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Given that all the other Desiro units of a similar age are also requiring repainting and corrosion checks, I'd imagine it's more just part of the routine maintenence and not purely cosmetic.

There was a show a while back called 'Inside Gatwick', and there was some guy they filmed who was whining about the jet noise. He was writing letters every day to the airport to complain. Gatwick's been there since before WW2, and they weren't even that close to the airport anyway. He was...

I think most of Northern's non-enthusiast passengers are just glad to be on a modern train and not a Pacer....

I love the Dreamliner windows, and I'm please Airbus are now offering them on the A350s too. Not sure I'd agree with this though- the tilt profile and thick plastic around the window pillars means that the window seat has very little shoulder room. My husband and I fitted OK in those narrow...

There is that increased risk- but I'm not sure it's that much worse a risk on the MetroLink than on any heavy rail line, as tram vs human and train vs human have very similar consequences! I think a system using balises (think I may have spelled that wrong!) could work well, also covering ASDO.

If it's a suitcase you can put in an overhead in a plane, it'll easily fit in the overhead on an 80x unit. A million times better than a Voyager!

I still think the best way is how the Manchester MetroLink Bombardier trams work- if you press the button, it'll flash until the next stop and then open the door immediately once they're unlocked (if it's on the correct side).

Thankfully! The 159s are perfect for the route, unless a bi-mode 444 could be conjured out of somewhere. I could see the 350s converted to bi-mode being suggested, although I'm not sure about a hypothetical range on diesel. The suggested battery/electric 'flex' option definitely wouldn't work...

The black seat backs though are awful. Cannot understand why they did that.

Completely ignoring the fact that it's the poor who are going to be most screwed by climate change, not us middle class types who will be able to afford to heat our homes when climate change gives these islands the same weather as Winnipeg. I'd also like to point out that increasing energy...

I'd have a rolling program of electrification. Any frequently used route, especially if it removes diesels from city centres, would be a candidate. The Chiltern Mainline is a good example, along with the various diesel suburban services around Birmingham, Manchester, etc etc. Also, extending the...

Were BR similarly overruled by the DfT? I genuinely don't know- I was 6 years old when rail privatisation came in. A state operated organisation does not necessarily have to be run completely from Whitehall. Anyway- back on topic of the 700s- I think they're fine. As people have said, the...

Having done Manchester -> Newcastle -> Edinburgh on a TPE 802 and then LNER 801, got to say they're lightyears ahead of the Voyager. The seats aren't great, but other than that, no complaints. A Voyager though is too short, too dirty (both emissions wise and the interiors of the XC units) and...

This is definitely what *should* be what's done. Extending some (most?) of the 5-cars to 9-car, to reduce the 10-car running, would be a good idea. I'd also argue that any IETs sent to XC should also be extended to maybe 7 cars.

This is one thing I really like about the Hitachi units - big chunky handle that you flip from unlocked to locked. Nice and simple, and easily used by anyone including those with reduced dexterity. Regarding carriage width- the 444 proves that it's not too much of an issue if the interior is...

Only if there were enough 158s around, which I don't think there are nationally. Maybe once TfW's units are made available not not any time soon when the HSTs were being planned!

Ditto. Although it helps being a 6'2 rugby player/powerlifter....

Going back to the toilet sink issues- the absolute worst are the ones that give you some water, you wet your hands, lather, and then the tap decides you've had enough water now and turns off and won't turn on again. Completely infuriating.

A diesel-battery hybrid (IE, without a panto) could still save a bit on fuel- just like a hybrid car does compared to a regular petrol car. But the gains are minimal, and likely much less significant than with a car as the big advantage a hybrid like a Prius has over a conventional car is in...

I would be very surprised if Avanti's 221s don't replace the XC HSTs in the short term once the 805/807s are in service, which could also allow the Voyagers to have a much needed refurbishment. In an ideal world the entire fleet would be replaced with bi-modes but of course that's not going to...