samuelmorris
Established Member
The 'Elizabeth Line' moniker almost certainly has a lot to do with that I bet! As I mentioned before, I have no issue with her voice, as long as they program it correctly
How was the aircon?
How was the aircon?
Perfect
I went on the 345 this morning and have to say these are a complete pile of rubbish compared to the 315s in my opinion. I much prefer the 315s. It was certainly nice though to have a ride on them and to see what they were like.
Firstly the air conditioning was alright and seemed to work well. However the air conditioning certainly wasn't as good as some other trains (for example the 700s and some other Siemens Desiro trains have much better cooler air conditioning).
The 315s are much more comfortable and pleasent to travel on. The 315s have a normal seating layout where as the 345s have far too much longitudal seating. The seats on the 315s also feel a bit more comfortable than the 345s. The 345s are totally unsuitable for the type of work they will be used on. They feel like the sort of trains that should be found on short distance metro services (like the Victoria Line) rather than long distance National Rail services from Reading to Shenfield etc. The lack of much luggage space is also a failure considering they will be used to and from Heathrow Airport soon.
The lack of door close buttons is a huge mistake. I don't know who decided this. In the summer (to keep it cool) and in the winter (to keep it warm) passengers should be able to close the doors themselves. I know the doors close automatically after 30 seconds (or something like that) but that is not good enough as passengers should have the option to close the doors when they wish to.
The automated announcements and display screens are alright but it is certainly not as good as the 315s. I'm glad though that they choose Emma Hignett rather then some robotic voice which lots of TOCs seem to be doing (such as the SWT 707s which are going to be using the Acapela Rachael [Text To Speech] system). The 315s would list all the stations that the train is calling at on departure from each and every station but the 345s don't do this. So the information they give to passengers is going downhill (which is typical of TFL seeing that they wont ever publish paper timetables any more).
The lack of plug sockets is another big mistake. Nowadays plug sockets are a big necessity on all trains. I would say plug sockets are more important than WIFI on trains. Especially as these are National Rail trains being used for long distances.
The final (and perhaps the biggest failure) is not building these as 12 coach trains. I know they will eventually be extended to 9 coaches but that still wont be enough. Within a few years of Crossrail opening it will be far too overcrowded. So 12 coach 345s should of been built. Less than 12 coaches wont be enough.
Also i believe they should have been built with four doors on each side (similar to the C stock) to help with overcrowding and boarding and alighting times in Central London. There is plenty of room for a four door layout.
So overall in my opinion the trains are poorly designed and unsuitable for the work they will be used on.
I don't know, I think quite a lot of passengers would not travel from Shenfield all the way to Reading, so many passengers concerns would be to try get on the train. These trains will work well for that.
I think not listing all the stations is better than that repetitive one on the Class 700, which takes a bit of time.
Also, these trains are 11 car ready as well, which is equivalent to a 12 car 700.
Yes, it is Emma Highnett (the same gal that is used for London Overground). One of TfL pros told me that her voice was used because they are trying to move the Class 345 away from National Rail artefacts and prevent the trains from having any kind of 'National Rail' feel to them, but instead have an 'Île-de-France RER-type feel to them.
The lack of door close buttons is a huge mistake. I don't know who decided this. In the summer (to keep it cool) and in the winter (to keep it warm) passengers should be able to close the doors themselves. I know the doors close automatically after 30 seconds (or something like that) but that is not good enough as passengers should have the option to close the doors when they wish to.
No sockets is surprising wifi?
Never been on a 315 but their seating looks awful so struggle to comprehend how proper high backed seating can be more uncomfortableI went on the 345 this morning and have to say these are a complete pile of rubbish compared to the 315s in my opinion. I much prefer the 315s. It was certainly nice though to have a ride on them and to see what they were like.
Firstly the air conditioning was alright and seemed to work well. However the air conditioning certainly wasn't as good as some other trains (for example the 700s and some other Siemens Desiro trains have much better cooler air conditioning).
The 315s are much more comfortable and pleasent to travel on. The 315s have a normal seating layout where as the 345s have far too much longitudal seating. The seats on the 315s also feel a bit more comfortable than the 345s. The 345s are totally unsuitable for the type of work they will be used on. They feel like the sort of trains that should be found on short distance metro services (like the Victoria Line) rather than long distance National Rail services from Reading to Shenfield etc. The lack of much luggage space is also a failure considering they will be used to and from Heathrow Airport soon.
The lack of door close buttons is a huge mistake. I don't know who decided this. In the summer (to keep it cool) and in the winter (to keep it warm) passengers should be able to close the doors themselves. I know the doors close automatically after 30 seconds (or something like that) but that is not good enough as passengers should have the option to close the doors when they wish to.
The automated announcements and display screens are alright but it is certainly not as good as the 315s. I'm glad though that they choose Emma Hignett rather then some robotic voice which lots of TOCs seem to be doing (such as the SWT 707s which are going to be using the Acapela Rachael [Text To Speech] system). The 315s would list all the stations that the train is calling at on departure from each and every station but the 345s don't do this. So the information they give to passengers is going downhill (which is typical of TFL seeing that they wont ever publish paper timetables any more).
The lack of plug sockets is another big mistake. Nowadays plug sockets are a big necessity on all trains. I would say plug sockets are more important than WIFI on trains. Especially as these are National Rail trains being used for long distances.
The final (and perhaps the biggest failure) is not building these as 12 coach trains. I know they will eventually be extended to 9 coaches but that still wont be enough. Within a few years of Crossrail opening it will be far too overcrowded. So 12 coach 345s should of been built. Less than 12 coaches wont be enough.
Also i believe they should have been built with four doors on each side (similar to the C stock) to help with overcrowding and boarding and alighting times in Central London. There is plenty of room for a four door layout.
So overall in my opinion the trains are poorly designed and unsuitable for the work they will be used on.
Also, these trains are 11 car ready as well, which is equivalent to a 12 car 700.
I went on the 345 this morning and have to say these are a complete pile of rubbish compared to the 315s in my opinion. I much prefer the 315s. It was certainly nice though to have a ride on them and to see what they were like.
Firstly the air conditioning was alright and seemed to work well. However the air conditioning certainly wasn't as good as some other trains (for example the 700s and some other Siemens Desiro trains have much better cooler air conditioning).
The 315s are much more comfortable and pleasent to travel on. The 315s have a normal seating layout where as the 345s have far too much longitudal seating. The seats on the 315s also feel a bit more comfortable than the 345s. The 345s are totally unsuitable for the type of work they will be used on. They feel like the sort of trains that should be found on short distance metro services (like the Victoria Line) rather than long distance National Rail services from Reading to Shenfield etc. The lack of much luggage space is also a failure considering they will be used to and from Heathrow Airport soon.
The lack of door close buttons is a huge mistake. I don't know who decided this. In the summer (to keep it cool) and in the winter (to keep it warm) passengers should be able to close the doors themselves. I know the doors close automatically after 30 seconds (or something like that) but that is not good enough as passengers should have the option to close the doors when they wish to.
The automated announcements and display screens are alright but it is certainly not as good as the 315s. I'm glad though that they choose Emma Hignett rather then some robotic voice which lots of TOCs seem to be doing (such as the SWT 707s which are going to be using the Acapela Rachael [Text To Speech] system). The 315s would list all the stations that the train is calling at on departure from each and every station but the 345s don't do this. So the information they give to passengers is going downhill (which is typical of TFL seeing that they wont ever publish paper timetables any more).
The lack of plug sockets is another big mistake. Nowadays plug sockets are a big necessity on all trains. I would say plug sockets are more important than WIFI on trains. Especially as these are National Rail trains being used for long distances.
The final (and perhaps the biggest failure) is not building these as 12 coach trains. I know they will eventually be extended to 9 coaches but that still wont be enough. Within a few years of Crossrail opening it will be far too overcrowded. So 12 coach 345s should of been built. Less than 12 coaches wont be enough.
Also i believe they should have been built with four doors on each side (similar to the C stock) to help with overcrowding and boarding and alighting times in Central London. There is plenty of room for a four door layout.
So overall in my opinion the trains are poorly designed and unsuitable for the work they will be used on.
I know all the new core stations have been built for 11 cars, but would the Shenfield or Reading branch stations need further platform extensions for this to be realised? I've heard Heathrow's platforms are too short which would be even more problematic given they're underground. SDO maybe?
I went on the 345 this morning and have to say these are a complete pile of rubbish compared to the 315s in my opinion. I much prefer the 315s. It was certainly nice though to have a ride on them and to see what they were like.
Firstly the air conditioning was alright and seemed to work well. However the air conditioning certainly wasn't as good as some other trains (for example the 700s and some other Siemens Desiro trains have much better cooler air conditioning).
The 315s are much more comfortable and pleasent to travel on. The 315s have a normal seating layout where as the 345s have far too much longitudal seating. The seats on the 315s also feel a bit more comfortable than the 345s. The 345s are totally unsuitable for the type of work they will be used on. They feel like the sort of trains that should be found on short distance metro services (like the Victoria Line) rather than long distance National Rail services from Reading to Shenfield etc. The lack of much luggage space is also a failure considering they will be used to and from Heathrow Airport soon.
The lack of door close buttons is a huge mistake. I don't know who decided this. In the summer (to keep it cool) and in the winter (to keep it warm) passengers should be able to close the doors themselves. I know the doors close automatically after 30 seconds (or something like that) but that is not good enough as passengers should have the option to close the doors when they wish to.
The automated announcements and display screens are alright but it is certainly not as good as the 315s. I'm glad though that they choose Emma Hignett rather then some robotic voice which lots of TOCs seem to be doing (such as the SWT 707s which are going to be using the Acapela Rachael [Text To Speech] system). The 315s would list all the stations that the train is calling at on departure from each and every station but the 345s don't do this. So the information they give to passengers is going downhill (which is typical of TFL seeing that they wont ever publish paper timetables any more).
The lack of plug sockets is another big mistake. Nowadays plug sockets are a big necessity on all trains. I would say plug sockets are more important than WIFI on trains. Especially as these are National Rail trains being used for long distances.
The final (and perhaps the biggest failure) is not building these as 12 coach trains. I know they will eventually be extended to 9 coaches but that still wont be enough. Within a few years of Crossrail opening it will be far too overcrowded. So 12 coach 345s should of been built. Less than 12 coaches wont be enough.
Also i believe they should have been built with four doors on each side (similar to the C stock) to help with overcrowding and boarding and alighting times in Central London. There is plenty of room for a four door layout.
So overall in my opinion the trains are poorly designed and unsuitable for the work they will be used on.
Personally I hate 3+2's on anything vaguely busy. The seats, frankly, aren't wide enough for 3 current-era-sized people to sit comfortably, and 3+2s are a nightmare to get in and out of at busy stations where the aisles are full. I'd much rather have 2+2 and more standing space and room to negotiate to/from the doors!
Personally I hate 3+2's on anything vaguely busy. The seats, frankly, aren't wide enough for 3 current-era-sized people to sit comfortably, and 3+2s are a nightmare to get in and out of at busy stations where the narrow aisles are full. I'd much rather have 2+2 or 2+1 (where the 1 is longitudinal) and more standing space and room to negotiate to/from the doors!
Yeah I can see the 377 seats in the centre coaches being ripped out in years to come as the make the corridors ridiculously narrow
On the outside, on the door itself - there is the door open button beside what I assume is the sounder, and then a separate circular aperture towards the top. Is that an exterior 'door out of use' indicator or something else?
Will a 345 be in service tomorrow (23 June)?
I went on the 345 this morning and have to say these are a complete pile of rubbish compared to the 315s in my opinion. I much prefer the 315s. It was certainly nice though to have a ride on them and to see what they were like.
Firstly the air conditioning was alright and seemed to work well. However the air conditioning certainly wasn't as good as some other trains (for example the 700s and some other Siemens Desiro trains have much better cooler air conditioning).
The 315s are much more comfortable and pleasent to travel on. The 315s have a normal seating layout where as the 345s have far too much longitudal seating. The seats on the 315s also feel a bit more comfortable than the 345s. The 345s are totally unsuitable for the type of work they will be used on. They feel like the sort of trains that should be found on short distance metro services (like the Victoria Line) rather than long distance National Rail services from Reading to Shenfield etc. The lack of much luggage space is also a failure considering they will be used to and from Heathrow Airport soon.
The lack of door close buttons is a huge mistake. I don't know who decided this. In the summer (to keep it cool) and in the winter (to keep it warm) passengers should be able to close the doors themselves. I know the doors close automatically after 30 seconds (or something like that) but that is not good enough as passengers should have the option to close the doors when they wish to.
The automated announcements and display screens are alright but it is certainly not as good as the 315s. I'm glad though that they choose Emma Hignett rather then some robotic voice which lots of TOCs seem to be doing (such as the SWT 707s which are going to be using the Acapela Rachael [Text To Speech] system). The 315s would list all the stations that the train is calling at on departure from each and every station but the 345s don't do this. So the information they give to passengers is going downhill (which is typical of TFL seeing that they wont ever publish paper timetables any more).
The lack of plug sockets is another big mistake. Nowadays plug sockets are a big necessity on all trains. I would say plug sockets are more important than WIFI on trains. Especially as these are National Rail trains being used for long distances.
The final (and perhaps the biggest failure) is not building these as 12 coach trains. I know they will eventually be extended to 9 coaches but that still wont be enough. Within a few years of Crossrail opening it will be far too overcrowded. So 12 coach 345s should of been built. Less than 12 coaches wont be enough.
Also i believe they should have been built with four doors on each side (similar to the C stock) to help with overcrowding and boarding and alighting times in Central London. There is plenty of room for a four door layout.
So overall in my opinion the trains are poorly designed and unsuitable for the work they will be used on.