Why cram onto a 2-car 165 at Hayes and Harlington...

[Edvid]

...when you can wait only 7 minutes for a 5-car 360 instead?

That what I was asking myself when the FGW 1726 to London Paddington pulled in two days ago. Sure, it doesn't call at all stations like the HC 1733 to London Paddington and the (Thames Trains era?) CIS screens are a load of sh!te, but still...

 

[GB]

...when you can wait only 7 minutes for a 5-car 360 instead?

That what I was asking myself when the FGW 1726 to London Paddington pulled in two days ago. Sure, it doesn't call at all stations like the HC 1733 to London Paddington and the (Thames Trains era?) CIS screens are a load of sh!te, but still...

Because people are in too much of a hurry to use a bit of common sense. People bitch and moan that they dont have enough seats on trains yet if some actually waited a few minutes for the next service they would probably find it has alot more empty seats.

 

[thefab444]

Those CIS screens on the 165s and 166s are useless... hopefully they will be replaced and an auto announcer installed when the much vaunted "refresh" occurs.

In response to your question, most pax are completely unknowledgeable about railway timetables and railways in general, and prefer to cram in like sheep than do anything out of the ordinary.

 

[me123]

Because people are like sheep and won't wait. It's the same with the 0759 BAI-GLQ (3 carriages, express, busiest train in Scotland?) and 0804 BAI-GLQ (6 carriages, all stops, no-one needed to stand, arrives only 10 minutes after the express).

I'm sure the 10 minutes isn't crucial to everyone on the express train.

 

[jon0844]

While I wouldn't expect everyone to do it, I did wait a few trains yesterday when the northern line was packed out, presumably after earlier delays. I wasn't in a hurry, but others probably were (as I usually am!) so it seemed better to let others pack in, while I waited for a near empty train. It actually took me 5 trains, but in the grander scheme of things that was only about 10 or 11 minutes.

If I am going in to London later than normal, I have a choice of a train that started at Cambridge and is fairly busy, or waiting 10 minutes for a train that started the station before and is declassified - so I can sit almost on my own in the first class carriage! However, I'd actually quite like it if nobody else ever worked that one out.

 

[MCR247]

If I am going in to London later than normal, I have a choice of a train that started at Cambridge and is fairly busy, or waiting 10 minutes for a train that started the station before and is declassified - so I can sit almost on my own in the first class carriage! However, I'd actually quite like it if nobody else ever worked that one out.

Like when CT first got the MML 170s, everyone thought it was 1st Class. Me and a few other knew it wasnt., so while everywhere else was packed, the declassified 1st was empty!

 

[Chilled Phill]

Opposite occurs for me.

Since a rather bad experience on a rush hour service to Uni, I've always taken a train which leaves my station 40 minutes earlier so I'm effectively beating the peak of the rush hour by getting into Manchester by about 20 to 7. Plenty of room on the service and, if you picked the right carriage, you'll be able to keep your bag on the seat next to you.

Although I will agree with you coming out of Manchester. Since a little incident with a fellow Northern Rail passenger on a 6 o'clock departure to Crewe, I've always waited at Piccadilly for half an hour for the half six Arriva Trains Wales service which stops at Crewe, gets into 10 minutes after the Northern service but it's hardly cramped as most get off at Wilmslow prior to Crewe.

Seriously Me123? 10 minutes difference? Seems a no brainer to me.

 

[me123]

Seriously. The 6 car local arrives ten minutes after the express. The express is crazy; I've never seen a train where, when someone opens the doors at High Street, passengers are falling onto the platforms I know some people need to be in work at 08:30, and will need to get that train, but I'm surprised that so many people in Glasgow (where the 9-5 shift is prevalent) can't get on the next one. I think they assume that, because it stops at all stations, it'll be even busier, but I think they forget that most passengers are from Airdrie and Coatbridge.

The local the other side means departing 10 minutes eariler, but you arrive 5 minutes earlier than the express. However, it's 3 car again so maybe that just adds to the express's busy-ness.

It's the worst train I've seen in Scotland, and I wonder if there's rolling stock that could be put to better use strengthening it. Hopefully when the Bathgate rail link comes into play, at which point the train will probably be picking up East of Airdrie, it will be 6 cars. But it could still be just as busy if people are communing from Caldercruix and Bathgate.

 

[Failed Unit]

I suppose the old a train on a platform is worth 2 on a departure screen. I don't know if it is the case a Hayes and Harlington but a lot of stations don't put the number of coaches the train has on the PIS, so how does the person know they next train is not another 2 car?

In times of disruption I have just got on the first train that showed up on the Glasgow - Edinburgh line. The 1730 was just 3 coaches but the previous 2 the 1700 and 1715 had both been cancelled. Anyone knowing the area would know that will result in very bad overcrowding and people getting left behind.

Why didn't I wait 15 minutes for the 1745? Well I didn't know if it would be cancelled or 3 coaches itself? In the event a collegue used it as they couldn't get on the 1730 and it was only 3 coaches as well and just as full.

Wish I had walked to central and used nxec instead, as I was going further south anyway.

 

[Edvid]

The platform displays at H&H don't provide information on train lengths, or even the next few services after the service currently due (unless you check the screen near the ticket office). Hell, some of the displays (including on platform 2) don't even display any information.

I must admit I've no idea whether the pax at that time are regulars or not.

 

[will1337]

The displays at Ealing Broadway very rarely seem to work as well.

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

I like many others here would rather wait for a later train that is less busy than board an earlier train that is absolutely rammed.

However, I do believe that the average commuter who has other commitments has the necessity to get to and from work as fast as possible most pobably does'nt realise that waiting even ten minutes would give much better riding comfort.

As a previous poster stated he waits for a later train that has been de-classified and sits in 1st class - because the most other people don't realise this.

 

[thefab444]

The displays at Ealing Broadway very rarely seem to work as well.

Indeed. They display "Please check the information boards" until about two minutes prior to departure before changing to something like "1633 London Paddington. On Time. Calls at London Paddington only".

The announcements are also poor, only talking just as the train enters the station and because the system is set to only announce trains being "the next train to depart", the calling pattern is only announced if there are less than ten stops. So Greenford/Heathrows are always announced, but Oxford/Readings are just announced as "service to Reading. Platform x for the..." etc.