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Old 1st November 2009, 21:21
Shimbleshanks Shimbleshanks is offline  
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Purley
Posts: 90
Variable configurations

As someone who often travels with a non-folding bike on off-peak trains, I've often thought that a 'quick change' area that can be used as seating in the peak and for bikes, pushchairs etc in the off peak - but without sacrificing passenger space at the busiest times of day - would be an excellent idea.

It would give all us 'troublesome' folk with our bikes, baby buggies etc somewhere to go to without getting in the way of 'normal' passengers (and vice-versa). At the same time it would give the guard somewhere to sit and do their paperwork away from the general public. (I've noticed that some of the South West Trains units have him stuck in a silly little cubbyhole, which must be very claustrauphobic.)

The nearest I can think of to such an approach these days are the unrefurbished 319 units (as used on the Brighton-Bedford and some Brighton Line services). These have (had?) fold-up seats in one of the end compartments. I think the original idea was that the door to the area could be locked and the bay used with the seats folded up to carry mail and parcels, back in the days when this was still carried on passenger trains. But I think even these examples are disappearing as these units are refurbished.
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