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Class 373 Eurostar withdrawals

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33Hz

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It doesn't really say the reason why it was abandoned and not immediately scrapped. It just trots out the same excuses for scrapping that have been repeated here many times. Excuses that seem a bit lame when they can suddenly reverse that decision in the case of 2 trains and lease them to a European mainland operator.

We know now the real reason is they didn't want them falling into the hands of a low cost competitor - unless that happens to be part of SNCF group.
 
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61653 HTAFC

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Was hoping I'd get a refurbished 373 for today's trip to Paris, alas it's an unrefurbished one! Feel like I'm on GNER again but at least I've somehow managed to end up with a table to myself (not sure whether to be pleased or insulted!).

Was delayed leaving slightly but not sure if that was down to the train being worn out and life-expired. The smaller loading gauge is really only noticeable by the large gap with the platforms at St Pancras, the design of the interior feels more spacious than even the 374s. It's only the signs of wear and tear on the window blinds that give away the fact that the train is fast approaching 30. Just about to call at Ashford, first time I've called there since All Tomorrow's Parties 2003... my word I feel old!
 

61653 HTAFC

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I can imagine you do. Only recently the old Eurostar was non plus ultra. The best on earth. Now its scrap metal
To be honest it's perfectly fine from a passenger point of view, despite having the same interior it was fitted with from new. They've certainly aged better than the Mk4 sets which in contrast have been stripped out and refurbished at least twice and are only a few years older.

Then again, I remember my first ride on one of the "new, improved" class 142s, so I really am getting old!
 

Peter Mugridge

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the design of the interior feels more spacious than even the 374s.!

That's because on the 373s the seat layout is symmetrical and aligned.

In contrast, on the 374s the rows are staggered and reversed - that makes for a very cluttered look and feel and also of course makes it more difficult to get in and out of the seats as there is less space adjacent to the rows.
 

Fred43123

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3015 (London End) & 3999 (French End) were on Train 9149 today. The set has been turned. Must have worked a Disney service recently.
 

TRAX

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How I hate colourful soda pop liveries ... it doesn't suit the unit at all... it looked so elegant in Eurostar livery, and now...
 

Southern Dvr

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More interesting is that this is only a very temporary use for the set isn’t it? Therefore this is all the more spectacular transformation.
 

TRAX

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It depends what you think is "temporary". It'll certainly stay in service for more than a year; it will replace PBA set number 4551.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Will this unit have a dedicated diagram?

Not relevant to me as I've got both halves for haulage already, but I imagine people are going to be asking about it...
 

Fred43123

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Considering there is only one unit at the moment, if you book tickets using the IZY website, you're near enough gonna get it, unless they hire in a PBA or PBKA from Thalys at the last minute, which is what they did as they had another unit alongside 4551 then that went back. There is meant to be a second set taken in, but it's unknown when that's happening.
 
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Hi, going to London next year on January, me and my mother are booked for Eurostar services 9133 (from Brussels to London) and 9150 (from London to Amsterdam), are those services sometimes served by 373's? Or are they fully served by the 374's?

Times below:
January the 1st, 2019: Departure ES 9133 from Brussels 12:56, arrival St. Pancras 14:05
January the 2nd, 2019: Departure ES 9150 St. Pancras 17:16, arrival Amsterdam Centraal 22:11

Thanks.
 
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Fred43123

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Hi, going to London next year on January, me and my mother are booked for Eurostar services 9133 (from Brussels to London) and 9150 (from London to Amsterdam), are those services sometimes served by 373's? Or are they fully served by the 374's?

Times below:
January the 1st, 2019: Departure ES 9133 from Brussels 12:56, arrival St. Pancras 14:05
January the 2nd, 2019: Departure ES 9150 St. Pancras 17:16, arrival Amsterdam Centraal 22:11

Thanks.

Both booked 374s. The Amsterdam bound service would never be a 373 as they aren't cleared into The Netherlands.
 
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No problem, I'm off to Paris in January as well, on the 0618 off St Pancras and 2013 from Paris which are both booked 373s, the whole trip is mainly to go on the Thalys IZY 373.
While I have to deal with the 374s, you get the better ones, the 373. Enjoy your trip, hopefully you can take beautiful pictures of the IZY 373.
 

57Tonic

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Does any one know the current status of the unfurnished 373s, and possibly the last day in service
 

robreed90001

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Does any one know the current status of the unfurnished 373s, and possibly the last day in service

currently no date for final withdrawal yet.

3215/3216, 3217/3218 and 3223/3214 are the remaining unrefurbished sets still in traffic with 3213/3224 on lease to Thalys.

has been mentioned elsewhere that 3215/3216 is planned to be retained by Eurostar, a 2nd set is also due to go on lease to Thalys but it’s currently not know when (or if) this will still go ahead, if it goes ahead it’s not known if it will be used for passenger use or a parts donor ether.
 
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According to the official Instagram account of the Belgian railways, the NMBS is planning to put power car 3106 and one coach on permanent display at Trainworld Schaarbeek. See the screenshot. The power car and the coach were transported from the northern of France to Bruges. Must be the second TMST power car who gets the museum status, correct me if I'm wrong.
 

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robreed90001

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According to the official Instagram account of the Belgian railways, the NMBS is planning to put power car 3106 and one coach on permanent display at Trainworld Schaarbeek. See the screenshot. The power car and the coach were transported from the northern of France to Bruges. Must be the second TMST power car who gets the museum status, correct me if I'm wrong.

not to sure, going by the translation of the post (see attached screenshot below), seems it was being transported by road to a scrap yard?? however it does mention that 'Sncb' is looking at possibly preserving one in the future?.

IMG_0795.jpg
 

MarcVD

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It is going to the preservation site of the museum (aka Train World) in Brugge (the old Diesel depot).
 
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