GhostManDN91
Member
Agreed. If I want to go on a 80x ride, I'll head over to the ECML where they can operate at 125mph for a faster train ride. WCML I'd stick to 390s.I’d personally say the 390 is just a much superior train, full stop
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Progress on Avanti West Coast's 805/807s Hitachi AT300 sets
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Railperf
Established Member
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I don't mind sitting on a 110mph Class 350 from Euston to Crewe at least than half the price of a much faster Avanti service in the early mornings. Unfortunately not many of the early morning Avanti services are anywhere near full because they are too overpriced. But if I am paying top dollar for a 125mph service I do want to get to my destination reasonably on time. What we have now is a service where I have to assume there will be a delay for some reason or another. So it's impossible to reliably book onwards connections on other operators services when neither the Class 390 or 80x services are reliable to begin with.
The ECML is barely any more reliable these days either.
Having done easily 300+ trips on the 390s and now a few on the 807 I find myself preferring the latter. Not fussed by it being a bit of a slower journey when you get good windows and seat alignment, more tables (in groups!) and a decent phone signal until the black hole of Weaver Junction.
Still hate the new refurb seats though, they destroy my back and thighs
Still hate the new refurb seats though, they destroy my back and thighs
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Have you bashed the side of your head on one of the "ears" yet? I've done that several times so far...Still hate the new refurb seats though, they destroy my back and thighs
DaveyJones
Member
There is apparently a Class 805 on Longsight in Manchester (according to facebook), I guess this is how it got there
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Realtime Trains | 5H88 1410 Chester to Longsight Car. M.D. | 26/02/2025
Real-time train running information for 5H88 1410 departure from Chester to Longsight Car. M.D. on 26/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Apologies if this perspective's already been discussed (a few minutes' searching turned a blank) but the Evero first class seating seems a definite downgrade vs the 390s - no individual overhead lamps, and no recline on the seats (as far as I could determine). Reduction in first capacity also unwelcome; the service I was on was about 90% occupied. However, the biggest farce was the seat reservation system train-wide, which doesn't activate until the driver sets up his/her cab at the journey's origin. Result was a game of musical chairs shortly before departure from Euston - and some understandably unamused punters. Wholly unacceptable design fail.
On a brighter note, onboard staff were superb and the beef stew currently on offer is delectable! But if Avanti's goal is to push premium travelers toward choosing road or air travel, they seem off to an effective start.
On a brighter note, onboard staff were superb and the beef stew currently on offer is delectable! But if Avanti's goal is to push premium travelers toward choosing road or air travel, they seem off to an effective start.
It’s not a design fail regards seat reservations loading, it’s an Avanti fail!
LNER station teams load the reservations before boarding, and then advertise service is ready to board once these have loaded, if Avanti decide only the driver can do that, they should allow sufficient time before boarding for the driver to do so, or change there process for the station team or train manager to load reservations.
Driver may also have been late to train for a number or reasons!
There is recline on the seats, the lever is in the base itself, see the attached image for the location of the lever.
Attachments
Sounds perfect! Airlines aim for 90%+ seat occupation, why shouldn’t train companies?
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
*Sigh*
They also charge you to pick seats, strap you in with belts, and require you to arrive two hours before. An airline is not a train company.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Equally you are paying for one seat, not four.
absolutelymilk
Established Member
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- 18 Jul 2015
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What's that got to do with how occupied first class should be?
Trainbike46
Established Member
90% occupied in first class seems like a good amount - clearly everyone who wanted first class could get it, while simultaneously not over-providing first class seats.
Pendomonium
Member
Recent "best practice" for trying to download the reservations is not to do so more than 20mins before departure. Which goes against the new earlier boarding aspirations at Euston. Setting up the "journey" is one of the last tasks a driver does when mobilising the 805/807, thus any problem that appears means there are literally minutes left before departure to try to sort it out. On a 10 car where people need to know what portion to be in to get beyond Chester, this has caused lots of conflict. Especially when its not worth the delay to try pre departure trouble shooting, and just depart with no reservation info.
Wyrleybart
Established Member
That is a surprise to me. AFAIK seat reservations are an On-board task for which there are On-Board staff. The driver is responsible for driving the train safely, and mitigating whatever issues involve the train. I am sure most of us have seen how punctuality of the rail system has taken a battering over the last couple of years, yet drivers diagrams are tighter than ever. This means that if "Driver A" arrives ten minutes late, the late PNB will very often result in a late departure of the next train on their diagram. Adding a seat reservation task will likely cause further delay.
In the TOC I work for seat reservations would very much be the responsibility of the "Guard".
Different at my TOC, station team leaders loads reservation, once all cleaners are off and catering is loaded, the train is announced for boarding, 99% of time with a full 20 minutes before departure.
Our ‘best practise’ is to load reservations no earlier than 25 minutes before scheduled departure.
It's nonsense involved in trying to have an Intercity train set up for Driver Only Operation which they do in it's true sense on precisely one route (London to Oxford) rather badly - even Lumo always run with on board crew.
The driver is busy driving the train, messing around with passenger information when you've got a train manager to do that kind of stuff is stupid.
It's one thing I hate about class 170s, dealing with issues with the PIS involves distracting the driver or leaving it not working/wrong.
The driver is busy driving the train, messing around with passenger information when you've got a train manager to do that kind of stuff is stupid.
It's one thing I hate about class 170s, dealing with issues with the PIS involves distracting the driver or leaving it not working/wrong.
Trainbike46
Established Member
I feel this could be going off-topic as Avanti don't run to Oxford - I'm assuming this is referring to GWR?
Separately, why would loading reservations early *on avanti services* be an issue, given they have this system that updates reservations even after departure?
I’m not sure that new system is in place. If it was surely you’d just have the system setup asap and let it do its thing.
LNER having been wanting auto up date ever since they started the ‘5 minute reservations’……….still waiting!
Yet a 20+ year old XC voyager can auto update on route…….progress!
poffle
Member
The Avanti Evero seats have people detectors in them so that they will able to detect in real time which seats are occupied. I think these are based on a mix of weight and humidity sensors.
This could be the basis of being able to display carriage occupancy at stations for incoming trains and also for real time reservations for unoccupied seats.
In Germany DB have a "Comfort Check-in" system on the ICEs where you can register the seat you sitting in and match it up to your ticket. This means the ticket checker doesn't need to check tickets for that seat. It also means that real time reservation systems won't allocate that seat for the rest of your journey.
This could be the basis of being able to display carriage occupancy at stations for incoming trains and also for real time reservations for unoccupied seats.
In Germany DB have a "Comfort Check-in" system on the ICEs where you can register the seat you sitting in and match it up to your ticket. This means the ticket checker doesn't need to check tickets for that seat. It also means that real time reservation systems won't allocate that seat for the rest of your journey.
nigelsporne
Member
- Joined
- 20 Dec 2012
- Messages
- 245
The 14.55 off Crewe to Euston was announced as 15 coaches repeatedly. Sadly only 805012 and 009.
DJH1971
Established Member
Any word if 807005 has entered service yet as it was delivered a few weeks back?
And any news on 807009 & 807010?
And any news on 807009 & 807010?
807009 outside at Aycliffe on static testing.
807010 remains inside the test shed at Aycliffe, all staff have received email that no pictures of unit in its Diversity livery are to be shared.
DJH1971
Established Member
What about 807005? In service yet?
No idea!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Any news on the two remaining 805s?
805002 or 006
805002 or 006
Both outside at Aycliffe.
002 still in grey.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
That (805002) is a long time not yet in use ?.
I would even expect 805006 to be in service by now.
Others around them were in action around this time last year iirc.
mansonlo49
Member
Think it got delivered to Wembley but NIS yet