Was attempting to get a TPE 802 on my recent trip to Newcastle, but knew my chances were slim so when I was offered an advance fare with an LNER leg between York and Newcastle I jumped at it!
Here's my review of the IET 801:
Before the train even arrived a display of how busy each carriage was showed up, which is really handy! Only seen that kind of tech deployed on Thameslink.
The train is pretty good looking, I quite like the aesthetic as a whole, looks very futuristic.
Inside it has a new car smell which is super unusual for a train! Seat reservations on the wall was working well, very visible lights and easy to understand. Interior as a whole was super light and airy, overhead lighting is very nice indeed. Do appreciate the LNER interior touches, carpeting and seat colour is on brand and premium feeling.
Space saving toilets are super good and bright, having bright lighting is important for a toilet as when it is dim, gives a very gross and unclean impression. Having two right next to each other is a lifesaver!
One thing though, I used to think everyone was whining about the seats and didn't get what the fuss was about. But yeah, they're basically glorified ironing boards. The headrests are decent enough but not amazing. However, they definitely beat bus Pacers and to be honest on the basis of legroom, probably 220's and 390's. Honestly, the issue could be fixed with half a centimetre of packing foam.
In terms of performance the acceleration is wierdly strong for a big heavy mainline train, does feel like a metro/subway coming out of stations. Very quick to hit 125mph. The low windows on the doors really give a sense of speed! Noise is super acceptable even near the end of coaches.
Overall, 8.5/10. Great train, just bring some packing foam to rest your back on