First class on ex TPE routes (Northern)

[Agent_Squash]

I live on the Furness line and I've found that First Class was popular on the line until the gradual takeover of Sprinters. Will any Connect services have first class? I can see why the new Northern routes don't, but for Barrow and Windermere customers it won't be the same experience as the 185s offered.

 

[Mathew S]

I live on the Furness line and I've found that First Class was popular on the line until the gradual takeover of Sprinters. Will any Connect services have first class? I can see why the new Northern routes don't, but for Barrow and Windermere customers it won't be the same experience as the 185s offered.

Take this with more than a pinch of salt as nothing is yet confirmed, but the May 2018 timetable as it currently appears on Open Train Times seems to show that these services will be run by trains (158, 156, 150) which don't have any first class accommodation. Sorry to be the bearer of what I'm assuming isn't good news.

 

[Starmill]

There has been a suggestion that Northern Connect will not offer First Class.

I'm not sure if it has been confirmed. Personally I would prefer that Northern Connect offered high quality First Class in a similar layout to the 185 - although not with the unconventional layout of having the accessible toilet on the other side of it. I am confident it would make money and help to improve the image of rail to business passengers. As there is an opportunity for a very large increase in on-train space there should not really have been difficulty with this.

It does make you wonder a bit why they're offering First Class now (on a very limited number of trains) if there is no plan to offer it long term.

 

[LOL The Irony]

There has been a suggestion that Northern Connect will not offer First Class.

I'm not sure if it has been confirmed. Personally I would prefer that Northern Connect offered high quality First Class in a similar layout to the 185 - although not with the unconventional layout of having the accessible toilet on the other side of it. I am confident it would make money and help to improve the image of rail to business passengers. As there is an opportunity for a very large increase in on-train space there should not really have been difficulty with this.

It does make you wonder a bit why they're offering First Class now (on a very limited number of trains) if there is no plan to offer it long term.

Bit hard when they ordered 2&3 car trains instead of 3&4.

 

[Mathew S]

It does make you wonder a bit why they're offering First Class now (on a very limited number of trains) if there is no plan to offer it long term.

Just because they're using the 185s isn't it? Might as well use it while its there.

 

[Starmill]

It is there but the cheaper TPE Only fares, weekend upgrades and catering and whatnot that made it attractive in the past no longer apply.

As a result the price has increased and the quality gone down. So guess what - fewer people use it.

 

[MikeWh]

Let's keep this thread on topic please. No more posts about planes.

 

[Bevan Price]

Bit hard when they ordered 2&3 car trains instead of 3&4.

Yes - especially the 2 car dmus will almost certainly be inadequate even for the normal numbers of standard class passengers. Wasting space on first class would be a very bad idea. The best solution would be to ensure reasonable standards of comfort in standard class.