Avanti West Coast Rolling Stock Updates

[The_Train]

Of the six journeys I have completed in refurbished (mostly standard premium) carriages, the wireless charging only "worked" twice. On some journeys the power sockets were also dead in the entire carriage.
Modern wireless QI charging can be pretty quick. However, the antiquated junk that Avanti have installed seems to only use the base profile for a maximum of 5 watts. In practice you'll be lucky to maintain battery levels, let alone to charge up.
If they didn't even adequately specify and test the usability of the showcase wireless charging, it is of little surprise that the seat materials are wearing out already.

I disagree on the charge power. My Galaxy S22 charges pretty quickly when I use the wireless pads on the Pendolino's, and that includes whilst I continue to use the phone

 

[Skie]

Given the charger is a flat thing and not raised, phones with larger camera bumps will never make good contact and fail to charge quickly. iPhone pros really struggle on the table chargers (and slide round!) as will other phones with large bumps.

No real fix for it other than if they’d gone with a grippier surface, some sort of mag-safe charger or slightly raised the charger pads at the expense of keeping the tables flat. The sockets, when they work, do a decent job.

 

[MattSGB]

Given the charger is a flat thing and not raised, phones with larger camera bumps will never make good contact and fail to charge quickly. iPhone pros really struggle on the table chargers (and slide round!) as will other phones with large bumps.

No real fix for it other than if they’d gone with a grippier surface, some sort of mag-safe charger or slightly raised the charger pads at the expense of keeping the tables flat. The sockets, when they work, do a decent job.

That's a good point, QI charging is incredibly short ranged and the lack of raised pads very likely cripples functionality on most high-end phones. Again it comes down to poor specification and lack of testing. They probably could have implemented a raised double pad in the middle of the table without hindering other uses of the table.

 

[1nvicible]

You find wireless charging points in many places cars, McDonald's to name just a couple. None of them have raised pads for high end phones. Having raised pads will bring a stream of complaints from people who's drinks have spilt and laptops that won't sit flat. Sensibly, a USB socket is provided as well.

 

[MattSGB]

You find wireless charging points in many places cars, McDonald's to name just a couple. None of them have raised pads for high end phones. Having raised pads will bring a stream of complaints from people who's drinks have spilt and laptops that won't sit flat. Sensibly, a USB socket is provided as well.

There is plenty of space in the middle of the table for a block raised by 4mm covering an area of no more than 200cm² (for two phones). Whether others utilise the same design or not, it is a still flawed if the majority of handsets don't work with it. Talking about USB sockets, there are still no USB type C sockets. Pixel users (for example) are unable to charge with the standard type-c cable either. It's obviously not just Avanti who neglect USB-C but it is about time operators started providing both. USB-C is more durable and provides much more power and can rapidly charge most laptops too. It's been the standard for so long that I think I only own one device now (a rechargeable mouse) that is dependent on USB-A. Yes I realise that many people are still using type A for legacy phone adapters.

 

[Skie]

You find wireless charging points in many places cars, McDonald's to name just a couple. None of them have raised pads for high end phones. Having raised pads will bring a stream of complaints from people who's drinks have spilt and laptops that won't sit flat. Sensibly, a USB socket is provided as well.

The ones in cars tend to have multiple coils to account for different phones having their coils in different places and rubberised backing to keep the phones in place. The multiple coils tend to help when you have camera bumps as you can still select the one that gives an optimal charge, but imperfect alignment is also why some phones will get very hot on a charger. Just don't do what BMW did and have multiple coils all energised at the same time, as that will kill things.

Wireless chargers built into tables have nearly always been gimicky cheap tat, the Avanti ones are just at the worst end of it as they're also in a moving vehicle but have quite a slick surface.

 

[themiller]

The wireless charger in my e-Niro seems to be able to charge my iPhone13 with its raised camera and a legacy facemask underneath which I forgot that I’d stored in the charger recess so can’t see a raised bezel as a reason that the ones in 390s don’t work.

 

[route101]

I take it some phones don't have wireless charge compatibility? I have a Motorola G53 and it does not work.

 

[AJDesiro]

The wireless charger in my e-Niro seems to be able to charge my iPhone13 with its raised camera and a legacy facemask underneath which I forgot that I’d stored in the charger recess so can’t see a raised bezel as a reason that the ones in 190s don’t work.

Someone I know can never charge their iPhone 14 Pro with the wireless chargers on 390s thanks to the camera bump, but my 12 Pro always works fine with a much shallower camera bump.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Someone I know can never charge their iPhone 14 Pro with the wireless chargers on 390s thanks to the camera bump, but my 12 Pro always works fine with a much shallower camera bump.

Yes, I put my iPhone 14 Max on the wireless chargers of several refurbished Pendolinos on Friday while hopping around Birmingham and got no juice whatsoever. The price for having a high quality lens!

 

[py_megapixel]

I would like to think that people who are of the mind to spend £1000+ on a mobile phone would be prepared to spend a few extra quid for a USB cable...

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I would like to think that people who are of the mind to spend £1000+ on a mobile phone would be prepared to spend a few extra quid for a USB cable...

Hey, don't turn it around on us If we're advertised a feature, you'd think we should be able to trust that it works, no?

I always bring a charger, but when my backpack is so full that it's going to cause everything to topple out if I'm rummaging through it to get my lead, it'd be so much easier if seeing as there are wireless chargers right there, they worked!

And a USB cable comes free with the phone, btw - but from iPhone 15 (2023's new model) onwards it's USB-C which does not fit into USB sockets on trains.

 

[route101]

The big attraction of a wireless charger is not wearing out the charging socket. All to often the charger is loose in the socket and wont charge after while.

 

[Carlisle]

- but from iPhone 15 (2023's new model) onwards it's USB-C which does not fit into USB sockets on trains.

I’m sure I’ve bought a USB -A to USB-C cable in Poundland

 

[Mikey C]

I’m sure I’ve bought a USB -A to USB-C cable in Poundland

I've got one of those from Poundland too. £2 or so.

Not that Apple users would dream of sullying their phones with Poundland cables of course

 

[The_Train]

Given the charger is a flat thing and not raised, phones with larger camera bumps will never make good contact and fail to charge quickly. iPhone pros really struggle on the table chargers (and slide round!) as will other phones with large bumps.

No real fix for it other than if they’d gone with a grippier surface, some sort of mag-safe charger or slightly raised the charger pads at the expense of keeping the tables flat. The sockets, when they work, do a decent job.

I can't comment about iPhones as I have never fallen into that trap but my Galaxy has a camera bump and as I have said previously, it charges perfectly fine on the flat wireless charging pad. Maybe Samsung's are just far superior than iPhones

I've got one of those from Poundland too. £2 or so.

Not that Apple users would dream of sullying their phones with Poundland cables of course

Are they able to? I thought they had to keep the Apple profits ticking over by being forced to buy Apple products only

 

[Skie]

I can't comment about iPhones as I have never fallen into that trap but my Galaxy has a camera bump and as I have said previously, it charges perfectly fine on the flat wireless charging pad. Maybe Samsung's are just far superior than iPhones

Very much a case of size matters! And in this instance, if your bump raises your induction coil too far from the one embedded in the table then your charge speed will be vastly reduced.

 

[The_Train]

Very much a case of size matters! And in this instance, if your bump raises your induction coil too far from the one embedded in the table then your charge speed will be vastly reduced.

Avanti obviously know who to cater for then - the little green Android always beats the poisonous apple

 

[43096]

And a USB cable comes free with the phone, btw - but from iPhone 15 (2023's new model) onwards it's USB-C which does not fit into USB sockets on trains.

My iPhone 12 came with a USB-C to lightning cable and the charger has only a USB-C connection, so the lack of USB-C ports on trains (and elsewhere) has been an issue for some time.

 

[RyanB]

Apologies if this is a somewhat stupid question and if I am asking this in the wrong place, but does anyone know the power output (in terms of Watts) of plug sockets on board the refurbished Pendolinos?

 

[Energy]

Apologies if this is a somewhat stupid question and if I am asking this in the wrong place, but does anyone know the power output (in terms of Watts) of plug sockets on board the refurbished Pendolinos?

Enough for any mobile phone or laptop charger.

 

[jamiestuart314]

recently went on one of the refurbished pendolinos and the new standard class seats are absolutely awful. what was avanti thinking with putting these seats in with such a terrible shape. other than that they are ok

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

recently went on one of the refurbished pendolinos and the new standard class seats are absolutely awful. what was avanti thinking with putting these seats in with such a terrible shape. other than that they are ok

Well, it’s all hugely speculative isn’t it. Many on here absolutely love the new seats. I think they’re great, but then I also think the originals installed by Virgin are great too, so I’m not fussed which I get

 

[RealTrains07]

One benefit of the new seats are the wing shaped headrest. But apart from the shop the overall refurbishment avanti has undertaken is really good in my opinion and in some cases puts other operators to shame

 

[physics34]

One benefit of the new seats are the wing shaped headrest. But apart from the shop the overall refurbishment avanti has undertaken is really good in my opinion and in some cases puts other operators to shame

The seats are too hard... which is a continuing trend but they huge and roomy. A bit more padding and id love em.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

Enough for any mobile phone or laptop charger.

IT at work tell me that the latest laptops from Dell have 300W (!) power supplies with them. They apparently don't work in some airline at-seat power sockets, because the current draw (or possibly inrush current) is too great, and the protection cuts the power off. I wonder what the design ratings (or sizing assumptions) for on-train supplies are?

 

[Bletchleyite]

The seats are too hard... which is a continuing trend but they huge and roomy. A bit more padding and id love em.

The thin back is what gives them the legroom, though...

 

[Energy]

IT at work tell me that the latest laptops from Dell have 300W (!) power supplies with them. They apparently don't work in some airline at-seat power sockets, because the current draw (or possibly inrush current) is too great, and the protection cuts the power off. I wonder what the design ratings (or sizing assumptions) for on-train supplies are?

3A 230V (690W) would be a reasonable guess. Universal sockets might be overly cautious as they have limited electrical contact within the socket, and are in a more high-risk area on planes.

 

[350401]

I'm not sure if it's been posted before, but I was on a refurbished 9 coach 390 this morning, and I noticed that they have added Red/Green lights next to the seat reservation displays, similar to those on the IET's. This don't remember this being the case on most of the 11 car 390's I've travelled on - is this a new feature that will get rolled out?

 

[Jamesrob637]

I'm not sure if it's been posted before, but I was on a refurbished 9 coach 390 this morning, and I noticed that they have added Red/Green lights next to the seat reservation displays, similar to those on the IET's. This don't remember this being the case on most of the 11 car 390's I've travelled on - is this a new feature that will get rolled out?

I think the 11 car sets need to go back in for a few more cosmetics. However, we're talking literally days out of traffic not weeks per set.
Any more news on what's currently at Widnes?
My 18:44 Stockport to Euston today is 11-car barring a fault in the next few hours, woohoo.