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The Grammer E3000 is certainly one of my favourites, but if the train was anything like full I'd prefer anything 2+2 over anything 3+2, yes, including Fainsa's "finest". A half empty 350/2 is a pleasure, though, and the legroom in the fully aligned bays is excellent.
Made my first journey's on 360's over the last few days and I must admit I was expecting a lot worse based on the discussion in here. The seats are not particularly comfortable and the 3+2 layout is awful but I wouldn't have classed the trains as being dirty - although my opinion may have been affected by the fact I came off an utterly disgusting Meridian beforehand. To be honest, the 360 journey's just felt like those made on 350/2's on LNWR.
That being said, they don't have noisy power cars at the front and so therefore I hate them
Made my first journey's on 360's over the last few days and I must admit I was expecting a lot worse based on the discussion in here. The seats are not particularly comfortable and the 3+2 layout is awful but I wouldn't have classed the trains as being dirty - although my opinion may have been affected by the fact I came off an utterly disgusting Meridian beforehand. To be honest, the 360 journey's just felt like those made on 350/2's on LNWR.
That being said, they don't have noisy power cars at the front and so therefore I hate them
The moquette is quite dirty, it’s just disguised well owing to the fact it’s dark grey whereas the red on the Meridians makes it stick out like a sore thumb from my experience.
The moquette is quite dirty, it’s just disguised well owing to the fact it’s dark grey whereas the red on the Meridians makes it stick out like a sore thumb from my experience.
The Meridians have flat cloth rather than moquette, which exacerbates the problem. It shows the dirt more and wears out far more quickly than moquette.
From Wellingborough, possibly, the road journey between the two isn't too bad though can be a bit slow at rush hour.
From Kettering, forget it. Especially at rush hour. The A43 is an absolutely terrible road, single carriageway from the edge of Northampton all the way to Kettering. At quiet times from most parts of Kettering it'll take you *at least* 30 minutes to drive to Northampton and at rush hour you can add at least 50% to that. Add in Northampton's a slower journey to Euston and will very soon be down to 2tph whereas Kettering's 4tph with the fastest at sub 50 mins and even the slow is 10 mins quicker the Northampton journey time.
So if you switch you're looking at ~45 mins to drive plus a ~ 1h 15m to Euston - that makes it a 2 hour journey.
I really don't understand what the problem is with these 360s because I've just seen a short formation leave Wellingborough, and there was another short formation on the 17.57 (departing Wellingborough) yesterday.
Do EMR not have enough trains? Or are their fleet so knackered that they should have invested in something else (the 379s always seem to crop up on here). Having said this, I saw 3 units in the Kettering sidings yesterday so there's surely enough trains?
It's bad when EMR promise 12 car peak services but in some cases, you get 4 car peak services!
edit: On arrival to Kettering (on the 07:58 departure from Kettering; 07:51 departure from Wellingborough) there was an 8-car 360 departing the sidings, so I can only assume that was to cover another service, or to add more capacity.
Yesterday afternoon I saw 3-4 short formations out and about.
On Sunday an 8 car sat down at Wellingborough for over 30 mins before departing ECS to Kettering. Another service to Corby was announced as cancelled due to a train fault a few minutes later.
So two 8 cars pulled minutes apart.
I really don't understand what the problem is with these 360s because I've just seen a short formation leave Wellingborough, and there was another short formation on the 17.57 (departing Wellingborough) yesterday.
Do EMR not have enough trains? Or are their fleet so knackered that they should have invested in something else (the 379s always seem to crop up oh here). Having said this, I saw 3 units in the Kettering sidings yesterday so there's surely enough trains?
It's bad when EMR promise 12 car peak services but in some cases, you get 4 car peak services!
edit: On arrival to Kettering (on the 07:58 departure from Kettering; 07:51 departure from Wellingborough) there was an 8-car 360 departing the sidings, so I can only assume that was to cover another service, or to add more capacity.
You need to read previous posts for the answers .....But to sumup ...there unreliable with totally inadequate maintenance backup.
There are sufficient number of sets (21) to provide a normal service, but only in theory, practice. ...no.
Fortunately for the time being, we don't need 12 cars as 8's surfice in the Peak hours.
From Wellingborough, possibly, the road journey between the two isn't too bad though can be a bit slow at rush hour.
From Kettering, forget it. Especially at rush hour. The A43 is an absolutely terrible road, single carriageway from the edge of Northampton all the way to Kettering. At quiet times from most parts of Kettering it'll take you *at least* 30 minutes to drive to Northampton and at rush hour you can add at least 50% to that. Add in Northampton's a slower journey to Euston and will very soon be down to 2tph whereas Kettering's 4tph with the fastest at sub 50 mins and even the slow is 10 mins quicker the Northampton journey time.
So if you switch you're looking at ~45 mins to drive plus a ~ 1h 15m to Euston - that makes it a 2 hour journey.
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So avoid the A43 and drive between Kettering and Northampton via (skirting) Wellingborough then; not rocket science to work that one out is it.
It is not /that/ much further depending on whereabouts one starts from in Kettering .... and I know someone who does it (commutes to Harrow) .... what you lose in extra miles is gained in time on A45 vice A43 into Northampton.
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So avoid the A43 and drive between Kettering and Northampton via (skirting) Wellingborough then; not rocket science to work that one out is it.
It is not /that/ much further depending on whereabouts one starts from in Kettering .... and I know someone who does it (commutes to Harrow) .... what you lose in extra miles is gained in time on A45 vice A43 into Northampton.
You'll still be looking at a 45 minute drive going that way at rush hour. It takes 15 minutes to get to Wellingborough from the east end of Northampton where I live, to Lodge Farm on the west side of Wellingborough. And it easily takes 10-15 minutes to get from the A45 at Great Billing to Northampton station - definitely at rush hour.
So you'll still be doubling your journey time compared to the fast train from Kettering.
With the recent announcement that the Southeastern 395s are to get a multi million pound mid life refurbishment the explanation that the 360s cannot have something similar due to no money looks weaker and weaker.
With the recent announcement that the Southeastern 395s are to get a multi million pound mid life refurbishment the explanation that the 360s cannot have something similar due to no money looks weaker and weaker.
The class 395s refurbishment is between Southeastern (who are owned by the government), Eversholt (the 395 owners) and Hitachi (who maintain the units). I don't know for sure but for a midlife refresh I'd expect Eversholt to be picking up the bill.
The class 360s had a light refresh at GA not long before they went to EMR, so I'd expect Angel Trains (the 360 owners) to either not be willing to pay for the refurbishment or only providing a relatively small amount of capital for a refurbishment. This is all speculation.
The class 360s had a light refresh at GA not long before they went to EMR, so I'd expect Angel Trains (the 360 owners) to either not be willing to pay for the refurbishment or only providing a relatively small amount of capital for a refurbishment. This is all speculation.
Well, in my experience, the 395s are not in as much need of a refurb as the 360s.
My experience of both is that the 395s generally seem more solid and intact than the 360s: eg a leaking roof on 360114 last year and grubby, tired interiors, versus a comfortable 395 interior which looked cleaner and didn’t have the feeling that its structural integrity was compromised. Let’s not forget that the 395s are a few years younger than the 360s.
I appreciate that opinions are subjective; but this is once again* a case of trains already in better condition getting refurbished, yet those in more need of a refurbishment are missed out. Let’s not also forget that, unlike the 395s, the 360s have been forced on Connect users; so the least they (both the trains themselves and the passengers) deserve is refreshed and comfortable interiors - a new start with new (to the TOC) stock.
Mind you, I bet these 360s will never have a refurbishment. Even the recently rumoured pitiful offering - being new seat covers and plug sockets - would, at this moment, seem unrealistic. I’d rather put a quid on the Tories winning the next general election.
* similar to my 390 versus 360 experiences
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Well, in my experience, the 395s are not in as much need of a refurb as the 360s.
My experience of both is that the 395s generally seem more solid and intact than the 360s: eg a leaking roof on 360114 last year and grubby, tired interiors, versus a comfortable 395 interior which looked cleaner and didn’t have the feeling that its structural integrity was compromised. Let’s not forget that the 395s are a few years younger than the 360s.
I appreciate that opinions are subjective; but this is once again* a case of trains already in better condition getting refurbished, yet those in more need of a refurbishment are missed out. Let’s not also forget that, unlike the 395s, the 360s have been forced on Connect users; so the least they (both the trains themselves and the passengers) deserve is refreshed and comfortable interiors - a new start with new (to the TOC) stock.
Mind you, I bet these 360s will never have a refurbishment. Even the recently rumoured pitiful offering - being new seat covers and plug sockets - would, at this moment, seem unrealistic. I’d rather put a quid on the Tories winning the next general election.
* similar to my 390 versus 360 experiences
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Must have been a very, very, very light one then - can’t say I’ve noticed any difference!
Carried out as part of the repaint program. Though being Siemens, there wasn’t much in need of replacement. The Desiro’s are heavy (and well built) units for a reason!
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