Anyone Been on a Train Recently?

That Jekka Gal

That Jekka Gal

That Jekka Gal

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2 Oct 2019
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Castle Cary
I just have. For about the first time in 10 years & can see why those new Hitachi trains are known as Hirohito’s revenge.

Small, uncomfortable seats that are about as comfortable as riding on an ironing board with Ryan Air levels of leg room. Your also forced to sit in a bolt upright position- I can’t remember if the old HSTs had reclinable seats but at least there was some degree of rake. As there was upholstery.

Oh, and where’s the buffet? There wasn’t even a trolley service as the contracted supplier went under during Covid and there was little appetite to reinstate the service, according to the guard.

Well, it would have been nice to have been forewarned so that I could have brought some refreshments for the 3 hour ride.

Once we were told, “This is the age of the train” and 50 years later this is where we are. Incredible, really. Next time I shall take the car.
 
Depends which operator it was as to the quality of the comfort. I usually travel LNER and seatfrog up to 1st class. It is usually a comfortable and pleasent experience. TPE are "OK". Crosscountry trains are probably the worst of the "long haul" operators. Old, dirty, noisy (I beleive all of their rolling stock is still diesel rather than the rather nice newer electric fleet of LNER).

If you are talking "commuter" trains like the ones which travel in and out of the London and other city commuter belts, East Mids Railway, London Northwestern etc then yeah, they are awful.
 
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MichaelAwkward said:
Literally any amount of research before you travelled would've forewarned you of all those things... and certain trains certainly still do have a buffet/catering service.
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Research?? I’d naturally assumed there’d be a refreshment service because there always is (was) so why would I research something I’dvtaken as a given?
 
BDEE said:
Depends which operator it was as to the quality of the comfort. I usually travel LNER and seatfrog up to 1st class. It is usually a comfortable and pleasent experience. TPE are "OK". Crosscountry trains are probably the worst of the "long haul" operators. Old, dirty, noisy (I beleive all of their rolling stock is still diesel rather than the rather nice newer electric fleet of LNER).

If you are talking "commuter" trains like the ones which travel in and out of the London and other city commuter belts, East Mids Railway, London Northwestern etc then yeah, they are awful.
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GWR Exeter to Paddington
 
I travelled down to London just before Christmas. The journey down was ok, but coming back was like sitting on a block of wood.

Considering the ticket was £160.99 each way (worked paid), I'll drive next time.
 
That Jekka Gal said:
I just have. For about the first time in 10 years & can see why those new Hitachi trains are known as Hirohito’s revenge.

Small, uncomfortable seats that are about as comfortable as riding on an ironing board with Ryan Air levels of leg room. Your also forced to sit in a bolt upright position- I can’t remember if the old HSTs had reclinable seats but at least there was some degree of rake. As there was upholstery.

Oh, and where’s the buffet? There wasn’t even a trolley service as the contracted supplier went under during Covid and there was little appetite to reinstate the service, according to the guard.

Well, it would have been nice to have been forewarned so that I could have brought some refreshments for the 3 hour ride.

Once we were told, “This is the age of the train” and 50 years later this is where we are. Incredible, really. Next time I shall take the car.
Click to expand...

When are you going to stop pretending to be a woman?
 
glenimp617 said:
I travelled down to London just before Christmas. The journey down was ok, but coming back was like sitting on a block of wood.

Considering the ticket was £160.99 each way (worked paid), I'll drive next time.
Click to expand...

You can fly to parts of Europe for less. UK public transport is awful and expensive.

Cheaper to drive, even if you have to pay the Khan tax.
 
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I was on a two-change journey today. For the first leg the available info failed, as the train was marked as "Delayed" at the origin station on nationalrail live departures. Consequently I got a taxi to the station of my first change as soon as I could see that second train had left its origin station. The taxi cost one pound less than the entire train ticket. I got there with mins to spare but, as if to mock me, my original train rocked up. I was pretty mad. The second leg went without incident. The final leg was on a short high speed thing, operated by TransPennine. Seemed fine, but the windows were filthy and it spoiled the beautiful views of North Lancashire. Almost everyone puts a bag down to stop others sitting next to them. And everyone was coughing. Also loud music. And kids.

Otherwise I enjoyed it. Lol.
 
I just cant bring myself to give any of them my money anymore. I dont think I'll ever bother traveling by rail unless fully paid for by work. Rail travel is just horrifically expensive for the product you actually get, and thats before we even start talking about overcrowding and delays.
It tends to be on average over double the price of driving myself and around about the same travel time, that dosnt even include travel to and from the stations at either end.
 
trains and refreshments ? growing up and living in South East London most of my life (until i escaped a few years ago), all I remember from trains is the smell of wee and cannabis.
 
I can literally travel faster on a 50cc Moped that my local train service.

The Government dont give a monkeys about anyone outside of South East England.
 
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