First class by train in UK.
 

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html
--
Martin

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 11:15:52 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:

    >http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html

Only time I ever venture into 1st Class is when they're offering
"Weekend First" - flat rate supplement to fill the 1st class seats
which would otherwise remain vacant on Saturdays and Sundays..

Friend of mine (retired recently) had a 1st class season ticket for
travel between Bristol and Swindon. He'd often nip into 2nd class for
some peace and quiet, as the 1st class seats wre full of people using
bleeping laptops and the customary:: Oh, HI. It's REGINALD here, yah,
I'M ON THE TRAIN, and can you ask CLARISSA to make sure those REPORTS
are ready for when I arrive oh hang on you're BREAKING UP."





Keith, Bristol, UK

DE-MUNG for email replies

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

Martin <[email protected]> wrote:

    > http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html

If you take the writer at his word, he should only have paid £221 (still
high I admit) for FOR tickets on that route, the price he paid refers to
a very few trains taking GNER down to London, and changing there. That
wasn't the route he took according to him, and it would have been
unnecessary to take the GNER route coming back either. It's possible
that the person selling the tickets was clueless about that, but I'm
more inclined to think the author looked up the most expensive possible
price, then made up the rest of the story from there... :)

There are a lot of interesting stories to be told about the immensely
complicated pricing structure on UK trains- I don't think this was one
of them!

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
photos at http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 10:39:50 +0100, Keith Anderson
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 11:15:52 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html
    >Only time I ever venture into 1st Class is when they're offering
    >"Weekend First" - flat rate supplement to fill the 1st class seats
    >which would otherwise remain vacant on Saturdays and Sundays..

The only time I have travelled first class by train has been with a
second class ticket.

BTW the rules applied to people caught on Dutch trains without a
ticket have been totally changed from today. I guess the new train
rules combined with the new "one offence qualifies for deportation of
non EU short term residents" law could result in a single trip to
oblivion.
--
Martin

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:

[]
    > Friend of mine (retired recently) had a 1st class season ticket for
    > travel between Bristol and Swindon. He'd often nip into 2nd class for
    > some peace and quiet, as the 1st class seats wre full of people using
    > bleeping laptops and the customary:: Oh, HI. It's REGINALD here, yah,
    > I'M ON THE TRAIN, and can you ask CLARISSA to make sure those REPORTS
    > are ready for when I arrive oh hang on you're BREAKING UP."

Some of the bigger trains on several companies have 'quiet coaches'
where you're not supposed to use phones etc. I've read varying reports
from others as to how effective they are, but I travel a lot in those
kinds of coaches, and they're generally pretty quiet.

With certain train companies, if you book a couple of weeks in advance,
you can get first class ticket for a similar price to a saver standard
return, providing you're willing to sacrifice flexibility. The service
can be quite good, especially on Virgin Pendolino services. Even the
eye-watering prices of the standard open return on Virgin WCML services
can be mitigated just by booking a day in advance. If you have
absolutely no choice but to travel _on_ that day, you still have a
choice of trains that regular savers are valid on. From Manchester, all
trains from 0845 onwards are offpeak. There are probably people who
don't know they have to leave for London until earlier that same
morning, but surely not _that_ many?

On the subject of phones, there are still plenty of phone yobs, but I
find people use their phones a lot less and a lot less loudly than they
were even a couple of years ago. I think there are a number of reasons
for that- partly including the ubiquity of mobile communications. Some
people realise they don't constantly have to talk on the phone, and that
trains are not always convenient places to do it- and when people do
talk they generally keep their voices down. Or at least more than they
used to. I was on a train from Saxmundham to London recently where a
colleague of mine was holding a conversation with someone on the phone
for a while. He was sitting across from me, and I couldn't really hear
what he was saying, unless I tried hard. On Virgin trains unfortunately,
it's very difficult to get a signal half the time because of the design
of the train. I wouldn't even answer a call on those trains, as the
chances of getting cut off are so high.

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
photos at http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

    > http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html

Thanks for that, Martin. Most entertaining - I know how he feels, as I've
done the same myself!

Ian

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

Ian F. <[email protected]> wrote:

    > "Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >
    > > http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html
    >
    > Thanks for that, Martin. Most entertaining - I know how he feels, as I've
    > done the same myself!

You mean paid £120 more for a ticket than you actually needed to? :)

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
photos at http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 11:04:02 +0100, "Ian F." <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected].. .
    >> http://observer.guardian.co.uk/trave...582776,00.html
    >Thanks for that, Martin. Most entertaining - I know how he feels, as I've
    >done the same myself!

The article started life in the Idler.
--
Martin

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 11:01:54 +0100, [email protected]
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco 24h
offy) wrote:

    >Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
    >[]
    >> Friend of mine (retired recently) had a 1st class season ticket for
    >> travel between Bristol and Swindon. He'd often nip into 2nd class for
    >> some peace and quiet, as the 1st class seats wre full of people using
    >> bleeping laptops and the customary:: Oh, HI. It's REGINALD here, yah,
    >> I'M ON THE TRAIN, and can you ask CLARISSA to make sure those REPORTS
    >> are ready for when I arrive oh hang on you're BREAKING UP."
    >Some of the bigger trains on several companies have 'quiet coaches'
    >where you're not supposed to use phones etc. I've read varying reports
    >from others as to how effective they are, but I travel a lot in those
    >kinds of coaches, and they're generally pretty quiet.

If I'm travelling with Great Western or Virgin, I usually travel in
the quiet coach, but there's often some jerk who apparently can't read
the crossed-out mobile phone pictogram.

My mate reckoned that the number of people who ignored the signs in
1st class were much greater than those in the 2nd class quiet coach.

Guy who cuts my hair says that there was a noisy bastard on the bus he
uses to commute from Clevdon to Bristol: "Oh, HI darling, it's me, I'M
ON THE BUS, what's for DINNER?" This went on for weeks and months, and
eventually someone at the back of the bus shouted out: "Why don't you
****ing ask her in the morning?" General laughter....and the guy has
never been seen on thje bus since!


Keith, Bristol, UK

DE-MUNG for email replies

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 11:21:12 +0100, Keith Anderson
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 11:01:54 +0100, [email protected]
    >(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco 24h
    >offy) wrote:
    >>Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>[]
    >>> Friend of mine (retired recently) had a 1st class season ticket for
    >>> travel between Bristol and Swindon. He'd often nip into 2nd class for
    >>> some peace and quiet, as the 1st class seats wre full of people using
    >>> bleeping laptops and the customary:: Oh, HI. It's REGINALD here, yah,
    >>> I'M ON THE TRAIN, and can you ask CLARISSA to make sure those REPORTS
    >>> are ready for when I arrive oh hang on you're BREAKING UP."
    >>Some of the bigger trains on several companies have 'quiet coaches'
    >>where you're not supposed to use phones etc. I've read varying reports
    >>from others as to how effective they are, but I travel a lot in those
    >>kinds of coaches, and they're generally pretty quiet.
    >If I'm travelling with Great Western or Virgin, I usually travel in
    >the quiet coach, but there's often some jerk who apparently can't read
    >the crossed-out mobile phone pictogram.
    >My mate reckoned that the number of people who ignored the signs in
    >1st class were much greater than those in the 2nd class quiet coach.

Why don't they jam the signal? Years ago I had a transistor radio pop
music hating friend, who made a device that jammed transistor radios
very effectively.

    >Guy who cuts my hair says that there was a noisy bastard on the bus he
    >uses to commute from Clevdon to Bristol: "Oh, HI darling, it's me, I'M
    >ON THE BUS, what's for DINNER?" This went on for weeks and months, and
    >eventually someone at the back of the bus shouted out: "Why don't you
    >****ing ask her in the morning?" General laughter....and the guy has
    >never been seen on thje bus since!

LOL!!
--
Martin

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

Keith Anderson <[email protected]> wrote:

    > On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 11:01:54 +0100, [email protected]
    > (chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco 24h
    > offy) wrote:
[]
    > >Some of the bigger trains on several companies have 'quiet coaches'
    > >where you're not supposed to use phones etc. I've read varying reports
    > >from others as to how effective they are, but I travel a lot in those
    > >kinds of coaches, and they're generally pretty quiet.
    >
    > If I'm travelling with Great Western or Virgin, I usually travel in
    > the quiet coach, but there's often some jerk who apparently can't read
    > the crossed-out mobile phone pictogram.

I've noticed that a few times, but usually someone has said something
and the person has either stopped making noise, or just moved. One issue
is when you've got people holding a conversation. I personally think
that the quiet coach should be _quiet_, but there can be problems when
people have reserved seats in those coaches- it's not always clear where
you'll be seated. Earlier in the year, I was travelling a lot between
Manchester and Birmingham, including further down to your neck of the
woods, and I was usually quite pleased with the quiet coaches.

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
photos at http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

Martin <[email protected]> wrote:

    > On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 11:21:12 +0100, Keith Anderson
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
[]
    > >My mate reckoned that the number of people who ignored the signs in
    > >1st class were much greater than those in the 2nd class quiet coach.
    >
    > Why don't they jam the signal? Years ago I had a transistor radio pop
    > music hating friend, who made a device that jammed transistor radios
    > very effectively.

I seem to remember seeing this discussed in another newsgroup- and the
answer given was it's illegal- i.e. to interfere with signals. I can't
vouch for that though.

    >
    > >
    > >Guy who cuts my hair says that there was a noisy bastard on the bus he
    > >uses to commute from Clevdon to Bristol: "Oh, HI darling, it's me, I'M
    > >ON THE BUS, what's for DINNER?" This went on for weeks and months, and
    > >eventually someone at the back of the bus shouted out: "Why don't you
    > >****ing ask her in the morning?" General laughter....and the guy has
    > >never been seen on thje bus since!
    >
    > LOL!!

There's a story from a while back where some annoying person on a train
was lying about his whereabouts to his partner, and several people
apparently shouted out 'he's lying!' or something similar!

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
photos at http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

On Sun, 2 Oct 2005 11:30:46 +0100, [email protected]
(chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco 24h
offy) wrote:

    >Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 11:21:12 +0100, Keith Anderson
    >> <[email protected]> wrote:
    >[]
    >> >My mate reckoned that the number of people who ignored the signs in
    >> >1st class were much greater than those in the 2nd class quiet coach.
    >>
    >> Why don't they jam the signal? Years ago I had a transistor radio pop
    >> music hating friend, who made a device that jammed transistor radios
    >> very effectively.
    >I seem to remember seeing this discussed in another newsgroup- and the
    >answer given was it's illegal- i.e. to interfere with signals. I can't
    >vouch for that though.

Turning the compartment into a Faraday cage would be adequate.

    >>
    >> >
    >> >Guy who cuts my hair says that there was a noisy bastard on the bus he
    >> >uses to commute from Clevdon to Bristol: "Oh, HI darling, it's me, I'M
    >> >ON THE BUS, what's for DINNER?" This went on for weeks and months, and
    >> >eventually someone at the back of the bus shouted out: "Why don't you
    >> >****ing ask her in the morning?" General laughter....and the guy has
    >> >never been seen on thje bus since!
    >>
    >> LOL!!
    >There's a story from a while back where some annoying person on a train
    >was lying about his whereabouts to his partner, and several people
    >apparently shouted out 'he's lying!' or something similar!

LOL

I should have thought of that. Thanks for the tip :-)

"I'm at Linate"
"I'm checking in"
"I'm getting on the bus to the plane"
"I'm getting off the bus to that plane"
"I'm ....
... in Rosie's knocking shop having a quick massage"
--
Martin

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

    > The article started life in the Idler.

/me subscribes

Ian

Re: First class by train in UK.
 

"chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco 24h offy"
<[email protected]> wrote in message

    > You mean paid £120 more for a ticket than you actually needed to? :)

*shrug* Quite possibly, yes.

Ian