A new problem has emerged with South Central's fleet of futuristic new trains - the carriages are too narrow to take buffet trolleys.

Instead, commuters are being asked to pick their snacks from boxes carried down the aisle by staff.

Passengers have accused the operator of putting profit before people by squeezing an extra row of seats into some carriages, leaving little room to move in the gangway.

The distinctive green, white and yellow Electrostars, which are gradually being introduced in an £856 million investment to replace the ageing slam-door fleet, have sections with five seats across instead of the usual four.

A trolley operator employed by Puccino's, which runs the on-board buffet service, said slimline aisles were also causing a headache for commuters who had complained of being accidentally knocked by ticket inspectors as they struggled past with their machines.

He said: "It's ludicrous. We're up in arms about it and so are the commuters and ticket inspectors.

"You can't get a trolley down the aisle and it's all for the sake of four more seats per carriage which people don't use anyway because they're too narrow.

"The luggage racks are too small as well.

"No thought went into this when they designed the train."

He has been given a green window-cleaner's box, which he loads up with cans, crisps and chocolate to carry down the gangway.

He said: "People look at me as if I'm an alien carrying this thing. And when people can't see the trolley they don't buy anything."

A spokesman for South Central Trains said: "We are aware the trolleys are not fitting in on board parts of these trains and so we are not able to provide a service all the way through the train.

"We are looking at this with the caterers and considering the possibility of slimmer trolleys. We have also talked to the manufacturers of the trains about making the gangways wider."

The spokesman also said the size of luggage racks had been reduced to conform with new health and safety regulations.

The Electrostar fleet has been beset with problems since the first of the 700 new carriages was introduced last December.

The first train out of Brighton broke down on a return trip.

In January, it emerged the electricity-hungry carriages could not operate to their full capacity because they were draining too much power from the line.

In April, people living near to tunnels complained horns were keeping them awake.

Then, in the height of summer, commuters were left fuming when power problems knocked out sophisticated air-conditioning mechanisms.

Passenger John Stanaway said: "They just want bums on seats."

Transport design consultant Henry Law, from Brighton, said: "I heave a sigh of relief when an old slam-door turns up."

Thursday September 11, 2003