Class 802 travel experiences

[matacaster]

Just been on my first 5-car class 802 hudds to Leeds.
Negative points
No branding, just silver paint.
No first class stickers anywhere.
No seat reservations.
No hot water on trolley.
Seats bases like planks, no lumbar support, cushions presumably made of steel or other non-forgiving material and too upright.
Will soon be deemed to have too few coaches.

Good points
Nice ride
Modern
Light
Airy
Excellent acceleration
Proper inter-City offering
Increased capacity over 185

 

[Peter C]

I've travelled on Class 802s on GWR before and I can say that they are alright.

Good points
- Brilliant acceleration
- Reservations easy to understand
- Modern

Bad points
- Some of the seats are shockingly bad (at one end of each coach there are two seats sans window)
- I can see an 8-car HST being replaced by 5 car trains leading to space constraints (my train yesterday was very busy)

-Peter

 

[Jozhua]

On a Transpennine Class 802 right now!

Absolutely transformative compared to the 185's.

Negatives:
Seats are a bit crappy (but honestly not so bad)

Positives:
Fast!!! 125mph VS 100mph, a noticeable improvement on the high speed sections of the ECML.

Green. Bi-modes take advantage of OHLE where it exists to give a cleaner, quieter and faster experience.

Nicer interiors, love the wood effect and no drafty doors in the middle of the carriages. They feel like a modern high speed intercity experience.

More loos, that are cleaner and more reliable.

Longer carriages and more of em, less overcrowded than the 185's!

These are absolutely fantastic trains and while they may not have the recognition of the HST's, seeing our high speed network filled with these modern trains is nice to see. Time to get them running at 140!

 

[NorthWestRover]

At the West end of the TPE route are they working out of Liverpool as well as Manchester Airport?

If so, a Lancashire Day Ranger allows you to get a good run on all 3 Nova types to compare and contrast. No real fast sections, but good 30-40 mile stretches.

Something for later in the year.

The North West Rover of course allows much longer stretches on all 3 types.

 

[Jozhua]

At the West end of the TPE route are they working out of Liverpool as well as Manchester Airport?

If so, a Lancashire Day Ranger allows you to get a good run on all 3 Nova types to compare and contrast. No real fast sections, but good 30-40 mile stretches.

Something for later in the year.

The North West Rover of course allows much longer stretches on all 3 types.

I don't think the 802's work out of the airport, all out of Liverpool I believe

 

[185143]

I don't think the 802's work out of the airport, all out of Liverpool I believe

Not at the moment.

They did have Man Airport-Newcastle diagrams before COVID-19. The 09:35 from Man Picc was one of them which I've used a few times.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Yeah, I'd seen them at Oxford Road. Not doing a Rover or Ranger for a while anyway, so by the time I do, I guess most TPE routes other than the Cleethorpes and Hulls will be Nova of some sort. Although I do like 185s.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I went on one a while ago. As per pretty much every other 80x, the train is itself a decent quality bit of kit which has many advantages, but the seats are a bit rubbish. The Mk5 and 397 (but particularly the Mk5) have nicer seats in 1st using the same frame. The blue colour scheme is one of the nicer ones, though, not bland like GWR grey but still more restful than LNER red.

Overall I preferred the Mk5 out of the three, but there wasn't much in it.

 

[route101]

At the West end of the TPE route are they working out of Liverpool as well as Manchester Airport?

If so, a Lancashire Day Ranger allows you to get a good run on all 3 Nova types to compare and contrast. No real fast sections, but good 30-40 mile stretches.

Something for later in the year.

The North West Rover of course allows much longer stretches on all 3 types.

Yes, done the MK5 set from Liverpool to Manchester , not a long ride "

 

[route101]

Not at the moment.

They did have Man Airport-Newcastle diagrams before COVID-19. The 09:35 from Man Picc was one of them which I've used a few times.

Yes i took one from Manchester Airport to Victoria , for some reason i thought it was just the Liverpool to NE

 

[185143]

Yes i took one from Manchester Airport to Victoria , for some reason i thought it was just the Liverpool to NE

It is at the moment.

 

[Jozhua]

Not at the moment.

They did have Man Airport-Newcastle diagrams before COVID-19. The 09:35 from Man Picc was one of them which I've used a few times.

Yeah, probably be a while before that returns if we're waiting on the ol Coron to be gone.

Happy to use the services that are still in place tho, very quiet, so kind of a nice introduction to the train!

I went on one a while ago. As per pretty much every other 80x, the train is itself a decent quality bit of kit which has many advantages, but the seats are a bit rubbish. The Mk5 and 397 (but particularly the Mk5) have nicer seats in 1st using the same frame. The blue colour scheme is one of the nicer ones, though, not bland like GWR grey but still more restful than LNER red.

Overall I preferred the Mk5 out of the three, but there wasn't much in it.

Yeah, I'd agree with all that!

Want to try the Mk5's at some point. Are they quieter than the 802's on diesel?

I was pretty impressed by how quiet the 802's are on diesel, you can only really tell on perhaps 1/3 of the space on powered coaches, presumably due to the exhaust. Interesting to hear the motor hum as well as they pull out on diesel!

I also heard the pantograph go up behind me as I stepped off at Victoria that was kind of cool.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Yeah, probably be a while before that returns if we're waiting on the ol Coron to be gone.

Happy to use the services that are still in place tho, very quiet, so kind of a nice introduction to the train!

Yeah, I'd agree with all that!

Want to try the Mk5's at some point. Are they quieter than the 802's on diesel?

I was pretty impressed by how quiet the 802's are on diesel, you can only really tell on perhaps 1/3 of the space on powered coaches, presumably due to the exhaust. Interesting to hear the motor hum as well as they pull out on diesel!

I also heard the pantograph go up behind me as I stepped off at Victoria that was kind of cool.

The Mk5s are almost silent as the engine is at one end of the train! The 802 goes like the proverbial on electric but is only a little faster than a Sprinter on diesel. The 397 is rapido as it's fully electric - pity it can't ride at 125 yet.

 

[hexagon789]

Time to get them running at 140!

I don't believe they can be upgraded whilst still bi-mode - they have to be fully electric for 140 istr

 

[hexagon789]

No branding, just silver paint.

To be fair that's nothing to do with the train

 

[route101]

Dont mind the 802s at all , plenty of light compared to Pendos. Fairly quiet , similar to 385s in a way. Just need a buffet on GWR!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Dont mind the 802s at all , plenty of light compared to Pendos. Fairly quiet , similar to 385s in a way. Just need a buffet on GWR!

I find the ambiance is basically the same as a Class 350 barring the seats being less nice. So in essence they are the "Class 344" I've long shouted about wanting, i.e. an end doored OHLE Desiro with the added benefit of bi-mode and an extra 15mph of top speed.

 

[route101]

I find the ambiance is basically the same as a Class 350 barring the seats being less nice. So in essence they are the "Class 344" I've long shouted about wanting, i.e. an end doored OHLE Desiro with the added benefit of bi-mode and an extra 15mph of top speed.

Not travelled on a 344 , i didnt enjoy travelling on 350 from Manchester up to Glasgow!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Not travelled on a 344 , i didnt enjoy travelling on 350 from Manchester up to Glasgow!

Bletchleyite was being tongue-in-cheek about a 344 no 350s weren't good unless 8-car which was rare, and strangely mainly confined to weekends.