-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Scotrail Class 385 Discussion
- Thread starter Clansman
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
I've found this but no unit details
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R92842/2019/03/07/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R92842/2019/03/07/advanced
Agree wholeheartedly with this. They are bright and modern, and make all other SR classes seem really dowdy and dated by comparison.
Whilst some of the interior choices aren't to everyone's liking, I can understand the logic that's been applied, and why they've been made.
At last!
First use of a 385 today
My 365 dunblane to. Edinburgh was terminated at Stirling. To recover a failed rain apparently I assume a tow to a failed 365 ?
So 170 to Cory and 385 to Edinburgh
I like them. Impressed. Think the seats are fine. Bit too bright but that’s a trivial criticism. Just need to keep them clean.
First use of a 385 today
My 365 dunblane to. Edinburgh was terminated at Stirling. To recover a failed rain apparently I assume a tow to a failed 365 ?
So 170 to Cory and 385 to Edinburgh
I like them. Impressed. Think the seats are fine. Bit too bright but that’s a trivial criticism. Just need to keep them clean.
Macwomble
Member
Agreed, sat in First Class (declassified) from Stirling to Glasgow (ex Alloa) the other day...thought the FC seats were a tad "firm".
Last edited:
When run by diesels, the E-G and Glasgow-Stirling/Alloa were always badly overcrowded. The 385s have more standing space and more seats. Comfort isn’t a big issue for journeys of around an hour max.
Only in the peaks, why should non peak users suffer poorer ambience due to the 385 being fitted out as suburban stock when they previously were higher quality.
palmersears
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Sep 2011
- Messages
- 1,485
I'm journeying up to Scotland this time next week to see some of these in action. Could I get confirmation as to what routes they're now operating, and where around Edinburgh and Glasgow they're stabled?
Waverleystu
Member
- Joined
- 12 Nov 2017
- Messages
- 66
Common on Edinburgh Waverley-North Berwick and Glasgow Queen Street-Edinburgh Waverley
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
They also go to Alloa and a working on the Cathcart Circle
I think any journey of an hour or less is just a commuter run and for that they are fine. The test will be how they wear and if they are maintained and cleaned well and that’s a area Abellio will fall down on.
Because the peaks are the busiest and most important time and the main issue (still is an issue) was overcrowding and capacity. The improvements were never intended for the comfort of day-travellers.
Typhoon_93
Member
385027
They haven't been higher quality for quite a while - the 170s are also suburban stock, the fact that they've been inappropriately used on regional services doesn't really impact that.
170's are perfectly adequate for regional services, for Inverness services they could do with interior doors to keep the drafts out similar to those separating 1st class. Given the space issues on the 156/158 refurbs, i'd say the 170's are the best DMU's Scotrail have.
What improvement? Its a step back in quality.
Becasue the off peak users won't pay for a separate off-peak fleet that caters for a much lower passenger density.
Capacity.
Journeyman
Established Member
- Joined
- 16 Apr 2014
- Messages
- 6,295
I have no idea where all this hatred for 170s has come from. I've used them on long distance journeys regularly, and they're very comfortable and spacious.
I’d be the first to tell you that ScotRail recent timetable ‘improvements’ are a step backwards, trust me, but that’s off-topic. I certainly disagree with labelling the 385s a step back though.
It’s a step back in comfort, but it’s a step forward in terms of capacity, journey times, the environment and overall train space. I’m not their biggest fan, but the 385s provide all of that better than the 170s. 6-car 170s on the E-G were absolutely packed daily, and while there are still plenty of passengers standing on the 385s, it’s less busy because there are more seats and more standing room.
The comfort of the off-peak traveller (who won’t be travelling more than 50 minutes really at most) during the day, when trains are less busy and everybody gets a seat, isn’t the priority.
Esker-pades
Established Member
Seated capacity:
Class 156 (2) - 150
Class 158 (2) - 110
Class 170 (3) - 197 (18 are first)
Class 385 (3) - 206
GrimShady
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Dec 2016
- Messages
- 1,740
There is NO REASON why First has such piss poor seating apart from ScotRail not willing to pay up for it, it's as simple as that. There's huge amounts of wasted space in First that could easily have been used for better seating, and before someone makes the "more standing room" excuse, please ask yourself what the difference is in between standing in First and Standard?
Sickandtired
Member
- Joined
- 10 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 50
Complaints about 385 seats is nonsense imho. Sit at a 158 table in a richmond seat across from another tall person to see what i mean.
NotATrainspott
Established Member
- Joined
- 2 Feb 2013
- Messages
- 3,223
First class on pure commuter trains is rarely that different to standard. The 170s needed a proper first class section because they could be used for the Inverness/Aberdeen runs as well as the E&G. Since the 385s will be restricted to commuter operations only, it doesn't make sense fitting expensive first class seating. The benefit of first class on commuter trains is the privacy and greater guarantee of a seat to do business on a laptop rather than actual luxury.
Journeyman
Established Member
- Joined
- 16 Apr 2014
- Messages
- 6,295
Much as I'm not a fan of the ironing board, it's a decent shape, and the legroom in the 385s is pretty good. The Richmond seat is just about the worst ever, especially before the most recent refurbs - it's in "rusty iron spike" territory for comfort.
Are you saying that commuters are more important than leisure users? Remember that leisure users don't have to use the train. They help fill in the daytime services between the peaks. If they didn't, commuter season tickets in the peaks would be more expensive than they are. If it isn't to their liking, there is always the cheaper coach.
- Status