Class 222 with East Midlands Trains

[Mike395]

ORCATs raid aside, it'd be very nice for the more Northern-bound passengers if they didn't have to compete for seats with Luton/Bedford commuters out of STP on some early evening services!

True - but this wouldn't be possible until the Thameslink programme is complete and there is additional capacity on FCC services to/from Bedford in the peaks - trains are rammed as it is without the need for Bedford, and to a lesser extent Luton, commuters being pushed on them too! It would also, in my view, necessitate some semi-fasts in the peaks that do not call at St Albans (so basically they would probably run St Pancras - Luton Airport - Luton - Bedford)

 

[Skymonster]

Yeah, I understand why its done and what the current Thameslink/FCC challenges are... Its probably an improvement on the old days anyway - didn't some of the NTM-STP trains stop at St Albans too in BR days (sure I remember travelling on Peak hauled services that stopped there)? Anyways, its not too bad in the morning as us NTM passengers are obviously seated when the stops are made at Bedford or Luton - and the NTM fasts don't tend to do too many stops anyway - but in the evenings it can be more of a challenge to race for a seat... (and even more so it used to be difficult to get to the buffets when they were open, as the Luton/Bedford gangs used to congregate around there to drink) - and of course it slows the journeys down!

 

[asylumxl]

(and even more so it used to be difficult to get to the buffets when they were open, as the Luton/Bedford gangs used to congregate around there to drink)

Oh that's why they all used to have accents from further north ?