Chessington World of Adventures and South Western Railway have teamed up to create the first ever Noisy Carriage for families this summer
- As the school holidays begin, new research reveals two-thirds of parents are embarrassed by their children’s behaviour in public
- Chessington World of Adventures has launched the ‘Noisy Carriage’ on select trains from London Waterloo to Chessington this summer
- The 36-minute train journey is filled with music, entertainment, and games for kids
We’re all familiar with the ‘quiet carriage’. Well, Chessington World of Adventures and South Western Railway are flipping that on its head this summer and creating a dedicated Noisy Carriage for families heading from London Waterloo to Chessington South as the holidays kick off.
The Noisy Carriage will have DJs and entertainers from Chessington’s Summer Festival event, music, games and more, to get the party started before arriving at the theme park. Departing from Waterloo at 9.17am on Monday 29th and Wednesday 31st July, the 36-minute journey to Chessington South is designed to make sure parents can rest easy without worrying about the embarrassment of their kids acting up in a quiet public place.
This comes as new research from Chessington reveals that two-thirds (61%) of parents find their kids’ embarrassing behaviour stressful, and one in three parents (33%) say they struggle to get their kids to sit still and keep quiet on public transport.
Some of the most common places parents are embarrassed by their kids are supermarkets, cafes & restaurants, and public transport. 27% of parents even wish there were more public spaces where their kids could run riot, free from judgement.
The top reasons for parents being embarrassed by their kids in public include: their child running away or wandering off when they have asked them not to (29%), screaming (26%), and commenting on people around them with no filter (25%).
On the Noisy Carriage, there is no shushing allowed, and kids are welcome to sing, play and shout for the entire journey – handy for the 10% of parents who say their kids singing at the top of their lungs is a source of embarrassment for them.
A quarter of parents (23%) say someone has commented on their child’s bad behaviour in public – which is perhaps why 28% of parents resort to ‘bribery’ like sweets and screen time in a bid to keep kids quiet.
Ramesh Ganeson, Divisional Director from Chessington World of Adventures said: “At Chessington World of Adventures, we’re Britain’s wildest adventure so anything boring is out of the window! We love a bit of noise and fun and we know the excitement starts way before guests get to us. Our research shows that parents can feel embarrassed about their kids being noisy in public. We always have parents’ backs, so teaming up with South Western Railway to create a dedicated space where kids can let loose on the train from London Waterloo made perfect sense!”
Richard Barker, Partnerships Manager at South Western Railway said: “We’re very excited to invite families to experience our one-of-a-kind Noisy Carriage on our service from Waterloo to Chessington South. As the summer holidays get into full swing, we know children love the adventure of travelling on the train and many families will be hopping aboard for day trips and holidays. With our Noisy Carriage, families can relax and let loose knowing we have a fun-filled carriage just for them.”
The research found kids are most embarrassing between the ages of two and four, followed by the next age group up, five to seven. One unfortunate respondent said their child noticed a man with a big nose on the bus and proceeded to loudly call him “Pinocchio”. Another parent remembered her child steering the shopping trolley into a large display in the supermarket and then running away.
But while ‘spirited’ children might leave parents feeling anxious about going to a public place, our research found that parents also feel empathetic to others, with hundreds of those surveyed sharing advice to others not to worry, do your best to be calm, and remember that you are not alone and that all parents have been through it.
Ramesh Ganeson, Divisional Director of Chessington World of Adventures added: “All parents recognise ‘the fear’ of a trip on a bus, train or plane. Our results found this is a pain point when it comes to embarrassing behaviour, so we’re happy to be able to offer a safe space for mums, dads, grandparents and any other guardians. With any luck, with that and a full day at a theme park, at least the journey back will be quiet – because kids will be fast asleep!”
To book a place on the Noisy Carriage, simply purchase a ticket for the 09.17 train from London Waterloo to Chessington South on 29 July or 31 July at southwesternrailway.com or on the SWR app, or tap in with your Oyster or contactless card. And pre-book your Chessington World of Adventures day ticket at www.chessington.com, from only £29 per person which includes entry to the theme park, zoo, shows, and SEA LIFE Aquarium. Advance booking is advised to guarantee entry. Those under 90cms visit for free.
T’s & C’s: Spaces on the Noisy Carriage will be available on a first come, first served basis based on carriage capacity.