Recent content by Thunderer

A totally tasteless and hideous colour scheme…nothing matches and it looks awful. Moribund grey interior just like the GWR AT300’s…what is it with their obsession with grey? Those seats also look thin and hard. Its a fine example on how to de-improve an already awful train. Thankfully I now...

You noticed it too then? Yes, its a far less “eventful” ride if you sit in the middle of the coach and not above the bogies lesson learned for me for the next time I travel on a 197

Yes I heard that..it sounds like a vacuum cleaner starting up I thought it was the air conditioning? Yes 100% with you on that one…it is annoying and it seems to occur every few minutes

Took a 197 for the first time today - 197047 between Cardiff and Carmarthen this afternoon. The ride quality for a new train was absolutely shocking it was particularly bad west of Swansea. I was sat above the bogies, but the clanking, banging and “hunting” of the bogies could be clearly felt...

Tops Thanks for the info….much appreciated

Hi, Can someone please advise the unit number of the 2 car 197 (TFW) that was working the 3B21 17:09 Swansea to Cardiff Canton earlier this evening? Many thanks :D

I just saw a 2 car 197 at Pencoed around 17:33 tonight on test heading towards Cardiff. RTT has it down as 3B21 1709 Swansea to Cardiff Sidings. Does anyone have an idea what the unit number was please as it took my by surprise and I couldn’t catch the number? Many thanks:D

Most of the time at least 3 HST’s are parked up for days or even weeks on end doing nothing. Then when they are pressed into long distance service, they become unreliable after days or weeks of idling. No point in having HST stock if you don’t use it? Yes we all know they cost more to run, but...

What’s happened to XC’s Summer Saturday HST services? Leeds-Paignton, Paignton-Glasgow; York-Penzance, Penzance-Leeds; Glasgow-Paignton, Paignton-Leeds; Glasgow-Penzance, even Manchester-Newquay voyagers? Does no one go on holiday anymore to Devon & Cornwall from the midlands and the north? We...

Does anyone know yet why 43384 is being retro painted? I do know it was delivered to Plymouth LA on around 25/2/82 as part of XC set 253051, so perhaps its for its belated 40th anniversary? Its really most unlike Arriva to do anything special to its train fleet, so the plot thickens :smile:

Thats an easy answer..the HST. No modern stock can beat a well maintained ride on a MK3 coach for long distance comfort and ambience. Voyagers are too cramped, 390’s feel the same, 800/801/802 units are uncomfortable and have dubious ride quality over 100mph...you’ll have to go a long way to...

Hardly! I know XC are not running their extra Holiday-maker summer Saturday services to Paignton, Newquay or Penzance, just a amended Covid timetable dictated by the DFT which is practically a reduced winter timetable. Nice to see the Government “helping” these classic seaside resorts which will...

Can anyone advise me on where XC power car 43384 is please? Its not been in service since mid December 2020?

I do agree, but tell that to the poor passengers needing to travel on these major Inter-City routes. They have had over 24 hours now to assess the seriousness of this situation. Someone in the DFT needs to get a grip and make a sensible, logical and workable decision and get it implemented as...

Has there been any “official” statements/plans issued from the DFT or GWR/LNER as to how they intend to tackle this problem going forward? e.g. Supplementing 800/801/802 units with other rolling stock to fill in diagrams, while the necessary repairs take place?