Class 800 - Updates

[SouthernMafia]

Yes the lack of a buffet car is not a good thing. You always knew where the buffet car was, and they let you know when it opened. 

 

With a trolley it might come. It might not. If it passes through once it might come past later or then again not.

 

It probably isn't beyond the wit of man to make an announcement to let people know what the deal is on a given train with the trolley but that doesn't seem to be how things work.

 

 

 

The line is "passenger research has shown people prefer refreshments to come to them. They don't want to have to leave their seat and personal belongings unattended, walking potentially from one end of the train to another"

Plus in this day and age of security, less unattended items is a good thing.

 

Not sure how many times you need a trolley to come past you but in my experience of travelling 800 style (which is most days between Swindon and Reading), the trolley passes at least once. And being 2 x 5-car (if the other is in use   ) it comes back much quicker than if it were a 9. First world problems and all.

[Zomboid]

On overcrowded cross country services (so pretty much all of them...) I frequently hear announcements that the trolley is parked in coach F if you want anything, but won't be coming through on account of the overcrowding.

 

I'm quite particular about how I like tea, and I've never had a good one from a trolley - the water is just never hot enough. At a buffet counter they don't have that issue (usually). Though I realise this really is first world problem territory...

[Barry Ten]

There's no trolley service at all on Cross Country's Cardiff to Nottingham service, which is piss-poor in my opinion.

[JDW]

I have to admit I can see both sides here - I do like the traditional buffet car, and have in the past gone and used the restaurant car when it was available.  The latter in particular makes it much more than just getting from A to B.  But at the same time, I agree that I don't like leaving my belongings (or lugging everything about with me when I go to the buffet) and would also worry about losing my "normal" seat when returning from the restaurant, something which is more and more a worry on a busy train.  And trains are getting ever busier.  I think that there are so many good quality (OK, everyone has there preferences, but in general terms) food and drink outlets on and around stations that a large majority of passengers will buy before they travel, even if being able to get a hot drink after a few hours on board is still nice.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

I just have my spam sandwiches and bottle of Tizer in my duffle-bag.

[Siberian Snooper]

I just have my spam sandwiches and bottle of Tizer in my duffle-bag.

Is Tizer still available? I've not noticed it for years.

 

O. Phart

[nigel newling]

Just spent the weekend in London, HST up from Bath on Friday, 800-035 back to Bath on Sunday evening. Both trains were running in reverse orientation so my "facing" seat reservations converted to "back to", which I hate. I have loved the HSTs for their quietness and smooth ride. First time on an 800 and the first impression - it felt just like I was getting on a bus. Don't let the newness fool you, they are not going to wear well. 8 minutes late away from Paddington. "Could the Hitachi fitter please come to the rear of the train" - "Sorry for the late departure, we had a problem with the door close indication, caused by a plastic bag". I found the ride to be uncomfortable with significant lateral banging in the suspension. Trolley service only in our unit - but no hot drinks because the boiler is defective. Can we have our HSTs back please?

Edited April 30, 2018 by nigel newling

[Coryton]

Just spent the weekend in London, HST up from Bath on Friday, 800-035 back to Bath on Sunday evening. Both trains were running in reverse orientation so my "facing" seat reservations converted to "back to", which I hate. I have loved the HSTs for their quietness and smooth ride. First time on an 800 and the first impression - it felt just like I was getting on a bus. 

 

You must have much nicer buses where you live than I do.

[jonny777]

You must have much nicer buses where you live than I do.

 

Exactly. 

 

I haven't been on many buses which look like this inside. 

 

 

[Zomboid]

The seats are still a bit hard, and those grab handles really want to be on top of the seats, but other than that I've no worthwhile criticism of the passenger experience. It's even got about the right table/ airline seating ratio IMO.

 

Definitely much better than a 2018 GWR HST. (Maybe not better than a VTEC HST, haven't been on one of those for a very long time now so can't make a meaningful comparison).

[Coryton]

The seats are still a bit hard, and those grab handles really want to be on top of the seats, but other than that I've no worthwhile criticism of the passenger experience. It's even got about the right table/ airline seating ratio IMO.

 

Definitely much better than a 2018 GWR HST. (Maybe not better than a VTEC HST, haven't been on one of those for a very long time now so can't make a meaningful comparison).

 

I seem to recall the grab handles ended up in a rather strange place as a result of having to meet various conflicting requirements. And I'd agree with the seats being hard.

 

I don't think it is all that much better or worse than the GWR Mk 3's in their previous incarnation, though much better than they are now.

 

I do think the IETs could do with a bit more luggage space. But luggage doesn't pay for a seat...

[Titan]

Exactly. 

 

I haven't been on many buses which look like this inside. 

 

 

IMG_1576.JPG

 

 

On the other hand are there any trains that look like this inside?

 

[Coryton]

On the other hand are there any trains that look like this inside?

 

I've been on quite a few buses and coaches in my time, varying from the reasonably posh end of the market downwards.

 

Some were more comfortable in some ways than an IET, some less, but the interior of an IET doesn't remind me of any of them.

[37114]

I presume there has been a new IET diagram gone live yesterday, IET on 05.54 ex Chippenham today but only a 5 cat set, which will inevitably be full before Reading....

[Oakydoke]

The number of GWR 9 car Class 800/3 's is building up outside at the Newton Aycliffe factory.

When are the first of these due to go into service?

[Covkid]

Not sure how many times you need a trolley to come past you but in my experience of travelling 800 style (which is most days between Swindon and Reading), the trolley passes at least once. And being 2 x 5-car (if the other is in use   ) it comes back much quicker than if it were a 9. First world problems and all.

 

 

I am assuming that will be a temporary thing though because the 9 car units are not yet in service. Guessing that once the full fleet is commissioned the 9 car units will be working a proportion of the trunk route like Bristol and Cardiff and maybe Oxford too, simply to avoid costly double crewing.     

[Coryton]

I am assuming that will be a temporary thing though because the 9 car units are not yet in service. Guessing that once the full fleet is commissioned the 9 car units will be working a proportion of the trunk route like Bristol and Cardiff and maybe Oxford too, simply to avoid costly double crewing.     

 

So far as I know the intention is to continue to run 5+5 services on some routes (e.g. London-Swansea) with one unit being left on the way (in this case, at Cardiff). So there will continue to be issues of split units, with the added bonus that some passengers will have to travel in one of the units and that might contain more than its fair share of people who could be in the other one...

[jim.snowdon]

So far as I know the intention is to continue to run 5+5 services on some routes (e.g. London-Swansea) with one unit being left on the way (in this case, at Cardiff). So there will continue to be issues of split units, with the added bonus that some passengers will have to travel in one of the units and that might contain more than its fair share of people who could be in the other one...

I would presume that the intention would be that for workings intentionally diagrammed as 2 x 5-car, to split in service, the crewing would be arranged to include two catering crews, whereas at present, with a 2 x 5-car standing in for yet to be delivered 9-car units the ability to resource the additional crew is more restricted.

 

As for passengers being in the wrong half, that is hardly a novelty, given the decades since the Southern Railway, in particular, made a speciality out of dividing and combining non-gangwayed trains en route.

 

Jim

[Coryton]

I would presume that the intention would be that for workings intentionally diagrammed as 2 x 5-car, to split in service, the crewing would be arranged to include two catering crews, whereas at present, with a 2 x 5-car standing in for yet to be delivered 9-car units the ability to resource the additional crew is more restricted.

 

As for passengers being in the wrong half, that is hardly a novelty, given the decades since the Southern Railway, in particular, made a speciality out of dividing and combining non-gangwayed trains en route.

 

I agree that splitting non-corridor trains isn't a new thing for the UK.

 

However for passengers on these routes, it is a novelty.

 

If they are currently unable to provide a trolley in both halves of their trains, it might be useful if they had a way of indicating to passengers which bits will and won't have catering.

[Geoff Endacott]

 it might be useful if they had a way of indicating to passengers which bits will and won't have catering.

 

How about a red stripe on the side?

 

Geoff Endacott

[Dunsignalling]

How about a red stripe on the side?

 

Geoff Endacott

Far too "old railway" ever to be countenanced.

 

John

[APOLLO]

As for passengers being in the wrong half, that is hardly a novelty, given the decades since the Southern Railway, in particular, made a speciality out of dividing and combining non-gangwayed trains en route.

 

Jim

 

You should see the Kerfuffle at Wigan North Western when a 2 x 5 car Voyager sails in !!!!

 

Brit15

[159220]

The number of GWR 9 car Class 800/3 's is building up outside at the Newton Aycliffe factory.

When are the first of these due to go into service?

 

 

Monday 11th June on two Cheltenham diagrams. 304/305 undergoing commissioning in Doncaster. Still a few more 800/0s to deliver to Agility Trains West first. But 304 shall be first of the 800/3s if all goes to plan! 

 

07:36 Paddington - Cheltenham 09:52

10:36 Cheltenham - Paddington 12:43

13:36 Paddington - Cheltenham 15:52

16:33 Cheltenham - Paddington 18:35

 

11:36 Paddington - Cheltenham 13:52

14:36 Cheltenham - Paddington 16:43

17:22 Paddington - Hereford 20:24

21:51 Hereford - Paddington 01:14

Edited May 1, 2018 by 159220

[Coryton]

How about a red stripe on the side?

 

Geoff Endacott

 

Given the current random set orientation, a yellow stripe for first class would be a start.

 

But it seems that even though (to their credit) it was considered acceptable on the old FGW* livery it would spoil the lovely new green livery.

 

I think it should just be made a requirement along with cantrail stripes, contrasting door colours etc.

 

* And I have come across people who had trouble finding a standard class carriage because they all said "First" on them.

[Ken.W]

East Coast class 8xx will have a little buffet/shop, look for the blanked out windows on one of the intermediate vehicles. From memory it's two blanks one side and one the other, but I can't find any photos at the moment.

 

I've now seen interior layout plans posted, and yes, they do include a cafe/bar area - it's in the second vehicle from the standard class end

 

The seats are still a bit hard, and those grab handles really want to be on top of the seats, but other than that I've no worthwhile criticism of the passenger experience. It's even got about the right table/ airline seating ratio IMO.

 

Definitely much better than a 2018 GWR HST. (Maybe not better than a VTEC HST, haven't been on one of those for a very long time now so can't make a meaningful comparison).

 

The only change by VTEC has been the leather seat covers in place of the fabric ones