Interesting announcement to remember water

[A-driver]

FCC sometimes use a prerecorded message that plays at intervals between the other announcements during hot weather reminding passengers to carry water with them.
I saw a similar message displaying on the depature screens this morning at GN stations.

FCC have also been handing out free water at stations, although even this is going down badly in twitter! And some seem confused as station shops sell water for over a quid-but that is nothing to do with FCC-the free water they are handing out is free but funnily enough you don't get it from the shop next to the ticket office!

 

[jrhilton]

more bloody announcements! don't skate board, don't cycle, don't board train without ticket, don't leave bags as they will be removed by the security services (what at Dewsbury, tutt), platforms may be slippery as it is raining... derr, no smoking on the platforms and now remember water! shut the ?>*# up. meanwhile at some of europes biggest stations they get by with next to no announcements.

The only announcement they don't seem to have is one reminding people to listen to the announcements!

 

[TheEdge]

Apparently before tap water was drinking quality it was recommended that people (including children and police on duty) drunk very low alcohol beer because it was less likely to cause illness.

During the 19th century and the great Cholera outbreaks in London those mapping the disease noticed around brewery's there was a much lower incidence of cholera than elsewhere, all because the people working in and around there were drinking beer rather than water.

 

[CMS]

The FCC 377/5s are playing a Julie Berry announcement on their CISs, e.g. "The next station is St Pancras International. In this hot weather, please remember to carry water with you whilst travelling. If you are feeling unwell, do not press the passenger alarm and wait until the next station where assistance can be given more quickly."

 

[jon0844]

Atos Anne was telling people much the same at Welwyn Garden City this morning, but I much preferred the manual announcements I heard yesterday to try and get some kids to stop standing (and sitting) in front of the yellow line.

Along the lines of (sic), 'you won't get a better mobile signal on the other side of the yellow line' broadcast throughout the whole station! They still didn't move though!

 

[bicbasher]

The water announcement was played at Stratford on Monday at the shared NR/Central line platforms, alongside a request not to activate the passenger alarm between stations.

Funny enough I decided to use GA to Liverpool Street and when I eventually joined the Central line, they were delayed because somebody activated the alarm on the train!

 

[D6975]

I actually take 2 bottles with me, 1 with cold water in and the other which was filled the night before and put in the freezer overnight, result is I have at least a 4 hour supply of cold water, a little cordial in both when made (lemon is flavour of the week) and I am sorted.

is it so difficult to plan ahead?

That is a rhetorical question by the way, otherwise there would be no need for this thread!

I've been doing the frozen squash thing for years on summer trips. Anyone thinking of doing this, don't forget to use a plastic bottle and give it a squeeze before putting the top back on and putting it in the freezer to allow for expansion.

 

[broadgage]

I must admit that I dont normally carry water with me on short train trips, though I do take care to drink a full pint of tap water before leaving.

In exceptionly warm weather I carry water, but not normaly.

I can understand the advice not to leave home without taking a drink of water, but I am a bit puzzled by the advice about eating breakfast ? surely eating breakfast does not protect against dehydration or heat stress ?

 

[jon0844]

Something to do with blood sugar levels or something?

I'm not a doctor, but imagine it's like waking up with a huge hangover and finding that you feel really light headed and dizzy, as well as craving sugar or salt.

 

[northwichcat]

Not sure if its worked but normally when it gets hot like this we have a string of delays nor ally caused by female passengers it seems who get straight out of bed, no breakfast, nothing to drink, grab a coffee at the station, run into the train and then wonder why they feel faint and pass out delaying the rest of the rush hour.

(I'm not stereotyping but all the instances of this I have know have been women!)

I know of a man passing out in a hot office because he had 'loads to do' at lunch and forgot to have lunch.

However, for some reason a lot of female office workers seem to think it's a good idea to get in 15 minutes before work starts and have breakfast at work for some reason, even ones which have a 45-60 minute commute.

The only time I've used public transport before having breakfast is while I was abroad and breakfast wasn't included in the hotel rate and I took a 10 minute bus ride on a very frequent route to a central location where there were numerous places serving breakfast. I would have almost certainly had something to drink other than coffee before leaving the hotel though.

 

[jon0844]

I usually skipped breakfast too, and on more than one occasion I have felt rather ill on the way to work. I have got off a train before to grab something quick to eat (Mars bar or similar).

I've also gone a whole day (in a press week) without eating virtually anything all day.

It's not to be recommended.

 

[BestWestern]

The only announcement they don't seem to have is one reminding people to listen to the announcements!

In all seriousness, I have previously suggested that the obligatory on board 'safety notices' should genuinely contain a line to the effect that passengers should be aware that important announcements concerning them may sometimes be made during a journey, and they should ensure that they are able to hear them - yes, headphones!! This would at least give us something to point at when these headphone handicap people come charging up the train demanding to know why X, Y or Z happened and nobody told them anything at about it.

 

[Eagle]

I usually skipped breakfast too, and on more than one occasion I have felt rather ill on the way to work. I have got off a train before to grab something quick to eat (Mars bar or similar).

I find in particular that if I haven't eaten anything and I then drink a large quantity of fluid (which I tend to do anyway, hot weather or no), I feel pretty sick quite quickly.

So perhaps the announcements should mention grabbing a bite to eat too—cue moaners saying that they're just doing that to advertise the station buffet and make money.

 

[northwichcat]

In all seriousness, I have previously suggested that the obligatory on board 'safety notices' should genuinely contain a line to the effect that passengers should be aware that important announcements concerning them may sometimes be made during a journey, and they should ensure that they are able to hear them - yes, headphones!! This would at least give us something to point at when these headphone handicap people come charging up the train demanding to know why X, Y or Z happened and nobody told them anything at about it.

Maybe the non-standard announcements e.g. a train will miss out a normal calling point should be preceded by something to indicate it's just another one that the normal train users hear everyday.

 

[455driver]

I agree with your agreement!

Yes I have been drinking!

Agreed! I have an advantage over you in that we have water coolers at work so I only need water for my commute. I can understand people perhaps being caught out on the first day of the hot spell but after that there are no excuses!

We have water coolers as well but if you are on a train for 5 hours with minimal turnaround times at stations with messroom facilities you havent got time to go and fill up the bottles without delaying the train, I am sure you can see the posts on face-ache or tw@ter "train delayed because driver wanted a drink" etc. :roll:

On many journeys in Waterloo during the peak there isn't the space for a trolley to get down the train even if there was one. And of course many services don't have a trolley service let alone the good old fashioned buffet car.

the main problem is on trains which dont have air conditioning fitted and that will mainly be the commuter services which wont have a trolley (or toilets) anyway.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I've been doing the frozen squash thing for years on summer trips. Anyone thinking of doing this, don't forget to use a plastic bottle and give it a squeeze before putting the top back on and putting it in the freezer to allow for expansion.

very important to leave a little air space plus compress it in slightly to allow for the expansion as the water turns to ice.

Anecdote-
My ex-wife decided to put milk in the freezer, no problem except it was still in the glass bottles, you can guess the rest!

 

[northwichcat]

My ex-wife decided to put milk in the freezer, no problem except it was still in the glass bottles, you can guess the rest!

She blamed you for not telling her it would do that and you divorced her?

 

[transmanche]

Maybe the non-standard announcements e.g. a train will miss out a normal calling point should be preceded by something to indicate it's just another one that the normal train users hear everyday.

IIRC on the 1996 stock trains (used on the Jubilee line), all the 'standard announcements' (e.g. 'the next station is', etc) use a female voice - but the non-standard announcements selected by the driver (e.g. 'This train will now terminate here. All change please') use a male voice.

So regular travellers can 'zone out' and not listen to standard announcements - but they are more likely to pay attention to the non-standard announcements because of the different voice.

Simple, yet effective.

 

[sarahj]

Ah, yes the cup of water brigade. I once found a pass who had fainted just as we came into Victoria during the rush hour. All she had, had was a cup of water. (mid summer, warm days). As she was going to get on the tube I told her to go and buy a snickers bar at whistlestop passed the barriers otherwise she would not make it to work today.

And yes on the lost paramedic. One morning, on the 4.00 Vic to Brighton, had a collapsed passenger. I was chatting with the 999 operator, saying meet me at Redhill station. Whats the address. Me, no idea, try station rd. They got there.

 

[pinguini]

I too heard this at Clapham Junction earlier this week.

Particularly good advice if travelling with FGW. I travelled on Monday from Reading to Gatwick Airport. The guard came round and insisted on locking all the windows shut, claiming the air conditioning wont work with them open.

A fair point, except there was no functioning air conditioning. The journey was about 1hr 15min and if it wasn't for my bottle of water I probably would have lost consciousness. Passengers were jumping out of their seats at every stop just to open the doors for a few seconds of fresh air. The conditions were atrocious.

 

[jon0844]

How odd to lock windows to help the air conditioning if it wasn't functioning! Can't the aircon be checked by the guard to see if it's working (or just feel the vents to see if any cool air is coming out)?

 

[pinguini]

How odd to lock windows to help the air conditioning if it wasn't functioning! Can't the aircon be checked by the guard to see if it's working (or just feel the vents to see if any cool air is coming out)?

When he came to lock them, he stated he would 'be back in 45 minutes to check the conditions'. He never reappeared.

 

[BestWestern]

How odd to lock windows to help the air conditioning if it wasn't functioning! Can't the aircon be checked by the guard to see if it's working (or just feel the vents to see if any cool air is coming out)?

Old units with dicky air con are a regular problem. When you have a temperature controlled system one theory is that if you open the windows the sensors will pick up on the 'rush' of cool air and kick the heating in. I have to say I've never actually been aware of that happening, but that's what many will tell you. I don't travel on Turbos very often, but last time I did it was pretty awful. The saloon was extremely warm and the first class area genuinely felt as if it was being heated it was that hot. The windows all carried notices advising that they were locked as the train was air conditioned! :roll:

When you have trains with old, unreliable air conditioning systems, in my experience the best course of action if the saloon in overly warm is just to open the windows and have done with it. If the temperature has reached such an uncomfortable level then the air con is clearly not very good, in which case there is little point in sealing the saloon and hoping it might eventually cool down a little, while everybody sits there slowly cooking. If you can switch the air con off, isolate the MCB or whatever then that's probably worth doing, but either way you'll do no harm by letting in some fresh air.

 

[jon0844]

If it's really hot outside, the air coming in isn't (or shouldn't) be making any thermostats suddenly decide to chuck on the heating.

On a modern train, I'd imagine there are not just internal thermostats but external ones too, so the aircon can ramp up when the sun is beating down on the train.

 

[northwichcat]

If it's really hot outside, the air coming in isn't (or shouldn't) be making any thermostats suddenly decide to chuck on the heating.

On a modern train, I'd imagine there are not just internal thermostats but external ones too, so the aircon can ramp up when the sun is beating down on the train.

On some Renfe services the PIS tells you the external temperature.

 

[FGW_DID]

166 Turbo's have air-con so the windows should be locked shut and only opened for emergency ventilation or in the event the air-con doesn't work.

165's don't have air-con hence why they are fitted with hopper style windows.

Unfortunately people open the windows on the 166's which puts extra strain on the air-con and results in a number of failures. Bear in mind in a warm saloon, with a large number of bodies giving off heat, every time the doors open at a stop letting in more warm air, the interior is not going to be fridge like no matter how good the air-con is.

 

[455driver]

She blamed you for not telling her it would do that and you divorced her?

Oh she blamed me all right although it wasnt anything to do with the divorce, that was on religious grounds, I am Jewish and she was a pig!

 

[Andrewlong]

I too heard this at Clapham Junction earlier this week.

Particularly good advice if travelling with FGW. I travelled on Monday from Reading to Gatwick Airport. The guard came round and insisted on locking all the windows shut, claiming the air conditioning wont work with them open.

A fair point, except there was no functioning air conditioning. The journey was about 1hr 15min and if it wasn't for my bottle of water I probably would have lost consciousness. Passengers were jumping out of their seats at every stop just to open the doors for a few seconds of fresh air. The conditions were atrocious.

If time is not an issue, on hot days I would take the SWT service from Reading to Clapham Junction and change to service to London Gatwick. The SWT service has fantastic air con (if not a bit cold) and trains on Southern are pretty good too!

 

[trentside]

If time is not an issue, on hot days I would take the SWT service from Reading to Clapham Junction and change to service to London Gatwick. The SWT service has fantastic air con (if not a bit cold) and trains on Southern are pretty good too!

I spent some time in London last Sunday, after doing Waterloo to Twickenham via Strawberry Hill on a boiling 455, it was lovely to step onto an air conditioned 458 for the short hop to Feltham. I'd agree it was almost too cold at first, but once you got used to it - lovely!

 

[pinguini]

If time is not an issue, on hot days I would take the SWT service from Reading to Clapham Junction and change to service to London Gatwick. The SWT service has fantastic air con (if not a bit cold) and trains on Southern are pretty good too!

Thanks for the good advice. Heading there I was time restricted, so needed to get their quickly (although it was the FG to Redhill and changed there for a lovely air conditioned Southern service).

Coming back I did do what you suggested and went via Clapham Junction using Southern/SWT which was a much more comfortable experience (albeit crowded on the peak time SWT service!)

 

[SS4]

I had some H2O too, almost ended up killing me

Not been on any trains but I have been taking advantage of the office water cooler to fill 1L bottles with cold water