What am I, psychic...?

[jon0844]

The one that makes me chuckle as a passenger is when you see a queue of people all waiting to ask staff "is this the train to London?" Despite there beong a monitor showing the destination, and also screens on the train showing where it's going. And when they get on, they inevitably ask at least three other passengers where the train is going!

That's a bit stupid. If the screen/CIS is wrong, the people on the train would give the wrong information too.

 

[EM2]

Whilst I don't, as a customer, wish to denigrate my fellow passengers, it's remarkable how few people know which train is the "front train".

This is why, when I do announcements, I say 'the front five coaches only, furthest from the ticket barriers'.

 

[craigwilson]

Whilst I don't, as a customer, wish to denigrate my fellow passengers, it's remarkable how few people know which train is the "front train".

And amusingly, this always seems to happen in bay platforms (e.g. Manchester Picc) where trains can only leave one way!!

 

[exile]

And amusingly, this always seems to happen in bay platforms (e.g. Manchester Picc) where trains can only leave one way!!

Yes, I imagine they think the train can leap over the one in front of it.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

This is why, when I do announcements, I say 'the front five coaches only, furthest from the ticket barriers'.

Yes, I imagine they think the train can leap over the one in front of it.

It does it does!!!

 

[boing_uk]

I suppose for some passengers, having being bitten once by looking only at departure monitors and destination blinds, will tend to ask staff (or anyone) where a particular train is going to.

Im a fairly confident rail traveller, but have been directed to the wrong trains twice in the past by platform announcements and screens. Once was at Preston, bound for Blackburn and myself and a good 30 other passengers boarded the Manchester Victoria train because both the screens and the platform announcements said the train was for Colne. Having been bitten by that one, a few months later was at Birmingham New Street, bound for Northampton... and having to quickly get off and move to another platform, because that unit was now going to Shrewsbury. It even said London Euston on the display on the unit when I got on!

So I am a little less critical when I hear folks asking seemingly dumb questions; they've probably been caught out before by the railway (and lets face it, for most people it is still one railway, one company, one operation). Of course, when the opportunity arises, I still take the time to misdirect the occasional person who, if only they took the time and their head out of their bottoms, could figure it out for themselves.

 

[bb21]

Well it isn't possible when a train doesnt have electric displays like 22x & 390s.

Do they not? I thought they all had displays on/near the doors and inside the carriages.

 

[Mike395]

Do they not? I thought they all had displays on/near the doors and inside the carriages.

I read it the other way - 22x and 390s do have electronic screens so coach A can theoretically be at either end of the train. A lot of others such as HSTs and 225s dont.

(However, in any case, it wouldnt be practical as train layouts arent symmetrical )

 

[MCR247]

Do they not? I thought they all had displays on/near the doors and inside the carriages.

Sorry, I meant when they don't have ones, like the 390s DO