Tourist told 'too many fat people' were on Mount Snowdon train

Crisis: the UK's obesity problem is causing overcrowding on the Snowdon train, claim bosses
Bruce Adams/Daily Mail
Tom Powell21 September 2016

A British tourist was turned away from a mountain steam train in Wales because there were too many overweight people on board.

Anthony Poppel, 69, from Suffolk, was told it is becoming a regular problem for the famous Mount Snowdon railway, which carries passengers to the top of Wales’ tallest mountain.

An apology letter, which he received alongside a £32.50 refund, said: “The issue of obesity in our country is leading to more incidents of this type every year.”

He had been holidaying in the nearby town of Llandudno where he booked himself onto the train, only to receive the bad news when he arrived at the platform.

A staff member explained to him that a family of four were taking up space meant for five people due to their “physical size and weight” and were "refusing to move".

Mr Poppel told the Daily Post: “When I went to get in, there were people sitting down and several kids in there as well.

“The young guard who was there said, ‘Sorry, it is full’. I had to go and get my money back.

“It ruined my holiday really. I had travelled a long way to see it and I thought it was poor show.”

The letter of apology read: “Your ticket was valid for the departure at 12 noon but unfortunately it seems that other occupants of the carriage were large in stature and refused to move their family group to accommodate you more easily in your allotted carriage.”

It added: “Our carriages accommodate 10 people but the issue of obesity in our country is leading to more incidents of this type every year.”

A Snowdon Moutain Railway spokesman said: “More than 130,000 passengers travel on Snowdon’s narrow gauge railway every year.

“On the day of Mr Poppel’s visit, a family of four occupied the full width of his carriage due to their physical size and weight, taking the space normally reserved for five people.

“We requested that they sit opposite one another but they refused.

“We did everything we could to accommodate Mr Poppel and we apologise for any disappointment he experienced.”

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