It is part of the AT300 family yes like the IETs are. 385s are AT200 without digressing much. As for it running outside hs1 and Kent line I assume its possible but as a last remember (this discussion somewhere on the fourm) it would require a few safety system additions and tweaks ontop of the usual work for introducing rolling stock on a route.
Hi , thank you for the reply , that clears up a long standing question I had, on my model rail layout , I have a station with two through lines on one side ( my layout is split so inahve two totally independent, DC lines , for stuff that won't take a chip as I'm not abkee to solder ), and the station has a bay platform , and an additional ' express ' platform , anyway point is , I have the Hornby 395 and 800's I noticed a few days ago , which got me wondering about the AT300 thing, when my 395 was level to the class 800 I'd stopped at the station , there is of course a little difference , if anything the 395, looks more like the Japanese one shown above .
I did think the 395 would probably need the third rail equipment taken off ( o. A side note, Ive never read of folk complaining about the class 395 seats , especially as they have no first class, however photos in the rail.magazine of the newly refurbished class 395's , show much smarter interiors , and the seats look fine , definitely less dull than the original interior .
However neither had the very bright lighting or at least it appeared in the magazine to be not as bright as that most complained about on the 800's .
But you can see the interiors bar the door placements, are pretty much the same , hence I wondered just how close to an 800 they are .
I'm surprised they didn't build more with diesel power for lines elsewhere.
And given the changes to the ECML to allow 140mph running , which I think but can't be sure is something to do with signals in a train cab?, my apologies if that seems a silly question, but I'm limited in my rail knowledge, both real and modeling .
But how that would work I don't know .
But the 395's look ideal for improving, higher speed commuter trains , in.the current crop of magazines each has a story on how many train operators are looking for totally new fleet's . It seems that the 395 and 800's are ideal , but as long as they can sort the terrible seats and ambience of the interior on the 800's.
That said EMT ( east Midlands) Thier 810's the seats resemble the ones used in the HST's when new , by all accounts, a lot of extra work has gone Into addressing , the seats and interior , of their 810's , with the hope people will approve.
The only thing I don't understand is why they are not building 7bcar sets like Avanti , because, their 222's are 7 cars ( or some are ), and with shorter vehicles then the rest of the 80X fleet's , is this going to be a repeat of the fiasco , when the voyagers, appeared , which had gone from fairly fast loco hauled Mark2E/F Aircon sets with pretty good Interiors and Mark3's all where often over 8 cars in length . Then they introduced the voyagers , they were no longer than a Mark2 or 3 , and we're only 4-5 cars . As far as I e read East Midlands has gone for shorter 5 car sets . I wonder how this will affect overcrowding.
And also to get back on topic. Of while they fixed the hated interior , which does look on the photo montages as very impressive, but have they fixed the ride quality as described, by you guys using GWR class 800 series trains .
Out of interest, is it right that , when they brought on the castle class sets , that they changed the more comfortable seats , for something more like the hated ones in the 800?.
I gather that the castles are to remain , but not as many .
Perhaps depending on the required numbers , GWR might take on the 68/Mark5 sets from TPE to replace the castles .
It is part of the AT300 family yes like the IETs are. 385s are AT200 without digressing much. As for it running outside hs1 and Kent line I assume its possible but as a last remember (this discussion somewhere on the fourm) it would require a few safety system additions and tweaks ontop of the usual work for introducing rolling stock on a
It is part of the AT300 family yes like the IETs are. 385s are AT200 without digressing much. As for it running outside hs1 and Kent line I assume its possible but as a last remember (this discussion somewhere on the fourm) it would require a few safety system additions and tweaks ontop of the usual work for introducing rolling stock on a route.
Thank you for reply and clarifying the version of the 385's , In one rail magazine recently, which was discussing, Scotrail's plans to do a huge fleet replacement ( getting rid of the awful 156's and the terrible units used on the Airdrie bathgate line would be much better) , however, I'd not be in a hurry to loose the smooth running and comfy class 158's that are described, in a book I have that covers every train type on UK and Irish railways , it's out yearly , but that tells how southwest trains regard their 158/159's as the rolls Royce of DMU's and I found them to be as smooth as a mark 3.
Anyway I digress , but mentioned them as there are going to be plenty for cascade ( hopefully to northern and Scotrail ).
But back to the A trains .
The 395, although it would need modifying , perhaps diesel motors instead of third rail , or an additional battery pack, that could be charged while the train is in motion.
It's clear from what I've read that southeastern, among others , will be replacing these , even though they are relatively young .
They'd be a great fit as bi modes , in Scotland and The Northern rail network or Transpennine.
And the sister trains the 800's as the last post said , can surely be fixed to passenger satisfaction, easily , with a change of seats to the ones planned for the 810's, which as I said , had been shown to the public , and under that consultation , concluded , that they would elimanate , the complaints, about uncomfortable seats.
They resemble the style or design seen in mark3 coaches back in the 80's , I gather that design was studied and used as a starting point , it was a very interesting article , it was all about the new trains due to come into service, and this was about the changes to the 810's over the other versions of the 800's of each operator .
I do think the Transpennine 800's look very smart , but haven't heard of any issues with seats or jittery rides on those.
And not much is said about the seperate fleet the 397.
It did seem odd that TPE didn't simply do as Avanti have and specify 7 and 5 car units when buying the 800's, or if they'd had 9 car sets for the Scottish services . I suspect had they done so , they could have avoided a lot of problems and provided more routes . Including Blackpool , I'm not aware if TPE even serve that station.
But regards GWR there is a fantastic opportunity here while fixing the cracks , to follow EMT's 810's and update the interiors , now 5-6 years old and replace with the seats used or to be used on the 810's.
They need more padding.
And why not use the same type of seats so popular from the old mark3 first class , which are now revered for comfort on Scotrail's HST's, those large leather seats , with softer lighting would be a great boost to the first class, and could even attract more use , and even demand for extra first class space , remember a HST used to run at least two First class coaches and the Buffer car, I believe at least on east coast sets was first clas seating , also they must add a buffet car or buffet area , ideally where LNER have theirs , the windows are already covered where LNER have theirs so it ought to be a lowish cost but much needed improvement. Especially given the length of the trips , basically, it shouldn't take much to dim the over bright lighting , and increase comfort , and perhaps add an additional trailer to a nine car or 5 car set , I'm sure Hitachi would welcome the work , the magazine stated , and this included GWR that , 2660 new trains or units are needed UK wide to replace worn out trains, or provide enough capacity that standing is no longer an issue and to make rail travel more attractive than driving .GWR could do so much better .
One thing I don't understand about how this works but given how cross country is about to make a huge mistake, by replacing much longer and well loved HST's with voyagers .
Would it not be possible for GWR, to apply to run Cross country services, to all points north ? Or when east west rail is finished , even run , Penzance to Yarmouth via Norwich .
Or Edinburgh, Glasgow , Stirling , Leeds, York , Newcastle, Manchester etc etc .
I thought that back in steam days before British rail , all the big train companies, ran in competition, on the same or parallel routes.
So could GWR do that today?.
My apologies for all these questions, but as I say I'm very interested in the subject but have little knowledge, beyond what I read or learn by talking to people like yourselves who know all about these things .
