Bright lights! Bright lights! (Poor Gizmo could never travel with FGW)

[whole diary]

[lj2]

Thank you for your email of #. I was very sorry to see that you are unhappy with the lighting on our High Speed Trains.

On top of the ^63 million+ we invested in renewing the interiors, we replaced all the current engines with a more reliable and environmentally friendly model. We made these changes partly as a result of customer feedback, and partly because we wanted our customers' journeys to be more comfortable. Most of the feedback we are getting says that we have succeeded, so I am disappointed that the changes are not to your liking.

When the refreshment of our High Speed fleet was first completed, there was some feedback from passengers that indicated the lighting was generally considered too bright. We therefore reduced the lighting levels as a result.

We do appreciate any comments from our passengers as we view this as a positive factor in the process of enabling us to continually monitor and improve upon the services that we do offer; so I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your comments. As a result of your email, I will record your views for the attention of the relevant managers, in support of again lowering the lighting levels, and also in support of introducing a 'lights off' carriage.

Thank you again for your email and for your valued feedback.

Names, dates, references omitted to protect the innocent. In response to feedback sent to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) customer services via the on-website form.
Smoke or mirrors? :-)

[tramway]

Very impressed with the response.

Interesting that the lighting levels raised their ugly head again. Probably the worst thing that the early 150 refresh did.

[gaf71]

Chances of getting a 'lights off' coach = none!

[smithy]

Chances of getting a 'lights off' coach = none!

as far as i am aware a lights off carriage would not be allowed for safety reasons,half lighting is the only option.
for example if a dmu has a lighting fault then the carriage has to be locked out until set can be swapped out for repairs.

[Btline]

Really? I have travelled with Central Trains twice in an unlighted 150 carriage.

The journey involved a tunnel (and the rest of the journey I did not take involved an even longer one!).

Or was that just Central Trains?!

[welshman]

Speaking as a l*w**r, I think if you were in an unlit carriage and were attacked/injured yourself I'd be taking the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) to the cleaners.

I travelled on a two car ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC)) to Merthyr a few months ago.  Car 2 engine wouldn't run and there were no lights in it either.  I suggested to the guard/conductor/train manager that he ought to have everyone in the lit car since it was getting dark and the hazards were obvious.  He agreed and said he was going to do that at the next station anyway to comply with orders.

Was a slow trip up to Merthyr.

I think your Central person was off message.

[lj2]

Really no chance of a lights off carriage?
NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) (Or when they were back in the One days) always used to have a lights off coach A. I remember frequently traveling from Ipswich to London around the 2300 express with Coach A being dark and it was generally socially accepted that stopping customers boarding after Ipswich didn't bother the express customers trying to get some kip.
On the crime side of things: That train stopped at Stratford and I don't ever remember feeling unsafe. I don't think Kemble or Tiverton Parkway are more dangerous than Stratford.

Obviously local trains are a different matter, You couldn't sleep on a 142 if you wanted to. I'm just refering to HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train), properly managed with CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), with quiet coaches being enforced e.g. disruptive groups of people being kept away (Which Virgin Trains can do on a busy Saturday afternoon). It's not so much a safety issue as a common sense issue.

P.S. Airplanes have dark cabins sometimes on night flights. Ferries for that matter also sometimes have dark lounges on night crossings. Night-trains are also dark.... National Express is dark, much more dangerous on a rocky bus stopping at all kinds of dodgy service stations surely??
Whats wrong with fgw re-introducing some trendy aisle lighting and some reading lights??

Sorry, I don't see this as such a "far fetched" idea.

[smokey]

First, you can travel every night (except Saturday) IN THE TOTAL DARK on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Services, just book a Sleeper Berth and you Can have the Lights ON or OFF (there is a night light option).

Second, the law on lighting is very strange, IF the council have installed street lighting and you fall over a trip Hazard on council land during the night then you can sue the council, however if Street Lighting isn't provided then it's very difficult to sue as the person at fault is Yourself.

Of course what is required when coach lighting fails is for someone from HMRI^▸ (Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) to spell out what is required and allowed, but of course thats not their job.

Back in the late 1980's some Bright Spark laid down that Trains couldn't stop at Stations where Lighting wasn't provided, this only EVER applied to the then WESTERN region.
Note: There are NO recorded instances of Injury caused at Unlit stations by the lack of lighting.

Of course Trains ARE Permitted to stop at Stations where lighting is provided EVEN WHEN the platform Lighting has Failed, this is laid out in Railway Group Standards.

I mean just what would happen if a Train ran into a Pitch Black Terminus Station? Train got to carry on?

[The SprinterMeister]

Chances of getting a 'lights off' coach = none!

as far as i am aware a lights off carriage would not be allowed for safety reasons,half lighting is the only option.
for example if a dmu has a lighting fault then the carriage has to be locked out until set can be swapped out for repairs.

And your method of working for locking one coach out of use on a 14x unit is.....

[Chris from Nailsea]

... simple: use the staff! 

Not only were there two ticket sellers, two suited Revenue Protection staff and a PCSO on platform 2 - there were also two ticket staff, a uniformed female Revenue Protection official and another PCSO on platform 1.  Total of 9 staff
And finally ... when the tatty old 143 did turn up for the 09:29 to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), all nine of them packed up and got aboard - and stood in the gangways, causing an obstruction 

[Btline]

Good for the guard!

Nobody died, people used their common sense and did not walk about when in the tunnel!

[Btline]

(a) I hate the sueing culture which has developed in this country (from the US) - I would take responsability for my actions, and accept that it was an accident.

That is an honest answer.

Because the chances of that happening are miniscule. It is <20 seconds in the dark. I am sat down. If I was walking/stood up, I would stand still. It's called common sense.

As for managing to twist my leg etc. I am just as more likely to do that when stepping off the train at Platform 1 at WOF (huge gap)! That puts the problem of a light into perspective.

And it has only happened once. I am sure the guard reported it to Tyelsey asap. Thanks to the guard's good sense the service was not delayed!

[G.Uard]

OK, here's a scenario.  Packed train, 3 car hybrid 158, well past Llanwern, bound for the Severn Tunnel and beyond.  Lights fail in the two front coaches and the black hole approaching at lots of miles per hour.  As a guard, do you,

A) Call Control, get the train stopped at STJ^▸ (Severn Tunnel Junction railway station)? (No time for that). 

B) Evacuate all pax in the front coaches into the trailing coach?  (No room and a refreshment trolley blocking the way half way up the middle coach)

C) Clear the front coach and proceed through the tunnel with your Bardic shining on the ceiling of still populated but quite dark  coach 2?  (Works quite well but for the student from Treforest making bird shapes with his hands in front of your beam).


Answers on a postcard etc etc.


(I did C when it happened to me a few days ago.)   Now that I have admitted to infringing the rules, I will probably be posted to Sidmouth as a platform supervisor.

[paul7575]

How about getting the Cyalume lightsticks out of the holders at the end of the carriages?

Paul

[thetrout]

I've known a 150+153 to run from Bristol down to Weymouth with the lights out in the middle coach. Wasn't to dark outside though so that why I assume it was allowed to continue