FGW HSTs: worst refurbishment ever?

[Bayum]

Flippin heck - it does look rather crowded doesnt it... If only Virgin had decided to do this on their Voyager Services they might not have had the overcrowding problems on the introduction of the voyagers!

 

[kestrel]

Flippin heck - it does look rather crowded doesnt it... If only Virgin had decided to do this on their Voyager Services they might not have had the overcrowding problems on the introduction of the voyagers!

Prob now with society as it is, is that most pax on there selfishly place their bags/laptop on the adjacent seat, whish seems to be getting worse on FGW HST's with all the 'airline' seating, most people won't ask them to move their bags so end up standing in the vestible!
I have great pleasure in getting them to move their bags, selfish buggers!

 

[BJMorley]

Yes, but most passengers care about 3 things:
1.Getting a Seat
2.Getting the Train on time
3.Quality of Service, and How they Travel (e.g.Comfort)
To put more seats into the mk.3s, the heavier the weight. FGW have improved services by using 1, but forgot 2 and 3. As long as the train gets into the station, at the right time. People don't complain about the time it takes for it to move out of the station, that just seems picky.
Brandon

 

[kestrel]

Yes, but most passengers care about 3 things:
1.Getting a Seat
2.Getting the Train on time
3.Quality of Service, and How they Travel (e.g.Comfort)
To put more seats into the mk.3s, the heavier the weight. FGW have improved services by using 1, but forgot 2 and 3. As long as the train gets into the station, at the right time. People don't complain about the time it takes for it to move out of the station, that just seems picky.
Brandon

1: FGW have compromised somewhat with the seating, either lengthen HST's to 9 cars or fit more airline seating, the former slows the relatively slow accelerating HST's even further! the latter upsets the enthusiasts, as snapper said most pax aren't too bothered about table seats.

2: Most of the delays are caused by NR particularily at Reading with bad regulation etc, so a bit unfair blaming all delays on FGW when most are not caused by them.

3: FGW went for the cheaper option when it came to seating hence the shallow base cushion, high back seating was going to happen anyway as its proved to be safer if the train is involved in a serious incident (less chance of pax flying around everywhere or out the windows hence the laminated inner pane on the windows).
The lighting is bloody horrendous and is something FGW need to address perhaps by refitting the older type tube which was more suttle.
Its looking likely that FGW will be keeping the buffet cars after all, common sense prevails lol

 

[vc-10]

It's all very well having deep seat cushions, but on their refurbed 158s I can hardly get into one of the seats at the table bays...
of course, what we really need is something like this:

350km/h....France's new AGV

 

[ian13]

I rather like the new HST refit. Tables are always a pain (you always get someone opposite annoying). Seat density is higher, reducing standing. Lets be fair, you can probably get twice the number of people one of those coaches than you could in a voyager. New lights, whist too bright, are good for people like me who get flicker from the old tubes. My only complaints with the service is stupidly expensive fares between didcot and london, and the lack of selection at the buffet compared with AXC voyagers.

 

[Max]

The thing that really annoyed me when my family and I were down in the south west was the chronic lack of tables. I don't think we once managed to get sat together at a table on one of these trains, as firstly they were so few and far between, and secondly they were always occupied by one person! If I'm sat on my own on a quiet train and a family gets on, and no other tables are available, I will always offer it to them. It's just rude otherwise.

 

[theblackwatch]

The thing that really annoyed me when my family and I were down in the south west was the chronic lack of tables. I don't think we once managed to get sat together at a table on one of these trains, as firstly they were so few and far between, and secondly they were always occupied by one person! If I'm sat on my own on a quiet train and a family gets on, and no other tables are available, I will always offer it to them. It's just rude otherwise.

Last month while I was on holiday in the USA I travelled on Amtrak's Surfliner to San Diego. The bays of 4 seats are marked "for groups of 3 or 4 only" and on one train there was even a tannoy announcement to that effect.

 

[me123]

If I'm sat on my own on a quiet train and a family gets on, and no other tables are available, I will always offer it to them. It's just rude otherwise.

I know; I don't understand why people do it When I'm alone, I always always choose airline seating to allow larger groups to get their tables; because I know how annoying it is to be in a group of four and to be split up. The number of people who take up four seats to themselves is ludicrous.

And, when all seats are taken, you usually have more legroom in airline seating simply because you've not got someone sitting opposite you...

 

[P156KWJ]

I only eer go for a table on my own if it's not busy. And by not busy, I mean things like the HSTs I've had before where there's nobody in coach A, or if there's only a few.

 

[TEW]

In general I think then new seating layout is good but when I was travelling back from London the other day with 5 other people having atleast one table would have been brilliant, the 5 hours was torture with the poor seating arrangements.

 

[FGWadmirer]

Does anyone know why some of fgw's buffet cars haven't been refurbished, how many of them there are and when they will be?

 

[Max]

Does anyone know why some of fgw's buffet cars haven't been refurbished, how many of them there are and when they will be?

I believe it was because, at one point, FGW were looking at removing buffet cars entirely, and therefore they didn't require refurbishment. However, they eventually backed down, although this was well into the refurbishment program and therefore many sets had already been refurbished, whilst the buffet cars hadn't.

 

[P156KWJ]

I seem to remember seeing a rather crowded FGW HST the other day without a buffet, is that normal? I know NXEA are intending to or already have done...

 

[Max]

I seem to remember seeing a rather crowded FGW HST the other day without a buffet, is that normal? I know NXEA are intending to or already have done...

I'm fairly sure that some of the high density sets used on short distance journeys are formed without buffets, and that this is normal.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Does anyone know why some of fgw's buffet cars haven't been refurbished, how many of them there are and when they will be?

Not enough spare Buffets to cover buffs that are going for Re-Furb. So whilst sets were stopped on Weekends they applied a lick of paint(Thats what Im led to believe what happened) to make them fit in. Re doing the Interior takes a while to do.

 

[devon_metro]

I believe there are still plans to ditch a number of buffets and to fit a smaller counter area, ideal for London - Oxford etc

 

[laseandre]

Would that be using those 3 spare ex-Virgin TGSs?

 

[devon_metro]

Doubt it.

 

[adc82140]

Don't think London-Oxford has any catering at all. I've hard a TM announce this:

"As this is a short journey the buffet will remain closed"

I presume if the buffet car was removed it would make diagramming the sets a very difficult task.

However they'll have to be refurbished sometime- despite the exterior coat of paint, some, particularly the ex MML Rio examples are looking very shabby.

 

[metrocammel]

Don't think London-Oxford has any catering at all. I've hard a TM announce this:

"As this is a short journey the buffet will remain closed"

I presume if the buffet car was removed it would make diagramming the sets a very difficult task.

However they'll have to be refurbished sometime- despite the exterior coat of paint, some, particularly the ex MML Rio examples are looking very shabby.

All they really need is re-upholstering. It would be crazy to the handful of them in for refurbishment after the fleet 'refurbishment' process has finished. After all, IC 70 Seats are still perfectly comfortable, so I'm sure business passengers aren't complaining that they want their leather seating in the buffet cars . Hmmm that would be a novel idea though, IC 70s with leather moquette!?

 

[Mojo]

All they really need is re-upholstering. It would be crazy to the handful of them in for refurbishment after the fleet 'refurbishment' process has finished. After all, IC 70 Seats are still perfectly comfortable, so I'm sure business passengers aren't complaining that they want their leather seating in the buffet cars . Hmmm that would be a novel idea though, IC 70s with leather moquette!?

Was it FGW who are turning around the buffet to be Standard, rather than First Class as present?

 

[devon_metro]

No fgw will be fitting mini buffet counters to 17 sets iirc.

 

[jopsuk]

Was it FGW who are turning around the buffet to be Standard, rather than First Class as present?

That's been done on NXEC already

 

[Mojo]

That's been done on NXEC already

Ah! I thought someone was doing it!

 

[Max]

Ah! I thought someone was doing it!

It wasn't NXEC, but NXEA I believe. According to a source from another forum:

Following the long-running saga regarding FGW's Buffet Cars ,and whether they're staying or going, coming or leaving, and what is happening to which, it appears they've finally made their minds up:

- 39 8-car sets, with 'normal' buffet first (in the 407xx/8xx/90x series'),

- 15* 7-car sets, with buffet standards. These will be converted either from existing Mk3 TSs, or (in the case of two sets) from loco-hauled 12128 & 12172. These will end up like NXEA's 104xx which lost 24 seats to gain a mini-buffet area; 42086, the first, arrived at Delta Rail, Derby, in Dec.. These mods will see 16 (or 13 actually? - see below*) unrefurbished buffet firsts handed back to the leasing company and any other unrefurbished buffet firsts will be refurbished.

*= source: Today's Railways UK issue 86; it refers to both 15 & 18 7-car sets, but I've assumed they mean 15 as this equals the overall right number of sets!! Also, it refers to 16 buffets being handed back...but if there's only 15 sets losing buffets then perhaps this should say 13. I may'be just misunderstood this, and if this is so, I'll correct it.

 

[devon_metro]

Many thanks for clarification regarding the FGW specification on the new TSB.

24 seats will be sorely missed on Bristol - Paddington route. The disabled coach will also be moved to the current position of coach C to ease access at short platforms.

 

[Pumbaa]

That's been done on NXEC already

Still first I believe, but happy to be corrected. I've only been to the shop once on a refurbed Mallard HST.

 

[FusionRail]

At least FGW have incorporated power sockets to each set of seatson their HSTs.. Extremely useful, if only you could fit this laptop onto the small table

 

[devon_metro]

At least FGW have incorporated power sockets to each set of seatson their HSTs.. Extremely useful, if only you could fit this laptop onto the small table

Pull out the laptop holder thingy...?