GWR Class 800

[TractiveEffort]

The stains I saw on more than one seat were clearly caused by spillage of drinks or possibly food, nothing to do with feet. This is exactly what I could see coming when the guy showed me the dummy at King's Cross.

Exactly the same happened with the ‘green’ HST set refurbs, they didn’t fit moquette seat covers and within a couple of weeks they looked terrible. With moquette the stains are still there, just not so glaringly obvious.

 

[Bornin1980s]

Exactly the same happened with the ‘green’ HST set refurbs, they didn’t fit moquette seat covers and within a couple of weeks they looked terrible. With moquette the stains are still there, just not so glaringly obvious.

It can be taken too far. On the Voyagers, the carpet looked like vomit from new!

 

[swt_passenger]

It can be taken too far. On the Voyagers, the carpet looked like vomit from new!

I always thought the Voyager ceiling panels were designed to look smoke stained from new as well...

 

[CMRail]

I've spent a lot more time than usual on GWR IETs over the last three days and I can't say that I've learned to love them any more.

- two out of three services short formed down from 10 to 5 due to 'maintenance'. No reservations and a lot of standing.

- one failed toilet flush but seemingly no means of it putting itself out of service even with all the tech on board. You can imagine the scene.

- mentioned upthread - a shocking early deterioration in seat cushions with obvious staining and bagging cloth. Funnily enough several years ago I was invited to test dummy IET seats at King's Cross and my main message put on the man's form was 'don't use flat cloth and don't use unpatterned cloth, both are terrible for staining and obvious bagging.' Great that they took my advice...

- I think that they're already noisier than a mk3 in good order.

- Maybe this is my imagination, but is a full carriage much slower to empty of passengers than a full mk3? Station dwell times on the overcrowded trains were terrible with each stop creating a couple of minutes of extra late running, so a Weston to Paddington service which arrived in Bristol on time completed its journey 15 minutes late with the only cause being each station stop being very drawn out.

- one bonus is that I haven't wasted money on First Class at all. It's a good job because it was declassified on the two overcrowded services.

Still early days, but really not great as a three trip sample.

no one ever mentioned the seat stains, it’s not like me ad many others have mentioned that the covers are being changed before, the half forms will never disappear. Louder than mk3? You having a laugh?

 

[Wychwood93]

no one ever mentioned the seat stains, it’s not like me ad many others have mentioned that the covers are being changed before, the half forms will never disappear. Louder than mk3? You having a laugh?

Not exactly louder than a Mk3, but just a different set of 'noises' that we have to get used to. If you have been checked (signals etc.) on an HST then there is a particular noise through the 'system' when power is applied again - ditto the IET. As with any traction there are whines, grunts, throbs (?) when stuff happens - we all have our own view on how we describe these things, it is the little changes with regard to motion that we, as dedicated travellers, pick up.

 

[CMRail]

Not exactly louder than a Mk3, but just a different set of 'noises' that we have to get used to. If you have been checked (signals etc.) on an HST then there is a particular noise through the 'system' when power is applied again - ditto the IET. As with any traction there are whines, grunts, throbs (?) when stuff happens - we all have our own view on how we describe these things, it is the little changes with regard to motion that we, as dedicated travellers, pick up.

I go cocky, apologies, however I can not understand why after nearly a year people still pick on this train for the same reasons most of the time.

 

[cactustwirly]

Not exactly louder than a Mk3, but just a different set of 'noises' that we have to get used to. If you have been checked (signals etc.) on an HST then there is a particular noise through the 'system' when power is applied again - ditto the IET. As with any traction there are whines, grunts, throbs (?) when stuff happens - we all have our own view on how we describe these things, it is the little changes with regard to motion that we, as dedicated travellers, pick up.

The electrics on a MK3 are quite loud tbh, especially on the older coaches

 

[pt_mad]

I've spent a lot more time than usual on GWR IETs over the last three days and I can't say that I've learned to love them any more.

- two out of three services short formed down from 10 to 5 due to 'maintenance'. No reservations and a lot of standing.

- one failed toilet flush but seemingly no means of it putting itself out of service even with all the tech on board. You can imagine the scene.

- mentioned upthread - a shocking early deterioration in seat cushions with obvious staining and bagging cloth. Funnily enough several years ago I was invited to test dummy IET seats at King's Cross and my main message put on the man's form was 'don't use flat cloth and don't use unpatterned cloth, both are terrible for staining and obvious bagging.' Great that they took my advice...

- I think that they're already noisier than a mk3 in good order.

- Maybe this is my imagination, but is a full carriage much slower to empty of passengers than a full mk3? Station dwell times on the overcrowded trains were terrible with each stop creating a couple of minutes of extra late running, so a Weston to Paddington service which arrived in Bristol on time completed its journey 15 minutes late with the only cause being each station stop being very drawn out.

- one bonus is that I haven't wasted money on First Class at all. It's a good job because it was declassified on the two overcrowded services.

Still early days, but really not great as a three trip sample.

Out of interest, why have they used cloth type seat fabric rather than moquette velor type fabric?

Moquette, particularly patterned was tried tested and proven. Was it a cost saving thing? From first appearances the seat fabrics appear like they wouldn't last as long as moquette in that they don't look as thick and appear to show stains a easily.

 

[fgwrich]

Looks like their having fun on 1C96 tonight - the 20:03 Padd to Plymouth. Should have been an HST but was swapped for a pair of 802s. We left Paddington 21 late with only 5 cars in use and full. It appears to have left Reading 57 late due to techinical issues with the rear unit, and is still running embarrassingly late as a rather full 5 car. And who said it was a great idea to have 5 Cars on the West Country services!

 

[The Ham]

Looks like their having fun on 1C96 tonight - the 20:03 Padd to Plymouth. Should have been an HST but was swapped for a pair of 802s. We left Paddington 21 late with only 5 cars in use and full. It appears to have left Reading 57 late due to techinical issues with the rear unit, and is still running embarrassingly late as a rather full 5 car. And who said it was a great idea to have 5 Cars on the West Country services!

No one said it was a great idea for West Country services to only have 5 coaches.

The events sound like they were a bit of a perfect storm and if you had a similar situation with HST's there could have been a different set of problems (although either a slightly less cramped set of problems or a long taxi ride).

 

[Wolfie]

I go cocky, apologies, however I can not understand why after nearly a year people still pick on this train for the same reasons most of the time.

Only a year? People on here are still making the same old whinging (enthusiast not real passenger) comments about Pendolini (dating an Italian for years has an impact lol) and Voyagers after nearly 20 years...

 

[Goldfish62]

Only a year? People on here are still making the same old whinging (enthusiast not real passenger) comments about Pendolini (dating an Italian for years has an impact lol) and Voyagers after nearly 20 years...

"Real passengers" have also been complaining about them for nearly 20 years.

 

[Wolfie]

"Real passengers" have also been complaining about them for nearly 20 years.

Off topic l know. l use the WCML regularly and have, with the possible exception comments about Voyager odd smells in summer, rarely if ever heard complaints about this stock from passengers.

 

[fgwrich]

No one said it was a great idea for West Country services to only have 5 coaches.

The events sound like they were a bit of a perfect storm and if you had a similar situation with HST's there could have been a different set of problems (although either a slightly less cramped set of problems or a long taxi ride).

Exactly, although unless plans have changed it seems that is what we will be stuck with from now on, unless the 9 car sets end up on the Penzance runs and the Exeter’s gain the shorter 5 car sets. What didn’t help last night was the PIS systems at each station advertising it as a 10 car service.

I believe the issue was with the TMS, not allowing the rear 5 cars to be unlocked and used. Despite a number of resets it appeared not to want to play ball and release, so 5 (3.5) car it had to be.

Off topic l know. l use the WCML regularly and have, with the possible exception comments about Voyager odd smells in summer, rarely if ever heard complaints about this stock from passengers.

Unlike the cheaper Arriva maintained sets (I know they receive some work at Central Rivers), I believe a solution was found for the feature “Voyager Smell” by Virgin and Bombardier and Virgin applied that fix to their units. The Virgin operated 221s aren’t that bad at all to be honest, and are rather nice to travel in - it’s their Arriva XC cousins that are not!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Off topic l know. l use the WCML regularly and have, with the possible exception comments about Voyager odd smells in summer, rarely if ever heard complaints about this stock from passengers.

I've heard them described as "old trains" (they don't look quite as modern as Pendolinos for some reason) but I don't hear a lot of actual criticism of them barring, as you say, the bog smell issue. After all, they have identical interiors to Pendolinos so from a passenger point of view there's not a lot of difference.

 

[CMRail]

Should we have a thread split for GWR and LNER? We seem to be having two discussions at a time and nearer launch for LNER it would be irritating for us west folks.

 

[IanXC]

Should we have a thread split for GWR and LNER? We seem to be having two discussions at a time and nearer launch for LNER it would be irritating for us west folks.

Yes, yes we should! The relevant threads, by TOC are:

London North Eastern Railway
Great Western Railway
Transpennine Express
Hull Trains

Staying on topic in each from now on would be appreciated!

 

[TractiveEffort]

Looks like their having fun on 1C96 tonight - the 20:03 Padd to Plymouth. Should have been an HST but was swapped for a pair of 802s. We left Paddington 21 late with only 5 cars in use and full. It appears to have left Reading 57 late due to techinical issues with the rear unit, and is still running embarrassingly late as a rather full 5 car. And who said it was a great idea to have 5 Cars on the West Country services!

Not really technical issues, procedure and people issues would be a more accurate description. Short staffed from PAD to RDG, so 5 cars locked out, it was crew confusion over the manner of locking out that caused the issue, absolutely no fault with the units.

 

[ijmad]

Is there any public information on 800 vs HST diagrams?

 

[59CosG95]

Is there any public information on 800 vs HST diagrams?

Unfortunately not, but the Allocations, Diagrams and Timetables section may be able to help better.

 

[Thunderer]

Any idea what IEP was stopped at Bridgend this morning working the 07:29 Swansea - Paddington? Faulty air conditioning apparently? Coaches full of smoke and the fire brigade was called, passengers evacuated onto the platform.

 

[PHILIPE]

Any idea what IEP was stopped at Bridgend this morning working the 07:29 Swansea - Paddington? Faulty air conditioning apparently? Coaches full of smoke and the fire brigade was called, passengers evacuated onto the platform.

The sets were 800024 and 800027. I don't know which of the two sets was actually involved.

 

[JN114]

The sets were 800024 and 800027. I don't know which of the two sets was actually involved.

Vehicle 813024 was the culprit. Train terminated at Bridgend and went forward to Pencoed Loop for further examinations by fitters.

 

[Thunderer]

The sets were 800024 and 800027. I don't know which of the two sets was actually involved.

Thanks for the info..

 

[First1]

Looks like their having fun on 1C96 tonight - the 20:03 Padd to Plymouth. Should have been an HST but was swapped for a pair of 802s. We left Paddington 21 late with only 5 cars in use and full. It appears to have left Reading 57 late due to techinical issues with the rear unit, and is still running embarrassingly late as a rather full 5 car. And who said it was a great idea to have 5 Cars on the West Country services!

1C96 is booked for a pair of 802s.

 

[Thunderer]

Vehicle 813024 was the culprit. Train terminated at Bridgend and went forward to Pencoed Loop for further examinations by fitters.

Oh dear! Thanks for the info. There are some very strange problems with these Trains, considering they had extensive testing before entering into service and the fact they are new. AN overall poor replacement really for the HST. They look good externally, thats about it.

 

[CMRail]

Oh dear! Thanks for the info. There are some very strange problems with these Trains, considering they had extensive testing before entering into service and the fact they are new. AN overall poor replacement really for the HST. They look good externally, thats about it.

HSTs. Perfect Introduction.

 

[CMRail]

2 evacuation incidents so far. One went wrong from GWR organisation and caused by something that could have been sorted on site however not due to inexperience, the other due to a minor issue with the engines.

I mean, poor things. How are we all going to cope?

 

[43096]

HSTs. Perfect Introduction.

Better than IEP.

Didn’t give passengers a shower from the aircon on launch day. I could go on...

 

[GW43125]

Better than IEP.

Didn’t give passengers a shower from the aircon on launch day. I could go on...

At least the IET aircon works when it's more than 20C outside...