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Heathrow Express (GWR) 387s - New Interior

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eroded

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Spied one of these outside RDG yesterday, 'ironing board' seat covers removed from what I could see.

e83e0145fc8ef0681e1427f1f7164c71.jpg


Is it getting better seats? Or just more luggage racks, etc like the Gatwick Express?

Anything better for first class? Or just the same 2-2 seating with antimacassars?

I will miss the 1-1 seating on the 332s.
 
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alistairlees

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As has been said on other threads, it's getting an internal refurb and will maintain the same 1+1 as now in Business First. Not using the current seats of the 387, of course!
 
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JN114

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Entertexthere said:
The livery definitely suits the 387s. Is this one of the ex-Thameslink units that's being used?
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bengley said:
It's a 387/1 so yes, ex TL
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GWR units are 387/1 as well (387130-174)

The HX fleet are being drawn from the GWR fleet, specifically 387130-141

Most of the interior finishings will be brand new in both classes - new seat base and backs on old frames in standard; all-new 1+1 seating in business first.
 
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modernrail

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JN114 said:
GWR units are 387/1 as well (387130-174)

The HX fleet are being drawn from the GWR fleet, specifically 387130-141

Most of the interior finishings will be brand new in both classes - new seat base and backs on old frames in standard; all-new 1+1 seating in business first.
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and so 12 x how ever many seat parts are in each of these train seats will be thrown away (except for a few kept as spares for other GWR units?). The mind boggles. The ultimate in throw away society.

It will be interesting to see if they can make the ironing boards comfortable using the very upright existing frames. The irony is that this is the shortest regular journey that those awful seats are used on and most standard passengers would probably take an ironing board and some semblance of a rational fare for their 15 minute of bum on seat time.
 
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JN114

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Both the backs and bases and the covers can be used as spares, you’d be surprised how frequently they’re recovered or replaced due to vandalism/heavy soiling. It’s really not all that wasteful in the long term.

Besides, HX have specified and paid for this refit; so the “waste” is entirely on them. The directly competing alternative will be predominantly longitudinal seating and no Toilets on the 345s; the only facing seats being even more upright and punishing on the posterior than those currently on the 387s. I don’t think Heathrow Airport have any intention of lowering the fares, they need to pay GWR for this management contract somehow; and running a train service is not cheap!
 
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aleggatta

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modernrail said:
and so 12 x how ever many seat parts are in each of these train seats will be thrown away (except for a few kept as spares for other GWR units?). The mind boggles. The ultimate in throw away society.
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I imagine that the seat base and backs have been removed for re-finishing rather than replacement, with the only seats being removed that of first class, of which the seat bases and backs will make helpful rotation stock and can be refinished to any TOC's colours.

At worst the seat frames will see financial reimbursement by way of the relevant metal dealers

It would be interesting to know if they plan to use the larger(as originally intended by Bombardier) or smaller(as used by GTR) section of DMOS A for first class
 
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JN114

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aleggatta said:
It would be interesting to know if they plan to use the larger(as originally intended by Bombardier) or smaller(as used by GTR) section of DMOS A for first class
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It’s a little over half of DMOS A that makes up the first class area - there’s a dividing partition one window bay towards the centre of the coach from C/F doors (non-driving end for the layman).
 
cactustwirly

cactustwirly

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II said:
It's an ex-GWR unit - 140, the first to be delivered in fact - all twelve of them will be.
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Technically still a GWR unit, since they now operate HEx, but obviously these units will be kept separate from the main GWR pool.
 
pdeaves

pdeaves

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cactustwirly said:
Technically still a GWR unit, since they now operate HEx, but obviously these units will be kept separate from the main GWR pool.
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Though I secretly [1] hope they may end up on a regular service occasionally, e.g. to prevent a service cancellation elsewhere. No harm in dreaming, is there?

[1] not so secret now I've put it on a public forum!
 
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