Avanti West Coast Rolling Stock Updates

[LowLevel]

It looks really superb to be honest. I've always found the Pendolino to be a generally superb train and they've made a 20 year old train look brand new.

 

[Kite159]

Good to see the luggage racks still get to enjoying a window view when the poor passenger next to the luggage rack gets a view of plastic.

 

[bengley]

From the photographs posted above it certainly looks like the new LED lighting is still nice and warm, but more modern and slightly cooler white than previously - I did think the old lighting was actually a bit on the warm side sometimes at night. Now it looks spot on!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whilst the 805's and 807's are not due until next year.

Presumably this is a sign that hourly Chesters won't return until then (at the earliest, if ever). The current unit requirement for Chester services is probably down about 2.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Apr 2022 ==

Good to see the luggage racks still get to enjoying a window view when the poor passenger next to the luggage rack gets a view of plastic.

I did see that, a lousy piece of publicity. Reason is that they didn't want to pay the cost of moving the reservation displays. To be fair there's an element of "careful what you wish for" - if they had been up for moving them, I expect we would have seen an extra row or two crammed in.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Apr 2022 ==

From the photographs posted above it certainly looks like the new LED lighting is still nice and warm, but more modern and slightly cooler white than previously - I did think the old lighting was actually a bit on the warm side sometimes at night. Now it looks spot on!

It did look good. It looks to me that First have learnt from the GWR HST abomination.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Apr 2022 ==

It looks really superb to be honest. I've always found the Pendolino to be a generally superb train and they've made a 20 year old train look brand new.

Shame they can't come up with a decent external livery, it really is horribly drab and is obviously just vinyls stuck on "factory" white.

 

[Skie]

The lighting does look good. Seen a few different variations now so I’m guessing it alters based on time of day or ambient lighting. Need a few bums on seat reviews to see if they are back breakers or comfortable.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The lighting does look good. Seen a few different variations now so I’m guessing it alters based on time of day or ambient lighting. Need a few bums on seat reviews to see if they are back breakers or comfortable.

They're the Lumo seats so I think we've already had one or two. Nobody seems to be complaining about them there.

 

[Skie]

They're the Lumo seats so I think we've already had one or two. Nobody seems to be complaining about them there.

I don’t really trust them enough to give the benefit of the doubt. Could easily have bought the same frame and filled them with old ballast as it’s cheaper

 

[Phillipimo]

Looks fresh, I like it! Nice to have plugs and USB A at every seat, plus wireless chargers in the tables. No comment on the seats because I don't want to start a fight

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm not sure white is a good choice for a headrest - they will need to get antimacassars on those or they'll get filthy.

Legroom looks decent. They seem to be of a similar design to the Class 175/180 seat which has the thick supporting pillar in the middle, leaving the sides for knees - this is very good design indeed.

 

[RealTrains07]

Does anyone know whether the vestibule areas have been repainted like the 221s were? I know they have refurbished the toilets

 

[Peter0124]

I hope it ends up on 1M11 or 1S87 on Wednesday then I can see what its like

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Good to see the luggage racks still get to enjoying a window view when the poor passenger next to the luggage rack gets a view of plastic.

Well made point , and made by others !

 

[MalaiseForever]

Really looking forward to travelling on one of these. They really were in dire need of a refurb and they look to have done a good job with it. The water fountain in the shop is a nice touch, and will be very useful.

 

[Pinus contorta]

What's the verdict on the level of comfort of the seats for a 2 or 3 hour journey? Better / worse / the same as the previous ones?

 

[Citybreak1]

Looks average to be honest. I’ve seen better refits. How do they smell?

 

[Scotrail88]

Is the old PIS still operational aswell?
Seems sparse on the new TV info screens

 

[Trackman]

Is the old PIS still operational aswell?
Seems sparse on the new TV info screens

It is.
There is one in action in the Avanti Promo.

 

[Jozhua]

The seating layout is completely unchanged, and the converted 1st coach on the 11-cars is a mirror of Coach E if I recall (i.e. the same layout but reversed). This should mean more legroom. You can confirm this by looking at the seating plans which are already on the Avanti website and have been for a while.

The seats aren't ironing boards, though they look similar. They're the same as used on Lumo, and these seem to be getting good reports.

Yes - my experience of pendos was uncomfortable due to the shape of the seat in front. I'm quite tall and didn't find the "cushioning" justified just how bulky the seats were.

Again, with the right materials, thinner seats can be plenty comfortable too!

Given that Network Rail is nominally 100% nuclear/renewable I'd be interested to know how this was worked out. (Yes, I know no form of generation is carbon-free - you do after all need vans driving round to maintain the wires, for instance).

It isn't just carbon, though; a nose full of particulates as a filthy, ageing DMU pulls into your station is not nice. New St is particularly bad, as is Manchester Victoria.

Energy generation is going to be more efficient at centralised power plants than on diesel units. Especially for natural gas, which can be used to generate energy three seperate times.

Plus, there is the faster acceleration and reduction in localised emissions.

It looks really superb to be honest. I've always found the Pendolino to be a generally superb train and they've made a 20 year old train look brand new.

Absolutely!

Looks fresh, I like it! Nice to have plugs and USB A at every seat, plus wireless chargers in the tables. No comment on the seats because I don't want to start a fight

I love the combination of USB A and 240v plugs. This pretty much covers all bases in terms of what chargers people might carry around with them. 240v is useful due to the prevalence of fast-charging these days, as well as many phones coming with usb-c at both ends of the cable.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am a bit surprised not to see USB C on some conversions, but I guess as they're small they may be a lot less robust so USB A is likely to be around for a long while yet.

 

[cactustwirly]

I am a bit surprised not to see USB C on some conversions, but I guess as they're small they may be a lot less robust so USB A is likely to be around for a long while yet.

I've never seen a USB C plug at both ends. All my type C phone chargers are type A at the end

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've never seen a USB C plug at both ends. All my type C phone chargers are type A at the end

They exist but rare so far.

 

[Domh245]

They exist but rare so far.

Then why would refurbishments include USB C, when USB A is still the de-facto standard for the non-device end of a charger?

 

[43096]

They exist but rare so far.

Rare? My iPhone and iPad are lightning to USB-C. They’re not exactly uncommon devices.

 

[fgwrich]

I've never seen a USB C plug at both ends. All my type C phone chargers are type A at the end

Then why would refurbishments include USB C, when USB A is still the de-facto standard for the non-device end of a charger?

Apple's newest iPhones are USB-C type at one end, and the standard Apple Lightning connector at the other. I believe the EU isn't best pleased with them though and wants Apple to standardise it's charging cables, presumably this would mean USB-C charging port on their iPhones and the end of the "lightning" cable. The conductive charging on the tables will be interesting though - I've not had particularly great experiences of it on SWR so far and found just plugging my phone in to be quicker and more effective.

One feature I am pleased to see though that seems to have gone almost unnoticed, is the free water re-fill station in the onboard shop. Now that is an excellent idea, and should be applauded. So well done Avanti and the designers for that!

 

[43102EMR]

One feature I am pleased to see though that seems to have gone almost unnoticed, is the free water re-fill station in the onboard shop. Now that is an excellent idea, and should be applauded. So well done Avanti and the designers for that!

Agreed, very innovative and look forward to trying it out - just a shame it’s not yet ready for use yet!

 

[Goldfish62]

Standard has moved to an ironing board.

Standard class has not moved to ironing boards. The same seating is used as on Lumo, which has received positive reviews.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Then why would refurbishments include USB C, when USB A is still the de-facto standard for the non-device end of a charger?

Because the refurbishment, just like the original interior, is to last 20+ years. OK, replacing faceplates is not a huge job, but it is likely the industry will move towards C - Apple already are on their chargers, and they tend to trailblaze somewhat.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Apr 2022 ==

Apple's newest iPhones are USB-C type at one end, and the standard Apple Lightning connector at the other. I believe the EU isn't best pleased with them though and wants Apple to standardise it's charging cables, presumably this would mean USB-C charging port on their iPhones and the end of the "lightning" cable.

The same charger for the iPad is double ended USB C.

I have a feeling Apple won't move the iPhones to USB C but rather will go wireless with no ports at all. Much easier to waterproof for one, and a properly waterproof phone (say to 20m as per a lot of watches) is a strong selling point, both in terms of it not being damaged if you drop it in the bog and in terms of e.g. being able to take photos and film underwater, creeping them into the GoPro market. Avanti seem to be providing wireless charging on the tables but not the airline seats.

 

[Skie]

I've never seen a USB C plug at both ends. All my type C phone chargers are type A at the end

Are you confusing mini/micro usb with USB-C? Many phones these days come with a USBC cable and a USBC charger. Apple are just continuing to be dolts by sticking lightning ports on things.

The EU are about to mandate USBC for everything but to be fair to Avanti these items will have been specified well over a year ago and plug sockets with USBC integrated are rare. Does mean they’ll be out of date by the end of the refurb rollout though and utterly dated when HS2 begins. Hopefully the components are modular so they can swap out the USB bits in a few years time.

 

[dk1]

I’m impressed

 

[87015]

Reportedly only being "guarded" by managers yet, no agreement on train managers for the required conversion course. Would have thought that would have broken dk1s rules for impressiveness...