Funny rail notices

[Parallel]

EMT have them.

It was definitely a unit on either XC, GWR (Class 800?), ATW as those are the only ones I've travelled with recently!

 

[philthetube]

As a kid I remember using the gents at Barmouth Station, they were cast iron and stamped into the metal was, "Gentlemen please remember to adjust your clothing before leaving this building*. Why I remember that 50 years later I have no idea.

 

[341o2]

The gents at Golders Green (LUL/bus station) advised that "Gentlemen should adjust their dress before leaving" Danny la Rue presumably

 

[InOban]

Used to be standard in public toilets.

 

[pompeyfan]

The stickers in the toilets are on SWR units, but are slowly disappearing.

In regards to human announcements I really don’t see the point in just rattling off the calling pattern. I do like the SWR script (although even that is a bit wordy).

 

[eastwestdivide]

There's another thread on station posters over here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/1980s-nostalgia-old-br-posters-at-richmond.54659/
with the last post from me showing a "Space Invaders" style poster saying don't feed the pigeons.

 

[whhistle]

That's an interesting one, was it an actual Virgin sticker or just the same words?

I wonder if Virgin started it, then the leasing companies got involved?
I thought Virgin started it, then Stagecoach, trying to be like Virgin got involved with sticking them on the Meridians. But now the GA unit has thrown that theory out.

 

[Bletchleyite]

"This train is for London Euston" "We will be calling at Milton Keynes and Watford Junction"

What grates even more about these is that the station is called "Milton Keynes Central".

 

[stut]

I do appreciate a bit of light-heartedness to break up the monotony of officialdom, but it's much more appreciated when it has a more personal, spontaneous touch. I find Virgin's forced "cheeky" style rather grating. It's all a bit corporate-day-out-forced-levity by way of that person who goes up to people and says "cheer up, it might never happen!"

(Their more flexible approach, and attitude towards empowerment of front-line staff to help out passengers is much more laudable, IMO. I'm not levelling a blanket criticism of the company - once you see past the relentless self-promotion, there's some decent, positive ambition in there...)

Going back to old announcements, I always wondered if "for the benefit of passengers, the buffet car is now closed" was tongue in cheek or not...

 

[M7R]

The love hopes and dreams toilet sticker are still there on SWR, was on a 444 yesterday with my little lad, it wasn’t one that had been fully redone on the outside but it did say SWR rather than SWT on the side.

It amused my 5 years old and made me chuckle too.

 

[swaldman]

I do appreciate a bit of light-heartedness to break up the monotony of officialdom, but it's much more appreciated when it has a more personal, spontaneous touch. I find Virgin's forced "cheeky" style rather grating. It's all a bit corporate-day-out-forced-levity by way of that person who goes up to people and says "cheer up, it might never happen!"

*That's* what it is! Yes. Big difference between an individually lighthearded guard, and humour that clearly comes from a corporate marketing department.

 

[Welshman]

One by the barriers which used to amuse me was "All tickets must be shewn"

Leaving aside the older spelling of the verb "show" I used to wonder -"shewn" ---what?

 

[221129]

I wonder if Virgin started it, then the leasing companies got involved?
I thought Virgin started it, then Stagecoach, trying to be like Virgin got involved with sticking them on the Meridians. But now the GA unit has thrown that theory out.

It's a Stagecoach thing...

 

[221129]

It was definitely a unit on either XC, GWR (Class 800?), ATW as those are the only ones I've travelled with recently!

Probably XC Unit 221144 with the Ex Virgin Vehicles.

 

[hexagon789]

I wonder if Virgin started it, then the leasing companies got involved?
I thought Virgin started it, then Stagecoach, trying to be like Virgin got involved with sticking them on the Meridians. But now the GA unit has thrown that theory out.

If it spreads to ScotRail, I'll let you know!

 

[Stigy]

I've also seen them on SWT (though not on SWR, doesn't mean they aren't there though)

They’re on all or most SWR trains and I doubt they’ll be removed when they’re refurnished.

 

[button_boxer]

Stagecoach, trying to be like Virgin

Virgin Trains is 49% Stagecoach so this isn’t particularly surprising.

 

[whhistle]

It's a Stagecoach thing...

Which surprises me a little as I didn't think Stagecoach were like "that".

 

[Steddenm]

Apparently according to LNWR there’s a Football Special in Euston!

 

[Chris M]

I saw this advert from the train at Retford on Monday. It's another example of Virgin trying really hard to be funny and not quite managing it.

11 TRAINS every weekday from LONDON to Retford.
Virgin trains
So many trains, we love trains.
should probably marry one!
but we've checked and you can't

 

[backontrack]

I don't think there should be any toilet announcements, with the possible exception of "I'm not unlocking the door until you've washed your hands, you filthy piece of scum".

Brilliant

View attachment 44760
I saw this advert from the train at Retford on Monday. It's another example of Virgin trying really hard to be funny and not quite managing it.

Virgin are just like Fozzie Bear in this regard; they try really hard to be funny, but in the end some people find it a bit annoying, and then they get torn to shreds by white-haired men who never get out.

 

[Starmill]

That one might actually have been slightly funny, if they had deployed it to a significant settlement served usefully by many of their trains. Alas, this is Retford we are talking about.

 

[Malcolmffc]

In the Birmingham Moor Street waiting room they used to have a sign saying “No Loitering”. I know what they were getting at, but still...

 

[fairysdad]

Virgin Trains is 49% Stagecoach so this isn’t particularly surprising.

I thought they were 51% Stagecoach and 49% Virgin? (With East Coast being something like 90% SC/10% V?)

 

[pdeaves]

I thought they were 51% Stagecoach and 49% Virgin? (With East Coast being something like 90% SC/10% V?)

No, Stagecoach is the minority partner (just!) on West Coast.

 

[^BG]

I've always found VTEC's posters rather amusing! This is before I started to work for them as well, perhaps I just have a terrible sense of humour!

 

[backontrack]

I've always found VTEC's posters rather amusing! This is before I started to work for them as well, perhaps I just have a terrible sense of humour!

To be honest, some of the members on here need to get their priorities in order! There's no need for them to get so wound up about a funny poster...personally I don't mind VTEC's witticisms.

 

[IanXC]

To be honest, some of the members on here need to get their priorities in order! There's no need for them to get so wound up about a funny poster...personally I don't mind VTEC's witticisms.

Indeed. As long as (both) Virgin Trains realise that I am much more often laughing at them than with them...

 

[Adlington]

What grates even more about these is that the station is called "Milton Keynes Central".

Is there another station with the name containing "Milton Keynes" ?

 

[CaptainHaddock]

(for the benefit of blind readers the sign reads " “For a more efficient service, please alight at the next stop where a team of heavily drugged sloths will drag you to your destination".)