Minor things on trains which irritate you

[Clansman]

Not sure why it hasn't been done, but fixed tables in standard class airline seats would go along way to improving comfort on rolling stock. Especially now the newer seats out there allow higher density layouts whilst enhancing legroom compared to predecessors.

Or anyone who's travelled on a Voyager on the west coast in coach D will know how much extendable tables improve the experience. It'd be nice to see this, or even folding tables of the continent become mainsteam here in the UK.

Not having either of the above is pretty inconveniencing since they're minor interventions that'd go along way to improve comfort on many layouts.

 

[spotify95]

The sometimes lack of a view through the windows of an EMR 222. If there's no pillar obscuring the view it's either steamed up or filthy dirty you can't see out. Awful trains. The 180s are so much nicer inside with very good window alignment and no steamy or dirty windows.

The Class 22x also has some sort of metallic foil, blocking all sorts of RF signals. Makes the on board Wi-Fi extremely overloaded extremely quickly, as everyone has to connect to it. Really irritating.

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Lack of refreshment trolleys !

Refreshment trolleys that are so overpriced (e.g. £2.40 for a cup of tea!) that you're better off not even having any refreshments...

 

[AlterEgo]

They have nice big windows if you get a decent seat and their first class is one of the best in my opinion.

The windows on Voyagers are massive, agreed. Get a solo first class seat (if you've recently robbed a bank!) and you're good to go.

 

[xotGD]

I've thought of another one:

Toilet paper dispensers that are so full that you can't get any out without it either tearing to shreds or you ending up with a huge wedge of sheets in your hands.

Although this is better than no toilet paper at all!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've thought of another one:

Toilet paper dispensers that are so full that you can't get any out without it either tearing to shreds or you ending up with a huge wedge of sheets in your hands.

Although this is better than no toilet paper at all!

Not on trains, but nothing toilet-wise (other than being out of order or lacking paper) is more annoying than the Euston bidet service, which causes a flush while seated due to the poorly positioned flush sensor.

Or the single-ply toilet roll provided at motorway services, where you have to use a foot at a time repeatedly doubled over.

 

[yorksrob]

I've thought of another one:

Toilet paper dispensers that are so full that you can't get any out without it either tearing to shreds or you ending up with a huge wedge of sheets in your hands.

Although this is better than no toilet paper at all!

Oh yes, absolutely agree with that one !

 

[Peter Mugridge]

...fixed tables in standard class airline seats would go along way to improving comfort on rolling stock.

No thank you.

Such fixed tables would be my entry on this thread...

 

[Bletchleyite]

No thank you.

Such fixed tables would be my entry on this thread...

Same, I dislike them too, they get in the way of legroom. They are the reason I won't upgrade to 1st on an 80x unless I can get a proper table for two. Much prefer a folding table, the extending design on the Fainsa Sophia is good (see, I can say something nice about them).

For a table for 2/4, I like the old style folding tables the Eurostar 373s had when built, where each seat has their own folding section they can fold down or up as they wish. Priority seats on Pendolinos also have this on the aisle side to ease access. I don't like the new tables on Eurostar that go down a long way and eat legroom, one of the many ways the 374 has managed to take an excellent train (the Siemens Velaro / ICE) and make an utter mess of it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Same, I dislike them too, they get in the way of legroom. They are the reason I won't upgrade to 1st on an 80x unless I can get a proper table for two. Much prefer a folding table, the extending design on the Fainsa Sophia is good (see, I can say something nice about them).

For a table for 2/4, I like the old style folding tables the Eurostar 373s had when built. I don't like the new tables on Eurostar that go down a long way and eat legroom, one of the many ways the 374 has managed to take an excellent train (the Siemens Velaro / ICE) and make an utter mess of it.

Agree, when I do go on Eurostar since the 374s arrived, I avoid table seats like the plague. For the airline seats tables thing generally, I always just fold them up.

When I can't get an airline seat, my first choice is a table-less bay ( but that's a matter for another thread ).

 

[Mat17]

I hate bay seating, sat opposite strangers, not sure where to look. Airline all the way for me.

 

[K.o.R]

Interior doors on 444s which just randomly remain open. Some of them remain open some of them open and shut (this was nowhere near where the guard was)

Play with the green buttons above. Some combination of "on" and "off" gives you normal mode, all others disable the door.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

Inability to open sliding doors before the train stops like we used to do on slam door trains, years ago I'd be half way up the stair before the 305 stopped at Broxbourne.

 

[dk1]

Inability to open sliding doors before the train stops like we used to do on slam door trains, years ago I'd be half way up the stair before the 305 stopped at Broxbourne.

Even worse now with ‘pause for doors’ & the like Grrrrr!!

 

[Mat17]

People boarding and shoving their way into the train before you've had time to get off, or even worse people stood with their nose pressed to the glass on the door refusing to budge once the doors open to let you alight.

 

[dk1]

People boarding and shoving their way into the train before you've had time to get off, or even worse people stood with their nose pressed to the glass on the door refusing to budge once the doors open to let you alight.

Just stare at them or shove them out of the way. That’s how I deal with such rudeness.

 

[AY1975]

There's also this now-closed thread from 2017 on unnecessary features on trains that are bad or inconvenient for passengers: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...re-bad-or-inconvenient-for-passengers.154750/ and this one on missing but wished-for features on trains: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/missing-but-wished-for-features-on-trains.154918/

 

[supervc-10]

Just stare at them or shove them out of the way. That’s how I deal with such rudeness.

Ditto. Although it helps being a 6'2 rugby player/powerlifter....

 

[McRhu]

The ankle twisting 'doorsteps' n the 385s which are slightly split level AND the door buttons on the same which don't actually depress and often don't respond to the first touch.

 

[Pete_uk]

Other passengers...

 

[MattRat]

Other passengers...

Care to elaborate? For example, I find it annoying how they all want to sit alone, even though it's public transport. Makes it very difficult if you are travelling with friends.

 

[150249]

Care to elaborate? For example, I find it annoying how they all want to sit alone, even though it's public transport. Makes it very difficult if you are travelling with friends.

They all feel that they are entitled to an entire table for them and their computer

 

[MattRat]

They all feel that they are entitled to an entire table for them and their computer

Don't forget their bag, even when there's luggage racks....

 

[ChrisEL]

On Class 700s in the Thameslink core, you get the announcement:

"We are now approaching [e.g.] London Blackfriars. Change here for the District and Circle lines. The doors will open automatically at the next station."

I really wish they would change "the next station" to "this station". To me, "the next" makes it sound like the station after Blackfriars (especially as they've just said "change here").

 

[D6130]

I really wish they would change "the next station" to "this station". To me, "the next" makes it sound like the station after Blackfriars (especially as they've just said "change here").

Similarly - but in reverse - the auto announcers on the Northern 333s, when a train arrives at the stop before its terminating point and the doors release, state loudly "The next station is Skipton/Ilkley/Leeds/Bradford FS. This train terminates here". Cue a mad scramble by foreign visitors - and others not familiar with the route - to gather up their luggage/children/pets/bicycles or whatever and make a premature dash for the doors. Far better to say "The next station is......This train terminates at the next station".

 

[DannyMich2018]

The Class 22x also has some sort of metallic foil, blocking all sorts of RF signals. Makes the on board Wi-Fi extremely overloaded extremely quickly, as everyone has to co next to it. Really irritating.

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Refreshment trolleys that are so overpriced (e.g. £2.40 for a cup of tea!) that you're better off not even having any refreshments...

The only 222 which ever seems really clean on the outside is the all purple 222104.

£2.40 for a tea isn't too bad considering some high street places such as Costa charge not much less.

 

[BJames]

The Class 22x also has some sort of metallic foil, blocking all sorts of RF signals. Makes the on board Wi-Fi extremely overloaded extremely quickly, as everyone has to co next to it. Really irritating.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Feb 2022 ==


Refreshment trolleys that are so overpriced (e.g. £2.40 for a cup of tea!) that you're better off not even having any refreshments...

This signal thing is interesting - I didn't realise this was why my signal was always so bad on EMR (and the WiFi is absolutely shocking 99% of the time)

Just stare at them or shove them out of the way. That’s how I deal with such rudeness.

Absolutely.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

People who take forever to get off a train, faffing about with bags, phone, coat etc.
Come on, organise yourself, it's cold and wet and I want to just get on the train and get warmer.

 

[ic31420]

Pointless reservations that are booked simply because the ticket (price) or the fact it has been bought online needs it. The passenger neither wants it nor uses it. Instead they sit in the first empty seat they find.


Not on a train but closely related is the pop up about eticketing on the trainline app that comes up every time you look at a journey.

 

[SE%Traveller]

On Class 700s in the Thameslink core, you get the announcement:

"We are now approaching [e.g.] London Blackfriars. Change here for the District and Circle lines. The doors will open automatically at the next station."

I really wish they would change "the next station" to "this station". To me, "the next" makes it sound like the station after Blackfriars (especially as they've just said "change here").

They could also run a check for the platform it's come in on before playing it. If it comes into 3 you get the same message but actually have to press the button to open the door...

 

[Blindtraveler]

The class 700 just annoys me in the first place. Truly it would be possible to build the train capable of swallowing the number of people that a 700 can swallow but not compromise on all the other things it compromises on