Class 185s sounding a bit sick

[fowler9]

I've travelled on them quite a bit recently and not really noticed any difference to normal myself. People saying they're not good products should be reminded they won the golden spanner for best new generation DMU for last year:

Gold - Class 185 - Trans Pennine Express/Ardwick/Eversholt (22,809 MTIN)

The Golden Spanner. Wow.

 

[Pumbaa]

They *are* a good product, but they were built in an era where fuel was cheap and plentiful, the focus was on power and performance, and Siemens would probably admit that they'd not do the same now.

 

[ac6000cw]

They *are* a good product, but they were built in an era where fuel was cheap and plentiful, the focus was on power and performance, and Siemens would probably admit that they'd not do the same now.

I'm sure Siemens would offer whatever they thought the customer would be most likely to buy at the time (tends to help a manufacturer stay in business )

 

[222001]

The Golden Spanner. Wow.

It's a good performance measure, so obviously you're less likely to be delayed due to a fault on a 185 than any other new generation DMU.
The only argument is that it's based on miles, and not really of time in use. Stopper trains will do more mileage than a long distance train, but will be out for the same amount of time, so some say it isn't really a true representation.

 

[fowler9]

It's a good performance measure, so obviously you're less likely to be delayed due to a fault on a 185 than any other new generation DMU.
The only argument is that it's based on miles, and not really of time in use. Stopper trains will do more mileage than a long distance train, but will be out for the same amount of time, so some say it isn't really a true representation.

Sorry mate, I didn't mean that to sound so snarky as it appeared when I read it back just then. I am not a massive fan of the 185's but I personally have never been let down by one and I actually really enjoyed a recent journey from Liverpool to Leeds and back in first class on one.

 

[222001]

Sorry mate, I didn't mean that to sound so snarky as it appeared when I read it back just then. I am not a massive fan of the 185's but I personally have never been let down by one and I actually really enjoyed a recent journey from Liverpool to Leeds and back in first class on one.

Ah I see :P. No worries there. I could travel for a long time in first class on a 185. Standard class not so much, those seats need extra padding!

 

[harz99]

It's a good performance measure, so obviously you're less likely to be delayed due to a fault on a 185 than any other new generation DMU.

Or the 350/4 replacement EMUs which are not having a good start.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ah I see :P. No worries there. I could travel for a long time in first class on a 185. Standard class not so much, those seats need extra padding!

That's assuming you GET a seat in standard... No guarantee of that even at 0530!

 

[Philip]

That's assuming you GET a seat in standard... No guarantee of that even at 0530!

Have to say that's so irritating - particularly on the North West route, it just seems whatever time it is you can't get a seat to yourself. Understandable during the day but not so much at 10 in the evening or 5.30 in the morning as you say. Do Bolton passengers specifically wait for the TPE? That's how it appears!

 

[northwichcat]

Have to say that's so irritating - particularly on the North West route, it just seems whatever time it is you can't get a seat to yourself. Understandable during the day but not so much at 10 in the evening or 5.30 in the morning as you say. Do Bolton passengers specifically wait for the TPE? That's how it appears!

Maybe the problem is Bolton has too many services to Victoria and not enough to Piccadilly?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Have to say that's so irritating - particularly on the North West route, it just seems whatever time it is you can't get a seat to yourself. Understandable during the day but not so much at 10 in the evening or 5.30 in the morning as you say. Do Bolton passengers specifically wait for the TPE? That's how it appears!

I can't comment on the North West services as it's years since I used them other than the occasional Piccadilly-Oxford Road hop. A few weeks ago though, I did HUD-YRK on the 0540 departure and had to stand until LDS. If the transfer of the Scottish services had involved extra rolling-stock I imagine it would be slightly better (though not neccessarily at that time of day!) but all that's water under the bridge now...

 

[thealexweb]

Have to say that's so irritating - particularly on the North West route, it just seems whatever time it is you can't get a seat to yourself. Understandable during the day but not so much at 10 in the evening or 5.30 in the morning as you say. Do Bolton passengers specifically wait for the TPE? That's how it appears!

Bolton passengers use what they can and have just as much right to use these TPE services as those travelling further a field. Yesterday I was returning from Manchester Piccadilly at around 8pm. There are only 2-3tph towards Bolton at that time so I went for a TPE service to Barrow over waiting 20 mins for the Southport stopper.