What are these “shapes” on the train seats for?

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QVRedit@reddit

To remind you to maintain a sunny disposition ! 😀

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UnacceptableUse@reddit

I'm pretty sure they're just handles so you don't grab onto the person who's sat in the seat if the train jostles about when you're walking

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

ah, got it! i figured. they’re different shapes on different carts. no meaning behind the different shapes?

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spynie55@reddit

I bet they are cheaper/easier to clean/harder to break than normal looking handles. Or at least were sold as such to whoever bought the train carriage.

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McMatt9119@reddit

You'll probably find it's the best grip shape from both sides, without having anything to get your hand stuck in. Don't want to snap fingers if the driver has to take evasive action.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

that seems so. but then why go out of the way to produce different shaped ones and not standardize them all as being the same across the same train line?

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Past UK Governments were really big on selling off UK national assets to private companies. Said private companies then produced different sized, shaped and coloured grab handles. They didn't invest in the actual bits of metal that the trains run on.

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Arketan@reddit

They’re most likely produced at different times and it’s not worth it to replace with the new design

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palpatineforever@reddit

Different carrages bought at different times will often be made by different companies some companies will also use old carriages on different routes.
It would cost more and be more effort to standardise.
Also the designs are meant to be easy to grab but not stick out and to get knocked etc hence not nice sticky out handles.

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UnacceptableUse@reddit

I wouldn't be surprised if it's just a design thing

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AliBelle1@reddit

Different wagons were made at different times, retrofitted at different times, swapped between trains etc

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SquiffSquiff@reddit

Basically if they're yellow it means that it's something you can grab and hold on to. If you look at your picture you can see they're the same colour as the handrail higher up and the vertical rails near the doors. You'll find these on public transport vehicles including trains and buses everywhere. They can be almost any colour but it will be a bright colour to assist the partially sighted and it will be a uniform colour so you know what it is and sometimes the rails will be textured

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NumerousLocksmith977@reddit

This is by no means an actual answer, but I think the triangle seats are an older style than the circle seats. I think this because I am convinced train seats are less comfy these days than they used to be, and the triangle seats have thicker padding/cushioning on them compared to the circle seats. Whenever I get Southern trains I always try to sit in a triangle seat because of this.

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Icy_Consideration409@reddit

You’ve just given the game away.

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Serious_Badger_4145@reddit

As in they're all yellow like that but some are triangles, some are squares?

Or do they look like they could have just been made at another time?

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

i’m on another southern right this moment, and it’s shaped like this:

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Serious_Badger_4145@reddit

Yeah they've just been made at different times. Ones an older design

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bluesam3@reddit

Some of them have little slots in the top to put paper reservation slips in, for carriages that are old enough not to have been built with little screens built in for that.

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Stunning_Window5785@reddit

When I was a teen I got up off the bus to go downstairs and lost my balance, went to grab the rail by the stairs and accidentally smacked this poor bald man who was sat in the front seats. Right in the back of his head. Horrifying

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maymee-masters@reddit

They used to have little slots in to stick tickets into if you wanted to nap. Not sure if they still do.

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Due-Focus5748@reddit

lol never thought they were used for actual tickets if the passenger wanted a nap lol😆 generally the slots are used for seat reservations labels

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rainribs@reddit

admittedly a more elegant solution than my idea of making everyone wear handle hats

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stoufferthecat@reddit

Dragon's den rejected my handle pants idea.

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Safe-Salad9667@reddit

Careful Matthew, you wouldn't want to go the same way as Gregg Wallace

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evil666overlord@reddit

Make crotchless ones and try again

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stoufferthecat@reddit

Sorted. Deborah Meaden is in. 👍

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Tricky-Reporter-5246@reddit

Better than being in Deborah Meaden

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jimboiow@reddit

Balls deep you say?

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Neilybabs@reddit

I'd go balls n all for air miles.

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Kobiash1@reddit

Are you sure?

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Existing-Prompt-5257@reddit

I’m very sure, when she was younger she didn’t look too bad, but she didn’t MILF up well 🤦🏾‍♂️😅😂🤣

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DEANC1980@reddit

Teletubby heads

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mo0kster@reddit

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Civilised_Psycho@reddit

Only for females I assume?

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evil666overlord@reddit

I'm not one to judge. They'd be great for conga enthusiasts and pantomime horses too.

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Connect_Elk_@reddit

I couldn't handle that

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PositiveTurnover8923@reddit

Brings an entirely new meaning to 'I'm out'

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J-Mc1@reddit

You need to attach a Flow Signal to show people where and when to grab.

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the_swanny@reddit

And what a niche reference you have for a username.

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stoufferthecat@reddit

I don't know what you mean, Mr Harry. That's my name.

^respect ^due

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Neat-Ostrich7135@reddit

Is that a handle in your pants, or are you just pleased to see me?

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Trick-Station8742@reddit

That's because you said the handle was in the pockets

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SaroFireX@reddit

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Hellohibbs@reddit

But bears don’t have arms

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DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit

People say "Bear with me" when they do not have a bear with them

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foldy86@reddit

When people say "Bear with me", I put my arms up and roar. 9 times out of ten I have to explain why I've done this and I still end up being the weirdo. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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pussydivernumero1@reddit

Nah handle hats would be far more civil

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Yubitzume@reddit

This comment is why I come here❤️

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THE-HOARE@reddit

I just grab the persons hair infront of me. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission as they say. /s

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Dildo_Shaggins-@reddit

It's always the comments in threads with a couple of hundred likes that are the funniest thing I've seen all day.

Thanks for this wonderful imagery.

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humunculicious@reddit

You’d have to make the chinstrap really tight.

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Level-Government-463@reddit

I wouldn’t have thought pants had a chin strap but there you go you learn something new everyday. -crotch less handle pants have a chin strap.

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DrainpipeDreams@reddit

"Chin" strap

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MetalWorking3915@reddit

Easier to clean too

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Chemical-Lettuce2497@reddit

Far less stylish though

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wintonian1@reddit

Is that the Brief Encounter remake?

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FairZucchini7814@reddit

They don’t work. My friend grabbed a bald man’s head when we were getting up for our stop!

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paintballguy32@reddit

Grab the person infronts bald head for leverage to get up

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Rhubarb3643@reddit

A man who was sat behind me literally pulled on the back of my head as he was getting up to get off the train, I kid you not, the same man done it again a few days later, didn't have these handles tho lol

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Big_Fall_6173@reddit

I think they also hold reservation signs facing forward if people book them.

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Reign_World@reddit

Imagine OP just grabbed someone square on the head as he walked past so he didn't fall over.

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BoomalakkaWee@reddit

I actually did that once - I took my eye off the handle just as the train bumped and rocked, and my hand slapped down straight onto an old man's head! I still wake up in the night whimpering at the memory sometimes.

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blodauwedd@reddit

On a slightly related tangent to this......last week, I went on my first long train journey for many years. I have put on quite a lot of weight since lockdown. I am female and...shall we be polite and say I am quite top heavy?

Anyway....needed the loo so making my way down the aisles while train jostles and lurches. I hit at least 3 separate people on their heads with my boob on the way to the loo. And there was nothing I could do about it because I needed my hands to stop me actually falling on to people, and trying to walk with my hands on my boobs would have been even weirder.

So bonking people's bonces with boobs was unavoidable.

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HeyGuysHowWasJail@reddit

I like to use the humans head to balance myself when the train is crowded

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Top_rattata@reddit

One time as a kid I was getting off a plane and accident grabbed the bald man sitting infront me by the head to pull my self up out my seat

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Psych0Lab@reddit

I grabbed someone’s head before, can confirm it’s a good design 😕

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Bugsmoke@reddit

If it’s got a slot on the top it used to be how they signified it was a booked seat too. You’d get tickets in a little slot on the top, but it’s hard to tell without seeing the top.

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RGF99@reddit

As someone who’s accidentally poked someone in the eye whilst walking down a wobbly train, these handles are a great idea

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Gob1inDaddy@reddit

Despite this, I still somehow accidentally grabbed a man's shoulder once

It still haunts me

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AcademicMammoth8101@reddit

The bastards attempted to stop me from grabbing maureens head but im stuck in my ways. Her scalp is getting fondles no matter how many millions are spent on preventative measures

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sarcalas@reddit

Magnetic wireless charging points

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Negative-Zombie2107@reddit

Circle!

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FreshCoach9972@reddit

For fat people to help themselves stand from a seated position or for people to hold if standing in the aisle

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DolphinSignalJr@reddit

Handles?

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ALFAROMEO159LUSSO@reddit

Ive seen them be used for "Reserved" tickets before

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No_Exercise_7545@reddit

Yeah they're to grab onto while you're walking down the train.

Dunno why they chose that shape specifically.

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FunFaithlessness7007@reddit

There meant to be for hanging your bag on

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Sufficient-Star-1237@reddit

Have a guess!

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mcsluis@reddit

Against headshots

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GraniteWanker@reddit

Smacking your skull on

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Ok_Breath_804@reddit

They're designed that way for when trains are full and passengers are standing in the aisles, these are far more ergonomical/comfier to be held in your hand for long periods of time...than say a looped handle or nothing at all 👍

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Baked_Beans_Sample@reddit

Trains get very busy during rush hours (before and after work), meaning passengers often have to stand, and at peak times the carriages can be packed to capacity. Without handholds, people would be stumbling and awkwardly grabbing at seats with every jolt of the train.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

gotcha! makes perfect sense. any meaning behind the different shapes on different carts?

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Tiababy@reddit

You’ll find the shapes change depending on when the traction was made. They may look the same or similar internally but 377s (which will be what this train is) have many different internal layouts and furniture. Plus some will have been replaced overtime as people vandalise things or they get broken and engineering sheds tend to be giant parts bins.

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crucible@reddit

IIRC some operators have experimented with 3D printing replacement handles

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oreheheally@reddit

They could make them heart shaped for an exponentially bad pun. People would have to face it every morning. 'Love handles' - groan.

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evenstevens280@reddit

I assume the handles aren't different shapes on this particular train, but seat mounted hand-holds are pretty common and different train manufacturers will use different designs.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

that makes sense to me

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Baked_Beans_Sample@reddit

I don't think the different handle shapes on train carriages have a specific symbolic meaning, they mainly result from varying manufacturers, eras, refurbishments, operator specs, and class/types etc (I'm not 100% sure on this though) Perhaps someone else can confirm this?

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Death_Arrow1@reddit

They are emergency air bags for when the train stops

If you wonder why not on every one it’s because the government lacked funding

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jonnytheboy85@reddit

They’re for putting the reserved cards in when a seats been reserved. Finally got one I know!!! 😂

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ironbean75@reddit

They have a slot in the top and it’s for reserved seats , the guard puts a reserved ticket in them

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Basil-dazz@reddit

The company that makes trains also makes mittens.

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Final_Guarantee8540@reddit

To put reserved tickets in them

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L0nelyB4st4rd@reddit

I thought that was a construction hat 😭

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Much-Can1291@reddit

Just handles no?

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SauceBlock@reddit

Handles, plain and simple.

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essexmirage@reddit

Built in WiFi scanners to see what you're doing on your phone too......

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pub_wank@reddit

Worlds most uncomfortable head rest

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Fluffy-Inside-4191@reddit

It's called a handle. You should Google 'handle'.

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jakub_199@reddit

The train is so unusually clean. Where are you?

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chloe_urmom67@reddit

For ur cock

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Sea_Enthusiasm_3193@reddit

It’ll make you cry all the water out your body

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Minimum-Industry-764@reddit

Mickey Mouse ears

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Fickle-Cod4808@reddit

Curves

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Training_Pen1080@reddit

To hit your head on when you miss your stop🫠

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MountainBedroom729@reddit

My mum used to say they were ears so the chairs could hear

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Icy-Tangerine-5943@reddit

hang coats

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AssignmentHaunting47@reddit

Handles! Good for people with spinal issues like me to get in and out of the chair :)

And also for people stood in aisles to have something to hold

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Lazy_Inevitable6924@reddit

To stop you falling over when walking down the train.

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TemperatureFrosty111@reddit

They use to have a slot in them for when you reserved a seat. Would put a ticket in them but most people use to ignore it anyway.

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HopeSpringsHere@reddit

Handles! If you’re walking down a carriage it’s what you hang onto for balance. Rather than someone’s head.

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EntertainmentFirm289@reddit

Yeah so I’ve accidentally grabbed onto someone’s head whilst these have been implemented and the embarrassment still keeps me up at night. I wasn’t looking and was just feeling around for it when standing up on a moving train 😭

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Psychological-Bag272@reddit

I wonder if there have been incidents where people grab someone’s head while walking down a carriage that led to this being implemented.

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Most_Art507@reddit

I've accidentally know someone's head on the bus when I lost my balance, or trying to grab the handrail.

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Rip-it-up-100@reddit

On a bus I sat down once in tight space, and my knee hit the chair of the lady Infront.

Problem is her long hair was overhanging the back on the seat, so to her it just looked like I went and pulled her hair for no reason.

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rocketscientology@reddit

I have had my head grabbed before haha. It was definitely an accident from the other person, the train gave a big jolt and they just reached out instinctively. Had a laugh about it once I’d recovered from the shock

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HopeSpringsHere@reddit

I wouldn’t be surprised. For every 20 road speed sign and zebra crossing someone has usually died in an accident.

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Organic-Source-7432@reddit

Handles

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Specific-Jicama-1537@reddit

They are when the train stops and people that are standing to hold onto

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mud0k0n_34@reddit

looks like 8b, but r/climbing might be able to confirm

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So_Done_with_The_B_S@reddit

They used to hold tickets for reserved seats, if you took a from above shot there would be a slit.

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whatnotanotheraltacc@reddit

I'm in my 20s but fuck I'm old

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the_uk_hotman@reddit

How old is that carriage eew hardly any room to walk down not like today's. Two things something to hold onto and stops you smacking the occupied seat 💺 with your 🧳 or supposed to.

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HettieSaturn@reddit

I’m sick of these motherfuckin shapes on this motherfuckin train

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santamuerte333@reddit

I guess to lean your head on if you fall asleep and if that isn’t the purpose they definitely look like they can be used that way

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chickenychickenchick@reddit

I seen them used to be reserved tickets in

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

ah, likely to symbolize the specific cart to be in then?

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LongjumpingLunch5036@reddit

No so if the inspector had checked your ticket they would put the stub in the holder to remember it didn't need checking again

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Odd_Cress_2898@reddit

You say stub as if the ticket was perforated. Train tickets have been orange cards for 20+ years. Even if it was part of a ticket, once the customer left, the stub would remain and signal not to recheck a seat occupied by someone new.

If it was an actual ticket, someone who boarded without a ticket could just yank proof of purchase out of the seat back and walk off? A ticket the customer would need on arrival at the destination station and it'd be easier to have in their pocket.

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Greedy-Mechanic-4932@reddit

I've never seen or heard of that.

The tickets u/chickenychickenchick is referring to are the "reserved seat" tickets, where digital signs didn't/don't exist. At the start of the journey, the card is placed on the seat and it tells other passengers where the seat is reserved from and to.

Given passengers need to retain their ticket at all times for presentation, I seriously doubt it's eve been used for an inspector to place it so it doesn't "need checking again"...

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ouzo84@reddit

What train company does that?

This is relatively modern rolling stock and lots of people now use digital tickets.

Cross country trains used to put details of seat reservations in slots on the top of seats, so if you hadn't booked a seat you could see if you would be getting off the train before the reservation starts.

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TartanElmer@reddit

Yes this is what I remember too

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bentleybasher@reddit

They are handles and also ticket holders usually so they can be reserved.

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hhandley@reddit

If it has a slot in the top, it's where they used to put the paper markers to say which seats were reserved and which were available. If not, as many have said, probably just handle.

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Notradingmyrapidash@reddit

ramming your head into after a long day?

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Perfect-Flamingo8108@reddit

Yeah like the other person has said, these trains are TIGHT, 3 across. When it’s super busy, people stand in the middle of the seats and old onto them instead of the people sitting down’s heads. And then if you’re walking through it and the train jolts, you can grab onto the seat “shapes” rather than 80-year-old Maureen’s hair

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tactlessscruff2@reddit

Hey, my mum is an 80 year old Maureen. Appreciate folks not grabbing at her!

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fairenufff@reddit

Perfect! Then all you have to do is make sure she only travels in trains with the yellow grab handles on each seat. Sorted 😉

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glymph@reddit

So is mine!

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TheClnl@reddit

My mum is a 75 year old Maureen. I don't think she's been grabbed yet but it would explain why her hair style gets shorter every time she goes to the salon, she knows it's coming.

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carnageinatincan@reddit

My grandma was a 93 year old Maureen and I also appreciate the whole her not being grabbed at thing

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ScreamingDizzBuster@reddit

Leave Maureen alone!

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elvisonaZ1@reddit

If you notice all the parts of the carriage designed to hold onto are painted yellow.

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AndromedaFire@reddit

Time to try out these bad boys

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Taashaaaa@reddit

Like the climbable routes in Uncharted 😮

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Kobiash1@reddit

Yes! Came here to say that. Painted everything I need to touch in my house yellow.

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UpsetKoalaBear@reddit

Red paint IRL

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RockDoc88mph@reddit

They're actually green! But in yellow lighting, so granted, they do appear sort of yellow.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

not to disappoint, but these ones were very much yellow in person

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Greedy-Mechanic-4932@reddit

It's still high-vis and contrast, for the visually impaired.

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Killahills@reddit

So it is!

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OneCatch@reddit

In addition to being handles, the older ones often also have a slot to hold physical seat reservations.

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SirGranular@reddit

Four candles.... ye know... handles.... for forks....

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EternallySickened@reddit

They are handles that double as place marker holders for reserved seats.

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dobsterfunk@reddit

These ones don't have a slot or hole for tickets. They're just handles.

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Jarvisnamesake@reddit

Forehead resters

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autobulb@reddit

Yea that's odd. In every transportation I've been on that has elbow height handles for people to hold onto as they are standing or walking through it's usually on the side of the seat near the corner of the headrest but usually extending outwards a little bit. I don't imagine it would feel so comfortable if I was sitting down and someone was holding on to something right above my head.

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Pure_Imagination9625@reddit

They’re to help you while walking down the row, so you don’t have a rather awkward time trapping a poor sods shoulder…

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Mountain_Visit_7942@reddit

Trapping bacteria

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99percentstudios@reddit

Coat hanger/grab handle

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scarabx@reddit

not these handles, but similar, who the hell is designing and installing thousands of these things while clearly never having tried to hold on to one?!

(was stuck standing up on a recent journey and the only handles available were painful to hold on to even after a few seconds so it's coincidental timing I have a good place to vent)

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MEH121234_@reddit

They design them with cleaning in mind, these are easy to clean especially with how many there are to be done.

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Bertiemcm@reddit

That’s where my head goes

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Astro___ortsA@reddit

Your hand to help you up

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MagicTouch97@reddit

Ans here I was going to say in the older trains these used to hold paper reserved signs. so you knew not to sit in those seats.

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individualcoffeecake@reddit

Stops you cupping someone’s skull like a basketball when you inevitably stumble down the isle

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yoda_layheho@reddit

It’s to stick ur forehead in when your tired, can catch a wee nap either to or from work

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socialily218@reddit

Holding on for dear life 🤣

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Yogi-Beard62@reddit

Grab handles

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Fatbloke-66@reddit

you can also hang your bag or steam deck from the handle in front of you

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pussydivernumero1@reddit

When these trains reach central London they get packed. They are for standing passengers to hold

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Phnix21@reddit

Handles to make it easier to get up, especially for elderly or weaker people.

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Head_Load5539@reddit

To catch your massive incompetence

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SlicerPizza@reddit

So you can lean forward and go to sleep with a comfy grove for your head

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_Nash_Potatoes_@reddit

I think they are handles, but they always remind me of red blood cells due to their biconcave disc shape

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RNJudas_@reddit

They're seat handles, for standing commuters to hold onto.

As for the different shapes (circles vs. cat ears), they're because when the trains were ordered, the seating layout inside some of the carriages were changed mid-order, since there were more passengers than expected.

More passengers = more seats, so some of the cat-ear seating was replaced with circular-handled seats.

The circular handles are a 3+2 seating layout (3 seats on one side + 2 on the other), whereas the cat ears are 2+2 seating (2 seats on one side + 2 on the other), with different seat shapes and therefore different handle shapes for each.

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IBenjieI@reddit

Haha. This is one of our trains 🤦🏻‍♂️

We nickname them Mickey Mouse ears but they’re just grab handles for when the train is full, moving etc.

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Gold-Opportunity-975@reddit

For whacking it to annoy the person sat behind you

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Errrmso@reddit

To rest your forehead, in despair

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Professional_twit@reddit

Head butting when you have had a long stressful day at work

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FormerStatistician43@reddit

I usually stick a couple of fingers up any handy pair of nostrils if I feel unsteady

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Getoiu@reddit

This is a cock shield - It prevents male individuals from accidentally poking the eye of the passenger in front when disembarking

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Tej0009871@reddit

I think they have a slit on the top there seat reservations where stuck into it

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Tiny-Holiday-4625@reddit

Wish these were on buses, I gave this poor lady a strong back headed slap accidentally when I had to stand on a bus I felt so bad.

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rjs1987@reddit

Handles, and they slots in them for tickets. They used them when reserved seats were printed out

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oxlolalovexo@reddit

Didn't they hold cards in the top back when you reserved seats?

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hejonLeseqenh@reddit

They're for Making you hungry if you Skipped Your Breakfast eggs .

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justeUnMec@reddit

they're grab handles. I assume clearly coloured to help people find them if they lose balance.

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Re99i3@reddit

Do they have little slits in the top to keep cards in, this is in case the seat is reserved?

They do look slightly different to the oval ones Ive seen with tickets sticking out the top.

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Hopeful_chap@reddit

Grab handles for when you stand or when you jostle. Better than grabbing the sitters bonce.

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DragonWolf5589@reddit

Just handles so when your walking and we go around a sharp end you don't fall over.. Nothing fancy even though they always look unusual shaped. Usually most comment is an oval or rectangle or l circle. But I've seen a triangular one once years ago.

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henryisonfire@reddit

I once stood up on a train, reached for one of these without looking and tenderly grasped the head of a bald man seated across the aisle

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mad8869@reddit

Handles so you don't grab the seat edge/person. Also I've seen them sometimes with slots on the sides for reserved seats

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Puzzleheaded_Set_958@reddit

They are germ spreaders.

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Flat___________@reddit

Wait for rammed packed full of people train it will become clear.

Its to hold onto and not grab the person sitting

Also notice all the grab onto stuff is yellow.

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Illustrious-Divide95@reddit

To hold on to as you walk down the aisle when the train is moving

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MDL1983@reddit

Hold onto the seat, so the train don't yeet!

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ASAPFergs@reddit

The train designer was a big Teletubbies fan, Lala in particular

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Jacktheforkie@reddit

These are designed as handles, they can also be used to hang your coat in

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spacesickjack@reddit

Some used to hold seat reservations I believe

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poundsdpound@reddit

Handles: but the type of handle shape that's probably easiest to CLEAN, especially when they're cleaning hundreds at once.

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atomicshrimp@reddit

Also handles with holes can be a hazard if people have their thumb in there when the train jolts

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Johnny_Gorilla@reddit

They are for people standing to hold onto

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_Daftest_@reddit

Exactly as you said, they're handles for people walking past.

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TerribleCanary8849@reddit

They’re for licking. Try it, they taste of banana

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

i love banana!

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Miserable-Ad7835@reddit

I've seen some fucking stupid questions asked on here, but this is something else.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

Why? There’s different shaped ones on different carts. Also, public transport isn’t common in the US…

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Miserable-Ad7835@reddit

Oh, you're American, that explains a lot.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

At least i’m not Miserable :D

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Miserable-Ad7835@reddit

No, just stupid.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

Would love to hear your theory on why the handles aren’t shaped anything like handles :)

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Miserable-Ad7835@reddit

Because the rest of the world doesn't need them to look like handles to work out what they are.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

that doesn’t really explain why the train line would go out of its way to produce different shaped ones across the same exact train though. if it were just a handle, why not mass produce only this O-shaped one? but they have other shapes as well. each day i take it, it’s different. yesterday was “A”-shaped on the same train line.

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Antique-Primary-2413@reddit

The simple answer is the most boring one: you'd likely have been on a different class of train, and even if it WAS the same class you'll find some have been refurbished/refitted, and some haven't. That's really it. There's no standard design.

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creamyjoshy@reddit

Believe it or not it's a subtle way that youths nowadays are exchanging drugs, primarily by shipping it from Prague

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0tMvxV-GC4

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flyingmooset@reddit

You are in carriage O.

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

so they do have meaning besides being handles!

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AvatarIII@reddit

No they're joking. They are just handles

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EsoogRalopib@reddit (OP)

Oh. Someone said they saw that symbol printed on old tickets, so it seemed to me like they weren’t entirely joking.

If they’re only handles and handles alone, i’d assume that all the same type of train would have the same type of handle. but they’re different shapes in different carts.

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transfuse@reddit

No, the other person said that sometimes these are used to hold the seat reservation ticket which are put in place before a service begins. I have seen them being used like that once or twice but it's kind of odd because it defies the point of them being a handle. 99 times out of 100 they're in a separate slot in the middle of the top of the seat.

(someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you'll ever see seat reservations on trains that stay within london, only on long-distance services)

The shape/colour/design of them is usually uniform throughout a single train, it doesn't vary by carriage.

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AvatarIII@reddit

Sometimes carriages are mixed with carriages of other designs. With southern trains you get these ones and the ones with the larger chairs and tables, and other rail companies will have different style carriages too with different style handles.

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TheLoneCenturion95@reddit

As its a southern rail train those are for you to grip as hard as you can while you find out your train has been delayed same as the glass dividers are for you to headbutt when they tell you it's cancelled after waiting 2 hours at Crawley station trying to get to Victoria.

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