Virgin trains 1st class headrest bib

[GodAtum]

On the BBC show Hugh's War on Waste, in some scenes he sits on what I think is Virgin trains 1st class. But it looks like they've removed the headrest bibs so as hide the fact?

 

[backontrack]

These are called antimacassars.

 

[ffm]

Probably filmed when the Pendolinos were in the middle of the coach changes - coach G became a standard class coach, but before every one went through Longsight for the seats etc to be changed they declassified all coach Gs. The way they did this was to remove the anti-maccassars, cutlery and crockery. Otherwise a first calss coach, was a good one to travel in and free wifi still worked!

 

[Mojo]

Probably filmed when the Pendolinos were in the middle of the coach changes - coach G became a standard class coach, but before every one went through Longsight for the seats etc to be changed they declassified all coach Gs. The way they did this was to remove the anti-maccassars, cutlery and crockery. Otherwise a first calss coach, was a good one to travel in and free wifi still worked!

Don't count on it. See it on TV (normally on the news) quite often, where someone is clearly travelling in First class and the antimacassar has been removed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Probably filmed when the Pendolinos were in the middle of the coach changes - coach G became a standard class coach, but before every one went through Longsight for the seats etc to be changed they declassified all coach Gs. The way they did this was to remove the anti-maccassars, cutlery and crockery. Otherwise a first calss coach, was a good one to travel in and free wifi still worked!

As an aside, have they all (well, all the 9-cars) been changed now?

 

[thenorthern]

Don't count on it. See it on TV (normally on the news) quite often, where someone is clearly travelling in First class and the antimacassar has been removed.

Especially when politicians are on the train.

 

[Mag_seven]

Don't count on it. See it on TV (normally on the news) quite often, where someone is clearly travelling in First class and the antimacassar has been removed.

It would be ironic would it not - BBC presenter on programme about waste travels 1st class!

 

[backontrack]

Well, if you pay for it, you're entitled to it. It's your own money. And it also leaves space for those in standard class, although using that logic you could just scrap first class and replace it with more standard class.

 

[miami]

Bbc policy on first class travel:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/foi/classes/policies_procedures/bbc_expenses_policy_sm.pdf

First class rail travel is not permitted. The only exceptions are:
 Where the passenger has a contractual arrangement to travel first class, for example on air talent where it is included in their employment terms and conditions, in which case the travel must be authorised in writing by the appropriate Controller.
 To secure sole occupancy of a sleeping compartment.
 Where it can be demonstrated that it is the cheapest ticketing option of all available
tickets.

I imagine when permission is sought to film on a train things are handled by a press officer from a TOC who likely chooses the quietest part of the train - ie first class.

 

[Mojo]

Bbc policy on first class travel:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/foi/classes/policies_procedures/bbc_expenses_policy_sm.pdf

Surely any fares would have been paid by the production company, KEO films, rather than the BBC, and thus the BBC policy is irrelevant?

 

[Hellfire]

Surely any fares would have been paid by the production company, KEO films, rather than the BBC, and thus the BBC policy is irrelevant?

You are right The BBC policy only applies to BBC staff

 

[Sod]

Although I understand the etymology of the word, I would still like to think that a promacassar existed somewhere on the rail network.

 

[miami]

Although I understand the etymology of the word, I would still like to think that a promacassar existed somewhere on the rail network.

Just don't put an antimacasser and promacassar on the same seat!

 

[tsr]

"We apologise that due to severe overcrowding, First Class has been promacassarified on this service."

 

[Starmill]

It always makes me think that dandruff is 'macassar'

 

[amateur]

Especially when politicians are on the train.

image

 

[ScotTrains]

image

I hope they don't serve him any food. Don't want to upset the other passengers!

 

[theshillito]

image

It's okay. He removed the antimacassar.

 

[lincolnshire]

It's okay. He removed the antimacassar.

Have noticed that before that the ( posh name ) antimacassar has been removed from the seat backs when been shown on television when people are interviewed en-route. Do they think that we don,t know where they are sitting on the train.
But you do get them on the backs of standard class seats on Hull trains, but they are only a paper type thing.

 

[thenorthern]

I don't understand the issue with senior politicians traveling First Class, at the end of the day they are very important people and being a member of the cabinet or shadow cabinet should come with at least some privileges.

I also think its great that our senior politicians can travel by public train and don't need to have private jets or large motorcades which cost a lot of money and cause disruption.

 

[dcsprior]

I don't understand the issue with senior politicians traveling First Class, at the end of the day they are very important people and being a member of the cabinet or shadow cabinet should come with at least some privileges.

I also think its great that our senior politicians can travel by public train and don't need to have private jets or large motorcades which cost a lot of money and cause disruption.

I also have no problems with senior politicians travelling in 1st class. Not because they're very important politicians, but because anyone who is expected to spend their own time on work travel should at least get a comfy seat and some food.

 

[Mag_seven]

I don't understand the issue with senior politicians traveling First Class

Because these "senior politicians" are imposing austerity on the rest of us and making the poorest in society suffer for a crisis caused by bankers - that's why!

 

[miami]

I also have no problems with senior politicians travelling in 1st class. Not because they're very important politicians, but because anyone who is expected to spend their own time on work travel should at least get a comfy seat and some food.

LOL

Like that would ever happen.

Here's the civil service policy. Two of the exceptions may have applied, although I'm not convinced about the security concerns one - if there are security concerns in standard, there would be in first as well - those doors aren't magical.

Travel by rail
....
2.6
When travelling by rail you must always travel standard class,
....
2.7
Exceptionally first class travel can be booked if the following apply: your train journey is longer than three hours. This does not include any time spent waiting for, or changing, trains or getting to the train station, even if this is from your home;
....
where there are serious security concerns

Civil service is quite generous with travel policies -- over 3 hours gets first class trains, and over 6 hours gets business class flights, no questions asked.

 

[185]

These are called antimacassars.

Around twenty years ago, I was asked on my first day on East Coast Intercity (almost GNER) to go and locate Auntie McAssars, a small Scottish lady who is usually hanging round in First Class.

 

[noddingdonkey]

Using first class, as a quieter environment for filming, seems entirely appropriate to me.

 

[6Gman]

Using first class, as a quieter environment for filming, seems entirely appropriate to me.

If Hugo F-W was wittering on in my (Standard) coach I'd be awfully tempted to get in an argument with him.

[I dislike bandwagon jumpers whose only qualification is that they are celebrity chefs...]

Probably best that he stays in First.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Around twenty years ago, I was asked on my first day on East Coast Intercity (almost GNER) to go and locate Auntie McAssars, a small Scottish lady who is usually hanging round in First Class.

That's beautiful on so, so, so many levels.

 

[backontrack]

That's beautiful on so, so, so many levels.

Indeed.

 

[thenorthern]

With politicians traveling in First Class personally just find it good that our politicians can travel on regular trains to get around the country while Barack Obama has his own private Air Force One and a Motorcade consisting of 20-30 vehicles, Benjamin Netanyahu has a large amount of armed security wherever he goes and Vladimir Putin used to close off an entire Moscow main street just to get to work in the morning. By contrast David Cameron going in First Class isn't that bigger deal.

As you say though it is quite funny when politicians remove the antimacassars but there are give aways that they are in First Class.

I remember a couple of years ago Nicholas Winterton MP got angry that he couldn't travel First Class and claim for it after the expenses scandal but as he had always been a backbencher I didn't see the need for him to travel First Class.