h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Towards the end it's IMHO still more of a ranting than being factual. Is it really sooooo unreliable? If so, then the entry could improve by toning (sp?) down a bit, and giving reason or simply stating the fact as it is. 'The Games to play' seems to imply that the tracks are very bumpy but this isn't expressed in the wording. My bum still remembers some wild west rodeo feeling on a ride from Dover to London.

(typos: obviousaly, subsequrntly, Ypu)

The beginning reads very good , and I still would like some more of that: eg, does one ticket suffice for a South-to-North trip or do I have to buy 15 of them, for every company envolved? Are there any plans for a high speed train, is the majority of trains still non-electric... My impression from some years ago was that the waggons themselves were quite modern -- in comparison to the German ones, which still don't have electronic displays.

On a side note, when the German Railway (Bundesbahn, now: 'Die Bahn') was privatised, they had big trouble over the pension system of the public servants which couldn't be thrown out into 'normal' employment. I think it ended up with them still being public servants, pensions&salaries payed by the government, but serving in a private enterprise. I'm interested in knowing how the British managed it

Another thought (if I should be asking too much research of you), how about renaming the entry along the lines of 'how it feels to bump a ride on British Trains' or so ?

Just my tuppence anyway, but if you find the time to compare my two entries about Driving on Autobahns (the full-fleshed ranting bit vs. the crippled Edited thing) then you might know what I'm trying to express here


Bossel (Scout)

As a regular user of trains, I must admit that what was written is very true - especially when applied to Virgin and Connex.
However, Island Line, despite having the oldest running electric stock in the country (between 60 and 80 years old ex London Underground stock that the Underground decided to get rid of) has not only the best punctuality record in the country, but has for over 10 years running been voted the country's favourite railway.

I'd also definately mention Dr Beeching and how he single-handedly destroyed many of the nation's most useful lines.

You might want to include a link to this article here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A304237

But it is an enjoyable article, well done.

<BB<

There is a lot of good in this entry, but it is still quite generalised. The adfvice regarding guide entries is to write about what you know - and it's good advice. How many of these train services have you yourself used? How certain are you that they are like the service you describe in the entry? I commute every day by train (ScotRail, by the way, is how you spell it ) and I can't say it's anything like your entry. I'd say the service is 90+% reliable, it doesn';t include a food service, the toilets are...passable, there's no tables on our trains, so games are out of the question, etc, etc.

Your table of train companies is still a little out. For instance, you imply that Scotrail is the only train company operating in Scotland, when Virgin and GNER both service Scotland, and smaller companies (such as Strathclyde Passenger Transport) provide internal services.

Is it that you use a certain selection of train routes/services yourself? Perhaps there is an opportunity for a more specialist entry, well-grounded in your personal experience, and then one or more overarching entries which could cover it, and Bluebottle's IoW entry... so I'm off to have a go at an entry for my only particualr commuting experience...thanks for the inspiration!

I think the entry is a good start but needs some more touches yet.
May I suggest the some of the following to *spruce* it up a little,
1. provide more explicit reasons for delays, including spurious ones like "leaves on the track" as well as driver shortages, overbooking, etc.
2. the incomprehensible tannoy announcements on the platform and the steward's announcements on the train (esp with strong Scottish accents)
Also some comments/observations/facts re.
3. the variety of deals on offer (e.g. apex)
4. rising costs vs. diminishing quality of service.
5. state of rail stock, modern train developments to cope with high-speed journeys, cornering, electrification, etc.
6. a comparison with modern, state-of-the-art continental rail systems e.g. SNCF in France.
7. The dangers/risks of rail travel (compared to going by car, sea and air).
Good Luck . Like the trains, I'm sure you'll get there eventually.
Zaphod

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Peer Review' to 'The British Train Experience'.