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Old 16th March 2018, 07:15
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aussiesteve aussiesteve is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Bathurst
Posts: 577
Cooee BW,
I shall respond to yer latest posting afore I slams in me composition thumped out last nite here at home.
The QR loading gauge is restricted, more so than here in NSW, them Bananabenders being 3 foot 6 inch gauge.
I would also presume that the UK loading gauge might impose some width and height constraints.
Wheel chair access, while legislated, would cause some design problems in regard to cattle capacity.
QR emu trains, both suburban and interurban are generally 6 cars.
I don't know the cattle capacity.
But, disabled access dunnies do require some additional space.
Wheel chair aisle navigation would not generally be possible with standard 4 across the aisle seating in QR cars.
How ever, car end saloons can provide for wheel chair accommodation.
But, the specific saloon would need to be adjacent the next car featuring the disabled access dunny.
The Transport NSW regional omnibus services must now provide for wheel chair patronage.
This will sound very ignorant of me, but to facilitate such, three rows of seats, aka 6 patrons had to be removed.
This to provide for the wheel chair lift which is inset into the bus side.
With such omnibusses catering for 50 cattle originally, the payload is reduced by 6 to provide for 1 potential wheel chair patron.
These regional services being fully booked most of the time.
And, what of the omnibus dunny, if provided, such would not be disabled access.
To squeeze in a disabled dunny on such omnibusses, out would go more standard seats.
Suburban omnibus design today provides for disabled access by the kerbside front door floor lowering hydraulically.
This is not possible on long haul omnibusses due to the baggage area underneath and internal steps from the doorway.
Naturally the QR bad press has occurred on the approach to the Commonwealth Games.
It really is a catch 22 situation, design modern equipment for the maximum capacity, yet provide for disabled access.
Yes, yer UK suburban journey designation maximum of 1 hour is kinda sympatico with here.
Though, services which continue through smog hollow can account for much longer suburban journeys.
The run to or from Springwood on the Blue Mountains is 80 minutes roughly, hence regarded as an interurban and a dunny is necessary.
Yes, here our cleaners do likewise cop a nasty time of it on saturday and sunday mornings.
Back in the good ole days, both the doors and windows opened.
So, you can imagine what transpired on late niter suburban red rattler services.
Even during the day time, I have squizzed Mum holding toddler junior up to the window sill to relieve the pressure.
Unlucky be the patron riding in the seat behind, with wind pressure potentially returning the swash.
Steve.
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