The most stupid question you have been asked

[O L Leigh]

Why is it when there is trouble on a train it's ALWAYS right at the very back of the train? Must be one of the laws of the universe.

Not necessarily. On a 456... if DCB1 trips, the door buttons are inactive on the affected coach when the doors are released, but with no loss of interlock. As a result, passengers can be overcarried because they can't get off the train. The only way the driver can tell is if he notices the BIL is unlit when the doors are released, or, perhaps more likely, when a passenger pulls the passcomm.

Should they really be like this? Seems like a bit of an inconsistency.

O L Leigh

 

[pendolino]

Should they really be like this? Seems like a bit of an inconsistency.

O L Leigh

Probably not, but that's how they're wired. That's the railway for you.

 

[O L Leigh]

Hmm. Well, I suppose it's not so long ago that the Cl317s were modified so that a loss of door interlock would result in an emergency brake application. Prior to that a loss of interlock simply meant a loss of traction power.

O L Leigh

 

[pendolino]

Hmm. Well, I suppose it's not so long ago that the Cl317s were modified so that a loss of door interlock would result in an emergency brake application. Prior to that a loss of interlock simply meant a loss of traction power.

O L Leigh

Door opened on a 456 at speed: loss of traction power, emergency brake
Door opened on a 455 at speed: loss of traction power, but no emergency brake

It can be tremendous fun fault finding when running 455 + 456 in multiple, trying to remember what does what on each class when they are wired completely differently in so many ways.

 

[O L Leigh]

I can imagine.

I only drive one class of unit now so shouldn't have that sort of problem any more, but sadly not.

O L Leigh

 

[turkish1977]

Stood on the platform on the very unelectrified MML at Beeston, I overheard a young lady ask her boyfriend if the train that had just arrived was the electric one. He said "No but the next train was".

Very worrying !

 

[ValleyLines142]

For me, the most stupidest question I've ever been asked was on a train from Bristol to Cardiff and a young blonde girl sat across the carriage said to me 'Oh no, I've just realised, I need my passport to get into Wales don't I?'. At first I thought she was just having a laugh, which I thought was great as IIRC I'd had a terrible day that day, but then I realised she was being serious! Bless :P

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I imagine that depends on the wording and context, for example.....

Lady: Is this train [that we are getting on] electric?
Man: No, but the next one [that we are getting on] is.

 

[IanD]

Perhaps her train left in a few minutes and she, quite reasonably, assumed maybe yours was later?

Not a reasonable assumption at all - just one of those people that assumes she is more important than anyone else. The queue was for "tickets for immediate travel" so she would have had a clue.

 

[Fred26]

Not a reasonable assumption at all - just one of those people that assumes she is more important than anyone else. The queue was for "tickets for immediate travel" so she would have had a clue.

Even if it's not, it's just tough. There's a queue for a reason.

 

[507 001]

Lady at Porthmadog Harbour to me;

"I thought that last time I came on here it was full size, how long has it been narrow gauge?"

My Reply; "since about 1836 Madam."

 

[steamybrian]

Many years ago when working for BR a commuter complained to me that he was fed up with standing in the front carriage of his regular daily train to a London terminal but had noticed that the rear coaches of his train always had spare seats.
As a suggestion to even out the passenger numbers through the train he suggested " That we should take the coaches off the back and put them on the front" ...!!!!!!

 

[richw]

For me, the most stupidest question I've ever been asked was on a train from Bristol to Cardiff and a young blonde girl sat across the carriage said to me 'Oh no, I've just realised, I need my passport to get into Wales don't I?'. At first I thought she was just having a laugh, which I thought was great as IIRC I'd had a terrible day that day, but then I realised she was being serious! Bless :P

There is a long standing joke in Cornwall that you need your passports to get across to Plymouth. Once heard a TM announce to have "passports ready" on the approach to Saltash. Think that may have been in Wessex days.

 

[steamybrian]

For me, the most stupidest question I've ever been asked was on a train from Bristol to Cardiff and a young blonde girl sat across the carriage said to me 'Oh no, I've just realised, I need my passport to get into Wales don't I?'. At first I thought she was just having a laugh, which I thought was great as IIRC I'd had a terrible day that day, but then I realised she was being serious! Bless :P

A similar thing happened to me a few years ago on a London- Glasgow train when we stopped at Carlisle for long delay. One passenger said "What was the delay for?" and someone else said "checking passports".

 

[ValleyLines142]

There is a long standing joke in Cornwall that you need your passports to get across to Plymouth. Once heard a TM announce to have "passports ready" on the approach to Saltash. Think that may have been in Wessex days.

A similar thing happened to me a few years ago on a London- Glasgow train when we stopped at Carlisle for long delay. One passenger said "What was the delay for?" and someone else said "checking passports".

Ah, both of those examples are brilliant! Just a simple little joke can make a rail journey so much more enjoyable!

 

[ushawk]

I had someone once ask me "Does the West Worthing train call at West Worthing ?"

I wanted to reply badly "What do you think ?" - just said yes in the end.

 

[trainophile]

Many years ago when working for BR a commuter complained to me that he was fed up with standing in the front carriage of his regular daily train to a London terminal but had noticed that the rear coaches of his train always had spare seats.
As a suggestion to even out the passenger numbers through the train he suggested " That we should take the coaches off the back and put them on the front" ...!!!!!!

This gets my vote for post of the year!

They're not all locked up yet, are they? :roll:

 

[dk1]

I never fail to be suprised. A few weeks ago at Great Yarmouth i was asked if this is the same station for arrivals as departures. I was so taken back i even had to think.

Then today an elderly couple suddenly got off the shortly to depart Norwich to Cambridge service on platform 3A & said they cannot find their reserved seat in coach A. I told them that there are no reservations on this local service. Turned out they where going to Sheffield on the East Mids that sat behind on 3B. Now i know thats an easy mistake to make but the chap then told me it was stupid to have coach A on two seperate trains He didnt seem impressed when i said that unfortunatly there are only 26 letters in the alphabet & that 26 carriages would not be enough to cover the whole UK rail network

 

[High-Fi]

Me and my son boarded a train from Chester to Manchester, it was one of the dirtiest, most decrepit things I've ever journeyed on. We managed to find the one remaining bench seat just opposite the smelly toilet. The train was on the slow, stopper route and had three carriages. About 2 minutes before it set off a smartly dressed chap wandered through the rusting and leaking join between the two carriages and asked; "Is the buffet car this way?"

 

[Starmill]

Me and my son boarded a train from Chester to Manchester, it was one of the dirtiest, most decrepit things I've ever journeyed on. We managed to find the one remaining bench seat just opposite the smelly toilet. The train was on the slow, stopper route and had three carriages. About 2 minutes before it set off a smartly dressed chap wandered through the rusting and leaking join between the two carriages and asked; "Is the buffet car this way?"

Gah. One cannot abide the Mid Chesire Line in its present state. I do hope you bought cheaper "Route: Altrincham" tickets, because if not, you were subjecting yourself.

On the other hand... three coaches? Whoa.

 

[yorksrob]

Me and my son boarded a train from Chester to Manchester, it was one of the dirtiest, most decrepit things I've ever journeyed on. We managed to find the one remaining bench seat just opposite the smelly toilet. The train was on the slow, stopper route and had three carriages. About 2 minutes before it set off a smartly dressed chap wandered through the rusting and leaking join between the two carriages and asked; "Is the buffet car this way?"

Three cheers for life's optimists

I don't know whether it's apocryphal, but I once heard a story about a leading politician who when stepping on to a tube train, asked the way to the buffet car.

 

[ert47]

This didn't happen on a train but this is probably the most misinformed thing I have ever overheard on public transport;

[When travelling on one of the new London Routemasters]
Bus CIS: Welcome aboard the 38. I'm very sorry, but the bus has been held in traffic.
Passenger 1: Wow, I've never heard a bus ever make that announcement before.
Passenger 2: Yeah, it can do it because its a hybrid!

At that point I turned around and shot them the most confused look I could muster.

 

[Aictos]

Working at Peterborough once, a passenger had the hump because the driver who had just arrived with a 8 car train wasn't ready to go straight away never mind the fact that they had to walk to the other end of the train to get ready to drive back to London.

My reply, I'm very sorry Sir but it's not usual practice to drive in reverse at 100mph!

 

[Starmill]

This didn't happen on a train but this is probably the most misinformed thing I have ever overheard on public transport;

[When travelling on one of the new London Routemasters]
Bus CIS: Welcome aboard the 38. I'm very sorry, but the bus has been held in traffic.
Passenger 1: Wow, I've never heard a bus ever make that announcement before.
Passenger 2: Yeah, it can do it because its a hybrid!

At that point I turned around and shot them the most confused look I could muster.

Buses have CIS? MINDFUDGE!

 

[craigwilson]

Buses have CIS? MINDFUDGE!

They do in London. Usually only really consisting of "The next stop is...."

 

[jon0844]

It announces the route number and the destination. Then after each stop it announces the next one and invites people to press the button to stop there. Very useful for everyone.

They can also give other information like early curtailment announcements, details of why a bus might be held, to get people to move down, go upstairs or expect a revenue check etc.

Obviously, buses around the world (and even parts of the UK) got this system running years before London but nobody notices until London gets something!!! Take the countdown timers on crossings for pedestrians as another example.

 

[trainophile]

Now i know thats an easy mistake to make but the chap then told me it was stupid to have coach A on two seperate trains He didnt seem impressed when i said that unfortunatly there are only 26 letters in the alphabet & that 26 carriages would not be enough to cover the whole UK rail network

Class . Do they issue you with a handbook of all these witty replies, or do you think them up in your own time?

 

[Starmill]

It announces the route number and the destination. Then after each stop it announces the next one and invites people to press the button to stop there. Very useful for everyone.

They can also give other information like early curtailment announcements, details of why a bus might be held, to get people to move down, go upstairs or expect a revenue check etc.

Obviously, buses around the world (and even parts of the UK) got this system running years before London but nobody notices until London gets something!!! Take the countdown timers on crossings for pedestrians as another example.

Well, today I've learned that buses in London have both CIS AND revenue inspections. Insanity. Thank you RailUK Forums. I almost want to get on one, just for the hell of it now. Will they recognise a travelcard on a BR ticket?

 

[AndyLandy]

Will they recognise a travelcard on a BR ticket?

Yep. No reason why they shouldn't. Last time I was in London, I used an Outboundary travelcard to get the 106 to Finsbury Park.

 

[gnolife]

I had some ask me today at the entrance to the platforms at MIA what time the next train is, despite large signs stating that there's no trains running.