How could GWR's class 800 series IETs be improved?

[irish_rail]

I'm sorry, who is suffering spine damage?

Just because people on here aren't shouting about it i suspect there likely to be lots of back niggles . I'm getting them myself, on a regular basis when I travel for a long time on them. Due to the seat shape, I'm forced to slouch in the seat and this inevitably causes issues over time.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Just because people on here aren't shouting about it i suspect there likely to be lots of back niggles . I'm getting them myself, on a regular basis when I travel for a long time on them. Due to the seat shape, I'm forced to slouch in the seat and this inevitably causes issues over time.

They're designed to do the opposite.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2023 ==

I'm not sure what his source is, but I remember seeing a BBC London News item a few years ago that the new Thameslink trains were causing spine damage for MML commuters or something like that.

Those are not fitted with the same type of seat.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

They're designed to do the opposite.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2023 ==


Those are not fitted with the same type of seat.

Yes, but they are similar. Very hard, no padding. As I said I wasn't entirely sure what the other poster's source was but I do recall seeing reports of modern train seats causing spine problems.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The door between the vestibule and the passenger seating is back to using a pressure pad

No,there are sensors above the doors.
I’d get rid of the kitchen and put a proper buffet between first and standard class. This would also allow removal of the trolley stores in B and D.
If dining is to be retained then keep perhaps ten dedicated 9 car sets with the full kitchens.
Extra luggage space instead of the windowless seats.

 

[XAM2175]

Just because people on here aren't shouting about it i suspect there likely to be lots of back niggles . I'm getting them myself, on a regular basis when I travel for a long time on them. Due to the seat shape, I'm forced to slouch in the seat and this inevitably causes issues over time.

You realise, I hope, that there's a vast gulf between potential "back niggles" and actual "spine damage", yes? It's like the difference between "the water that comes out of this tap is discomfortingly warm if I leave my hands under it for a long time" and "the water that comes out of this tap scalded me the moment I put my hands in, to the point that I needed medical attention".

The fact that you've backed down to "well they make me feel bad even if nobody says anything about it" means that your claims can go straight into the pile of ridiculous hyperbole used to justify subjective seating preferences.

I'm not sure what his source is, but I remember seeing a BBC London News item a few years ago that the new Thameslink trains were causing spine damage for MML commuters or something like that.

As above, but in this case it's easier: please provide the news item.

 

[GoneSouth]

No, there are sensors above the doors.

Ah ok thanks, hadn’t realised that’s how it worked. All I know is the door doesn’t close on you and trap you, the luggage, the kids, the dog etc unlike the voyagers. It’s a simple but really welcome improvement!

 

[mangyiscute]

Gosh some people love their over-exaggerating don't they. I think it's pretty telling that i've never heard anyone but train enthusiasts complain about the seats - I take these trains with plenty of family and friends and all find the seats fine. Yes they aren't the best seats in the world, but they are perfectly acceptable and I actually really like them compared to most train seats.
I honestly don't see the point in this thread, the IETs are great trains travelling at high speeds getting large quantities of passengers to their destinations quickly in an environmentally friendly way. My main issue is the lack of electrification on the network.

 

[Blindtraveler]

A "normal" friend travelled from Bristol to London today on one of these horror machines and without any prompting whatsoever from me message after they had completed their journey to ask if I knew why about 20 seats in her carriage were collapsed and she was effectively sitting on a metal bar, the train manager was apparently all sympathy and said that they keep putting it on the defect cards but these seem to keep mysteriously disappearing which says to me that the fault is never being reported back to Hitachi or that it is being reported back and Hitachi Owen willing to do anything about it, presumably with the purse strings held by the DFT. The same traveler also couldn't help observing that she had to walk three carriages to find a working toilet

 

[irish_rail]

Gosh some people love their over-exaggerating don't they. I think it's pretty telling that i've never heard anyone but train enthusiasts complain about the seats - I take these trains with plenty of family and friends and all find the seats fine. Yes they aren't the best seats in the world, but they are perfectly acceptable and I actually really like them compared to most train seats.
I honestly don't see the point in this thread, the IETs are great trains travelling at high speeds getting large quantities of passengers to their destinations quickly in an environmentally friendly way. My main issue is the lack of electrification on the network.

Eh? I think I talk to rather alot more non enthusiast rail travellers than you. Indeed I end up spending part of my shift travelling on an IET several times a week. Complaints about the seats are common. And just because your "normal" friends like the seats, my non enthusiast friends and family have nothing good to say about the seats. They are ok if you are average height and over weight. If you are not then you will struggle.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2023 ==

A "normal" friend travelled from Bristol to London today on one of these horror machines and without any prompting whatsoever from me message after they had completed their journey to ask if I knew why about 20 seats in her carriage were collapsed and she was effectively sitting on a metal bar, the train manager was apparently all sympathy and said that they keep putting it on the defect cards but these seem to keep mysteriously disappearing which says to me that the fault is never being reported back to Hitachi or that it is being reported back and Hitachi Owen willing to do anything about it, presumably with the purse strings held by the DFT. The same traveler also couldn't help observing that she had to walk three carriages to find a working toilet

Exactly. Unfortunately there are some apologists out there who seem to want to play devils advocate for the sake of it. Even First group management privately admit the seating is now a problem, despite what some of the "experts" on here like to think.

 

[takno]

You realise, I hope, that there's a vast gulf between potential "back niggles" and actual "spine damage", yes? It's like the difference between "the water that comes out of this tap is discomfortingly warm if I leave my hands under it for a long time" and "the water that comes out of this tap scalded me the moment I put my hands in, to the point that I needed medical attention".

Sitting in them for more than about an hour leaves me with significant back pain for a couple of days. I'm unlikely to be the only one, and I don't think it's something special that comes with an interest in trains. I'm able to upgrade to first class to get away from them, but if I was forced to travel on them regularly then I don't doubt it would cause long-lasting damage.

 

[irish_rail]

You realise, I hope, that there's a vast gulf between potential "back niggles" and actual "spine damage", yes? It's like the difference between "the water that comes out of this tap is discomfortingly warm if I leave my hands under it for a long time" and "the water that comes out of this tap scalded me the moment I put my hands in, to the point that I needed medical attention".

The fact that you've backed down to "well they make me feel bad even if nobody says anything about it" means that your claims can go straight into the pile of ridiculous hyperbole used to justify subjective seating preferences.


As above, but in this case it's easier: please provide the news item.

Yes seating preference is subjective. But when only about 20 percent of the population are comfortable in a certain seat, then that is a problem.