LNER Azuma (Class 800/801)

[Fuzzytop]

The reservations on Azuma services seem to be struggling a lot now - conversely at first they seemed to be reliable. Maybe I’m travelling on the wrong services!

 

[Bald Rick]

The reservations on Azuma services seem to be struggling a lot now - conversely at first they seemed to be reliable. Maybe I’m travelling on the wrong services!

None on mine the other day, but it was a 2x5 vice 9 set swap, so understandable. I suspect this is happening a fair bit.

 

[jopsuk]

On the diversions this weekend, where are northbound 800s switching to diesel power? From kings cross? Hitchin? Cambridge? Or all the way to Ely on electric?

 

[43096]

None on mine the other day, but it was a 2x5 vice 9 set swap, so understandable. I suspect this is happening a fair bit.

Set swaps are not exactly a new phenomenon. It is predictable that they will happen, so things like reservation systems really ought to have this designed in by now.

 

[trebor79]

Set swaps are not exactly a new phenomenon. It is predictable that they will happen, so things like reservation systems really ought to have this designed in by now.

So how would that work then? If you're booked on a seat in a middle coach that doesn't exist in the end coach that's now in the middle of the train?
And first class now being in different coaches than had it been a single set.
Etc.

 

[St. Paddy]

On the diversions this weekend, where are northbound 800s switching to diesel power? From kings cross? Hitchin? Cambridge? Or all the way to Ely on electric?

There is a changeover reminder London side of Littlington neutral section between Ashwell and Royston. Not sure if that’s what they’re using though.

 

[43096]

So how would that work then? If you're booked on a seat in a middle coach that doesn't exist in the end coach that's now in the middle of the train?
And first class now being in different coaches than had it been a single set.
Etc.

No idea. But they need to find a solution. If you’re going to sell lots of pre-booked tickets with reserved seats for each then they need to fix it. My solution would be to abolish seat reservations with such tickets and make reservations a charge-for extra called “guaranteed seat”.

 

[Bald Rick]

No idea. But they need to find a solution. If you’re going to sell lots of pre-booked tickets with reserved seats for each then they need to fix it. My solution would be to abolish seat reservations with such tickets and make reservations a charge-for extra called “guaranteed seat”.

My solution is to do what has happened on the railways for at least 30 years - which is to do what they are doing. It’s hardly a new phenomenon. There must be a higher number of set swaps than normal due to the fleet introduction. It will settle down.

 

[Failed Unit]

I am surprised that it isn’t similar to what they used to do when HSTs and Mk4 swap. The 9 cars deliberately don’t have coach D&E.

no duplicates so if it is planned to be a 9 and it is a 10 coach L’s reservations are in E & D for example.

https://www.lner.co.uk/globalassets/_page-structure/azuma-content/Azuma-seat-maps

 

[Speed43125]

1W15 stopped in the platform at Dunblane just now and 2 guys (both wearing dark clothing, no company/high-vis clothing on) and appeared to check the pan was set down properly on the leading driving car. before it continued. Any reasons for this? have pans not been setting down properly? or was this just a one off?
Was very surprised to see the light indicating door release illuminated!

 

[D6700]

Hitachi staff often wear dark clothing - black polo shirts, although they do having Hitachi branding. If it was all arranged (which it clearly was) and was on a platform (which it also was), there'd be no need for hi-vis.

I've no idea about what was going on, though!

 

[computerSaysNo]

I had a trip on an Azuma on the 2nd of January from Aberdeen to Edinburgh in standard class. I have to say, the diesel engines are very quiet, even when accelerating the loudest noise is the sound of the traction motors, rather than the diesel engines.

I was a bit confused by the coloured lights on the reservation system to begin with. I understand it's red if the seat is currently reserved, orange if it's reserved at some point on the journey and green if it's unreserved. This system is fine except the orange colour is far too close to the red colour, when I was looking at them at first I assumed that they were all supposed to be red, but that some just happened to be slightly more red than others. To be clearer I think they should have used yellow instead of orange.

I found the seats were fine, obviously not as nice as those in first class but still suitable for a long journey. The legroom is very good. An improvement which could be made would be to have footrests which attach to the base of the seat in front, and can then be pulled down by the passenger if they wish, similar to what some bus/coaches have. Is there any reason the Azumas couldn't have had this?

Something I will mention is the automatic announcements. Is it really necessary to announce the destination, all calling points, CCTV, See It Say It Sorted, and next calling point, five times within the 10 minutes before departure? I can understand once before departure and maybe once again after departure but 5 times is excessive.

 

[Speed43125]

Hitachi staff often wear dark clothing - black polo shirts, although they do having Hitachi branding. If it was all arranged (which it clearly was) and was on a platform (which it also was), there'd be no need for hi-vis.

I've no idea about what was going on, though!

Ah, okay thanks. Dunblane is the last station before the wires end so I assumed they were checking the pan given they got out, maybe 5 metres back from the train, looked back at it, then got back on.

 

[leedstraindude]

I found the seats were fine, obviously not as nice as those in first class but still suitable for a long journey. The legroom is very good. An improvement which could be made would be to have footrests which attach to the base of the seat in front, and can then be pulled down by the passenger if they wish, similar to what some bus/coaches have. Is there any reason the Azumas couldn't have had this?

Footrests would reduce the usable space for storing bags. And those things need every usable space going as has clearly been shown over Christmas.

 

[route101]

Hitachi staff often wear dark clothing - black polo shirts, although they do having Hitachi branding. If it was all arranged (which it clearly was) and was on a platform (which it also was), there'd be no need for hi-vis.

I've no idea about what was going on, though!

Seen Hitachi staff at Glasgow Central so still around.

 

[route101]

1W15 stopped in the platform at Dunblane just now and 2 guys (both wearing dark clothing, no company/high-vis clothing on) and appeared to check the pan was set down properly on the leading driving car. before it continued. Any reasons for this? have pans not been setting down properly? or was this just a one off?
Was very surprised to see the light indicating door release illuminated!

I take it the pan goes up or down on the move ? I was thinking they put it up at Stirling when it stopped.

 

[Speed43125]

I take it the pan goes up or down on the move ? I was thinking they put it up at Stirling when it stopped.

yes, it can be lowered on the move, the train was on Diesel mode when it pulled into the station, IIRC they drop the pan in Bridge of Allan as that way they get the benefit of electric acceleration out of Stirling, but I'm not sure.

 

[Class455]

5Q50 Tyne Yard - Acton - Eastleigh is currently on the move, this is being operated by 66738 dragging 801221

 

[3973EXL]

5X51/Q51 Eastleigh - Acton - Tyne
66738 801219

 

[AE]

On the diversions this weekend, where are northbound 800s switching to diesel power? From kings cross? Hitchin? Cambridge? Or all the way to Ely on electric?

The ones I saw passing through Cambridge North on Saturday were on diesel.

 

[ZL exile]

0730 Lincoln - kings cross start Newark today, due to being 9 car class 801.

 

[modernrail]

10.03 KX Leeds. Short formed 5 coaches. Seat reservations not working. Good start to my first LNER Azuma journey!

 

[3973EXL]

STP schedules in for Thursday night/Friday.

Merchant Park - Acton - Eastleigh 66738 801222
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K06208/2020-01-09/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K06212/2020-01-10/detailed

Eastleigh - Acton - Doncaster Caped
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K06214/2020-01-10/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K06210/2020-01-10/detailed

New schedule for light loco EH to Roberts Rd

 

[hooky3]

5 car vice 10 car Azuma on 1E12 1100 EDB-KGX today.

Is this the first time a 5 car Azuma has operated an LNER service out of Waverley?

 

[westv]

5 coaches on this evenings 17:18 to Hull.

 

[class26]

0730 Lincoln - kings cross start Newark today, due to being 9 car class 801.

Apparently was due to being all electric so could not reach Lincoln. 9 cars not the reason as it is booked for 9 cars anyway but rather a bi mode

 

[Stew27005]

801220 and 801222 visible at Eastleigh depot today

 

[800001]

5 car vice 10 car Azuma on 1E12 1100 EDB-LGX today.

Is this the first time a 5 car Azuma has operated an LNER service out of Waverley?

Yes, first 5 car in passenger use, due to Hitachi not being able to supply another 5 car until the train was at Kings X.

 

[Failed Unit]

I must admit LNER must be getting pretty sick of the inability to get hold of enough trains. Today on the diversion day (so I expect trains to be much fuller)

2 trains from Kings Cross - Edinburgh are 5 coaches only. 1 is a 91 and Mk4. (Will lose time at Peterborough while it detaches the loco).

I know we have the debate that 5 cars is better than 0 and LNER have more but-mode capacity then they did HST. But a short form seems to stick in the memory more then a cancellation.

 

[43096]

I must admit LNER must be getting pretty sick of the inability to get hold of enough trains. Today on the diversion day (so I expect trains to be much fuller)

2 trains from Kings Cross - Edinburgh are 5 coaches only. 1 is a 91 and Mk4. (Will lose time at Peterborough while it detaches the loco).

I know we have the debate that 5 cars is better than 0 and LNER have more but-mode capacity then they did HST. But a short form seems to stick in the memory more then a cancellation.

They may have more diesels than before, but two of the new ones have either not been accepted yet or are accident damaged. The advantage of an HST was that if one power car was damaged you could put a replacement on, rather than losing the entire set.

They also, of course, used to have the ability to hire in an HST set (or even two) from EMT on Saturdays.