diff --git a/neo/core/epoch.py b/neo/core/epoch.py
index 88e22c587..419ade1c1 100644
--- a/neo/core/epoch.py
+++ b/neo/core/epoch.py
@@ -170,7 +170,14 @@ def __repr__(self):
         return '<Epoch: %s>' % ', '.join(objs)
 
     def _repr_pretty_(self, pp, cycle):
-        super()._repr_pretty_(pp, cycle)
+        labels = ""
+        if self._labels is not None:
+            labels = " with labels"
+        pp.text(f"{self.__class__.__name__} containing {self.size} epochs{labels}; "
+        f"time units {self.units.dimensionality.string}; datatype {self.dtype} ")
+        if self._has_repr_pretty_attrs_():
+            pp.breakable()
+            self._repr_pretty_attrs_(pp, cycle)
 
     def rescale(self, units):
         '''
diff --git a/neo/core/event.py b/neo/core/event.py
index dcbe026e0..f6ff1cd00 100644
--- a/neo/core/event.py
+++ b/neo/core/event.py
@@ -148,7 +148,14 @@ def __repr__(self):
         return '<Event: %s>' % ', '.join(objs)
 
     def _repr_pretty_(self, pp, cycle):
-        super()._repr_pretty_(pp, cycle)
+        labels = ""
+        if self._labels is not None:
+            labels = " with labels"
+        pp.text(f"{self.__class__.__name__} containing {self.size} events{labels}; "
+        f"time units {self.units.dimensionality.string}; datatype {self.dtype} ")
+        if self._has_repr_pretty_attrs_():
+            pp.breakable()
+            self._repr_pretty_attrs_(pp, cycle)
 
     def rescale(self, units):
         '''
diff --git a/neo/core/spiketrain.py b/neo/core/spiketrain.py
index 0b2ef566d..251531c13 100644
--- a/neo/core/spiketrain.py
+++ b/neo/core/spiketrain.py
@@ -346,7 +346,21 @@ def __init__(self, times, t_stop, units=None, dtype=None, copy=True,
                             array_annotations=array_annotations, **annotations)
 
     def _repr_pretty_(self, pp, cycle):
-        super()._repr_pretty_(pp, cycle)
+        waveforms = ""
+        if self.waveforms:
+            waveforms = "with waveforms"
+        pp.text(f"{self.__class__.__name__} containing {self.size} spikes{waveforms}; "
+                f"units {self.units.dimensionality.string}; datatype {self.dtype} ")
+        if self._has_repr_pretty_attrs_():
+            pp.breakable()
+            self._repr_pretty_attrs_(pp, cycle)
+
+        def _pp(line):
+            pp.breakable()
+            with pp.group(indent=1):
+                pp.text(line)
+
+        _pp(f"time: {self.t_start} to {self.t_stop}")
 
     def rescale(self, units):
         '''