FGW Statement on Quiet Carriages

[whole diary]

[LiskeardRich]

Yesterday morning an elderly lady waiting for a Crosscountry service was stood within earshot of me, having a massive moan at the platform staff (FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff) after he told her there would be no quiet coach on the service.
From her mannerism on the platform I don't think she should be anywhere near a quiet coach!

[Oxonhutch]

I have to say FGW^▸ (First Great Western) that I do resent the snugger feel when I catch a 1.5 1st stock on the way into and out of PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) in the rush, but what I really miss is my 1st quiet coach.  I hate half telephone conversations - a couple of days ago, I swear someone was starting to divorce his wife by phone - it was awful.  Please FGW, give us premium season ticket purchasers our quiet zone back - we deserve better in this regard - thanks.

[John R]

A plea - can we desist from the multiple quoting please - it gets tedious and makes viewing threads on a mobile rather difficult.

[LiskeardRich]

A plea - can we desist from the multiple quoting please - it gets tedious and makes viewing threads on a mobile rather difficult.

And putting the quotes and square brackets in the right place but yes I agree it is difficult on a mobile.

[Southern Stag]

I have to say FGW^▸ (First Great Western) that I do resent the snugger feel when I catch a 1.5 1st stock on the way into and out of PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) in the rush, but what I really miss is my 1st quiet coach.  I hate half telephone conversations - a couple of days ago, I swear someone was starting to divorce his wife by phone - it was awful.  Please FGW, give us premium season ticket purchasers our quiet zone back - we deserve better in this regard - thanks.

To me the pertinent question appears to be, why would you want to hold such a conversation in earshot of others? I normally take any phone call in the vestibule, regardless of whether I'm in the quiet coach or not. I see it is much more polite, and it gives a little welcome privacy.

[stuving]

To me the pertinent question appears to be, why would you want to hold such a conversation in earshot of others?

I guess because they feel it would be impolite to their caller to say "I can't talk I'm on a train". The vestibule option may not be relevant or may not occur to them. And they may not be aware of how near other passengers are.

A case in point. I was on a mid-afternoon (so not at all full) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) at Paddington waiting to depart, I standard airline seating, when a guy a couple of rows back takes a call. I can't see him but can hear him clearly, even though he speaks quietly, as the train isn't moving. He says "I ought to tell you about ..." but that he can't as it's too public. But then he continues the call and starts anyway, describing a horrific attack on himself and another (dog, I think) by a group of dogs. He was badly mauled and rushed to hospital, which saved his life, and has been recovering for weeks.

His manner and language were restrained, but the nature of the event was so gory that I really did not want to hear about it at all. As soon as the train started I couldn't hear him. He probably couldn't see any other passengers from where he was sat, removing that reminder that he might be overheard.

[stuving]

The FGW^▸ (First Great Western) statement that triggered this thread was correcting a Mail article, both on Thursday 31st. What the Mail piece in the paper said I don't know; the on-line one doesn't say that and is dated 25th/corrected 26th. However, once a canard gets out it can land anywhere.

Janice Turner in today's Times says "First Great Western is abolishing quiet carriages in its high-speed trains, ...", and goes on to lament the lack of quietness in trains and almost everywhere else. You could argue she hasn't said "all quiet carriages", but not I think convincingly. You'd be echoing that beyond the Fringe Russel/Moore sketch if you did (but do you have some quiet carriages in your basket?).

Who'd want to do corporate PR^▸ (Public Relations), if even the Times can't be bothered to check a fact from two days ago?

[BBM]

Who'd want to do corporate PR^▸ (Public Relations), if even the Times can't be bothered to check a fact from two days ago?

Slightly OT but last Thursday the London Evening Standard introduced an otherwise positive article on European rail travel with a main picture and an opening paragraph on the infamous Paris Montparnasse train crash of 1895 which left a steam loco hanging out from the front of the station. Talk about lazy journalism!

[grahame]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have issued this in response to a Daily Fail article.....

First Great Western's future plans for quiet carriages
Thursday 31st July 2014

First Great Western has this morning hit back at claims it is removing Quiet Carriages from all its trains (Daily Mail, 31-7-14, p15).

 A First Great Western spokesman said: "There will be a quiet carriage on all our High Speed Trains for the foreseeable future. Claims that there will be no solace for customers who want a quieter journey are simply unfounded."

 ...

No quiet carriage in the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train)?  Quietly gone - unlike the loss of the buffet which has raised a few (!) criticisms

[Timmer]

I guess because it wasn’t always respected. It only takes one anti-social individual be it in Std or 1st and the carriage is no longer quiet.

A good idea but not easy to enforce in the day and age of a lack of respect for rules.

[bobm]

This suggests the quiet carriage still exists

https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/seating-plans/intercity-express-train-9-carriage-seating-plan.pdf?la=en

[TaplowGreen]

I guess because it wasn’t always respected. It only takes one anti-social individual be it in Std or 1st and the carriage is no longer quiet.

A good idea but not easy to enforce in the day and age of a lack of respect for rules.

In my experience polite peer pressure enforces it quite effectively where necessary.

[phile]

The quiet carriage still exists on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) but identified by very small and difficult to see notices and missed by people.  DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) design again !!!!    Following daily complaints by passengers, some of whom had deliberately booked seats in this carriage, of excessive noise usually in the form of people talking on phones, more prominent notices are now being exhibited.    Tweets to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) all the time and GWR confirming this fact but it has taken a year to do now and still counting.    Unfortunately, due to the IET contract with DFT and Hitachi (Agility Trains) the work has to be done by Hitachi with GWR having no authority to do so.

[didcotdean]

There isn't one on a 5-carriage set though. Even when doubled up.

[bobm]

The quiet carriage still exists on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) but identified by very small and difficult to see notices and missed by people.  DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) design again !!!!   

The same signage problems applied to identifying the bike spaces and, I think, the disabled accommodation on the outside of the trains.