Re: FGW Refurb


"Philip Hardy" <philip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Graham Harrison wrote:
"Philip Hardy" <philip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Chris wrote:

A problem I've heard with the table sockets is that they are situated
too close to the top of the table, not leaving enough space for the
(often strengthened, and not fully flexible) cable issuing from the
base of your plug, making it near impossibleto plug it in properly.
Yes. The table sockets are of an extremely poor design. You cannot use
the table sockets with a Apple Laptop (Macbook, Macbook Pro, etc.) as
there is not enough space for the power brick when it's directly
attached to the plug - it needs about another 2cm clearance (this
probably affects iPod chargers too, which are of a similar, slightly
smaller design). If you try to use the extension cable then you run into
precisely the problem you describe.

As a Macbook owner I find this quite annoying. And I feel it's a stupid
oversight on FGW's part given the popularity of these laptops (I tend to
spot *at least* one in addition to my own on trips to the cafe-bar when
traveling on the East Coast).

GNER put laptop sockets in a similar position to FGW on their
non-refubished HSTs, but they have enough space. On their refurbished
HSTs the sockets are on the walls - similar to
Voyagers/Meridians/Mallards.

I don't doubt that the sockets don't help but the designers of power
plugs don't make life easy. I've got some where the power comes out at
the end where the earth pin is and some where the live/neutral pins are.
Some have a reinforcement, others just the cable. At least people like
Belkin recognise the issue on their power strips.

While I believe you're correct - many plugs are badly designed, would it
be more sensible to change all the power plugs in the country to ones that
fit FGW's trains or for FGW to fit sockets that work with the design of
plugs they'll be used with?

Philip

How are they supposed to know what they'll be used with? That said, I
agree with you that some thought appears to have been lacking.


.

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