Mk3 Coaches on Oyster

[Singing Rails]

I live in London, but love going on intercity trains, especially Mk3s which I can lean my head out of the window! However, until fairly recently I believed the shortest/cheapest journey possible to do this was always at least about £10 (off peak and w/ railcard).

Fortunately, a while ago I discovered that at 45 minutes past each hour, a Norwich-London Liverpool Street service stops at Stratford (alighting only but it's not enforced, in fact it's arrival is even stated on the departure board!) which is a Class 90-Mk3-DVT formation, allowing some heads out fun with just a small fare (or in my case a 1-3 travelcard).

Does anyone know of any other 'intercity' train services that stop in london, or any routes which aren't very expensive (<£15 base fare). This also makes me wonder how far oyster will be expanded, as you can currently go to many places you could not when it was introduced (e.g as far as Shenfield, Watford Jnct, Grays, Broxbourne).

 

[ffm]

I look forward to seeing the remains of your head on the bridge stanchions approaching Liverpool Street.

 

[Anon Mouse]

Have you never read the warning signs above the doors on slam door stock?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also, if you travel say, Liverpool Street to Stratford on a 'pick up only' service you will be liable to pay the full undiscounted fare to the first stop where one is allowed to get off at

 

[Sidious]

With the exception of the Anglian loco hauled services, you will be looking at HST diagrams from King's Cross, St. Pancras and Paddington.

You will have to check the timetables, but you can probably get haulage to Stevenage, or Luton.

But as you have a Railcard, you could get a Thames Branches Day Ranger for £11.55 and jump on and off MK3 stock between Paddington, Slough and Reading all day long after 09:30 - Probably best value?

 

[CC 72100]

With the exception of the Anglian loco hauled services, you will be looking at HST diagrams from King's Cross, St. Pancras and Paddington.

You will have to check the timetables, but you can probably get haulage to Stevenage, or Luton.

But as you have a Railcard, you could get a Thames Branches Day Ranger for £11.55 and jump on and off MK3 stock between Paddington, Slough and Reading all day long after 09:30 - Probably best value?

Although you're limited to slow services in the evening peak, (ie. Turbos), apart from the 18:06 Frome. NRE mentions nothing of the evening restrictions, the FGW website does though!

 

[Singing Rails]

Have you never read the warning signs above the doors on slam door stock?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also, if you travel say, Liverpool Street to Stratford on a 'pick up only' service you will be liable to pay the full undiscounted fare to the first stop where one is allowed to get off at

-The warning is just there so nobody can sue the TOC if they or someone they know is injured, it's not like you can get prosecuted for it.

-I am aware of the potential penalty out of london, because it is not advertised as calling at stratford when at Liverpool Street, but so far I have only gone to Liverpool street from Stratford as it is advertised on the platform (e.g: if someone was at the station and had not read the timetable beforehand, there is no way of knowing it's alighting only).
Anyway, I hope I can find some other cheap route since the short journey is starting to get dull.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

With the exception of the Anglian loco hauled services, you will be looking at HST diagrams from King's Cross, St. Pancras and Paddington.

You will have to check the timetables, but you can probably get haulage to Stevenage, or Luton.

But as you have a Railcard, you could get a Thames Branches Day Ranger for £11.55 and jump on and off MK3 stock between Paddington, Slough and Reading all day long after 09:30 - Probably best value?

That rover sounds good! thank you.

 

[tony_mac]

-The warning is just there so nobody can sue the TOC if they or someone they know is injured, it's not like you can get prosecuted for it.

You certainly can get prosecuted for it. You can also possibly be blinded or killed.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/jul/22/transport.world

Mr Brown, 35, from Weavering Street, near Maidstone, Kent, was killed after he leaned out of the window at Denmark Hill, south London, and was hit by the scaffolding.

An Operator may issue reasonable instructions relating to safety on any part of the railway by means of a notice on or near that part of the railway. No person shall, without good cause, disobey such notice

 

[Singing Rails]

You certainly can get prosecuted for it. You can also possibly be blinded or killed.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2000/jul/22/transport.world

The man killed was not in the wrong, Railtrack was prosecuted for not having their scaffolding far enough away from the track

 

[tony_mac]

The man killed was not in the wrong, Railtrack was prosecuted for not having their scaffolding far enough away from the track

I'm beginning to think you may have already had a knock to the head.....

 

[Anon Mouse]

The man killed was not in the wrong, Railtrack was prosecuted for not having their scaffolding far enough away from the track

He was in the wrong too as he had ignored a sign provided to advise on his own safety!!!!

 

[jopsuk]

You're going to be out of luck, as said- even with East Coast aren't most of the services that stop at Stevenage electrics?

Do EMTs HST services stop at Luton, or are they first-stop somewhere further out?

Funnily enough, Intercity services just don't tend to stop near London. Stratford is an unusual one due to being a bigger interchange than on other lines- with direct connections to Canary Wharf etc.

 

[Singing Rails]

from http://www.vikingsigns.co.uk/safety/safety-sign-design-bs5499/


A prohibition sign shall show only what or who is forbidden. (Red)
A mandatory sign shall show only what action is required. (Blue)

This is what the 'don't lean out the window' signs are:
A hazard sign shall show only the nature of the potential harm. (Yellow)

 

[Anon Mouse]

from http://www.vikingsigns.co.uk/safety/safety-sign-design-bs5499/


A prohibition sign shall show only what or who is forbidden. (Red)
A mandatory sign shall show only what action is required. (Blue)

This is what the 'don't lean out the window' signs are:
A hazard sign shall show only the nature of the potential harm. (Yellow)

and?

Maybe you should write to the TOC's who use slam door stock and ask for clairification, I'm sure they will tell you that its a rather silly thing to do and dangerous. If you got slapped on the face at 100mph with a rose bush would you try to obtain compensation?

Hanging your head out of the window is a very dangerous practice and that fact should be pretty obvious to anyone, or at least so I thought!

 

[Singing Rails]

No if I was to be hurt it would be my fault, I was just clarifying I cannot be punished by law (or byelaws) for doing so

 

[Monty]

Regardless of the legal rights or wrongs of sticking your head out of a train window, it's dangerous and rather foolish thing to do. Use the brain your mother gifted you with and refrain from doing it. That way some poor chap won't have to mop up whats left of your brains up from the cess.

 

[Anon Mouse]

Regardless of the legal rights or wrongs of sticking your head out of a train window, it's dangerous and rather foolish thing to do. Use the brain your mother gifted you with and refrain from doing it. That way some poor chap won't have to mop up whats left of your brains up from the cess.

this....

 

[Searle]

You're going to be out of luck, as said- even with East Coast aren't most of the services that stop at Stevenage electrics?

Do EMTs HST services stop at Luton, or are they first-stop somewhere further out?

Funnily enough, Intercity services just don't tend to stop near London. Stratford is an unusual one due to being a bigger interchange than on other lines- with direct connections to Canary Wharf etc.

Most of the Stevenage stops for East Coast are 91's, but the 1308 off of Kings Cross is an HST, as is the 1758 SVG - KGX

I'm only aware of 222's running the Corby services which serve Luton, I don't think any HST's run it. Your best bet is definitely to Reading and back.

 

[Singing Rails]

This thread has gone a bit off topic, but I'm really surprised about the attitudes to leaning out windows, do you not see people do it all the time on heritage railways/charters? perhaps the fun is lost with age?

Isn't this just one of the greatest things ever? (especially with better weather =p)
http://youtu.be/rwVgbp_mXYw?t=38s
(NOT me or my video)

 

[Anon Mouse]

This thread has gone a bit off topic, but I'm really surprised about the attitudes to leaning out windows, do you not see people do it all the time on heritage railways/charters? perhaps the fun is lost with age?

Isn't this just one of the greatest things ever? (especially with better weather =p)
http://youtu.be/rwVgbp_mXYw?t=38s
(NOT me or my video)

Many people on here have probably done it when they were younger, and maybe still do it now. The difference is they probably realise its not the best thing to do and that its dangerous and don't try to justify it and saying that is allowed and sanctioned. On a preserved line there is usually less risk of getting hit by something and zero chance of getting your head swiped off by a passing train at 125mph.

 

[Monty]

This thread has gone a bit off topic, but I'm really surprised about the attitudes to leaning out windows, do you not see people do it all the time on heritage railways/charters? perhaps the fun is lost with age?

Isn't this just one of the greatest things ever? (especially with better weather =p)
http://youtu.be/rwVgbp_mXYw?t=38s
(NOT me or my video)

Despite the fact trains on heritage railways normally do no more than 25mph (The GCR excluded) it is still a potentially dangerous thing to do. I'm sorry if I come across brash but as you may have guessed I (and many others on this forum for that matter) work on the railways and I have very little patience for people who wish to endanger themselves on the railway for their own personal amusement.

 

[Singing Rails]

Despite the fact trains on heritage railways normally do no more than 25mph (The GCR excluded) it is still a potentially dangerous thing to do. I'm sorry if I come across brash but as you may have guessed I (and many others on this forum for that matter) work on the railways and I have very little patience for people who wish to endanger themselves on the railway for their own personal amusement.

That is understandable, but I see HSTs on a daily basis, and I am yet to see a single person leaning out, so it can hardly be a prevalent problem, especially considering how many people purposely end their lives, or trespass to graffiti. It's usually enthusiasts who do it as well, who will have a greater respect and knowledge of trains anyway (e.g not leaving HST doors open). No doubt when all the Mk3s are gone (or refurbished with new doors like on Chiltern Mainline) you won't have to worry.

 

[Monty]

That is understandable, but I see HSTs on a daily basis, and I am yet to see a single person leaning out, so it can hardly be a prevalent problem, especially considering how many people purposely end their lives, or trespass to graffiti. It's usually enthusiasts who do it as well, who will have a greater respect and knowledge of trains anyway (e.g not leaving HST doors open). No doubt when all the Mk3s are gone (or refurbished with new doors like on Chiltern Mainline) you won't have to worry.

Be that as it may, no one should be encouraging or condoning such behaviour. I'm an enthusiast myself and I have no urge to do it, and I would argue having 'a little knowledge' is just as dangerous as having no knowledge at all. Nor does it mean an enthusiast is any more qualified to stick his head out of a train window than any other passenger.

 

[34D]

Why don't you save up for a single ticket to Aberdeen?

 

[bb21]

Do EMTs HST services stop at Luton, or are they first-stop somewhere further out?

I am stopped at Luton at the moment on an HST - 2200 St Pancakes - Notts.

I recommend that the OP heed the advice offered by others on here. People did not explain the danger and potentially disastrous consequences because they love it. They said those things to you because they don't want you to get hurt.

Ultimately it is your own decision but if you want to talk about it here, expect criticism and disapproval. It is only responsible that readership of this forum do not condone this sort of behaviour.

In addition, if something unfortunate did happen while someone is doing heads-out, it will cause mess and disruption that others will have to deal with. Pretty selfish behaviour from the perpetrator, don't you agree?

Heads-out on a single-track heritage railway where nothing goes above 25 is one thing. Doing so on a busy mainline where trains in the opposite direction can pass at up to 125 on the next track is a completely different ball game.

 

[ryan125hst]

Despite the fact trains on heritage railways normally do no more than 25mph (The GCR excluded) it is still a potentially dangerous thing to do. I'm sorry if I come across brash but as you may have guessed I (and many others on this forum for that matter) work on the railways and I have very little patience for people who wish to endanger themselves on the railway for their own personal amusement.

I agree with you warning the OP about the dangers. As well as you wanting to prevent the OP (or someone else reading this forum) having a nasty accident, could you end up facing disciplinary action (or even the sack) if a member of rail staff was found to be encouraging this sort of behaviour? It wouldn't surprise me, and it would be the right thing to do as well.

 

[Singing Rails]

In hindsight I shouldn't have mentioned it, I wrongly assumed a different reaction.

 

[Yew]

For around a tenner you could probably pick up a few megatrain journeys on EMT, if you are willing to book in advance

 

[LexyBoy]

Rather than decapitation, I would be more concerned about being referred for prosecution by gateline staff at Liverpool Street when disembarking, as has happened before. Touching out - or attempting to, if the readers are deactivated - will arouse suspicion as the last official pick up is outside of the Oyster area. I don't know how far it would get when shown that you had touched in at Stratford, but you could end up in an awkward situation.

 

[DelayRepay]

The man killed was not in the wrong, Railtrack was prosecuted for not having their scaffolding far enough away from the track

What an odd thing to say. His family still had to bury whatever was left of their dad/husband/son.

Do you look before you step out onto a zebra crossing? Cars and buses should stop and they would be in the wrong if they hit me, but I'd rather be alive than have the moral high ground!

 

[Glenmutchkin]

I recommend the OP to save up for a trip to India. Most trains have inward opening doors which provide a first class fresh air ride. The fares are significantly cheaper than in the UK once you get there.

Many locals in and around Mumbai and Kolkata don't actually have doors, just doorways.