realistically, the best solution would be to see if a few extra 810s could be ordered and added to the back of the build queue
Yes, but when the HSTs ran, 222s still ran to Corby (now Class 360 emus) That freed up some units. Much of the time it was lucky of two of the Class 180 units were in service.. Add in, in the later times, HSTs probably worked a peak hour diagram each way and parked up at Cricklewood...I would think that more reliable 222s stepped up..Add in, less peak time demand post COVID, and on normal days, they cope....Of course when there is disruption on other lines, it gets rather cosy.
I'm sure they'll just hike the prices up if they ever reach capacity, it's the most economic way to manage it.
The plan was to provide for such growth. It was called HS2...
They were also useful for their through running to Leeds, before EMT gave Neville Hill up.
Could some 222s not be retained to combat this, say for example, the 4 x 7 coach sets for use on peak time services? Although I suppose the leasing company would probably say no.
Why would the 7 car sets be retained for peak hour services when a pair of 810s offers more capacity? The clear intention is that pairs of 810s will be used on the busiest services.
The DfT would likely say no before it even got to the stage of being discussed with the ROSCO.
It's been done to death, a microfleet of 222s simply won't happen. A 7 car 222 is unnecessary even today, let alone once we have 810s. They're a waste of platform space at St Pancras as you can't stack another service upon a 7 car train.
One thing that is lacking though to a degree is the Northern end commutes. Leicester - Derby/Nottingham and vice versa has gone from pretty civilised in the days of HSTs and long peak trains for St Pancras to being horrible, especially trains like the 1712 up from Nottingham. This of course knocks on to long distance travellers who also find themselves jammed into doorways and bunfighting for seats vs more seasoned commuters. Not unusual for it to be wedged from Nottingham long before it has to deal with another pick up from Loughborough.
Ah yes, first class. You have to wonder why it is so empty. When I get to London, Thameslink and Cross rail seem at crush capacity. That makes me think it is something that EMR has done. There were complaints about the lack of open first class lounges (shut to save money?) , indifferent or unusable Wi-fi, poor food and drink offering etc.. Some say that if you can't work on the train, or get a decent breakfast on the train, the passengers might as well drive, and park up outside London... I guess you throw in overcrowding where standard class passengers are allowed to sit in first class and the cost of a first class ticket looks very expensive for the offering.
And indeed, exactly what British Rail.did. Demand rises, against constrained supply and price rises.
To be fair to EMR, I’ve had this happen 3 times when I’ve had first class tickets. On 2 of those occasions, EMR refunded the cost difference between first and standard class; and on the other occasion, I received a full refund (even when I asked only for the cost difference).
Seen outside completed at Factory are 810005 and 810007.
I'm guessing this is why advance tickets seem a lot less forthcoming than they used to be, especially on weekends...
100% agreed.
I'm looking at a trip to London next Thursday from Nottingham. It's so expensive for two (admittedly it's summer holifays) I've had to compromise with using Flixbus to get back to compensate the extortionate price to get there. That's even with split ticketing, which luckily I know how to do.
You're not wrong! I used to drive down to Kettering, and park there, instead of going from Leicester as it's hard to get a return for less than £100.
Glad I’m not the only one thinking that!
When you say Central London, I guess Congestion Charging and ULEZ within the M25 may influence that choice.
As a matter of interest, did you just look at East Midlands Railway or also the option via Grantham?
Advance tickets at weekends may be influenced by demand -more people travelling prepared to pay higher fares or expected engineering work in connection with OHLE upgrades south of Bedford for the new 810 units, thereby restricting capacity.
On topic, doesn't look like these are running today either.
The usual thing about the different value people place on travel. I suspect they would be thinking of a fare closer to £50 for the two of them. As we see in numerous other threads, people haven't accepted the higher prices now being charged after the era of 'cheap advances'.
