Poll: What are your thoughts on travelling on Pendolinos?

[TT-ONR-NRN]

First of all: I'm sorry, I've been bringing up a lot of old threads recently, but I'd really like to know the opinions of the pendolino.

I know about the unpopularity of Voyagers, to which I disagree, but what do you think about Virgin Pendolinos. I'm keen to know what you like and what you dislike.

Let me guess, HSTs, 82s, etc. Something tells me they will pop up... what was it you preferred if you liked those better?



Oh heck, I've just seen what section this is in! So sorry, I meant to put it in Traction and Rolling Stock. Please feel free to move! (I don't know how, guessing the administrators do it)

 

[class387]

I hate them. Whoever decided it is a good idea to make a train feel like a plane is an idiot. A shame, really, as the European versions of them are very pleasant to travel on.

Also, why is this a 'Trivia'?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I hate them. Whoever decided it is a good idea to make a train feel like a plane is an idiot. A shame, really, as the European versions of them are very pleasant to travel on.

Also, why is this a 'Trivia'?

Oh, I don't know. I thought you had to put Trivia when you do a poll. Sorry.

Ah, is it the windows then? That's interesting!

 

[class387]

Oh, I don't know. I thought you had to put Trivia when you do a poll. Sorry.

Ah, is it the windows then? That's interesting!

The windows are annoying, along with the lack of bay seating, awful window alignment and general claustrophobic, Tube-like feel.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The windows are annoying, along with the lack of bay seating, awful window alignment and general claustrophobic, Tube-like feel.

The only thing I don't like is the smell in the vestibule.

 

[sjoh]

I swear to god I can smell the pendolinos from the underground ticket concourse...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I swear to god I can smell the pendolinos from the underground ticket concourse...

I doubt it

You can smell human excrement from the concourse at Manc Picc, but that's from the old dump-on-the-track DMUs mixed with essence d'oil leak.

 

[DarloRich]

Things i like about Pendolinos.............................................

Seriously:

They are fast, frequent, reliable, safe and uniform. I am sure for the TOC they are cheaper to run and maintain than the trains they replaced. I am sure they are more flexible to diagram and use than the train the replaced and iam sure they have a longer life than the trains they replaced.

However their crimes are legion:

• Claustrophobic
• Dark
• Equipped with pill box like vision slits not windows
• Narrow, thin, uncomfortable seats
• Too many seats offer a nice view of white plastic land
• Run by Virgin
• They do, from time to time, develop a "toilety" odour
• Not all are 11 cars when they should be

but MOST important of all is that they replaced proper trains and that people with no knowledge of former operations think they are an improvement on the trains that went before. They may be mechanically and operationally but they are not for us mere passengers in cattle class.

Horrible things.

 

[Bletchleyite]

To be fair, claustrophobic and dark to one person can mean cosy to another. I like the subdued lighting and dark colours.

 

[cactustwirly]

They have the potential, ie reasonably well built, reliable, smooth ish ride etc.
However Virgin ruined the trains with those stupid seats, horrible ambience and the world's smallest windows!

 

[neilb62]

They have the potential, ie reasonably well built, reliable, smooth ish ride etc.
However Virgin ruined the trains with those stupid seats, horrible ambience and the world's smallest windows!

What on earth has the size of the windows got to do with Virgin? Try 140mph crash-worthyness regulations from the then Railtrack....

 

[najaB]

What on earth has the size of the windows got to do with Virgin? Try 140mph crash-worthyness regulations from the then Railtrack....

Well, that and trying to fit tilting stock into the UK loading gauge.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Things i like about Pendolinos.............................................

Seriously:

They are fast, frequent, reliable, safe and uniform. I am sure for the TOC they are cheaper to run and maintain than the trains they replaced. I am sure they are more flexible to diagram and use than the train the replaced and iam sure they have a longer life than the trains they replaced.

However their crimes are legion:

• Claustrophobic
• Dark
• Equipped with pill box like vision slits not windows
• Narrow, thin, uncomfortable seats
• Too many seats offer a nice view of white plastic land
• Run by Virgin
• They do, from time to time, develop a "toilety" odour
• Not all are 11 cars when they should be

but MOST important of all is that they replaced proper trains and that people with no knowledge of former operations think they are an improvement on the trains that went before. They may be mechanically and operationally but they are not for us mere passengers in cattle class.

Horrible things.

I'm going to pretend I misread the "ran by Virgin" statement otherwise I might just develop a violent coughing fit and never recover!

 

[bramling]

First of all: I'm sorry, I've been bringing up a lot of old threads recently, but I'd really like to know the opinions of the pendolino.

I know about the unpopularity of Voyagers, to which I disagree, but what do you think about Virgin Pendolinos. I'm keen to know what you like and what you dislike.

Let me guess, HSTs, 82s, etc. Something tells me they will pop up... what was it you preferred if you liked those better?



Oh heck, I've just seen what section this is in! So sorry, I meant to put it in Traction and Rolling Stock. Please feel free to move! (I don't know how, guessing the administrators do it)

A lot depends on where one sits. Get a seat with a decent window view and they're fine for me, especially in first class. However they offer a horrible experience if not in a decent seat. By contrast something as basic as a 365 offers a pleasant journey in pretty much any seat.

For the Pendolino, slightly bigger windows and a better interior layout would make all the difference. I don't mind the colour scheme and lighting - it provides a restful ambience which is just what is needed on a long journey.

 

[J-2739]

I'd love to go on a Pendo again in my life (I think I've been on one once, but that's a distant memory). I don't know why, I feel nostalgic about them.

But one things for sure, is that they ABSOLUTELY stink of human s***. In fact, they are almost as bad as the nothing-grosser-than-the-Voyagers.

We were waiting at a platform at Liverpool, and once those ugly doors flung open, a disturbing scent of it engulfed under the roof. Honestly, who wouldn't faint to that??

 

[Mag_seven]

However their crimes are legion:

• Claustrophobic
• Dark
• Equipped with pill box like vision slits not windows
• Narrow, thin, uncomfortable seats
• Too many seats offer a nice view of white plastic land
• Run by Virgin
• They do, from time to time, develop a "toilety" odour
• Not all are 11 cars when they should be

.

Let me add to that list:

• rattling noise (particularly on 1st class)
• very audible sound of the toilet being flushed if sat near one
• stupid instructions in the toilet about not flushing your boyfriends goldfish or whatever down the toilet
• irritating automatic announcements that address you as if you are a five year old
• reservations not showing till well into the journey
• staff hogging seats in coach K
• high pitched whining noise in the pantograph coach

 

[cactustwirly]

Well, that and trying to fit tilting stock into the UK loading gauge.

The Voyagers have much bigger windows...

 

[Mag_seven]

The Voyagers have much bigger windows...

And the APT had much bigger windows.

 

[Huntergreed]

I like them, they are fast, smooth and comfortable to travel on! I think the decor inside is modern and, although they badly need cleaned, they feel very modern and technologically advanced! The lighting adds a nice ambience! Although I prefer the the voyagers simply due to the size of Windows!

 

[najaB]

The Voyagers have much bigger windows...

But they don't have a 140mph design speed. It's the combination of speed and tilt that resulted in small windows. European Pendolinos have larger windows.

 

[DarloRich]

Let me add to that list:

• rattling noise (particularly on 1st class)
• very audible sound of the toilet being flushed if sat near one
• stupid instructions in the toilet about not flushing your boyfriends goldfish or whatever down the toilet
• irritating automatic announcements that address you as if you are a five year old
• reservations not showing till well into the journey
• staff hogging seats in coach K
• high pitched whining noise in the pantograph coach

i will also add:

• Poor internal colour scheme choice. The colour palette used is far too dark.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I prefer Pendos to Virgin voyagers as you have more chance of finding a seat, however Virgin Voyagers are a lot nicer than XC Voyagers.

On the other hand, if your 'window' seat is not by the window they can be very cramped

 

[route101]

Been on quite a few pendos recently .

They look great from the outside , even though im not a fan of virgin branding .
Inside i find them cosy and as long as you get a decent window seat thats fine . Cosy at night as lighting is not too bright .
Seating layout with no aligned seats is annoying .
Can be very narrow upon entering and when people clog that bit at the luggage rack .

 

[306024]

At least they get you from A to B quickly on the less than interesting southern section of the WCML. Apart from that, no redeeming features at all.

Or maybe just one, at least they allowed us to get the MkIII cast offs on the GEML, make the most of those for now though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Poor internal colour scheme choice. The colour palette used is far too dark.

So subjective. I'd go "nicest internal colour scheme choice on the railway" - they really feel welcoming, warm and cosy without looking tacky, while the deep colours give a quality feel and the warm white lighting with spots a touch of class. A bit more fake wood and a bit less beige plastic would be nice, though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

[*]irritating automatic announcements that address you as if you are a five year old

I don't know, I like the radio-style "banter" between the two voices on the more recent announcements. I do think a classier announcement tone (like maybe the old Mk3 guitar strum) would be better though.

The Voyagers have much bigger windows...

Indeed, the windows have nothing to do with tilt and everything to do with the standard Pendolino structure. Euro-Pendolinos have small windows by UIC stock standards which ended up even smaller when the design was scaled down to the UK loading gauge.

 

[Geezertronic]

Blimey, is it silly season again? God knows how many "Pendolinos are marmite" threads there are...

 

[eastwestdivide]

Blimey, is it silly season again? God knows how many "Pendolinos are marmite" threads there are...

Marmite, you said? Meh, I can take it or leave it, not bothered.

 

[class387]

They have the potential, ie reasonably well built, reliable, smooth ish ride etc.
However Virgin ruined the trains with those stupid seats, horrible ambience and the world's smallest windows!

Exactly. I don't think it's that I hate Pendolinos/Voyagers, it's just that I hate the Virgin spec interiors. I am perfectly happy travelling on Meridians and European Pendolinos. I think it was a mistake to try and size down the Pendolino to the UK loading gauge - was there no other option available at the time?

 

[Seacook]

What happened to an option for "they are okay, not perfect but I prefer them to HSTs?"