Sad times when all hst's are gone

[Impey0711]

Currently sat in first class on a EMT hst (43089) leading loco such a comfortable ride nice seats will miss these when they are gone standard class are a comfortable ride too

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed. Particularly, as you say the EMT armchairs, which are the most comfortable seats on the network.

I find the general decor of those carriages very pleasing as well.

 

[nat67]

Currently sat in first class on a EMT hst (43089) leading loco such a comfortable ride nice seats will miss these when they are gone standard class are a comfortable ride too

The EMT ones should still be around after 2020. The seats may have changed though by then.

 

[nat67]

Indeed. Particularly, as you say the EMT armchairs, which are the most comfortable seats on the network.

I find the general decor of those carriages very pleasing as well.

The best of the last HST interiors in my view.

 

[yorksrob]

The best of the last HST interiors in my view.

Undoubtedly. Nice to enjoy a reasonably priced meal with proper crockery as well.

 

[nat67]

Undoubtedly. Nice to enjoy a reasonably priced meal with proper crockery as well.

I have never done EMT first. Only de-classed.

 

[cactustwirly]

Indeed. Particularly, as you say the EMT armchairs, which are the most comfortable seats on the network.

I find the general decor of those carriages very pleasing as well.

The first class seats on these are very uncomfortable, the standard seats are better, but not as good as the ones on XC (best HSTs IMO)
The EMT HSTs look very dated and tired in comparison!

 

[yorksrob]

I have never done EMT first. Only de-classed.

Can sometimes be worth the difference in costs.

 

[cactustwirly]

Can sometimes be worth the difference in costs.

Not really!

For me it's £7 in Std, and £25 in first class, travelling northbound.
And towards London it's £17 in Std and £100 in 1st!

 

[yorksrob]

The first class seats on these are very uncomfortable, the standard seats are better, but not as good as the ones on XC (best HSTs IMO)
The EMT HSTs look very dated and tired in comparison!

I don't think it would be possible to disagree more !

 

[yorksrob]

Not really!

For me it's £7 in Std, and £25 in first class, travelling northbound.
And towards London it's £17 in Std and £100 in 1st!

I sometimes find £5 - £10 difference between standard and first class fares, which is a very good price IMO.

 

[Impey0711]

19:13 Leicester to london tonight was £25

 

[gordonthemoron]

are there any left with orange seating in first and blueish in standard?

 

[cactustwirly]

19:13 Leicester to london tonight was £25

And beyond London, to somewhere like Reading?

 

[yorksrob]

are there any left with orange seating in first and blueish in standard?

Yes, all of them !

 

[anamyd]

The EMT ones should still be around after 2020. The seats may have changed though by then.

not if they haven't been PRM modified.

 

[bunnahabhain]

not if they haven't been PRM modified.

They'll be getting just enough done for 5 years derogation. Expect something Western in flavour to appear in the short term to cover for refurbishment.

 

[s_null]

The EMT HST First seats are rather uncomfortable if you want to work or eat - the low seating position means you have to perch and sit up - not the most comfortable! The crashy ride doesn't help matters either.

The First seats on the Meridian 222s are much better (and the ride a lot smoother) - although then you're dealing with the Faraday cage effect making a decent mobile hotspot signal almost impossible to maintain.

 

[yorksrob]

The EMT HST First seats are rather uncomfortable if you want to work or eat - the low seating position means you have to perch and sit up - not the most comfortable! The crashy ride doesn't help matters either.

The First seats on the Meridian 222s are much better (and the ride a lot smoother) - although then you're dealing with the Faraday cage effect making a decent mobile hotspot signal almost impossible to main4tain.

I'm quite comfortable sitting up to eat for the twenty minutes it takes me to consume a meal (which is surely better for the digestion anyway) particularly as I can relax back afterwards. Plus, it's probably impossible to design a seat which is perfect for all activities.

I have tried first class on the Meridian, and whilst not bad (in the context of modern train seating) isn't anywhere near as comfortable as the HST version.

 

[Robertj21a]

Not really!

For me it's £7 in Std, and £25 in first class, travelling northbound.
And towards London it's £17 in Std and £100 in 1st!

I assume that you are only referring to specific departures that suit you. There are plenty of alternative times that will suit other people !

For what it's worth I think the EMT seats are excellent.

.

 

[221129]

not if they haven't been PRM modified.

Yes they will.

 

[221129]

Yes, all of them !

Eh? Wrong way round?

 

[sprinterguy]

Currently sat in first class on a EMT hst (43089) leading loco such a comfortable ride nice seats will miss these when they are gone standard class are a comfortable ride too

It's alright, they'll still be operating on the Midland Mainline for another four years or so. The Crosscountry sets probably have at least that long too, and the refurbished sets belatedly entering service with Scotrail have probably got a decade in service ahead of them, possibly the GWR short sets too.

 

[cactustwirly]

I assume that you are only referring to specific departures that suit you. There are plenty of alternative times that will suit other people !

For what it's worth I think the EMT seats are excellent.

.

The first one is a flexible ticket, as there aren't any advances from Leicester to Nottingham. (Ok that may be cheating a bit, as my Railcard doesn't give a discount on flexible 1st class tickets)

And going to London, I've looked at all the departures from 10am - 8pm, the cheapest std advance is £17.15 or £14.50 if you're really lucky!
And unlike every other TOC there are no 1st advances for destinations beyond London!

 

[Iskra]

EMT first class seats are amazing.

However, has the OP not got the memo that HST's will not be leaving the network anytime soon; they will live on with Scotrail, GWR, XC and possibly EMT when that franchise gets sorted out.

 

[najaB]

Yes, it will be somewhat sad when all the HSTs are gone, but no more so than the sad times now that there aren't any 707s or DC-8s flying passenger services any more. Do I miss that I can't fly on a classic? Yes. Do I enjoy the fact that more modern aeroplanes are quieter, safer and cheaper to operate (lower fares)? Of course I do.

 

[Journeyman]

At the risk of making myself unpopular, I won't weep any tears.

They've been a huge success, but they need to go. There's trains out there that serve the modern market much more effectively, are cheaper to operate, have things that people have rightly come to expect, have a smoother ride, are quieter, pollute less, and are much easier and safer to get in and out of.

They should all have been replaced by now, if you ask me.

 

[cactustwirly]

At the risk of making myself unpopular, I won't weep any tears.

They've been a huge success, but they need to go. There's trains out there that serve the modern market much more effectively, are cheaper to operate, have things that people have rightly come to expect, have a smoother ride, are quieter, pollute less, and are much easier and safer to get in and out of.

They should all have been replaced by now, if you ask me.

I sort of agree with you, but there's nothing out there that quite has the HST refinement, of comfort and ride quality!
Even the 800s have worse ride quality than HSTs IMO

 

[Journeyman]

I sort of agree with you, but there's nothing out there that quite has the HST refinement, of comfort and ride quality!
Even the 800s have worse ride quality than HSTs IMO

I've yet to experience an 800, so can't comment on them, but the last HST ride I took, from London to Edinburgh, was a shockingly bad ride that almost threw me out of my seat a couple of times.

 

[sprinterguy]

There's trains out there that serve the modern market much more effectively, are cheaper to operate, have things that people have rightly come to expect

Yes, uncomfortable seats, spartan interiors, lack of luggage space and catering are all things that the modern rail passenger has understandably come to expect of modern stock.

Sorry, I'm largely being facetious and I do understand your point, and the East Coast IETs will have both full kitchens and buffets, though I'm not convinced that underfloor engined vehicles are any quieter for the travelling passenger (or even those on the platform, compared to power cars at the end of the train) than unpowered coaching stock. Outside of engine noise though, sound insulation has improved significantly since the seventies: A Voyager carriage with an engine out is an eerily quiet environment, and there are of course unpowered vehicles on the IETs. Obviously the big benefit of the IETs is their ability to run on electric power where the wires are available, which does make a massive difference to local pollution and ambient noise.

I've yet to experience an 800, so can't comment on them, but the last HST ride I took, from London to Edinburgh, was a shockingly bad ride that almost threw me out of my seat a couple of times.

It's been well documented that LNER have changed the supplier of the yaw dampers fitted to their HST stock resulting in poorer ride quality.