old dimmer or new brighter lights?

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 7:39 pm

One thing I miss about travelling on train nowadays is the is the dimmer carriage lighting which existed in the old passanger carriages. I find the more modern style carriage lighting far too bright!! When you're travelling at night it is very difficult to see out the window because of the very bright lighting causing the entire carriage to be reflected. I much preferred the dimmer carriage lighting of the olden days(70s and 80s). How about you?

saddletank · Post by **saddletank** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 7:46 pm

The oil lamps were best, but could get a bit smelly.

Post by **martinhodgson** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:15 pm

I don't remember dimme rlights, but I do wish they could be dimmer. Maybe they could have a dimmer coach-for enhusiasts and children (after all they do enjoy seeing out the window too), or a brighter one for business people wanting to work.

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:24 pm

It would be very nice to get a realistic night effect both old and new but particularly old

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:41 pm

martinhodgson wrote:I don't remember dimme rlights, but I do wish they could be dimmer. Maybe they could have a dimmer coach-for enhusiasts and children (after all they do enjoy seeing out the window too), or a brighter one for business people wanting to work.

Now that is a good idea! Train designers take note! Even better would be to have carriage/s that doesn't have any lighting in atall, apart from illuminated floor lighting so you can see where the gangway is. You'd then be able to enjoy a perfect unrestricted view out the window during night time journeys.

The carriages are bright enough as they are allready. Hope they aren't going to make them even brighter as the years go on.

Has anyone been on a 'sleeper' service here in the UK? In the standard seating carriages, o they turn all the carriage lighting off at night? Or are all the carriages lit as bright as allways?

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:44 pm

I seem to remember some 'night-lighted' mk2's

invernesstmd · Post by **invernesstmd** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:47 pm

johndibben wrote:I seem to remember some 'night-lighted' mk2's

From the Night Rider trains of the early 80's?

snowcrashandy · Post by **snowcrashandy** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:58 pm

invernesstmd wrote:
johndibben wrote:I seem to remember some 'night-lighted' mk2's
From the Night Rider trains of the early 80's?

for that psuedo UV look!

(They used them in the daytime too

)

Post by **martinhodgson** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 9:58 pm

I remember when I was 5 I went on a train from london Euston to Lancaster, and our seats were in a coach in which the lights had broken. Myself and my grandparents, plus another group with kids had the coach to ourselves. Unfortunately (for me anyway) the lights came back on around Milton Keynes

.

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:15 pm

I remember in 1998 when I was taking a nostalgic journey onboard a Class 37 from Weymouth-Bristol and the carriage lighting also failed and we were in complete darkness. "Hey this is exciting!" I thought to myself. But it only lasted about half hour before the lights came back on again. But the carriage lighting in those mk2 carriages are nowhere near as bright as they are nowadays.

salopiangrowler · Post by **salopiangrowler** » Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:38 pm

i remember then dimmer switch in the old mk1 stardard comp the good old days eh? 37110 wolverhampton - plymouth additional 1984 steam heat included pure goodness oh and not a bad run over dainton with 13 on

Kempstem · Post by **Kempstem** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 9:01 am

Todays times needs modern technology. So brighter lights are better. The dimmer lights should be on old railways

bjdick · Post by **bjdick** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 11:18 am

The old style lights were twelve volt bulbs if I remember correctly.To stop people pinching them for home use,customer electrocution,and to be able to be backed up by batteries.

Nowadays with "unlimited" access to electricity from the overhead wire,and diesel\electric traction generators,you have brighter fluorescent lighting.

Whether the supply voltage for these new lamps still differs from the domestic 230V,I don't know,do you?

XPTE · Post by **XPTE** » Sun Oct 27, 2002 8:47 pm

Only a limited number of votes so far, but I see an impressive 81% of people agree with me in that the lights should be DIMMER!! They're far too bright, horrible!!

Another idea, is that at night all the carriage lighting should be turned off. And above your seats is reading lights which you can switch on if you would like to read or eat. And the people who would like to sleep or enjoy watching out the window can so without those horrible bright lights ruining it for them!!

Zackybong1 · Post by **Zackybong1** » Mon Oct 28, 2002 9:58 am

The Mk1 stock used to be great. You had the single bulbs in the roof (which were dim!) and then, if no-one had nicked the bulbs, you had the reading lights in some of the corridor stock. You also had the blinds on the window for bright mornings. Trouble is, if you did this now they would be ripped to bits in no time. Everything has to be absolutely idiot proof. Not only should it be vandal proof, but also people mustn't be able to scratch themselves on anything, or they will proceed with litigation.

I remember sitting in the secondmans seat on the Class 309 between Liv Str. and Colchester with the corridor connection open. Seeing the Speedo etc and no lights on. On a quiet Mk 1 you could also switch off the coach lights at the end of the coach. Great fun!

Atomic Systems

old dimmer or new brighter lights?

what do you prefer?

old dimmer or new brighter lights?