Sorry, Leo - I tried to telex my reply

I really did witness a passenger at Lewisham asking why the more empty coaches at the rear were not put on the front of the London train 

When I was a commuter (Henley-Twyford-London), everyone had "their" seat, and therefore "their" waiting spot on the platform at Twyford. It was less well organised in the evenings because of randoms (tourists, shoppers etc.).

A cornucopia of answers !

Quote from: tadpole on November 12, 2013, 04:56:20 PM
When I was a commuter (Henley-Twyford-London), everyone had "their" seat, and therefore "their" waiting spot on the platform at Twyford. It was less well organised in the evenings because of randoms (tourists, shoppers etc.).

When I pull into Twyford it's so funny to watch the commuters, looking at each other, standing in the same spot every day, when someone new turns up and you can see them thinking " you can't stand there, that's Mr Brown Coats spot! " really funny watching the confusion when I stop 2 ft from the mark, and they miss the door...

Also at Ealing Broadway, Southall and Hayes & Harlington, you are running late coz of the number of passengers, but they still insist on walking along the outside of the train instead of getting on... That's so annoying when your trying to make up time.

Cheers, Timmo

Whenever I get the train from Chester to Euston I glance ahead at how busy the coaches are and often end up in the quiet coach as you're pretty much guaranteed a seat for some strange reason!
Used to be the same years ago when I lived in Tyneside and got trains from/to Newcastle.
Only back then it was the smoking coach and I don't smoke but I always got a seat! 
I'm sure there is a logic to the OP's question but I've no idea what it is!

The thing that always got me, was the entrance/exit to Fenchurch Street Station, and I have not noticed it to the same extent at any of the other stations I have used over the years, was the crowds of people rushing off the trains in the morning, pushing and shoving to get outside, that constant rush and busstle, that is so well know in the City. The crowds then stop, en mass, and light up cigerettes and inhale them in one almighty breath.

They then rush off trying the impossible task of lighting a second ciggy, talking on their mobile phone and trying to flag down a black cab, with a copy of the Stannard tucked under one arm and a briecase under the other..........................

Quote from: pape_timmo on November 12, 2013, 08:02:47 PM

When I pull into Twyford it's so funny to watch the commuters, looking at each other, standing in the same spot every day, when someone new turns up and you can see them thinking " you can't stand there, that's Mr Brown Coats spot! " really funny watching the confusion when I stop 2 ft from the mark, and they miss the door...

Cheers, Timmo

Aw . . . that's mean 

It can be quite amusing when the usual 12 coach Desiro 450 gets replaced with a five coach 444 (e.g. if the timetable is up the shoot because of a broken down train etc) as the passengers standing in their pre-set positions for a 12 coach train suddenly start racing down the platform, grumbling loudly. The people in their existing spots nearer the front of the train, then try to 'protect their places' from these 'invaders' - although having been in this situation myself, it is not really that funny

Many moons ago my dad used to do it at Waterloo. You couldn't walk through the train, people, brief cases etc.

I used to pick him up from Weybridge and if he wasn't just off centre for the exit for the footbridge to Weybridge itself or the connection to Staines it could take him 5-10 minutes to get through the ticket collectors. Then I had to fight my way through all the taxis.

When you just want to get home, presume minutes count.

Its simply called commuter mentality. When I commuted from Paddington in the good old days Mk1's with a good loco at the front the rear coaches full and standing whilst the front coach had a few spare seats. I always allowed plenty of time to walk to the front. BR then decided to put an extra coach on to alleviate some of the standing.

The net result I often had the front TSO to myself whilst the rear was still full and standing. Those who regularly stood asked the guard to have the front coach placed at the rear as the empty coach was at the wrong end!

Dodger

Back in 2011 I worked at Wimbledon Depot for 3 months, before being offered my current job, and I used to get the train from Basingstoke, a 12 car 450, always from Platform 4, with commuters lining the whole platform for their normal seat.
One morning I happened to be on platform 3, about 2 mins before the train was due to leave. As it rolled into the station, it was routed into 3 instead of 4 and the announcements went out of the alteration.
Well, the train came to a stand, doors opened, I got in and found a seat no problem, as hundreds of commuters piled down the subway to platform 3. They then came up the stairs, which are about in line with coach 4 (of the 12) and proceeded to walk the whole length of the platform to get their normal seat.
Time to depart, the despatched saw no one getting on, so have the too, guard closed the doors, and off we went, leaving all of them on the platform pointing at the train and looking mega confused coz they're not on their train.
I know their day was probably screwed from that point on, but it was so funny watching them as we glided out 3/4 empty.
Moral of the story.... Get on at the first door and walk through if the train is about to depart, no matter whether there's bags or not.

Cheers, Timmo

Hi,

When my Dad used to got to Waterloo from Whitton in the 1950\60's he would always let the the trains from Windsor and Reading go and wait for one that came off the Hounslow loop as they were always empty at Whitton,

That was in the good old 4 sub days can also remember their head codes all these  all these years later Reading was H or 18 and the Hounslow loop were 57.I think the Reading train were 2 Bils but I could be wrong there,might have been 4 Lav's

Mike

thank god i live up north - with only our beloved 142's to worry about .... 


alan

Quote from: pape_timmo on November 13, 2013, 10:13:46 AM
Time to depart, the despatched saw no one getting on, so have the too, guard closed the doors, and off we went,

I hate the iPhone sometimes...

The despatcher gave the tip, the guard closed the doors and off we went.....

Cheers, Timmo

It even changes words when you're insulting it!!! It must know and have feelings!

Oh we communters are/were strange animals.  After over 2 years retired I don't miss it at all