On Jun 2, 11:42 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from the
tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price of the
express.

I took the opportunity of riding the HEX today for free (engineering work
on Pic).
Sad, I know, but I just wanted to see what it was like.
I have to say that I didn't find the en-route 'entertainment' intrusive at
all.
On the contrary, I found a quick update of world-wide weather and the
latest headlines
quite enlightening. And I wasn't even going anywhere, nor had I spent 16
hours
secluded from the outside world. I didn't notice the adverts to be
'blaring' at all.
As far as I can remember most of them were silent save for some quiet
muzak. The only
spoken advert I remember was the one encouraging me to travel first class
next time. (10 second
advert once each way.)

On the other hand, I use the Heathrow Connect fairly regularly to commute
between
Hayes & Harlington and Paddington. I can honestly say I have never
traveled on a more
annoying train. I haven't timed them yet, but I'm sure the P.A.s take up
more than half
of the journey time and none of them are the slightest bit interesting or
useful. Indeed,
the voice used for the announcements sounds like someone who is barely
awake!

To sum up, if you have just arrived in London off a long-haul flight, and
your
accommodation is near Paddington, and you have spent a lot of money on your
visit to one of the most expensive cities in the world, go ahead, splash
out an
extra tenner on the HEX. Well worth it. If you're on a budget, get the
tube.
--
Fig

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:40:04 +0100, Fig wrote:

On Jun 2, 11:42 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from the
tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price of the
express.

SNIP

On the other hand, I use the Heathrow Connect fairly regularly to commute
between
Hayes & Harlington and Paddington. I can honestly say I have never
traveled on a more
annoying train. I haven't timed them yet, but I'm sure the P.A.s take up
more than half
of the journey time and none of them are the slightest bit interesting or
useful. Indeed,
the voice used for the announcements sounds like someone who is barely
awake!

SNIP

With that I concur. Bloody Elf & Safety and Revenue Protection served
up in a saccharine and patronising tone.

Train: 'For your safety......'

Me: 'STFU, you're worse than my bl**dy wife etc.'


Regards
JonH

Fig wrote:
On Jun 2, 11:42 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from the
tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price of
the express.


I'd just like to point out that that text was mis-snipped and I didn't write
any of the above!

On Jun 2, 9:40 pm, Fig wrote:
I took the opportunity of riding the HEX today for free (engineering work
on Pic).

I did the same*. I noticed there's a quiet carriage which doesn't play
any videos:
http://www.heathrowexpress.com/content.asp?pageid=41

(* if anyone was wondering if the phrase "Underground Travelcard"
means National Rail ODTCs will be rejected, the answer is no)

U

Fig wrote:
On Jun 2, 11:42 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from
the tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price
of the express.

I took the opportunity of riding the HEX today for free (engineering
work on Pic). Sad, I know, but I just wanted to see
what it was like. I have to say that I didn't find the en-route
'entertainment' intrusive at all. On the contrary, I found a quick
update of world-wide weather and the latest headlines quite
enlightening. And I wasn't even going anywhere, nor had I spent 16
hours secluded from the outside world. I didn't notice the adverts
to be 'blaring' at all. As far as I can remember most of them were
silent save for some quiet muzak. The only spoken advert I remember
was the one encouraging me to travel first class next time. (10 second
advert once each way.)

On the other hand, I use the Heathrow Connect fairly regularly to
commute between Hayes & Harlington and Paddington. I can honestly
say I have never traveled on a more annoying train. I haven't timed
them yet, but I'm sure the P.A.s take up more than half
of the journey time and none of them are the slightest bit
interesting or useful. Indeed, the voice used for the announcements
sounds like someone who is barely awake!

I agree with all that, and I've never found the HC staff very friendly
either.

To sum up, if you have just arrived in London off a long-haul
flight, and your accommodation is near Paddington, and you have spent
a lot of money on your visit to one of the most expensive
cities in the world, go ahead, splash out an extra tenner on the HEX.
Well worth it. If you're on a budget, get the tube.

.... unless it's an engineering weekend! I felt quite sorry this
afternoon for all the people for whom English is a foreign language
heading for Heathrow on the Piccadilly. I don't know whether they heard
or understood the announcements that "strongly recommended" that they
should take HEx from Paddington (without any explanation of how to get
from their Piccadilly Line station to Paddington). So they trooped off
the train at Hammersmith and squeezed with their baggage on to a packed
Sullivan bus which took them through heavy Saturday afternoon traffic to
Acton Town via Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, Turnham Green, Chiswick
Park, and Gunnersbury.

I'm sure when I looked at the LU site the other day that this bus was
the only replacement service listed, and that HEx was added at the last
minute. Can anyone confirm or refute that? Either way, LU should
improve the advice at each station for Heathrow passengers and/or lay on
a non-stop Hammersmith-Acton Town bus.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 22:02:44 +0100, Jack Taylor wrote:

Fig wrote:
On Jun 2, 11:42 am, "Jack Taylor" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from the
tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price of
the express.


I'd just like to point out that that text was mis-snipped and I didn't
write
any of the above!

My apologies. I did indeed attribute the quote to the wrong poster.

--
Fig

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 22:13:14 +0100, Richard J.
wrote:

Fig wrote:
On Jun 2, "Paul Weaver" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from
the tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price
of the express.

I took the opportunity of riding the HEX today for free (engineering
work on Pic). Sad, I know, but I just wanted to see
what it was like. I have to say that I didn't find the en-route
'entertainment' intrusive at all. On the contrary, I found a quick
update of world-wide weather and the latest headlines quite
enlightening. And I wasn't even going anywhere, nor had I spent 16
hours secluded from the outside world. I didn't notice the adverts
to be 'blaring' at all. As far as I can remember most of them were
silent save for some quiet muzak. The only spoken advert I remember was
the one encouraging me to travel first class next time. (10 second
advert once each way.)

On the other hand, I use the Heathrow Connect fairly regularly to
commute between Hayes & Harlington and Paddington. I can honestly
say I have never traveled on a more annoying train. I haven't timed
them yet, but I'm sure the P.A.s take up more than half
of the journey time and none of them are the slightest bit
interesting or useful. Indeed, the voice used for the announcements
sounds like someone who is barely awake!

I agree with all that, and I've never found the HC staff very friendly
either.

I have to disagree there. I've always found the HC revenue inspectors to be
polite and friendly, even when I've witnessed them dealing with suspected
fare
evaders. I much prefer having my ticket inspected on the train over the FGW
approach of posting rent-a-mob at platform exits. It would be nice to see
revenue inspectors ON the FGW trains. This should prevent all the fare
dodgers
from doing the usual trick of having a quick look out onto the platform and
jumping back on the train if rent-a-mob is present. It would probably deter
them from riding in first class too.

... unless it's an engineering weekend! I felt quite sorry this
afternoon for all the people for whom English is a foreign language
heading for Heathrow on the Piccadilly. I don't know whether they heard
or understood the announcements that "strongly recommended" that they
should take HEx from Paddington (without any explanation of how to get
from their Piccadilly Line station to Paddington). So they trooped off
the train at Hammersmith and squeezed with their baggage on to a packed
Sullivan bus which took them through heavy Saturday afternoon traffic to
Acton Town via Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, Turnham Green, Chiswick
Park, and Gunnersbury.

I'm sure when I looked at the LU site the other day that this bus was
the only replacement service listed, and that HEx was added at the last
minute. Can anyone confirm or refute that? Either way, LU should
improve the advice at each station for Heathrow passengers and/or lay on
a non-stop Hammersmith-Acton Town bus.

I too was surprised by the obvious lack of Piccadilly passengers on the
HEX today.
I know from experience how crowded that branch of the Picc usually is and
the
number of pax on the HEX didn't correlate to even half of them using the
concession.
I didn't venture into the terminals so can't comment on whether sound
advice was being
given to arriving pax.


--
Fig

In Los Angles on the Metro the "Ticket inspectors" are actual Los Angles
Cops with guns!
"Fig" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 22:13:14 +0100, Richard J.
wrote:

Fig wrote:
On Jun 2, "Paul Weaver" wrote:

[On Heathrow Express] you get assaulted with adverts blaring from
the tvs.
Heathrow Connect takes a little longer, but costs half the price
of the express.

I took the opportunity of riding the HEX today for free (engineering
work on Pic). Sad, I know, but I just wanted to see
what it was like. I have to say that I didn't find the en-route
'entertainment' intrusive at all. On the contrary, I found a quick
update of world-wide weather and the latest headlines quite
enlightening. And I wasn't even going anywhere, nor had I spent 16
hours secluded from the outside world. I didn't notice the adverts
to be 'blaring' at all. As far as I can remember most of them were
silent save for some quiet muzak. The only spoken advert I remember was
the one encouraging me to travel first class next time. (10 second
advert once each way.)

On the other hand, I use the Heathrow Connect fairly regularly to
commute between Hayes & Harlington and Paddington. I can honestly
say I have never traveled on a more annoying train. I haven't timed
them yet, but I'm sure the P.A.s take up more than half
of the journey time and none of them are the slightest bit
interesting or useful. Indeed, the voice used for the announcements
sounds like someone who is barely awake!

I agree with all that, and I've never found the HC staff very friendly
either.

I have to disagree there. I've always found the HC revenue inspectors to
be
polite and friendly, even when I've witnessed them dealing with suspected
fare
evaders. I much prefer having my ticket inspected on the train over the
FGW
approach of posting rent-a-mob at platform exits. It would be nice to see
revenue inspectors ON the FGW trains. This should prevent all the fare
dodgers
from doing the usual trick of having a quick look out onto the platform
and
jumping back on the train if rent-a-mob is present. It would probably
deter
them from riding in first class too.

... unless it's an engineering weekend! I felt quite sorry this
afternoon for all the people for whom English is a foreign language
heading for Heathrow on the Piccadilly. I don't know whether they heard
or understood the announcements that "strongly recommended" that they
should take HEx from Paddington (without any explanation of how to get
from their Piccadilly Line station to Paddington). So they trooped off
the train at Hammersmith and squeezed with their baggage on to a packed
Sullivan bus which took them through heavy Saturday afternoon traffic to
Acton Town via Ravenscourt Park, Stamford Brook, Turnham Green, Chiswick
Park, and Gunnersbury.

I'm sure when I looked at the LU site the other day that this bus was
the only replacement service listed, and that HEx was added at the last
minute. Can anyone confirm or refute that? Either way, LU should
improve the advice at each station for Heathrow passengers and/or lay on
a non-stop Hammersmith-Acton Town bus.

I too was surprised by the obvious lack of Piccadilly passengers on the
HEX today.
I know from experience how crowded that branch of the Picc usually is and
the
number of pax on the HEX didn't correlate to even half of them using the
concession.
I didn't venture into the terminals so can't comment on whether sound
advice was being
given to arriving pax.


--
Fig

On Jun 3, 7:38 am, "Colin Wilson" wrote:
In Los Angles on the Metro the "Ticket inspectors" are actual Los Angles
Cops with guns!

I dread to think what the penalty fare is. Probably similar to that
for top-posting.

In article , Richard
J. writes
I'm sure when I looked at the LU site the other day that this bus was
the only replacement service listed, and that HEx was added at the last
minute. Can anyone confirm or refute that?

The Traffic Circular for the week 28 May to 3 June mentioned it. The
closing date for items to be included in that issue was 16th May.

--
Clive D.W. Feather | Home:
Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is: