RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted December 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 18, 2018 (edited) It doesn't just seem to be a UK thing. I've been travelling quite a lot in the new Eurostar trains and the ride quality seems significantly worse than the old Alstom trains on all three networks (UK, France and Belgium), with a rather disappointing fidgetiness and rolling motion (the general build also seems poor as the last few trips have been a cacophony of rattles and noise from loose panels). I really don't mind most of the seats on trains, I think shape is much more important than whether the cushions are soft or firm and generally find the newer generation of seats pretty well shaped. Have to say I prefer the Velaro over class 373. Yes the ride is a bit more lively, and they sway a bit more, which I suspect is due to not being articulated. But overall I found it better than a 373. More comfortable seats, better lighting, better toilets. As for modern seats-haven't experienced a 700/707 etc yet, but the few journeys I've had on the supposedly rock hard 800/802's have actually been quite comfortable. Maybe not quite as good as a Mk3 with IC70 seats, but they did take a bit of beating, lets face it. And I prefer the IET interior over the refurb GWR HST with its high seat backs. My impression of Eurupean ride standards, certainly in Germany from recent IC/ICE & RE trips, is that they can match anything we have. The ride in Dostos in the Rhein-Ruhr was very good at 160km/h, and so was the ride in a Bombardier Talent EMU at similar speeds. The loco-hauled IC from Berlin-Koln was immaculate even at 200km/h. Even the old 6-wheel 1950's era stock on the V200 tour to Celle was pretty decent, albeit no quicker than 100km/h. Edited December 18, 2018 by rodent279 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 According to the DfT new trains already provide the first two on your list (I'm sure the inhabitants of Whitehall would present you with reams of paperwork they say proves it is so if you ask them enough) and its not their fault if your posterior / spine does not meet the superposed UK norms.. While as for the 3rd item - they would say you need to get with the times and start surfing the internet / watching a film / reading a book on your smart device via the on board wi-fi and powered by the charging socket under your seat (unless the DfT forgot to include that in the spec they themselves drew up - aka the 700s) like the rest of the population do, not doing that silly old 'looking out of the Window' routine. Finally the DfT would say that not only are sufficient toilets are provided - but at least one of them will be fully accessible too. Of course being of the retention type and full of fancy controls there is much more to go wrong.... Perhaps it might be illuminating for someone to tell us what its like in DfT Towers. Are the inhabitants able to see out of the windows, are train style seats with minimal padding first choice in the office supplies catalogue and how many toilets do they have... They've never asked me for my opinion, but if they did I could note the Class 360 seats as being too hard as an example I've actually experienced. As for those reams of paperwork full of nonsense I know exactly where they can go - and after that they will be so bunged up they'll never need top go to the toilet again! And they can stick their i-pops and faceache pages in the same place too. A pointless waste of a journey; only keeps morons happy - ah yes, I see! That should keep DfT amused then. Nothing against accessible toilets if they work, but one toilet per 40 seats is about the right number for a long distance train (which allows for one or two to go out of order). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 Presumably the Canadian owned factory at Derby. Which has on its books a large order for suburban trains from Greater Anglia. Canadian owned but UK registered for tax purposes - the whole of Bombardier Transportation, including the German bits even though the HQ is in Berlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted December 19, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 19, 2018 Why didn't they build them to a different gauge too! Be careful what you wish for...DfT might start thinking 1000mm gauge might save them money...shorter axles, shorter sleepers, cram an extra line in here and there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted December 19, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 19, 2018 I thought bi-modes were supposed to be numbered in the 800 range? Why are these numbered in the 700 range? Is there any logic at all in train classification nowadays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black and decker boy Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 I thought bi-modes were supposed to be numbered in the 800 range? Why are these numbered in the 700 range? Is there any logic at all in train classification nowadays? I think they are banded in speed ranges, up to 118mph (ie suburban / interurban), over 118mph etc (Intercity & High Speed). Anglia will presumably be max 110mph whereas IEP is clearly 125mph+ The odd ones then are the 374s being in the same number band as all other AC only EMU. It’s s long time since I read about such things so could be completely wrong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 (edited) It always saddens me when I go to the canteen at the RTC in Derby, back in its day it would have been the hang out of the some of brightest brains in rail technology in the world now its just a canteen for a rolling stock repair shop and some rented offices It always saddens me when people are crassly judgemental about stuff. If you had hung out in the rather nice Gather & Gather RTC 'canteen' this lunchtime you could have met this numbskull (only been on the railway 30 years) who sits in a rented office all day.... I'm actually really bugged by that remark. It's so ignorant. And usually I'd laugh stuff off. EDIT: it's got a happy ending, scroll down!!! Edited December 20, 2018 by 'CHARD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Boar Fell Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 It always saddens me when people are crassly judgemental about stuff. If you had hung out in the rather nice Gather & Gather RTC 'canteen' this lunchtime you could have met this numbskull (only been on the railway 30 years) who sits in a rented office all day.... I'm actually really bugged by that remark. It's so ignorant. And usually I'd laugh stuff off. I can't claim to be one of the brightest brains, but ditto this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimbus Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 How about....a new batch of Brits and some Gresleys to go behind them? Would that work? Stewart Bit too old-school for c21 methinks. Something from the same family with 3 cylinders and poppet valves would perhaps quicken pulses. The Nim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted December 19, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 19, 2018 It always saddens me when people are crassly judgemental about stuff. If you had hung out in the rather nice Gather & Gather RTC 'canteen' this lunchtime you could have met this numbskull (only been on the railway 30 years) who sits in a rented office all day.... I'm actually really bugged by that remark. It's so ignorant. And usually I'd laugh stuff off. I'm not on about the people its how we have slipped in world class railway building I was over there Monday with 37419 which has gone for overhaul 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 I'm not on about the people its how we have slipped in world class railway building I was over there Monday with 37419 which has gone for overhaul I'm not going to labour the point, mate, but this kinda mentioned the people who work on this site. Anyway, I get your point and wish you well, it's Railway Family after all - Seasons Greetings from Derwent House. back in its day it would have been the hang out of the some of brightest brains in rail technology in the world now its just a canteen for a rolling stock repair shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted December 20, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2018 I'm not going to labour the point, mate, but this kinda mentioned the people who work on this site. Anyway, I get your point and wish you well, it's Railway Family after all - Seasons Greetings from Derwent House. back in its day it would have been the hang out of the some of brightest brains in rail technology in the world now its just a canteen for a rolling stock repair shop Sorry you took it out of context mate. What I meant was that some of the site is occupied by non railway companies which I'm sure you will agree is a sad come down from the centre of railway white heat of technology it was when opened. Certainly no offence intended, seasons greetings to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Sorry you took it out of context mate. What I meant was that some of the site is occupied by non railway companies which I'm sure you will agree is a sad come down from the centre of railway white heat of technology it was when opened. Certainly no offence intended, seasons greetings to you All's good our kid! What I've noticed is that there are more apprentices coming through Loram, plus undergrads on work placement for NR, and now we've got digital neighbours from both Hitachi and more recently Siemens. It's like the RTC is coalescing again through natural attraction! Have a great break! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted December 20, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2018 Glad to hear the place is on the up again, a few years back I feared it could go. Sorry to see the fish pond doesn't go outside anymore that was a wonderful sixties feature. Enjoy your break too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Glad to hear the place is on the up again, a few years back I feared it could go. Sorry to see the fish pond doesn't go outside anymore that was a wonderful sixties feature. Enjoy your break too The fishpond does still extend outside - don't think the inside bit survived the canteen makeover, we also lost a 50 year old tree in that quad during last year's gales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted December 20, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2018 The fishpond does still extend outside - don't think the inside bit survived the canteen makeover, we also lost a 50 year old tree in that quad during last year's gales. Your right I got it the wrong way round! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 (edited) Your right I got it the wrong way round! Tell you what - I hadn't even noticed until I tried to reconcile your post - and I'm in there at least once a week (usually espionage related!!!!) Edited December 20, 2018 by 'CHARD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowperil Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 I certainly couldn’t claim to be a bright mind but I still do occasionally frequent the RTC canteen, I do miss the 1960s retro ambience that’s been removed by the recent upgrade though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 I certainly couldn’t claim to be a bright mind but I still do occasionally frequent the RTC canteen, I do miss the 1960s retro ambience that’s been removed by the recent upgrade though oh here's another stealth deviant! Make yourself known next time FFS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowperil Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 (edited) oh here's another stealth deviant! Make yourself known next time FFS! You know me very well Edited December 20, 2018 by Yellowperil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 You know me very well Oh F*** *** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Boar Fell Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Beginning to think the RTC canteen will need its own thread soon... Meanwhile what's happening with the Flirts? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted December 20, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2018 (edited) Beginning to think the RTC canteen will need its own thread soon... Meanwhile what's happening with the Flirts? they got cut up! Edited December 20, 2018 by russ p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixM Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Todays news brought that there will be no first class accommodation on all but Inter City trains on Greater Anglias fleet starting from early 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted December 21, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2018 Todays news brought that there will be no first class accommodation on all but Inter City trains on Greater Anglias fleet starting from early 2019. Been known for ages. Another unit arrived today - Thursday - but was 35 early so passed "my" bit of the GEML in the dark so no photographs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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