Southeastern 375 refurbs

[fgwrich]

So what has changed interior wise in these refurbished electrostars? Anything? New antimacassars?

 

[TailLight]

So what has changed interior wise in these refurbished electrostars? Anything? New antimacassars?

New carpets, new lino, washed seats, new signage, resprayed grab poles, new heating vent covers, removal of permanent excrement odour.

 

[Alteran Ancient]

They've also sorted out the table-tops and the toilets, too. It also looks like they've fixed and/or replaced some of the dot-matrix indicators, because they seem a lot brighter now and all the pixels seem to work.

It's fantastic to see they've actually listened to the customers for a change and condensed the seldom-used First Class seating into a single area. I remember having a discussion with one of the managers at a Victoria "Meet the Managers" session about this, and they basically said that "a number of people have suggested this and this is something we are seriously considering in the near future".

The only people you do normally see in First Class on Southeastern are what I like to call the "First Class Free-loaders" - the ones who sit in 1st anyway without a valid ticket. So it improves the situation somewhat.

People will always find an excuse to hate on their "local" operator so long as privatisation remains a thing, but since they had the franchise renewed and Statham has been at the wheel, it actually feels like Southeastern are trying to run a better service, to a degree.

 

[JaJaWa]

People will always find an excuse to hate on their "local" operator so long as privatisation remains a thing, but since they had the franchise renewed and Statham has been at the wheel, it actually feels like Southeastern are trying to run a better service, to a degree.

I always felt that he sorted out First Capital Connect in the end, shame we lost him! Just found this: http://fccmd.blogspot.co.uk.

 

[Philip C]

I used to be a regular user of First Class between Hastings and London but this has now become much less frequent.

SouthEastern has presided over a prolonged attempt to eliminate first class provision on its trains which is seriously at odds with what has happened on other equivalent lines (notably but certainly not exclusively SWT). With journey times in excess of 90 minutes and considerable, up market, commuting from The Weald well in excess of an hour this always puzzled me.

The relocation of the first class section is of potential merit and I look forward to seeing how it settles in. In particular the ride can hardly be worse than being hung over the end bogies and access to emergency handles can better be achieved without having to force one's way past those creating issues! But the long-term future of first class travel on these long in duration, if not long in mileage, routes depends critically on train staff continuing to turn out those who haven't paid for what they consume.

If only there were a sense that SE management really wanted to make the most of its long-distance customer base.

 

[Kentish Paul]

Inparticular the ride can hardly be worse than being hung over the end bogies and access to emergency handles can better be achieved without having to force one's way past those creating issues!

What on earth do you mean "hung over the end bogies" and "access to emergency handles". Also "force one's way past those creating issues!"

You should have travelled in the front coach of a 4-CEP over the motor bogie coming down Hildenborough bank at a bit more than the linespeed limit.

 

[bramling]

I used to be a regular user of First Class between Hastings and London but this has now become much less frequent.

SouthEastern has presided over a prolonged attempt to eliminate first class provision on its trains which is seriously at odds with what has happened on other equivalent lines (notably but certainly not exclusively SWT). With journey times in excess of 90 minutes and considerable, up market, commuting from The Weald well in excess of an hour this always puzzled me.

The relocation of the first class section is of potential merit and I look forward to seeing how it settles in. In particular the ride can hardly be worse than being hung over the end bogies and access to emergency handles can better be achieved without having to force one's way past those creating issues! But the long-term future of first class travel on these long in duration, if not long in mileage, routes depends critically on train staff continuing to turn out those who haven't paid for what they consume.

If only there were a sense that SE management really wanted to make the most of its long-distance customer base.

I can believe First Class is well used on the Hastings line, however seems less popular on trains serving, for example, Thanet.

Regarding the move to the middle of the train, there might be a slight improvement in ride quality, but at the expense of having people passing through all the time. Personally I wouldn't pay extra for the offering on Southeastern, which basically offers no improvement on standard class except a (non-guaranteed) better probability of getting a seat on peak services.

 

[Philip C]

What on earth do you mean "hung over the end bogies" and "access to emergency handles". Also "force one's way past those creating issues!"

You should have travelled in the front coach of a 4-CEP over the motor bogie coming down Hildenborough bank at a bit more than the linespeed limit.

The virtue of first class in the CEPs, which along with other classes I remember well, was that there was some limited opportunity to safely wedge your head and a chance to roll with the train's movement. Being flipped about in one of the end carriages was reserved for second class passengers. With the CIGs the ride, albeit at the extremity of the unit, in a proper first class compartment, was a pleasure. Of VEPs I prefer not to remember!

The current arrangement provides no opportunity to sleep as the head rest gives no where to park one's head; knees are in constant conflict with the table bracing as the proven solution achieved many decades ago didn't suit SET and the carriage side arm rest is designed to dig into the ribs/kidneys. Add this to putting the 'premium' customers at one end of the train or the other (or regularly being walked past) and you may better appreciate my comments.

The point about access to emergency alarms goes back to the brief time when some Hastings Line off-peak trains actually acquired Petts Wood stops! On one occasion a gang of youths decided it would be fun to mess around in the adjacent door area and actually threw punches as they alighted (I was too quick for them and he hurt his hand - poor lad!). My point being that when under siege in the current first class, end of train, area there is no way of pulling the chord etc. without getting out to the area that these thugs were occupying.

An arrangement such as on SWT would be so much better but now I'm retired it hardly matters.

 

[notadriver]

Firstly- SE have never said that about 395s in any publications



Secondly- SE/SN/TL operate a commuter based network - so comparing it to any long distance operator would not be fair.



Thirdly- the trolleys were underused and heavily subsidised so I understand



Fourthly?- if the train was formed of more than one unit people would be walking through anyway



And finally- thats precisely the point of it in the L&SE area!

395 seat pitch is far superior to 375s so to me the experience is better than first class in a 375. The units ride far more quietly and smoothly on conventional lines than 375s or other SET unit types.

 

[cav1975]

When they get to the 375/9 sub class is there any chance that they will replace the very cramped 3+2 seating with 2+2 as on the rest of the 375s?

 

[hulabaloo]

When they get to the 375/9 sub class is there any chance that they will replace the very cramped 3+2 seating with 2+2 as on the rest of the 375s?

We can only hope - those seats are about as comfortable as a park bench

 

[Class 466]

When they get to the 375/9 sub class is there any chance that they will replace the very cramped 3+2 seating with 2+2 as on the rest of the 375s?

Nope, 375/9s seating still serves a good purpose and removing the existing seats and replacing them with the same seats as the other subclasses would create a new set of overcrowding problems. Whilst that may not affect the off peak traveller, some of the busiest peak services into Cannon Street are formed of 3x 375/9s for a reason!

 

[yorksrob]

Of VEPs I prefer not to remember!

I'd take even the standard class compartment of a VEP over any current train.

 

[Jedipickles]

375626 - Heading to Derby
375616 - Nearing completion
375620 - Nearing completion

 

[notadriver]

Nope, 375/9s seating still serves a good purpose and removing the existing seats and replacing them with the same seats as the other subclasses would create a new set of overcrowding problems. Whilst that may not affect the off peak traveller, some of the busiest peak services into Cannon Street are formed of 3x 375/9s for a reason!

379s have those types of seat in standard class but they are more comfortable than those on 375/9. Why ?

 

[lookingforit35]

Don't forget the big problem that has yet to be addressed.

Will the combined engineering might of Bombardier and Southeastern be able to cure the "screeching" sound made by seatback tables being folded on the 375/9s?

Ten years on and we are still waiting............!

 

[superalbs]

Abrail claims that 465934 is in the new livery, is it true, any photos?

 

[causton]

Don't forget the big problem that has yet to be addressed.

Will the combined engineering might of Bombardier and Southeastern be able to cure the "screeching" sound made by seatback tables being folded on the 375/9s?

Ten years on and we are still waiting............!

The 377/2s have it too on the Southern services from Milton Keynes to South Croydon too - the 377/7s aren't as bad so you could rip out all of the seats and replace them

 

[Class 466]

Abrail claims that 465934 is in the new livery, is it true, any photos?

465934 is in the process of being put into the same livery as the rest of the 465/9s.

 

[Kentish Paul]

Don't forget the big problem that has yet to be addressed.

Will the combined engineering might of Bombardier and Southeastern be able to cure the "screeching" sound made by seatback tables being folded on the 375/9s?

Ten years on and we are still waiting............!

Maybe they should have a look at the ones on the 395. They don't make a sound. Then again Hitachi hold the copyright.

 

[JaJaWa]

Don't forget the big problem that has yet to be addressed.

Will the combined engineering might of Bombardier and Southeastern be able to cure the "screeching" sound made by seatback tables being folded on the 375/9s?

Ten years on and we are still waiting............!

The 'combined engineering might' has found a solution with the new trains: no seat back tables.

 

[stuartbaggs]

Why have I not yet seen a refurbished 375 at CBW?

 

[Jedipickles]

Why have I not yet seen a refurbished 375 at CBW?

Only 12 of the 112 have been done so far so it might be a little while longer before you see one

 

[Class 466]

Why have I not yet seen a refurbished 375 at CBW?

There have been plenty through there!

 

[Jedipickles]

375616 and 375620 returned today
375615 has gone up

37884 providing the traction

 

[Class 466]

375610 will be the next to go on Saturday, this means this week is the last week of it in its unique livery and will lose its name upon refurbishment.

 

[387star]

375610 will be the next to go on Saturday, this means this week is the last week of it in its unique livery and will lose its name upon refurbishment.

The livery in question:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78207...dnV-rqi7oP-AyRTNN-Advg7t-dt2WSC-deMR82-dR8ryx

although it has long since lost the gold stripe

 

[Cletus]

Saw 375626 in it's new blue livery today.

 

[Jedipickles]

375615 returned today
375607 has gone up to Derby

 

[theageofthetra]

Are the A/C problems being fixed after the refurb? Their launch years ago coincided with the EU banning of CFC's and the alternative is far less effective. If the outside temp exceeds 31c the system used to shut down to protect itself.