Scotrail Class 385 Discussion

[ld0595]

The 7 car 385s and 8 car 365s do a pretty good job of swallowing up the passenger loads at the moment and I've never had a problem getting a seat even during the peaks. I do think 6tph will be needed in the long term during the peaks if Network Rail can eek out capacity and get the Almond Cord done. Late evening services are quite busy too - it would be good to have 4tph a little later after 7pm.

 

[Stopper]

I have to stand most days when I travel Linlithgow-Edinburgh, probably about 80% of the time during the peaks. Throughout it carries the passengers well but at each end of the line it can get full and standing. In 5-10 years time 6tph will be a must, it could probably be done with now.

 

[route101]

The 7 car 385s and 8 car 365s do a pretty good job of swallowing up the passenger loads at the moment and I've never had a problem getting a seat even during the peaks. I do think 6tph will be needed in the long term during the peaks if Network Rail can eek out capacity and get the Almond Cord done. Late evening services are quite busy too - it would be good to have 4tph a little later after 7pm.

I usually walk to the front as its usually quieter , if your stopping at Croy Edinburgh bound the front of the train is where most get on there .

Yeah , needs to be services every 15 minutes till 9 or even 10 , needed at this time of year .

 

[route101]

A lot of people really underestimate how busy the E-G is. Have the longest trains in Scotland and are still by far the most packed.

Yeah , most people go on this route between the cities as its the quickest and most frequent . I wonder what it was like with 158s at half hourly frequency .

 

[Chrism20]

Yeah , most people go on this route between the cities as its the quickest and most frequent . I wonder what it was like with 158s at half hourly frequency .

Peak times on the 158s to be polite were cosy, off peak though was nowhere near as busy as it is today.

The best thing about the 170s when they arrived was the doors not being at the ends. It definitely helped with boarding/alighting particularly at the intermediate stations.

The fifteen minute frequency done wonders for the route

 

[Class83]

My understanding is that the 4 car units have 1st class, but the 3 car units don't? As the first class is in a driving vehicle, how does that work with the sets which are currently 3 car but due to be extended to 4. Are they simply holding these units back as the last group to be delivered and delivering the 3 car sets without first class? Or are there some 3 car sets with 1st class in operation.

 

[Chris225]

My understanding is that the 4 car units have 1st class, but the 3 car units don't? As the first class is in a driving vehicle, how does that work with the sets which are currently 3 car but due to be extended to 4. Are they simply holding these units back as the last group to be delivered and delivering the 3 car sets without first class? Or are there some 3 car sets with 1st class in operation.

They aren’t extending any 3-Cars. The order was 24 4-cars with first class and 46 3-Cars with just standard.

 

[InOban]

By 2020, 16 of the 4-car sets will be needed for the E-G services, leaving a few for, I think, some peak SDA trains, but maybe elsewhere. But at present E-G needs only 8, and needs 3-car sets to make up the 7-car trains. So for the next 18 months, 4-car sets will appear on other routes.

 

[Class83]

They aren’t extending any 3-Cars. The order was 24 4-cars with first class and 46 3-Cars with just standard.

By 2020, 16 of the 4-car sets will be needed for the E-G services, leaving a few for, I think, some peak SDA trains, but maybe elsewhere. But at present E-G needs only 8, and needs 3-car sets to make up the 7-car trains. So for the next 18 months, 4-car sets will appear on other routes.

Thanks that makes sense, not sure where I'd got the impression some of the 4 cars would be delivered as 3 car. Though presumably limits SDA to 4 car rather than 6 as the platforms won't all take 8, though the general shortage of units might do that anyway. I wonder if there might be a few additional units as compensation for the delays in delivery.

 

[gingertom]

Had my first journey on a 385 today from Croy to Edinburgh, somehow they've managed to avoid me and it's been 365s, 380s and 170s.
Impressions? These machines go like the proverbial off a stick. As for the seats, it's pretty obvious that the bean counters who specified them do not commute by rail- this ship has been spoilt for want of a ha'pworth of tar.

 

[route101]

Had my first journey on a 385 today from Croy to Edinburgh, somehow they've managed to avoid me and it's been 365s, 380s and 170s.
Impressions? These machines go like the proverbial off a stick. As for the seats, it's pretty obvious that the bean counters who specified them do not commute by rail- this ship has been spoilt for want of a ha'pworth of tar.

Yeah they commuter units , the line is really a commuter line . Imagine if the line to Aberdeen was electrified , do we think we would have 385s on that route?

 

[EE Andy b1]

Yeah they commuter units , the line is really a commuter line . Imagine if the line to Aberdeen was electrified , do we think we would have 385s on that route?

Well look at the quick fix TPE use for Manchester - Edinburgh/Glasgow! Class 350/4, commuter train or Inter City train? I know what i think.

So you could get Class 385s going to Aberdeen if electrified or a Class 800 derivative maybe. One things your more or less going to be sure of is the pretty naff seating that most new trains are being fitted with.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

A lot of people really underestimate how busy the E-G is. Have the longest trains in Scotland and are still by far the most packed.

I noticed this on Saturday when I went through to Edinburgh. I was on a 334 at platform 9 I believe and a 385 was adjacent. It was literally standing jam packed at the doors. Not sure what happened but anyway they all got cleared off that train and it went away only for a 385 to arrive straight after it and they all boarded that. I knew the E&G was busy but not to that extent. It’s great to see longer trains on this route. It’s been long overdue! I really don’t know how they’ve coped with 170s this long!!

 

[gingertom]

Well look at the quick fix TPE use for Manchester - Edinburgh/Glasgow! Class 350/4, commuter train or Inter City train? I know what i think.

So you could get Class 385s going to Aberdeen if electrified or a Class 800 derivative maybe. One things your more or less going to be sure of is the pretty naff seating that most new trains are being fitted with.

would like to see what Anglia end up with in their Flirts, especially the inter city ones.

 

[GrimShady]

Yeah they commuter units , the line is really a commuter line . Imagine if the line to Aberdeen was electrified , do we think we would have 385s on that route?

If it was electrified, then yes I do.

I pay a first class fare to travel to Edinburgh, I should be getting a first class seat.

 

[GrimShady]

No chance!

They won't even spend money on decent seats, HSR is a pipedream that Scotland will never get.

 

[Goldfish62]

would like to see what Anglia end up with in their Flirts, especially the inter city ones.

The seat design has been widely publicised and it's certainly not Fainsa ironing boards.

 

[superalbs]

would like to see what Anglia end up with in their Flirts, especially the inter city ones.

FISA Lean on both.

Currently available on regional FLIRT trains in Serbia, and SWR Class 444 refurbished first class.

 

[InOban]

A delivery path on Wednesday has now appeared

 

[anthannan]

A delivery path on Wednesday has now appeared

Good news, fingers crossed.

 

[385001]

Edinburgh Evening News has an article about two new trains cancelled within 30 minutes this afternoon due to technical reasons.

Hopefully these teething issues for the 385s won't last too long.

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman....-trains-cancelled-within-30-minutes-1-4842765

Published: 18:05 Tuesday 11 December 2018

Two of Scotrail's new Edinburgh-Glasgow trains cancelled within 30 minutes

Two of ScotRail's new trains were cancelled between Edinburgh Waverley station and Glasgow this afternoon within 30 minutes, with all passengers then crammed onto the next service.

But one frustrated commuter today said he was on board the 3:45pm train from platform 11 this afternoon, before passengers were told at 4pm that their train had been cancelled due to technical reasons.

Passengers were then told to go to platform 14 and that this train had technical problems and needed a "reset."

The commuter added: "Next I was told at 16:15 that the train was being cancelled, as Hitachi engineers stood outside it and shrugged their shoulders.

"We were then told the 16:30 would arrive at platform 14 but at 16:27 we were then told it was going from platform 9.

"Cue a couple of hundred commuters trying to squeeze through ticket gates and up the escalators.

"There were so many people trying to get up the escalators that staff told us we needed to take the stairs.

"It is now standing room only on the train."

The cancellations have come just two days after the launch of the new ScotRail timetable and introduction of new trains.

 

[Japan0913]

Edinburgh Evening News has an article about two new trains cancelled within 30 minutes this afternoon due to technical reasons.

Hopefully these teething issues for the 385s won't last too long.

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman....-trains-cancelled-within-30-minutes-1-4842765

１．train crew shortage
２technical problems

Which?

 

[Scot-commuter]

I was on both:

15:45 Edinburgh Waverley > Glasgow Queen St
16:00 Edinburgh Waverley > Glasgow Queen St

Both were announced as being cancelled due to a train fault, with claims that fitters were on board assisting.

The 16:00 was switched off and back on with passengers warned that it would go into darkness as the train was reset. Ultimately it was cancelled at 16:13 meaning a sprint round from platform 14 to platform 11 for the 16:15, which was the platform the 15:45 has been on.

 

[Typhoon_93]

A delivery path on Wednesday has now appeared

385116 should head north Wednesday

 

[anthannan]

385116 should head north Wednesday

No news on tonight's delivery?

 

[InOban]

Due to leave in 20 minutes.

 

[anthannan]

Due to leave in 20 minutes.

Thanks

 

[800001]

Thanks

385116 has departed behind 67010.

 

[Starmill]

it would be good to have 4tph a little later after 7pm.

I have been caught out in the past by the fact that there is no 1945. I would say adding one is a significant first step. Adding a 2015 would probably prove immediately popular also.

 

[hexagon789]

I have been caught out in the past by the fact that there is no 1945. I would say adding one is a significant first step. Adding a 2015 would probably prove immediately popular also.

Definitely, indeed I think 4tph until 22:00 on Fridays/Saturdays at least is probably warranted.