Class 80x hater enjoys Lumo?!

[hypercolius]

I really hate the Class 80x. Rattly, slow (compared to European trains), and GWR seat comfort is really poor. LNER seat comfort is somehow even worse.
That said, I travelled SVG-NCL with Lumo today, and really enjoyed it!
A couple of observations:
1) The seat comfort is incomparably better than LNER and GWR. Reminds me of Avanti's Pendolinos
2) The ride quality was acceptable. Bumpy at times, at other times so smooth I couldn't feel it. This at full speed. Again, better than LNER
3) I really enjoyed passing Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington and, especially, Northallerton without stopping
4) The train stayed at 200km/h for quite a bit of the route, both north and south of York
5) Finally, a train with a working plug socket
6) The tray table was really lovely. Could get a lot of work done comfortably unlike LNER/GWR's garbage.
Maybe there is a future for the 80x family, after all. If done properly.
However, I'd still replace with the Alvia S-130. Or bring back the IC225

 

[Bletchleyite]

Try an Avanti one - even better - same seats but lower density and less scruffy.

 

[superalbs]

Try an Avanti one - even better - same seats but lower density and less scruffy.

They seem to have harder cushions though, and therefore aren't quite as good.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They seem to have harder cushions though, and therefore aren't quite as good.

I don't recall them being any different. As I used Lumo only once and in the early days I suspect they've just softened a bit with use.

 

[hypercolius]

Try an Avanti one - even better - same seats but lower density and less scruffy.

I did (use them very regularly) and I can't say I prefer them.
Whilst Lumo does suffer from the classic 80x suspension issues, the tilting Avanti's Pendolinos do is worse for me as an autistic, and I don't feel it will be any better on an 805/7, even if it goes more slowly around curves.
Whatever the case, LNER and GWR sets are colossal embarassment. I have no clue what they were thinking with those seats.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Try an Avanti one - even better - same seats but lower density and less scruffy.

Stupid hard to read slow PIS though and horrendous announcements.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I did (use them very regularly) and I can't say I prefer them.
Whilst Lumo does suffer from the classic 80x suspension issues, the tilting Avanti's Pendolinos do is worse for me as an autistic, and I don't feel it will be any better on an 805/7, even if it goes more slowly around curves.

805/807 don't tilt. They are basically the same as the Lumo units.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Stupid hard to read slow PIS though and horrendous announcements.

I'll accept that for excellent legroom and adequate luggage space. The fundamentals are at least right.

 

[Revaulx]

Is the ride on IETs really that bad? I’ve always put it down to the seats.

I’ve always felt that are basically good trains that have been spoiled by horrible seats, garish lighting and cheap-looking interior finishes.

 

[nitten_travell]

I'm currently on a Lumo service. On Sunday, I took LNER in the opposite direction.

Strikes me that the Lumo seats *seem* quite narrow as compared with LNER. For context, I wear an XL polo shirt. I moved across to an empty seat as my right arm kept brushing up against the person seated next to me, who is quite a bit slimmer than me. Yet on Sunday I was next to someone not much smaller, between York and London, and was never any point conscious that my elbows (at my laptop on both journeys) were in his space.

Are the Lumo seats actually narrower (and so the aisle a bit wider) or is it just one of those things. Would the next person to travel on Lumo please take a tape measure?!

 

[Bletchleyite]

The central armrests on those seats do seem slightly narrower than the Sophia, yes, though I've not measured it.