their opinion any less worthy nor does it mean that you cannot move on!. It simply means that I care enough about the Railways to actually have the courage to front my opinions instead of following many enthusiasts views like a lost sheep.
I do not however think that replacing perfectlly useable Mk3 coaches which are far from life expired or unsafe, with EMU's, with numerous faults which are simply a step down and are never going to be as reliable as the perfectly useable trains they replaced is acceptable nor will I ever.