Train coaches overcrowded
Discussion
Anyone here work on the trains and can explain why coaches always seem to be overcrowded pease?
The last few train journeys I've made have been a nightmare with overcrowded coaches, standing room only and arguments over reserved seats. ;ve experienced this on routes from Sheffield to York & Leeds (which I think is the Bristol to Edinburgh line?) etc.
When the train pulls into the station all the seats are full, a few passengers get off but even more get on. Standing room only with passengers stood down the main aisles of the coaches. When the train makes a stop, a few get off, those standing rush for the few seats that have become vacant, more passengers get on etc. It all makes for a tense and uncomfortable passenger experience.
I realise the train companies don't know when open day tickets holders will choose to ride, but this seems common place with recent train journeys I've made.
Is all this because it's impossible for the train companies to predict how many passengers they are going to have on any given day, or are they purposely not putting enough coaches on the trains, or purposely over selling tickets to maximise sales income?
The last few train journeys I've made have been a nightmare with overcrowded coaches, standing room only and arguments over reserved seats. ;ve experienced this on routes from Sheffield to York & Leeds (which I think is the Bristol to Edinburgh line?) etc.
When the train pulls into the station all the seats are full, a few passengers get off but even more get on. Standing room only with passengers stood down the main aisles of the coaches. When the train makes a stop, a few get off, those standing rush for the few seats that have become vacant, more passengers get on etc. It all makes for a tense and uncomfortable passenger experience.
I realise the train companies don't know when open day tickets holders will choose to ride, but this seems common place with recent train journeys I've made.
Is all this because it's impossible for the train companies to predict how many passengers they are going to have on any given day, or are they purposely not putting enough coaches on the trains, or purposely over selling tickets to maximise sales income?
The Gauge said:
Anyone here work on the trains and can explain why coaches always seem to be overcrowded pease?
The last few train journeys I've made have been a nightmare with overcrowded coaches, standing room only and arguments over reserved seats. ;ve experienced this on routes from Sheffield to York & Leeds (which I think is the Bristol to Edinburgh line?) etc.
When the train pulls into the station all the seats are full, a few passengers get off but even more get on. Standing room only with passengers stood down the main aisles of the coaches. When the train makes a stop, a few get off, those standing rush for the few seats that have become vacant, more passengers get on etc. It all makes for a tense and uncomfortable passenger experience.
I realise the train companies don't know when open day tickets holders will choose to ride, but this seems common place with recent train journeys I've made.
Is all this because it's impossible for the train companies to predict how many passengers they are going to have on any given day, or are they purposely not putting enough coaches on the trains, or purposely over selling tickets to maximise sales income?
Can I have a stab at this?The last few train journeys I've made have been a nightmare with overcrowded coaches, standing room only and arguments over reserved seats. ;ve experienced this on routes from Sheffield to York & Leeds (which I think is the Bristol to Edinburgh line?) etc.
When the train pulls into the station all the seats are full, a few passengers get off but even more get on. Standing room only with passengers stood down the main aisles of the coaches. When the train makes a stop, a few get off, those standing rush for the few seats that have become vacant, more passengers get on etc. It all makes for a tense and uncomfortable passenger experience.
I realise the train companies don't know when open day tickets holders will choose to ride, but this seems common place with recent train journeys I've made.
Is all this because it's impossible for the train companies to predict how many passengers they are going to have on any given day, or are they purposely not putting enough coaches on the trains, or purposely over selling tickets to maximise sales income?
It's because it is cheaper for the operator to run as few carriages as possible and there are no penalties for overcrowding.
Would you prefer them to stop selling tickets when they’ve sold all seats worth so you can’t then go where you want to go and inevitably having to pay more to do so when you can go?
Also, the train network anywhere north of Birmingham is woefully under invested in, that’s on the clowns in government though.
Also, the train network anywhere north of Birmingham is woefully under invested in, that’s on the clowns in government though.
OP, do you know which train operator you were using ? Cross-Country are well known for overcrowding, especially at weekends. Trans-Pennine Express is a basket case in terms of service reliability due to long-term mismanagement. Northern are (AIUI) improving from a similarly dire level.
All that said, none of the operators have much flexibility to do anything as the service level (how many trains they've got, and the basic timetable) is all controlled by the Dept for Transport, and their labour relations are all so bad at the moment that they have little goodwill from staff to do anything extra even if they had some spare resources.
All that said, none of the operators have much flexibility to do anything as the service level (how many trains they've got, and the basic timetable) is all controlled by the Dept for Transport, and their labour relations are all so bad at the moment that they have little goodwill from staff to do anything extra even if they had some spare resources.
This is Cross Country land, who run the most expensive tickets with the most unsuitable trains.
I am still smarting at standing Birmingham to Sheffield last december, while perhaps hungover. At least I could not fall over. No room to do that... That particular train had halved in size.
You will be pleased to learn that they have just got rid their last 125 sets too....
I am still smarting at standing Birmingham to Sheffield last december, while perhaps hungover. At least I could not fall over. No room to do that... That particular train had halved in size.
You will be pleased to learn that they have just got rid their last 125 sets too....
outnumbered said:
OP, do you know which train operator you were using ? Cross-Country are well known for overcrowding, especially at weekends. Trans-Pennine Express is a basket case in terms of service reliability due to long-term mismanagement. Northern are (AIUI) improving from a similarly dire level.
I think the York > Sheffield service I was on was CrossCountry, bound for BristolEdited by The Gauge on Saturday 30th September 15:38
Dingu said:
Would you prefer them to stop selling tickets when they’ve sold all seats
I guess the train could be full with people with open tickets so the operator wouldn't know which time of train they were getting on. However I think the overcrowded train I was on last was the Edinburgh to Bristol service where due to the distance you'd think they c/would have more than 3 coaches.Edited by The Gauge on Saturday 30th September 19:43
IroningMan said:
Dropping First Class would help.
They do that anyway, when crowding is bad.You buy a first class ticket, to avoid the hoi polloi, and then the train manager declassifies the train, so you end up sitting next to the yoof with an electric scooter, overly loud headphones and a family bucket of KFC.
Jandywa said:
I feel your pain OP. I regularly do the Sheffield - Birmingham run and it is total b
ks. 8 carriages worth of people, which when they send a train with 8 carriages is ok. But with boring regularity they send 4 carriages. And it’s horrendous. Still at least the tickets are cheap…..
Bad isn't it.ks. 8 carriages worth of people, which when they send a train with 8 carriages is ok. But with boring regularity they send 4 carriages. And it’s horrendous. Still at least the tickets are cheap…..I'm planning a day trip to London for myself, thinking of booking in advance for a more reasonable priced 1st class ticket, but run the risk of the carriage being declassified and everyone piling in.
Is it possible to choose/reserve a particular seat when booking, or are reserved seats allocated on the day, with it being pot luck where you are sat?
Louis Balfour said:
IroningMan said:
Dropping First Class would help.
They do that anyway, when crowding is bad.You buy a first class ticket, to avoid the hoi polloi, and then the train manager declassifies the train, so you end up sitting next to the yoof with an electric scooter, overly loud headphones and a family bucket of KFC.
The Gauge said:
Jandywa said:
I feel your pain OP. I regularly do the Sheffield - Birmingham run and it is total bks. 8 carriages worth of people, which when they send a train with 8 carriages is ok. But with boring regularity they send 4 carriages. And it’s horrendous. Still at least the tickets are cheap…..
Bad isn't it.ks. 8 carriages worth of people, which when they send a train with 8 carriages is ok. But with boring regularity they send 4 carriages. And it’s horrendous. Still at least the tickets are cheap…..I'm planning a day trip to London for myself, thinking of booking in advance for a more reasonable priced 1st class ticket, but run the risk of the carriage being declassified and everyone piling in.
Is it possible to choose/reserve a particular seat when booking, or are reserved seats allocated on the day, with it being pot luck where you are sat?
A mildly amusing anecdote is that I booked a seat during Wimbledon a few years ago and found that I was on a train with a great many David Lloyd members (a club I use). When it came to finding my seat, it transpired that an attractive David Lloyd divorcee and I were seated opposite in a 1x1 configuration table seat.
Of course the remaining DL members assumed this was deliberate.
It took some time to decide whether more damage would be done telling Lady Balfour, or not.
surveyor said:
This is Cross Country land, who run the most expensive tickets with the most unsuitable trains.
Yes, I've just checked and the trains running at the times I used them were CrossCountry.I've only recently realised you can check when booking which train operator your train is run by, but it seems the CrossCountry service is the only one that runs direct between Sheffield & York. In future I might try and choose an alternative operator for other destinations.
Louis Balfour said:
IroningMan said:
Dropping First Class would help.
They do that anyway, when crowding is bad.You buy a first class ticket, to avoid the hoi polloi, and then the train manager declassifies the train, so you end up sitting next to the yoof with an electric scooter, overly loud headphones and a family bucket of KFC.
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