Train Fellows - Shutting Doors Keeps The Train On Time

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Quote from the latest Train Fellows post (link below) :
http://trainfellows.blogspot.com/2007/12/genuinely-new-experience.html

The irony is that the train was really quiet today. This goes to prove my understanding and indeed FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s understanding or the railways - This railway would always run on time if it weren't for the passengers.

Or more literally translated: It's not the fault of FGW that the trains are late. It's the customers who don't shut the doors that delay the trains.
 
Damn these customers..

[Timmer]

It does help when travelling on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to close the door behind you if no one is boarding/leaving the train.

[Conner]

It does help when travelling on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to close the door behind you if no one is boarding/leaving the train.

But then there is those idiots who get up as the train pulls into the station and can't open the doors.

[Btline]

Simple solution:

Put springs on the doors so they slam shut by themselves.

Or order "Mark 4" or new "Mark 5" coaches to replace the Mk 3 ones. The doors are automatic.

Or keep the Class 180s. The doors are automatic.

Gosh, in two minutes I have come up with three solutions. I must be good....

[devon_metro]

Simple solution:

1)Put springs on the doors so they slam shut by themselves.

2)Or order "Mark 4" or new "Mark 5" coaches to replace the Mk 3 ones. The doors are automatic.

1) What happens when somebody with heavy luggage cannot get it off the train without the door closing on them, also bear in mind considerable force is needed to close the doors so the chance of them hurting somebody is quite high.

2) Does the Daft/FGW^▸ (First Great Western) really have the dosh to splash out on new stock when the Mk3s are perfectly fine, and much safer than the mk4s along with having a better ride quality.

I don't see why everybody is incapable of closing the bloody doors!!!

[Mookiemoo]

It does help when travelling on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) to close the door behind you if no one is boarding/leaving the train.

But then there is those idiots who get up as the train pulls into the station and can't open the doors.

Or those who cant open the doors full stop!

I am 5' 2'' and have short arms - I physically cannot reach the outside handle through the windows that dont open fully.

And at Foregate street - I have to crawl onto the train as the step is so high above the platform I physically cannot step up to it with a 24 inch inside leg!

I am NOT disabled - I am a 31 year old reasonably fit female - but sometime I feel I should be disabled

[vacman]

Simple solution:

1)Put springs on the doors so they slam shut by themselves.

2)Or order "Mark 4" or new "Mark 5" coaches to replace the Mk 3 ones. The doors are automatic.

1) What happens when somebody with heavy luggage cannot get it off the train without the door closing on them, also bear in mind considerable force is needed to close the doors so the chance of them hurting somebody is quite high.

2) Does the Daft/FGW^▸ (First Great Western) really have the dosh to splash out on new stock when the Mk3s are perfectly fine, and much safer than the mk4s along with having a better ride quality.

I don't see why everybody is incapable of closing the bloody doors!!!

Sliding plug doors should have been fitted to MKIII's when built!

[Graz]

Silly question that there's probably an obvious answer for- why isn't there a door handle on the other side of the door so people don't have to reach out the window?

[devon_metro]

Even with CDL^▸ (Central Door Locking) locked operation of the door handle will take the door off latch and if it is inside, it may get knocked.

[John R]

The Mk3s don't have handles on the inside because as built they didn't have CDL^▸ (Central Door Locking). So it would be easy to open the door when the train was moving, with the inevitable consequences. When CDL was introduced a few years ago, because there were a number of fatalities when the door "mysteriously" opened from the inside, the upgrade bolted the doors shut with a mechanism that I believe is independent of the handle. So there was no need to change the handle, and to do so would have added considerable cost to the project.

   

[Btline]

Sliding plug doors should have been fitted to MKIII's when built!

Why weren't they? Was the technology around?

That is the only fault with the Mk3s (except the lack of tilt), and I hope the new Mk5 (HST2s) are just like the Mk3/4s with just these functions added.

[vacman]

The Irish MKIII's have sliding plug doors and so do the "Wessex electrics" which are a MKIII body.

[moonraker]

I am 5' 2'' and have short arms - I physically cannot reach the outside handle through the windows that dont open fully.

And at Foregate street - I have to crawl onto the train as the step is so high above the platform I physically cannot step up to it with a 24 inch inside leg!

I am NOT disabled - I am a 31 year old reasonably fit female - but sometime I feel I should be disabled

Is it only HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s that are too high ? at Freshford (Wilts BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) - WSB^» (Westbury - next trains)) after years of campaining the platform height has been raised, one dear lady before the work was done used to bring her own stool.......

[Jim]

I am 5' 2'' and have short arms - I physically cannot reach the outside handle through the windows that dont open fully.

And at Foregate street - I have to crawl onto the train as the step is so high above the platform I physically cannot step up to it with a 24 inch inside leg!

I am NOT disabled - I am a 31 year old reasonably fit female - but sometime I feel I should be disabled

Is it only HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s that are too high ? at Freshford (Wilts BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) - WSB^» (Westbury - next trains)) after years of campaining the platform height has been raised, one dear lady before the work was done used to bring her own stool.......

Was Freshford that was raised, due to units being too much of a step.

[devon_metro]

Me thinks, with the 142s, that Starcross needs rasing, I was thoroughly astonished at the step.