Why does everybody hate XC?

[caliwag]

Indeed as a colour blind person...one of 7% of men and a small % of women I am oft confused by colour based maps, charts, graphs and even silly sign-ins like the 125 group site...all lost on me.

I have not read all this thread, but what angers me is the fact that, at a glance on EC, you can see paper reservations. With all this stupid hi-tech stuff you need to faff around at each seat until you have worked out that someone might be joining at Newton Abbot or where-ever. Technology making life worse!!

 

[route:oxford]

I have not read all this thread, but what angers me is the fact that, at a glance on EC, you can see paper reservations. With all this stupid hi-tech stuff you need to faff around at each seat until you have worked out that someone might be joining at Newton Abbot or where-ever. Technology making life worse!!

Not entirely sure that it's worth getting angry about really...

But

It would be helpful if instead of scrolling


".........This"
"....This Seat"
"This Seat is "
"Seat is Not R"
" Not Reserved"

It simply said...

"Not Reserved"

No "cool" scrolling, just plain old "Not Reserved"

 

[tbtc]

Not entirely sure that it's worth getting angry about really...

But

It would be helpful if instead of scrolling


".........This"
"....This Seat"
"This Seat is "
"Seat is Not R"
" Not Reserved"

It simply said...

"Not Reserved"

No "cool" scrolling, just plain old "Not Reserved"

I've suggested before that it'd be a big help if reserved was "light on dark" and unreserved was "dark on light" (or the other way round), so you's know straight away whether it was worth a look at or not

Would also be better if "this seat is not reserved" was shortened to something like "FREE" (in line with your thoughts)

 

[MCR247]

Pumbaa came up with a great idea where you'd have colour LED screens, with it being

[Green] Not reserved
[Orange] Available to xx
[Red] Reserved until xxx

 

[tbtc]

Pumbaa came up with a great idea where you'd have colour LED screens, with it being

[Green] Not reserved
[Orange] Available to xx
[Red] Reserved until xxx

That is a good idea, if you can get round the "colour blind" issue

 

[route:oxford]

Would also be better if "this seat is not reserved" was shortened to something like "FREE" (in line with your thoughts)

"I don't need to pay, the seat is Free".

 

[tbtc]

"I don't need to pay, the seat is Free".

FAir point

 

[MCR247]

That is a good idea, if you can get round the "colour blind" issue

I suppose, but then it will still just say it in black and white, not idea, but still. The colour is extra, to help people

 

[d1015fan]

the1914 off taunton usually comes as a 220+221 service to penzance

 

[shinkansen1966]

Yes, everybody hates XC. Even the DfT has had enough of them. October's Modern Railways reports that XC now pay regular fines to DfT because they've not installed WiFi on their trains. DfT have given them several extentions on the deadline. And there's no sign of the promised late 10 min before travel reservation feature as well.

 

[The Planner]

If the DfT has had enough, why not show some backbone and actually enforce a proper penalty. Arriva know they can get away with blagging them so they will carry on.

 

[thefab444]

I think theres a double set used on the Manchester - Bournemouths too but I dont work them so couldnt tell you what!

0927 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth
1445 Bournemouth - Manchester Piccadilly

 

[swt_passenger]

0927 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth
1445 Bournemouth - Manchester Piccadilly

Problem is if they don't provide that info in the timetables, there's no incentive for people who can travel any time to go for particular trains. Same with the HSTs to Plymouth during the week. I asked XC why, if the diagrams were set, the timetables shouldn't mention it, and got the usual waffle reply saying it was all too difficult...

So it's even more ridiculous that you can get the info from the relevant FGW timetables, where they show H or V next to the XC services...

 

[shinkansen1966]

So it's even more ridiculous that you can get the info from the relevant FGW timetables, where they show H or V next to the XC services...

East Midlands show the rolling stock on their timetable. As do East Coast trains. Remember the old BR timetable when 125 was shown in a box above the relevant timetable ?

It's not hard XC. You just can't be arsed.

 

[leedstraindude]

I love how every enthusiast thinks they can do better!

 

[Aictos]

I love how every enthusiast thinks they can do better!

But it's not difficult to put some indicator of the expected rolling stock in any timetable, FCC do quite well in the peaks advising passengers which are booked as 4, 8 and 12 car services and EMT do the same with their timetables advising passengers if the booked rolling stock is a HST or a 222.

So to be truthful, it really isn't that difficult to do!

 

[leedstraindude]

It isnt hard to do I will agree with you on that, but truth be told all that will happen is some people will get riled up when a four car 220 turns up vice five car 221, and use it as an excuse to abuse the staff.

 

[MCR247]

It will just say Voyager, and HST. I doubt many people will know the difference between a 220 and a 221 anyway....

Can you imagine being at New Street

'I want a refund, your timetable said this would be a class 221. This is a 220. This is unacceptable'

Its not as if its a suggestion that isn't already in use with GW, EC and EM is it?

 

[tbtc]

It will just say Voyager, and HST. I doubt many people will know the difference between a 220 and a 221 anyway....

I wouldn't know the difference, but I do notice the difference between a four coach Voyager and a five coach one. If Virgin showed which trains would longer/ shorter then that may encourage passengers to "pick" their journeys

(not all passengers have the luxury of this, I know, but some leisure passengers would move to the trains that the timetable said had more seats)

 

[Failed Unit]

It will just say Voyager, and HST. I doubt many people will know the difference between a 220 and a 221 anyway....

Can you imagine being at New Street

'I want a refund, your timetable said this would be a class 221. This is a 220. This is unacceptable'

Its not as if its a suggestion that isn't already in use with GW, EC and EM is it?

I remember GNER once apologising that the book Electric set was in fact a HST. I suppose it did play up the reservations a little, but everyone that had reserved a seat go a seat. Scotrail don't advertise train length on the timetable but they still on the monitors put 3 cars only when a train is short formed. These things happen.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Yes, everybody hates XC. Even the DfT has had enough of them. October's Modern Railways reports that XC now pay regular fines to DfT because they've not installed WiFi on their trains. DfT have given them several extentions on the deadline. And there's no sign of the promised late 10 min before travel reservation feature as well.

Never sure how that was going to work anyway. I get on at Edinburgh and I am going to Derby, the seat is not reserved. I get to Leeds and someone kicks me out of my seat as they reserved it 10 minutes ago. I now need to stand. I am not impressed :roll: Unless I can reserve it myself by sitting in it.

 

[tbtc]

Never sure how that was going to work anyway. I get on at Edinburgh and I am going to Derby, the seat is not reserved. I get to Leeds and someone kicks me out of my seat as they reserved it 10 minutes ago. I now need to stand. I am not impressed :roll: Unless I can reserve it myself by sitting in it.

I thought the reference was to ten minutes before it left the first station on the journey?

 

[leedstraindude]

The ten minute reservation is currently being trialled between Manchester and Birmingham and has been for some time according to briefs put out.

The aim is so that you can go to any station on that trains journey upto ten minutes before it arrives there and make a reservation.

Again another thing designed to make the life easy of the staff!

 

[MCR247]

I wouldn't know the difference, but I do notice the difference between a four coach Voyager and a five coach one. If Virgin showed which trains would longer/ shorter then that may encourage passengers to "pick" their journeys

(not all passengers have the luxury of this, I know, but some leisure passengers would move to the trains that the timetable said had more seats)

But what I meant, if the TTs simply said

'V'
'HST'

at the top and then in the notes it said 'Voyager with info' and 'HSTs with info'

 

[Failed Unit]

I thought the reference was to ten minutes before it left the first station on the journey?

Although this has been answered by the post below, if it was 10 minutes before the departure from the first station it would be little use on Plymouth - Edinburgh trains (Penzance - Aberdeen)

As I said I can't see it working in practice.

Going off topic it would be nice to be able to choose a seat in the same way that airlines such as BA let you. I guess that is going to cost a lot of money in software!

 

[MCR247]

You can do that with XC on their services now

 

[Failed Unit]

You can do that with XC on their services now

Are they the only operator doing this. I haven't used them for many years, I normally travel via London for my journeys to the southwest. Much more pleasent experience and much cheaper!

 

[swt_passenger]

But what I meant, if the TTs simply said

'V'
'HST'

at the top and then in the notes it said 'Voyager with info' and 'HSTs with info'

Type of Voyager, 220 or 221 isn't a lot of use, but indicating doubling them up would be useful, so I'd go for 'HST', 'V', or 'VV'.

Mind DB might prefer V1 or V2...


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The ten minute reservation is currently being trialled between Manchester and Birmingham and has been for some time according to briefs put out.

The aim is so that you can go to any station on that trains journey upto ten minutes before it arrives there and make a reservation.

Again another thing designed to make the life easy of the staff!

The reason it'll never work is that the original plan had the TM going down the train after every new joiner had sat down, marking off on some gadget where the free seats had just been taken...

 

[David Pemberton]

I'll do anything to avoid a Voyager - including 3 changes on my return from Edinburgh this Monday. National Rail website suggests 1500 EDB-NOT is best done by taking XC Voyager to Derby and then changing to Nottingham arriving 1935. It was far more comfortable by taking EC to York, very short Voyager hop to Doncaster, EC to Grantham, EMT to Nottingham, arriving at 1937 - but actually at 1935 because the timetable has recovery time.

Even first class 30 mins in the Voyager from York to Doncaster confirmed I'd made the right choice not to ride one all the way to Derby. Standard class looked packed with people standing in the vestibules.

My mother had to travel from Bristol to Leeds the other week. I knew what she would face and so paid to upgrade her to first which made the journey just bareable.

My daily commute usually puts me on a Meridian up to London - even though closely related to the Voyager it is far superior.

 

[Foxhound]

I love how every enthusiast thinks they can do better!

Some of the 'enthusiasts' on here are either current or former railway employees...., and no, it isn't difficult to have a published TT with headings for HST/Voyager or not. The old GBTT was doing it when HST was introduced. Before I was annoying the TOPS office for gen or blagging a WTT of platform staff, that was one way to avoid a tram....

Nowadays I use the facility with FGW's TT to actually ensure I get a tram....

I'll do anything to avoid a Voyager

Off to a conference in Leeds in November. Direct with a Voyager takes less than six hours. Via Pad with FGW and KGX with EC takes about 45-55 minutes longer, and isn't that much more cost-wise for the times of day I need to travel. I shall be using the latter option!

 

[Geezertronic]

Is there any theory behind whether a 4 car 220/221 or 5 car 221 turns up? Are the 5 car 221's on specific routes/diagrams?