Didn't know they had gone and borrowed a TfW set? Is fairly sure they are the shorter Mark 4 formation.
The idea that these were somehow the 'only' options is hilarious...
A diagram rewrite is menial and is not on the long list of reasons we won't be sending them to Scotland.
I know it's not going to happen, but just as a general question, how long does it usually take to refresh drivers who used to sign particular traction and have since lapsed?
Their competence will have lapsed so therefore it‘ll be full training (as if they’d never signed them).
It would also reduce capacity on the Edinburgh route when one of the main benefits of the current ECML timetable is increasing capacity on London to Newcastle/Edinburgh routes.
How would that differ from what they've just done recently to diagram 225s up to Newcastle?
Because the single Newcastle diagram is built within the wider timetable change work that's happened lately - not as a standalone activity. A further change would need a lot more work, including crew training.
Can you think of any reason why they would/should?
225s are cool and better than Azumas?
Exactly, so for trainspotter reasons, which isn’t a real reason at all, harsh as it sounds.225s are cool and better than Azumas?
All the 225 diagrams start and end at Neville Hill (apart from the one that stables at York overnight, and that's crewed by NH as well).
And for people who aren't spotters, it's obvious that the ride quality and comfort is much better in a 225.
Is it? Substantiated with data, e.g. passenger loadings/ticket sales of 225 vs 80x from Leeds for example?
Why would that prove anything about ride quality?
A lot of people especially people who aren't train enthusiasts only know the TOC they're traveling with, not the train.
One might argue that people actively booking 225 vs 80x could, in part, be because of this apparent increased ride and comfort.
I don’t think most people even know the difference. A friend of mine says they love the leather seats in the new trains, for example.
I think that's a stretch! They're decent, and definitely better than the Azuma, but not something I'd otherwise write home about - 35 years ago, I remember them coming in and being far from rated.
When I'm travelling for work, the ride and poor seating of the Azuma is offset against the lighter interior, better legroom, and less unreliable Wi-Fi. As an enthusiast, I prefer the Mk4s, but there's frankly not nearly as much in it as some suggest.
Fair point
To be honest I couldn't tell you. Not my area of expertise I'm afraid.
Well we all learn something every day, I had no idea that Newton Heath crews worked the York stabler turns!
That'll teach me to not read what I'm posting. It'd certainly be a interesting turn to drag a NH crew to York by 4am!Well we all learn something every day, I had no idea that Newton Heath crews worked the York stabler turns!
There’s a very clear ride quality hierarchy on the East Coast. From best to worst:
Blimey, that seems unnecessarily convoluted, but I'm sure there are good reasons for it.
