Minor things on trains which irritate you

[AndyMike]

When you sit down, plug your phone in and...nothing!

It seems to be a common issue on the Harrogate (ex ScotRail) 170 stock in particular for some reason, where if you play musical chairs for a bit you will eventually find a working socket

This is a regular problem on the new Greater Anglia 755s, I’ve found.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Feb 2022 ==

A little harsh, no? They have many flaws, but I'd say

• they have amongst the best ride quality of any train
• the First Class is very comfortable, and even Standard is perfectly decent
• there are plug sockets at every row, which is pretty unusual for a train of its era - and even some modern day trains lack them
• the air conditioning is reasonably effective
• they are amongst the fastest intercity diesel trains in existence, meaning that journey times are shorter than they would otherwise be
• the doors are quick to open, as they're driver controlled and if you hold the button down, the doors open as soon as they're released
• they're pretty reliable
• on XC sets, there are no annoying automated announcements

I’m afraid I find the lack of comfort on them truly intolerable for any length of time. Dreadful seats, a lack of legroom, useless seat-back tables, not enough table seats - I could go on. To me, the absolute worst long-distance trains I’ve ever been on.

 

[dk1]

This is a regular problem on the new Greater Anglia 755s, I’ve found.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Feb 2022 ==

The GA Stadler fleet had all saloon charging points switched off due to a fault discovered around 18mths ago. These have gradually been modified however some vehicles still have them isolated.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

I agree the GWR ones have all the internal ambiance of a 1990s bus with the lime green and grey. However, the LNER red looks warm and welcoming, and the TPE blue quite classy. Shows the difference simple colour can make.

The Hull Trains ones seem bit garish with the royal blue & hot pink - likely GWR would be like if it remained as FGW today with the corporate FirstGroup colours ha ha!

I imagine the new 80xs for Avanti WC should have a nice decor when these enter service, as Avanti has a good mix of dark blues & dark greens.

Shame about GWR decor being too grey, hope this may get updated, in midlife refurb, to be replaced with perhaps green in a darker non-lime shade.

 

[yorksrob]

I don't mind people eating on trains (I do so myself), its those who open a cheese sandwich at Manchester Piccadilly and who are still nibbling away at Leeds that get on my nerves. Just get on with it.

 

[75A]

I don't mind people eating on trains (I do so myself), its those who open a cheese sandwich at Manchester Piccadilly and who are still nibbling away at Leeds that get on my nerves. Just get on with it.

Why does it get on your nerves?

 

[yorksrob]

Why does it get on your nerves?

The smell mainly. I can live with smelly things as long as people get it over with.

 

[75A]

The smell mainly. I can live with smelly things as long as people get it over with.

See what you mean, I'm much the same.

 

[dk1]

I don't mind people eating on trains (I do so myself), its those who open a cheese sandwich at Manchester Piccadilly and who are still nibbling away at Leeds that get on my nerves. Just get on with it.

I’m with you there. How do they make it last so long?? I used to work with somebody who opened a pack of sandwiches, took a wasp bite every 5 minutes or so & eventually threw half the second one in the bin after about half an hour. Drove me nuts.

 

[yorksrob]

I’m with you there. How do they make it last so long?? I used to work with somebody who opened a pack of sandwiches, took a wasp bite every 5 minutes or so & eventually threw half the second one in the bin after about half an hour. Drove me nuts.

Indeed. That would drive me up the wall the sound of people continually masticating for ages also gets on my wick, although at least on the train I've usually got my earphones in !

 

[D6130]

I don't mind people eating on trains (I do so myself), its those who open a cheese sandwich at Manchester Piccadilly and who are still nibbling away at Leeds that get on my nerves.

It's just a cunning way to avoid wearing a mask for the whole journey!

 

[Richard Scott]

The smell mainly. I can live with smelly things as long as people get it over with.

If we're going for smelly things then overpowering perfume or body spray especially as it then gives me chest problems. Cheers then!

 

[yorksrob]

It's just a cunning way to avoid wearing a mask for the whole journey!

True - although I preferred a few beers myself

If we're going for smelly things then overpowering perfume or body spray especially as it then gives me chest problems. Cheers then!

Yes, I suppose that's the very definition of a smell that's long term.

 

[D6130]

If we're going for smelly things then overpowering perfume or body spray especially as it then gives me chest problems. Cheers then!

Absolutely....and especially nail varnish remover. A few years ago we were travelling in Standard Premier on a London-Paris Eurostar en route to Italy and our meal - and indeed the total travel experience - was ruined by a woman sitting in the seat ahead of us who spent most of the journey removing her nail varnish and then very slowly and carefully applying a new coat of paint.

Sorry....this is completely off-topic, as it was a MAJOR thing which annoyed us on that particular journey.

 

[QSK19]

I think one thing is whenever I’m on an EMR IC service with my 5 year old son and I can’t find a way to explain to him why a 180 and 22x sound different when departing.

I couldn’t believe it when he asked “why does a class 180 have a Meridian engine?”; so trying to find a way to explain the difference between DMU and DEMU traction is going to be interesting.

Think I may wait until he’s older unless anybody can help me to put it in terms understandable to a 5 year old?

 

[davart]

What really, really bugs me is the heating ducting that runs along the carriage wall at floor level. There was a time when you could sit there with your foot resting on top of it, and it was quite comfortable. Then came the refurbs and the ducting was altered to slanted/sloped. So you can't rest your feet on it any more but it also gets in the way of your foot room now.

My other pet hate was the cooking cabbage smell on 153s.

Yes, I agree.

Wonder if the 153s have 'Magic Tree' school canteen fragrance hanging in the cabs...

 

[D6130]

Wonder if the 153s have 'Magic Tree' school canteen fragrance hanging in the cabs...

Not when I was driving them they didn't!

 

[Ben Anslow]

The fact that there’s trains with a single plug drives me insane. Going to have to start taking extension leads out. They must have been doped up when they did that

 

[SCDR_WMR]

The fact that there’s trains with a single plug drives me insane. Going to have to start taking extension leads out. They must have been doped up when they did that

How many sockets do you need on a train journey? Even a London - Edinburgh trip surely 1 at a time suffices

 

[Ken H]

How many sockets do you need on a train journey? Even a London - Edinburgh trip surely 1 at a time suffices

So 2 travelling together. Need a plug each. Or take a 4 blocker.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I think one thing is whenever I’m on an EMR IC service with my 5 year old son and I can’t find a way to explain to him why a 180 and 22x sound different when departing.

I couldn’t believe it when he asked “why does a class 180 have a Meridian engine?”; so trying to find a way to explain the difference between DMU and DEMU traction is going to be interesting.

Think I may wait until he’s older unless anybody can help me to put it in terms understandable to a 5 year old?

Same question applies to 185s.

 

[MattRat]

How many sockets do you need on a train journey? Even a London - Edinburgh trip surely 1 at a time suffices

I think they mean one per two, or one per four people. Bear in mind the majority of people now have a power hungry phone in their pocket.

 

[QSK19]

Same question applies to 185s.

Oh gosh, can you imagine?! I won’t let him anywhere near lines served by 185s, believe me! The 220s and 221s I can deal with given they are, according to him, “the Meridian’s twin brothers”; but please, no 185s yet!

 

[Tractor86]

I haven’t heard it for a while but on Northern heading into Manchester Oxford Road the announcer lady sound very shocked that was where we were “Manchester Oxford RoOAD?”

 

[mightyena]

Class 334 automated announcements and their constant overuse of up infections making everything sound like a question.

SWR's 458s do this too. "This train is for London Waterloo?" Well I don't know do I, you're supposed to be telling me!

 

[Watershed]

Absolutely....and especially nail varnish remover. A few years ago we were travelling in Standard Premier on a London-Paris Eurostar en route to Italy and our meal - and indeed the total travel experience - was ruined by a woman sitting in the seat ahead of us who spent most of the journey removing her nail varnish and then very slowly and carefully applying a new coat of paint.

Sorry....this is completely off-topic, as it was a MAJOR thing which annoyed us on that particular journey.

That's a good shout. I do find that a rather antisocial thing to do on the train. It's one thing to do your makeup for example (though this seems to have become less common over recent years though?), but it's really inconsiderate to stink out the carriage with your noxious fumes.

 

[Pigeon]

That's a good shout. I do find that a rather antisocial thing to do on the train. It's one thing to do your makeup for example (though this seems to have become less common over recent years though?), but it's really inconsiderate to stink out the carriage with your noxious fumes.

Which is why ticket barriers should be fitted with odour detectors and little shower booths with robot arms. When one of those awful people who deliberately slather themselves with odoriferous chemicals tries to pass through, the robot arm grabs them and drags them into the shower booth and won't let them out again until they've scrubbed it all off (and their clothes get a laundering too).

It only takes one of them up the other end of the carriage to convert the entire space into a chemical weapons testing shed, and the horrid stuff sticks to hair so if that happens in the morning the smell is being wafted round my face all day and I end up feeling quite rotten.

 

[xotGD]

Better to be sat near someone doused in perfume than someone smelling like a dustbin lorry.

 

[Richard Scott]

Better to be sat near someone doused in perfume than someone smelling like a dustbin lorry.

No, as that doesn't give me chest problems whereas the perfume does!

 

[Jimini]

I was on the H&C line a couple of years ago, and two women ended up sitting opposite me. One proceeded to paint her nails, and the other one cracked open a tub of Wasabi takeaway. That was a fun 15 mins.

 

[dk1]

I was on the H&C line a couple of years ago, and two women ended up sitting opposite me. One proceeded to paint her nails, and the other one cracked open a tub of Wasabi takeaway. That was a fun 15 mins.

Both are arrestable crimes