Nottingham to London train type

[hi2u_uk]

Can anyone tell me what type of train was used for the Nottingham to St Pancras service which departed at 8.48pm yesterday . It had very nice comfortable seats , do EMR use that train type often ?

 

[liamf656]

You had a Class 222 Meridian. They are in the process of being phased out in favour of the Class 810 Aurora and all the 222s are expected to be withdrawn in early 2027

 

[8ace]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W70744/2026-09-30/detailed

Class 222 it's been used for years but getting replaced soon (but slowly)
They are quite comfortable so long as the windows aren't all missed up.

 

[hi2u_uk]

I dont get this service often why are they being phased out ? To me they had a nice feel, do these aurora 810 trains have comfortable seats

 

[8ace]

I dont get this service often why are they being phased out ? To me they had a nice feel, do these aurora 810 trains have comfortable seats

They are being replaced with bi-mode units to take advantage of the electrification between STP and Wigston. Not been on one myself but I suspect the seats are of the usual IET ironing board variety.

 

[hi2u_uk]

They are being replaced with bi-mode units to take advantage of the electrification between STP and Wigston. Not been on one myself but I suspect the seats are of the usual IET ironing board variety.

will taking advantage of this electrification make them go quicker

Quite often train travel is not comfortable for many reasons so its annoying to read that comfortable trains are being withdrawn if there is no benefit to the passenger

 

[8ace]

will taking advantage of this electrification make them go quicker

Quite often train travel is not comfortable for many reasons so its annoying to read that comfortable trains are being withdrawn if there is no benefit to the passenger

If I wasn't for the short-sighted decision to cancel MML electrification in full then possibly there would have been some slight improvements in journey times. I'm no expert but from what I've read there's little or no improvement in journey times 810s vs 222s.

 

[edwin_m]

They are being replaced with bi-mode units to take advantage of the electrification between STP and Wigston. Not been on one myself but I suspect the seats are of the usual IET ironing board variety.

Based on one journey on an 810, the seats are nicer than those on LNER or GWR 80x units.

The 810 also has significantly more seats than a five-car 222 and better luggage storage (overhead racks can take larger items).

 

[swt_passenger]

If I wasn't for the short-sighted decision to cancel MML electrification in full then possibly there would have been some slight improvements in journey times. I'm no expert but from what I've read there's little or no improvement in journey times 810s vs 222s.

Although if there were any planned improvements the timetable wouldn’t be changed until after the 222s had left service anyway.

 

[baz962]

will taking advantage of this electrification make them go quicker

Quite often train travel is not comfortable for many reasons so its annoying to read that comfortable trains are being withdrawn if there is no benefit to the passenger

They do have a decent advantage under the electric , but the current timetable doesn't really take advantage of it.

 

[edwin_m]

They do have a decent advantage under the electric , but the current timetable doesn't really take advantage of it.

The timetable needs trains to hit their slots particularly south of Kettering, which frequently doesn't happen, so if the trains can do the journey slightly faster then this will probably be used to improve performance rather than shorten advertised journey times.

 

[baz962]

The timetable needs trains to hit their slots particularly south of Kettering, which frequently doesn't happen, so if the trains can do the journey slightly faster then this will probably be used to improve performance rather than shorten advertised journey times.

Absolutely. No dispute here. On our second to last Sheffield to London St Pancras. 21.00 off Sheffield and an 810 , I consistently knock around 8 minutes off the journey time . It's one of the only journeys that I get no restrictive signals at all , except for the last two before St Pancras.

 

[Kilopylae]

I dont get this service often why are they being phased out ? To me they had a nice feel, do these aurora 810 trains have comfortable seats

Passenger comfort is not a priority.