Do on-train safety systems on all trains have this issue or is this something exclusive to the 80x series?
If it was ATP or TPWS Gen 4 (80x & 387) that brought the train to a stand after the SPAD, then they would take a minute to reset to allow brake release. This time is probably negligible compared to the Driver ringing the signaller and his Control, the situation being assessed - genuine SPAD or track circuit blip and the Driver having a phone duty of care check, before being met at his next stop.
All we need now is a buffet counter to replace the trolley.
Yeah I disagree with the perfect time on diesel comment. I think 'good enough in most but not all cases' is probably closer to the mark. Generally speaking, due to allowances in various places, with a clear run 800s on diesel that should be on electric can match the timetable but that's in much the same way that on electric they would make up time / arrive early. That diesel mode offers sufficient performance to match the timetable exactly east of Didcot I think has been soundly debunked. Nonetheless, there are so many other delays around, be it unit faults or infrastructure issues that the time lost by the reduced speed often pales into insignificance day to day.
There isn't much urban environment between Didcot and Cardiff. They certainly don't belch these days, just like the planes, cars, taxis and lorries without which modern life wouldn't exist as we know it.
No but there's a lot more to air pollution than the visible sooty exhaust, the point still stands. Every 10-car 800 formation running on diesel into the capital is the engine size equivalent of 60 road vehicles driving there. (I don't have the emissions figures but I don't expect they'll be much different to that) The answer to this is not 'well then electrification is pointless', it's to fix the problem causing diesel-only running in the first place. This will always come up to a certain small degree and is a potentially useful emergency measure where otherwise a unit would have to be detrained or be out of service, but it should be a very small proportion of the fleet. I'm sure they'll get there eventually, but it is taking longer than people would like.
I'm not the best person to ask as I'm not a regular user of the line nor do I have access to data stating which services did/did not run diesel-only. I'm sure the rail performance society could give you some specific run times if you're that distrusting of general consensus on the issue. There are some useful reports on the RPS website that illustrate the issue fairly nicely on a general basis. There are also a lot of run time logs but I suspect most of these predate the power curve of 800s being modified.
It isn't desirable to use diesels when you have wires, but on train is worth 5-6 lorries and the don't move along main roads outside schools.
Apart from Swindon, Newport and Cardiff. Why should they suffer even more localised pollution? Air quality at the Brynglas Tunnels is poor as it is.
They are quicker but largely from the faster operation of the doors and swifter pulling away from stations.
The idea is to accelerate the schedules and then they definitely won't keep time on diesel. You are right about the diesel engines, very quiet both inside and outside the train. Much quieter than 180s or Voyagers.
Good to hear that improvements should be forthcoming. Hopefully, like everything 800-related, it should gradually improve. I'm glad that it's due to mandatory examinations and not because they're already falling to pieces!
Yes, I know in diesel they (at least) keep to HST timings, and trounce HSTs on electric performance. It's just unfortunate that it's taking so long to get there (multiple culprits, not exclusively Hitachi or GWR)
That might be true on the line to Penzance where, west of Exeter, the line speed is fairly low and the stops closer together. There is no way that a diesel IET can match an HST from Reading to Swindon or Swindon to Bristol Parkway.
In my experience not so much a lack of toilets but plainly blocked or otherwise unserviceable ones still letting people try to use them, they do seem to be quite sensitive to heavy use. I don't use IETs that often but the only two hair raising incidents that I've had with onboard wcs this past year have both been on this type of train.
The prices aren`t much different in there I`m afraid.
I was on 1L24 on Weds this week, and there was no hot food. The catering guy said they had stopped doing it as it took too long to go and sort it.
I'd leave the station if I were you. As an example, Upper Crust (not a good marker of low prices I admit) serve the same thing on Paddington concourse for £9 as they do on Liverpool Street concourse for £7.50 and even the latter is vastly more than an out-of-station equivalent. I don't know if the rent is higher at Paddington or what but I remember having the same experience the last time as well - food there is astonishingly expensive.