East Midlands Trains website and HSTs

[ScottMathew]

Is there any way that I can find out which trains are Meridians (Class 222s) or HSTs? Just I am starting to get annoyed every time I want a HST, I end up having a meridian turn up at the platform! I remember when Midland Mainline used to specify what trains where HSTs on their timetable leaflets. EMT seem to be using more and more meridians than MML ever did. It's almost like a HST is a real treat now, it just shouldn't be this way

 

[Yew]

These have HST or MER at the top, for the respective trains

http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/train-times/printed-timetables/

failing that, a look into opentraintimes should tell the booked traction.

 

[Qwerty133]

Is there any way that I can find out which trains are Meridians (Class 222s) or HSTs? Just I am starting to get annoyed every time I want a HST, I end up having a meridian turn up at the platform! I remember when Midland Mainline used to specify what trains where HSTs on their timetable leaflets. EMT seem to be using more and more meridians than MML ever did. It's almost like a HST is a real treat now, it just shouldn't be this way

HSTs are now mainly used on the Nottingham fasts

 

[MCR247]

If you want a HST get the xx28 off Nottingham or the xx15 off StP (off peak for both).

But yeah, I'm pretty sure it says in the timetable...?

 

[ScottMathew]

Yeah I know they do on the printed timetable leaflets, just wondered if there was a way online to find out, as nine times out of ten I book all my tickets online and just collect at the station.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Downloadable timetables passed me by for some reason. How embarrassing. LOL. Cheers guys.

 

[MCR247]

There is a way? Look at the PDF timetable (ONLINE), check which trains are HSTs, and then book on that train?

Or am I just missing something?

 

[ScottMathew]

Yes, "Yew" posted it. Was just stating my reason for asking.

 

[Meridian richard]

I have found in the past that both the website and realtime trains can be wrong. Take the 0927 timed and scheduled as a Meridian but always a HST, which I have found out from my regular journeys to London.

 

[ScottMathew]

@ Meridian richard; I have noticed that as well. Or sometimes a specific train at a specific time will change what class it is. One day that same time train could be a meridian then the next day a HST. It's really annoying.

 

[AlexS]

I have found in the past that both the website and realtime trains can be wrong. Take the 0927 timed and scheduled as a Meridian but always a HST, which I have found out from my regular journeys to London.

But only on a Saturday! Monday to Friday it's a solid 222. On a Saturday, the 0927 Sheffield to St Pancras and 1155 St Pancras to Sheffield are HSTs, the set then goes ECS to work the 1628 Nottingham to St Pancras.

 

[MCR247]

@ Meridian richard; I have noticed that as well. Or sometimes a specific train at a specific time will change what class it is. One day that same time train could be a meridian then the next day a HST. It's really annoying.

Tbf, they don't just do it for fun, there will be a reason, ie a HST/222 failed

 

[ScottMathew]

Noone's saying they do it for fun, but for someone who is HST-mad like myself, the reason is irrelevant, it's annoying!

 

[Qwerty133]

But only on a Saturday! Monday to Friday it's a solid 222. On a Saturday, the 0927 Sheffield to St Pancras and 1155 St Pancras to Sheffield are HSTs, the set then goes ECS to work the 1628 Nottingham to St Pancras.

one to avoid on a saturday then as well as all xx:57 to london (from leicester)

 

[louis97]

Noone's saying they do it for fun, but for someone who is HST-mad like myself, the reason is irrelevant, it's annoying!

Takes a look here

The Mon-Fri HST diagrams are the most stable of the list, Saturday and Sunday diagrams can vary quite a lot particularly if they provide any extra capacity or if there are any engineering works.

Another method of trying to work out what a service is booked is to try and book a ticket and see what seat it gives you - try requesting a seat in the quiet zone, chances are if it wont give you a seat there, its either full or a 4/5-car 222. Ok, it could end up being a 7-car 222, but you can rule out the 4/5-cars which don't have a quiet zone.

 

[AlexS]

one to avoid on a saturday then as well as all xx:57 to london (from leicester)

It's all a balancing act - the 'lively' ride of the HSTs particularly at the carriage ends vs the lack of seats on quite a few of the 222 operated services, which doesn't tend to be a problem on the HSTs during the day!

The best of both worlds are probably the Sheffield stoppers, which tend to be fairly quiet after Leicester to London.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Only vaguely connected with the thread, the usual 11.34 Nottingham to St Pancras, which is booked an HST from Leeds, was diverted via Derby yesterday and we were bussed Nottingham to EM Parkway. For some reason EMT thought a 34-seater bus would do as a fine replacement for the 400+ seats in the HST and we left with more than the allowed number of people standing and not everyone was taken. I hope they had a taxi provided.

 

[PHILIPE]

I have found in the past that both the website and realtime trains can be wrong. Take the 0927 timed and scheduled as a Meridian but always a HST, which I have found out from my regular journeys to London.

Many people are under a misapprehension re "opentraintimes" and "realtimetrains" as has been pointed out many times on the Forum. The class quioted for a train is not what is diagrammed to work it but is a timing tool, i.e. HST timings are suitable for a 222 or vice versa.

 

[Qwerty133]

Many people are under a misapprehension re "opentraintimes" and "realtimetrains" as has been pointed out many times on the Forum. The class quioted for a train is not what is diagrammed to work it but is a timing tool, i.e. HST timings are suitable for a 222 or vice versa.

222s seem to accelerate faster as HSTs tend to lose a few minutes on stoppers that are normally meridians. (This might not be true as I'm only a passenger)

 

[Tomnick]

It is indeed correct - HSTs struggle to keep up with Meridian timings, and dwell times are inevitably longer (thanks to the sheep who struggle with the simple concept of closing a door).

 

[louis97]

The best of both worlds are probably the Sheffield stoppers, which tend to be fairly quiet after Leicester to London.

You what?! complete opposite! Nottingham fasts are the best!

 

[ScottMathew]

louis97 - any service which is served by a HST is the best in my opinion

 

[AlexS]

They are only the best if you actually like the HSTs which many enthusiasts don't seem to understand not everyone does :P

I'm not necessarily speaking for myself there by the way - but there are definitely people who book to avoid HSTs because the somewhat lively ride is a bit of a pain in the backside if you are a) trying to drink a coffee or b) do paperwork! Others dislike the slam doors and the seat design.

The Sheffield stoppers also don't get anywhere near as many megatrain types on board them as well, for example!

I personally am pretty much indifferent to the two types of train, except in that the HSTs cope far better with large quantities of luggage. Even they struggle on a Sunday though.

 

[ScottMathew]

AlexS, everything you described from the lively ride, the slam doors with the handles to the seat design, is only some of what I absolutely love about the HST. The best train (in my opinion, I must stress) to ever make it onto Britain's railways. There is not, never has been and never will be a train like the Class 43. It will be a sad, sad day for me and many other enthusiasts when they are eventually taken out of service.

To me, they are everything that a train should be. The noise of the power car, the smoke, the "lively" ride that you mentioned, the slam-doors with windows and handles which you can use manually, the overly noticeable sound of the wheels on the track just to name a few things are everything that a proper train ride should be

I realise we have moved away completely from the original subject of this thread btw :P

 

[Qwerty133]

louis97 - any service which is served by a HST is the best in my opinion

Any service that is a meridian is the best
The only trains worse than hsts which i think stands for 'horrid stupid train' is a 153.

 

[43074]

An HST is far superior to a Meridian anyday.


#on topic: I think EMT are usually pretty reliable when allocating trains to diagrams - as has already been said, go for a xx:15 ex STP and an xx:28 ex NOT and it is virtually guaranteed to be an HST.

What irritates me is that the position of First Class varies with diagrams, but I understand that a train working from Derby to Nottingham ECS before an early morning service will effectively have reversed formation by the arrival in Nottingham by using Trent West to Trent East chord.

 

[Qwerty133]

They are only the best if you actually like the HSTs which many enthusiasts don't seem to understand not everyone does :P

I'm not necessarily speaking for myself there by the way - but there are definitely people who book to avoid HSTs because the somewhat lively ride is a bit of a pain in the backside if you are a) trying to drink a coffee or b) do paperwork! Others dislike the slam doors and the seat design.

The Sheffield stoppers also don't get anywhere near as many megatrain types on board them as well, for example!

I personally am pretty much indifferent to the two types of train, except in that the HSTs cope far better with large quantities of luggage. Even they struggle on a Sunday though.

The Sheffield stoppers are also best as they are mainly 5 cars, but I don't think ill say why on a public forum which could easily come up in google (but I have mentioned the reason in other threads)