Persistent railway myths, misunderstandings etc.

[philthetube]

As one of those who now is a part-time commuter, I am pretty certain that I am helping the environment. My journey requires a long journey by car and train; my office has hot desks and so we are able to have a smaller office (we have downsized) due to those of us who don't come in 5 days a week. At home I have a small study, unless it's very cold, wrapping up warmly and keeping the door closed is enough - body/computer heat the room sufficiently, given the residual heat from early morning CH, when there are 3-4 of us in the house. I generally don't "just nip out and do shopping, etc.", either at home or in the office, because I'm usually too busy. If I do have to nip out, e.g. for a medical appointment, I inevitably end up working late. I envy those who can work from cafes, but I find them cramped and noisy and the WiFi slow.

BTW my home desk is bigger, my home computer is faster, the printer is in arm's reach and I need less time to make a tea or got to the toilet. And I get interrupted less; I'm definitely more productive, even without the extra hours I can work due not commuting. The main reason I need to go into the office is client meetings, although many shorter meetings are conducted by Skype these days.

damaging the environment less would be a better way of putting it.

 

[HH]

damaging the environment less would be a better way of putting it.

Yes, if you're being pedantic.

 

[Techniquest]

Yes, if you're being pedantic.

I love being pedantic in the right situation, so I can't comment on that!

For the average person though, to put it as 'helping the environment' is commonly accepted in my view. Anything that reduces emissions helps the environment. I don't think a single soul in adulthood has any chance of a zero footprint in terms of environmental impact after all! So anything helps.

I say that as someone who prefers to fly domestically than take a long-distance train though...But as I can't drive, then at least I'm not contributing to pollution that way so it's swings and roundabouts eh?

 

[Clayton]

That is quite an unfair post; for women, oestrogen acts as a slight blood thickener, so there is less blood flow to extremities, thus will feel colder on average than men.

In older people, metabolic rates reduce so the body's natural mechanisms to keep warm are not as efficient.

And for people not used to the climate, well its common sense. I lived in Canada for a year, and coming straight back from their winter I was walking round in a tshirt in the UK where my friends were in their warm jackets and thinking I was mad!

(slightly off topic, but I had to defend, unless you said in jest, for which I apologise for taking seriously )

I think he was being fairly light hearted! It’s true about women and some older people, but I suspect the other people he refers to have lived through many a British winter

 

[Mag_seven]

The Great Britain Passenger Timetable (GBPTT) was always to be found in the Fiction section of WH Smith station bookstalls.

 

[HH]

The Great Britain Passenger Timetable (GBPTT) was always to be found in the Fiction section of WH Smith station bookstalls.

Are you posting this as a myth?

 

[Indigo Soup]

The Great Britain Passenger Timetable (GBPTT) was always to be found in the Fiction section of WH Smith station bookstalls.

The one time I bought one it was behind the counter with the cigarettes and lottery tickets. Presumably as it put off the fairer sex and was liable to induce optimism.

 

[al78]

when I work at home, i turn off the upstairs rads with the thermostatic valves. Or i light the multifuel stove in the living room. I dont heat the whole house. And my walls are 18" thick stone. But there again, its a mid terrace. Last house was a brick end terrace and I never felt warm there.

I set my thermostat to 10C and compensate by wearing an extra thick layer. Works fine, and my annual gas bill is very low. Central heating has only come on for half an hour so far this autumn and winter.

 

[Clayton]

I set my thermostat to 10C and compensate by wearing an extra thick layer. Works fine, and my annual gas bill is very low. Central heating has only come on for half an hour so far this autumn and winter.

Living the dream!

 

[notverydeep]

No-one wants to travel on a Sunday - this one seems to exist at both NR and various TOCs

And that no-one wants to travel on Boxing Day. In 2017, Boxing Day was a busier day for public transport in London than Christmas Eve, aside of course from National Rail services...

 

[InOban]

Absolutely. In the 'good old days'!? not only did most intercity trains operate, there were additional services throughout the season to accommodate the large family travel market. Now the general public assumes that the services will be nonexistent or at best disrupted, and are forced to travel by car in limited daylight, and often in wind and rain.

 

[Llanigraham]

And that no-one wants to travel on Boxing Day. In 2017, Boxing Day was a busier day for public transport in London than Christmas Eve, aside of course from National Rail services...

But London isn't the whole country!
Perhaps you could give the figures for the whole of the UK?

 

[martian boy]

One myth I’ve heard. You can’t take a photo of a train at the station, if there are people standing on the platform and they will be in the photo. This is usually followed up by, taking photos of trains where children can be seen is illegal.

 

[edwin_m]

But London isn't the whole country!
Perhaps you could give the figures for the whole of the UK?

Since there was virtually no public transport on Boxing Day in most areas outside London, any such figure would be of no use in establishing whether there was a need for it.

 

[InOban]

What decade are you thinking of? Fifty years in Scotland there were even some trains on Christmas Day, just not on New Year's Day.

 

[notverydeep]

But London isn't the whole country!
Perhaps you could give the figures for the whole of the UK?

I'm afraid that the services for which I have figures do not cover the whole country (and apologies - I cannot post those I have here), although I would certainly be interested to see how scheduled coach services (National Express, Magic Bus etc.) or domestic air services, both of which generally do operate on Boxing Day compare over the same two days in 2017.

London will clearly not be an exact proxy for the whole of the UK, but it does illustrate that where the option is available, it is popular. The 'shape' of the demand on Boxing Day in London (where people travel to and from and when) is very similar to that of the other bank holidays, apart from trips that would connect with National Rail services that are absent. The number of passengers traveling on Boxing Day has grown dramatically from less than a quarter of the next quietest day in 2001 to comfortably exceeding the quietest day in 2017 and has been (by miles) the fastest growing traffic day.

Without the strong growth of retail and leisure activity that Boxing Day has seen, I would predict that Christmas Day services would still attract relatively little traffic...

 

[Ken H]

I cant see why a few core routes round the larger cities would not actually make money for the TOC's. Avoid lines with mechanical signalling to keep costs down. Would Liverpool and Blackpool to Manchester Airport every half hour not attract custom? or maybe the Leeds/ Bradofrd FS/Skipton/Ilkley lines? or Litchfield - Longbridge?