Reply to: All the energy suppliers in the UK putting up prices.

[bogeyman]

Much thicker too - when compared to london tubes...

We once had the thickest trains in the world.

Brunel's original Great Western Railway had a gauge of 7ft while Russia's rail gauge is a skinny Kate-Moss-like 4ft 11⅞ in.

Sadly everyone told IKB that his trains were too thick, and he should adopt the 4ft 8.5 in. gauge of a Roman chariot. And after he'd bored all the tunnels too!

[AtW]

Well, you can't say you don't learn anything from reading CUK

Much thicker too - when compared to london tubes...

[bogeyman]

... Russian trains are much longer ...

Well, you can't say you don't learn anything from reading CUK

[AtW]

Natural Gas December 2008 future on NYMEX

Questions need to be asked in the House.

Execs of UK "energy" that just raised prices in the UK should be put in jail for 20 years as a warning to future generations

When someone [do with railways] was asked why they didn't put more carriages on trains, instead of packing people in like sardines, I think the answer was because platforms aren't long enough to cope with the extra length. FFS, I was almost ready to turn up with some cement and water myself.

It is certainly a big factor - Russian trains are much longer, probably the same in other countries as it is one of the most obvious and cheap ways to increase capacity - getting more carriages to roll is cheaper than alternatives.

But the very big issue in my in UK railways is that they were designed in such a way that on fairly major stations there are still 2 rails - so trains will block anything behind them - slow local trains for example. In Russia (with all the stupid things there) any half decent station will have multiple railway lines - in fact I remember that fairly local station to a fairly local city (not Moscow) had like 15 railways on the station, so trains could wait without blocking path of faster trains - thats like more than on New Street Station and I'd say about the same as on Euston!

I wouldn't blame just Nu Lie for that as I think all Govts in this country neglected railways - very stupid very shortsighted move. If they could not be arsed to invest into R&D of new trains then buy them from France and Germany, just lay down track ffs, not hard is it? Put unemployed to do it if necessary - fresh air and hard manual word and they will be off the dole in a week time - use savings to put into more railways

[HairyArsedBloke]

Natural Gas December 2008 future on NYMEX

Questions need to be asked in the House.

[TykeMerc]

Used German train a few months ago. Had to look several times to be sure I wasn't in First.

Travelled all over Italy on their train system recently, I bought tickets at the stations on the days when I decided to travel rather than buying in advance or a travel pass and the total cost of 8 tickets was less than I would pay for a single from Leeds to London.

The trains were on time, very fast, clean, comfortable, large and cheap, essentially everything that the British rail system isn't.

[Bob Dalek]

Virgin's trains always stink of wee.

[expat]

I believe newer 125s cram more seats closer together in a carriage and so are more cramped than older ones.

Used German train a few months ago. Had to look several times to be sure I wasn't in First.

[TimberWolf]

It was indeed Intercity 125 - I actually think inside they had more space than newer Virgin trains that look fancy but have less internal space. Good thing I don't have to travel by train every day now!

I believe newer 125s cram more seats closer together in a carriage and so are more cramped than older ones.

When someone [do with railways] was asked why they didn't put more carriages on trains, instead of packing people in like sardines, I think the answer was because platforms aren't long enough to cope with the extra length. FFS, I was almost ready to turn up with some cement and water myself.

[AtW]

Quick in and out principle, saves lives in an accident/failure as you are not trapped in.

How is it quicker to open the door to leave the train when you have to:
1) open window
2) bend over into it pretty hard
3) pull lever outside to open the door

What if the train is on one side so you have to then push yourself upwards from that window to open door to save your life?

It was indeed Intercity 125 - I actually think inside they had more space than newer Virgin trains that look fancy but have less internal space. Good thing I don't have to travel by train every day now!

[Dow Jones]

125s

UK has ideal small terrain to suit fast trains - like Japan only without earthquakes. I was expecting some seriously fast trains here when I used them first time in 1996, but instread I got that British Rail train where you had to open window and bend over OUTWARDS from it to open the door when train stopped - there was no internal opening button/handle, just who the fook designed such train?!?!!?!?

You are probably referring to the legendary Intercity 125 ones, the train equivalent to the iconic Routemaster bus. Quick in and out principle, saves lives in an accident/failure as you are not trapped in. Back in the late 70s, they were doing 125 mph and London to Manchester used to take 2h 20m, pretty much the same as now. 125s are still used now to travel from Paddington to Penzance, deemed cheaper to run, safer and faster than any new ones.

[TimberWolf]

UK has ideal small terrain to suit fast trains - like Japan only without earthquakes. I was expecting some seriously fast trains here when I used them first time in 1996, but instread I got that British Rail train where you had to open window and bend over OUTWARDS from it to open the door when train stopped - there was no internal opening button/handle, just who the fook designed such train?!?!!?!?

British trains and they way they are run just about sums up today's (and perhaps the last tens of decades) Britain

[AtW]

UK has ideal small terrain to suit fast trains - like Japan only without earthquakes. I was expecting some seriously fast trains here when I used them first time in 1996, but instread I got that British Rail train where you had to open window and bend over OUTWARDS from it to open the door when train stopped - there was no internal opening button/handle, just who the fook designed such train?!?!!?!?

[TimberWolf]

Yeah, that's because there are 2 different types of "resistance" - don't know exact English word that accurately describes this phenomenon, it's been ages since my physics classes in school - but one of those things was rolling and the other one is the type of rubber over road. Very different things but in rolling stock it is very efficient.

The 3 most important are static (getting something starting moving from rest), kinetic (keeping it moving) friction, and aerodynamic drag (wind resistance). The latter being less of an issue for a train at high speed than a bicycle because a train has a small frontal area and is long. Rolling resistance is low for train wheels too, but it is heavy, but makes up for it per passenger when the train is full. A train isn't all that efficient if it stops and starts because of the first, and from losses in accelerating, and London Underground trains are no more efficient than a bus. Fast long distance trains are about 20 times more efficient than those stop-start trains though.

[AtW]

What I find interesting about rail transport is the low co-efficient of rolling resistance. Steel on steel drag co-eff. of steel wheels on a steel a railway track is around 0.0002, which is around a 50th that of rubber car tyres on an average road. That might appear counter-intuitive

Yeah, that's because there are 2 different types of "resistance" - don't know exact English word that accurately describes this phenomenon, it's been ages since my physics classes in school - but one of those things was rolling and the other one is the type of rubber over road. Very different things but in rolling stock it is very efficient.

Just received my train tickets via post - £60 in total for peak time travel to London, bought more than 2 weeks in advance - I was expecting some better price but the companies constantly reduce quantity of "cheap" tickets on offer.