Last carriage

[transmanche]

I must have missed that one, which TOC closes doors two minutes prior to departure?

From the VTEC website:

Please allow extra time to get on board as train doors can close up to two minutes before departure, and we’d hate to leave you behind.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I think its Virgin at Euston, just one station in the whole of the Country being mentioned just to make an anti-rail point! :roll:

You do realise that not every point made on this forum that you don't personally agree with is an 'anti-rail point'?

It was merely a throwaway comment that some TOCs (e.g. Merseyrail) say 20 seconds, whilst others (e.g. VTEC) say up to two minutes. So many passengers are not going to risk missing a train by walking 200m along the platform and will jump on at the first available door.

 

[najaB]

It was merely a throwaway comment that some TOCs (e.g. Merseyrail) say 20 seconds, whilst others (e.g. VTEC) say up to two minutes. So many passengers are not going to risk missing a train by walking 200m along the platform and will jump on at the first available door.

In all my travels with VTEC I have never known the doors to be closed more than 30 seconds before departure. Also "can" is not the same thing as "will".

 

[transmanche]

Also "can" is not the same thing as "will".

So do you think that a passenger who gets left behind will be able to claim compensation on that basis? Of course they won't! So when you are walking along the platform, are you willing to gamble? Or will you just board at the nearest door?

 

[martinsh]

There's no disadvantage of being in the last carriage of a class 153 !

 

[455driver]

It was merely a throwaway comment that some TOCs (e.g. Merseyrail) say 20 seconds, whilst others (e.g. VTEC) say up to two minutes. So many passengers are not going to risk missing a train by walking 200m along the platform and will jump on at the first available door.

Its the 'up to' that makes all the difference, it was inferred in the post that they always shut the doors 2 minutes before departure, but of course it doesn't say that at all does it but why post the whole sentence when it wont substantiate the point which is trying to be made, badly!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So do you think that a passenger who gets left behind will be able to claim compensation on that basis? Of course they won't!

No of course they couldn't!

So when you are walking along the platform, are you willing to gamble? Or will you just board at the nearest door?

Actually you use those things at the side of your head called ears, when you hear a whistle you get on he nearest door, it isn't exactly difficult although some people do seem to struggle with the concept.

Your 'points' really are getting more ridiculous by the day, do you not read what you are about to post?

 

[me123]

It really depends on the route. Certainly on the North Clyde Line, I go to the Easternmost carriage to increase my chances of a seat/personal space. It's usually really quiet, people choosing to climb into the front carriage to be first in line at the barriers. Of course, if you want to be first in line at the barriers, the front carriage actually makes more sense (but I find I can beat them to it usually!). This is similar to the above mentioned KGX scenario - people are often too lazy/shortsighted to think about walking to the front.

On long distance Scotrail trains, I'll generally go for the carriage with my seat reservation - or Carriage C if I haven't reserved - there's no way of telling which one is the front until the train appears so you don't have a choice.

 

[transmanche]

Its the 'up to' that makes all the difference, it was inferred in the post that they always shut the doors 2 minutes before departure, but of course it doesn't say that at all does it but why post the whole sentence when it wont substantiate the point which is trying to be made, badly!

I didn't imply anything of the sort. You inferred something that I didn't write.

Much as the passenger who has seen what VTEC said and starts to get 'departure anxiety' when walking along the platform...

'Two minutes' or 'up to two minutes' - so what? You can argue the toss to the nth degree of what VTEC wrote and what it might mean. But if passengers believe the train door might close 'up to two minutes before departure', then I can fully understand why they don't walk 200m down to front of the train if they are concerned that the door might close at any moment.

Your 'points' really are getting more ridiculous by the day, do you not read what you are about to post?

Ah, it's insult time again. If you don't want to read what I write, why don't you just block me? I'm sure that living in a world where no-one has a different opinion than yours will be less stressful for you.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Surely we all know WHY operators say things like "train doors may be closed up to two minutes/20 seconds/a year (delete as appropriate) before departure"? It's to avoid the last 10 seconds rush by people who didn't give enough time to get to the station. Not that it makes much difference, of course!

 

[Grayum]

are there disadvantages in being in the last carriage

I don't think I have been very clear, my question refers to the journey quality.
Our outward journey from Stafford to Euston was very smooth, we were in the last but one carriage. Coming back in the last carriage we seemed to be buffeted from side to side, not a pleasant journey. Is this normal being in the last carriage, or are there other factors.

Thanks for all of your replies.

 

[transmanche]

Surely we all know WHY operators say things like "train doors may be closed up to two minutes/20 seconds/a year (delete as appropriate) before departure"? It's to avoid the last 10 seconds rush by people who didn't give enough time to get to the station.

Of course we do. And that enough time has to be allowed for the door closure sequence to complete and for staff to check that the 'platform train interface' is clear so that the train can depart safely.

I was merely trying to explain that the reason that the last carriage might be extra-busy isn't necessarily because passengers are 'lazy' (as asserted in post #6), but that some people will be anxious about the possibility of the doors closing before they board. I even made a light-hearted comment about it being like the 'railway equivalent of buckeroo' - but somehow this has been interpreted as 'anti-rail'... :roll:

 

[NSEFAN]

Our outward journey from Stafford to Euston was very smooth, we were in the last but one carriage. Coming back in the last carriage we seemed to be buffeted from side to side, not a pleasant journey. Is this normal being in the last carriage, or are there other factors.

A general rule is to be away from the buffer stops at the London-end of the train, but that's not concrete because different stations have different points at which people will tend to board the train. At Stafford, people going towards London will tend to be nearer the front of the train as that's where the platform entrance is.

How busy the carriage is will depend on the time of day as well.

 

[Domh245]

I don't think I have been very clear, my question refers to the journey quality.
Our outward journey from Stafford to Euston was very smooth, we were in the last but one carriage. Coming back in the last carriage we seemed to be buffeted from side to side, not a pleasant journey. Is this normal being in the last carriage, or are there other factors.

Thanks for all of your replies.

That will almost certainly be down to other factors such as track quality, possibly even the weather! I can't really think of any reason why the last carriage would move around any more than the other carriages

 

[edwin_m]

That will almost certainly be down to other factors such as track quality, possibly even the weather! I can't really think of any reason why the last carriage would move around any more than the other carriages

The couplings do provide some lateral restraint between adjacent coaches, so the first and last ones may be a poorer ride for that reason.

 

[455driver]

If you don't want to read what I write, why don't you just block me?

I tried that but your comments still appear in other people's posts as quotes.

 

[D6975]

You can also get a poor ride due to worn tyres and you definitely don't want to do a long stint on a coach with a flat.

 

[najaB]

You can also get a poor ride due to worn tyres and you definitely don't want to do a long stint on a coach with a flat.

Hence my concern at a comment saying that a few of the Caledonian sleeper carriages have been running with rather square wheels of late. I didn't notice it on my last journey, but I'll have a couple of trips next month so let's see what awaits...

 

[Parallel]

When I've sat at the rear of the last carriage on a 150 it does seem to be bouncier than elsewhere on the train. Might just be imagination though.

I haven't yet sat at the back of a Pacer on the Barnstaple line. I imagine I'd be on the floor by Eggesford!

 

[najaB]

So when you are walking along the platform, are you willing to gamble? Or will you just board at the nearest door?

As I said above (or was it in another thread?) - if I'm in plenty of time then I'll walk down the platform. If the train is ready to depart (e.g. whistles have been blown or the hustle alarm is sounding) then it's on at the closest door. It isn't really that hard to figure out.