Railway Myths (2013)

[table38]

You may be right. It looks like it might have been later Mk2s that had sealed droplights and internal handles, which were eventually changed for openable droplights and removal of the internal handles. By the time the Mk3s came around, they were designed from day one without the internal handles.

Earlier Mk 3's did indeed have internal door handles when they first rolled off the production line in 1974. However, due to a few incidences of doors being opened whilst trains were on the move, they were quickly plated over.

I'm not sure about the MK.3s, but Mk.2Ds had internal door handles, because people leaving the droplights open potentially screwed up the aircon so they had fixed droplights and internal door handles which (according to Michael Harris's book) had to be pulled towards you first, then turned.

But they were too easy to open and there was a fatality in 1971, so they enclosed the internal door handles with a "shield".

Later that year it was decided to remove the internal door handles completely and release the droplights, which were fitted with a spring to close them after use.

 

[Essexman]

Myth √-10,000,0000

When a TOC says they charge "No booking fee" it's clearly a reason why they are better than any other ticket provider....

I'm yet to come across a single ticket provider that charges admin fees.

Trainline - yet their advertising persuades people to buy the same tickets that are available at the same price from many other sources and without the booking fee that Trainline charge.

 

[Drsatan]

Myth Pi to 100 decimal places: you WILL save 43% buying tickets on thetrainline.com (something their most recent advert implies)

 

[CalderRail]

I always buy mine from national rail - I'm not missing a trick somewhere am I?

On the note of ticket prices though
Myth #300: Buying one ticket from the start of your journey to the end is always cheaper than buying sections in stages.

 

[Muzer]

You don't buy them from national rail enquiries - it asks you which site you want to buy from once you've selected a journey, unless it's changed since I last checked?

 

[ainsworth74]

I always buy mine from national rail - I'm not missing a trick somewhere am I?

No you don't. You're finding tickets through National Rail and when you click 'buy' it takes you to the website of a TOC (normally one appropriate to the journey you're making) to actually buy the tickets. National Rail do not sell tickets.

 

[Eagle]

National Rail do not sell tickets.

Myth number pi+1 (4.14159etc): National Rail Enquiries can sell tickets. :P

 

[tbtc]

Myth number 142067:

If a company (e.g First) take over a new franchise (e.g. the WCML one) they will automatically run it with the same trains that they run another franchise with (e.g. Pacers)

 

[Crossover]

Myth 142068:

The second that Beardy loses the WCML franchise, all the advances made over the last 5-10 years, such as the Pendolinos, will disappear overnight and be replaced with whatever the new TOC can find, even if this means the WCML turns to being Pacer run

 

[Eagle]

Myth number G: There is a major town in Essex called Shenfield.

(Despite what railway calling patterns would have you think, it's actually a smallish suburb of Brentwood.)

 

[CyrusWuff]

Myth 390001: Richard Branson personally paid for and owns the Pendolino fleet.

Myth 08457484950: National Rail Enquiries sells rail tickets.

Myth 9320: You can use your el cheapo bargain bucket Advance ticket on a peak time train without paying any extra.

 

[CalderRail]

No you don't. You're finding tickets through National Rail and when you click 'buy' it takes you to the website of a TOC (normally one appropriate to the journey you're making) to actually buy the tickets. National Rail do not sell tickets.

I suppose that explains why it's often cheaper to buy Nottingham-Sheffield, Sheffield-Leeds and Leeds-York as separate journeys rather than one Nottingham-York ticket, then.

 

[yorksrob]

Myth number G: There is a major town in Essex called Shenfield.

(Despite what railway calling patterns would have you think, it's actually a smallish suburb of Brentwood.)

Myth number 421, Ore is a major South coast holiday destination, and not just the place where the third rail runs out.

 

[MP33]

Myth No whatever

Dr Richard Beeching was the only person to recommend a railway line for closure.

 

[tbtc]

Myth number 142068:

HSTs will still be in regular mainline service in twenty years time

 

[D365]

Myth number 421, Ore is a major South coast holiday destination, and not just the place where the third rail runs out.

Myth #421a: An Ore is a material from which metals can be extracted.

Myth #165: Networker Turbos (165/166) are massively oversized to take advantage of the former broad-gauge GW/Chiltern lines and subsequently cannot be cleared anywhere else. Similar to how 185s are overweight and how care has to be taken to ensure they do not crush the wrong rails.

Myth number 142068:

HSTs will still be in regular mainline service in twenty years time

Hinted at by the Pacer number, #142068: 142s will have been withdrawn from regular mainline service in twenty years time.

Myth No whatever

Dr Richard Beeching was the only person to recommend a railway line for closure.

Myth #19(x)3: Beeching and Serpell were the only people to recommend railway lines for closure.


Myth #2025: Upgrading the WCML on its own will bring the same benefits as HS2 but at a much lower cost. The only reason a new line is proposed is because RB owns the existing one and the Civil Servants hate Virgin.

 

[IanD]

I did watch the programme and still no idea who this somebody who appears to think he is an everything is! Arrogant twit

Some people will remember him. Didn't seem arrogant at all. He was simply stating who he was and explaining where he needed to be and when and asking what he was supposed to do.

I've started introducing myself when asking station staff for info. They generally have a badge to tell you who they are, so why not return the favour, it's much more polite!

(I get some funny looks though, similar to your reaction here but that's just great. Maybe one day, someone will think "Hey, he's telling me his name, he must be a somebody, better upgrade him to first!". You never know).

 

[MK Tom]

Myth number 421, Ore is a major South coast holiday destination, and not just the place where the third rail runs out.

Myth number 350267: Tring is a large commuter town with its own station.

Myth number 220001: There is a place called Burton on Trent.

 

[Andrewlong]

Haha - I was thinking the same! Steve who?!

New romantic popstar from early 1980's who blew his claim to being a celebrity when he mentioned that he had only spent £60 on a ticket to Wales. Cattle class advanced I would imagine!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Myth umpteen - in the event of a delay or problem on a train, it is better for the train crew not to make any announcements to the travelling public because they like to be kept in the dark and anyway 'no news is good news'

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Myth #01278: the town near Taunton is spelt Bridgewater

 

[FGW_DID]

Myth #43024:

If a member of staff is holding the door open for you as you rush towards the train, under no circumstances are you allowed to board using that door, you have to run to the door immediately behind them and open that one, leaving it open after you board!

Myth# 43003:

The most effective way to find out the destination of a train is not to use the timetables or CIS but to wait till the train is pulling out the platform, open the drop light window and shout to the nearest staff member.

 

[317666]

Myth #01278: the town near Taunton is spelt Bridgewater

Myth #01279: The town at the end of the Tarka Line is spelt Barnstable.

 

[Oswyntail]

Myth #01278: the town near Taunton is spelt Bridgewater

General myth #01278a: Correct spelling is completely unimportant - to insist on it proves you are a pompous toff.

 

[Muzer]

Myth Easement #30100: The station between Andover and Salisbury is spelled Grately

(Yes, seriously, look that easement up...)

 

[deltic1989]

Myth # (Oh sod the numbers): Carlton Station is in Carlton.
Myth # ?: East Midlands Parkway has a point.
Myth #: There is a workable and cost effective solution to Lincoln High St Level crossing.
Myth #: The SSR.

 

[317666]

Myth #2009: Litchurch Lane have a world-class design team, with such brilliant feats as having a ventilation system on a tube train that just blows hot air into the coach.

Myth #2009a: The 172s are very well designed. This is proven by the fact that the entire train rattles and vibrates lots when in the second or third gear, and that the front bogie rides worse than a Pacer.

 

[MK Tom]

Myth # 4472: The Newark flat crossing will one day be replaced with a bridge.

 

[Jona26]

Myth# woteva: Under no circumstances should Virgin 1st Class hosts be disturbed while they are sitting down chatting with the train manger about a colleague's previous night's sexual exploits. They will have been so busy serving the hordes of 1st Class passengers to be found on the 21:10 departure from Euston that asking for a bottle of water may tip them over the edge.

 

[Eagle]

Myth # 4472: The Newark flat crossing will one day be replaced with a bridge.

Myth number 4472 lemma 1: this is because having a flat crossing is extremely dangerous and can't be tolerated on a modern railway.

 

[tbtc]

Myth NUmber 390001:

Maria Eagle posts on Rail Forums under the name "Eagle"