Southeastern Highspeed preview extended to weekends

[Mike395]

Hi,

Whilst looking on the southeastern site for something unrelated, I came across the news that starting this weekend, southeastern's high speed preview was to run weekends as far as Ashford. Which is handy as I live in Kent and am planning on heading into London in a couple of weekends time!

I like the way they're gradually extending the service, do you reckon they'll have a near-full service before the December timetable change?

 

[SWT Driver]

Just make sure that you've got deep pockets because it's ridiculously expensive & if you're staff you don't get priv.

I'm glad that I rarely have to travel into Kent & I most certainly wouldn't pay a premium fare for the privilege.

Mind you for me it's only 45' to the Kent/Surrey border anyway & no more than 90' to the Channel Ports, so I won't be using it anytime soon or in the future.

 

[Mintona]

It isn't that expensive. I think it is £4.50 more than a normal return ticket London - Ashford off peak. Hardly gonna break the bank.

It is something special too. It really is.

 

[Edvid]

An Off Peak Day Return to London costs £24.90 (£4.10 above the 'classic' price) - however, you can buy one to Potters Bar* for £23 instead and you won't be obligated to go there either. Make sure to ask for the 'Any Permitted' version though because the classic version is also £23!

If you fancy travelling around London, an Off Peak Day Travelcard costs £27.80 (£4 above the 'classic' price).

[* There are more equally-priced destinations to pick from if you're interested.]

 

[First class]

An Off Peak Day Return to London costs £24.90 (£4.10 above the 'classic' price) - however, you can buy one to Potters Bar* for £23 instead and you won't be obligated to go there either. Make sure to ask for the 'Any Permitted' version though because the classic version is also £23!

If you fancy travelling around London, an Off Peak Day Travelcard costs £27.80 (£4 above the 'classic' price).

[* There are more equally-priced destinations to pick from if you're interested.]

Does that work around allow you to obtain a PRIV discount?

i.e. Dover-Potters Bar +ANY PERMITTED SDR @ £12.50 ??

 

[Edvid]

I'm not sure as I don't have a copy of NFM04.

 

[SWT Driver]

Does that work around allow you to obtain a PRIV discount?

i.e. Dover-Potters Bar +ANY PERMITTED SDR @ £12.50 ??

Please read this: http://www.atoc.org/rst/_download/special_offer/Web_HS1_230609.pdf

That will make it quite clear. NO PRIVILEGE FARES ALLOWED!

 

[dk1]

Please read this: http://www.atoc.org/rst/_download/special_offer/Web_HS1_230609.pdf

That will make it quite clear. NO PRIVILEGE FARES ALLOWED!

I am hoping that after the preview period they might allow us poor rail staff to travel at a discounted rate. Or better still, just fill in a box!

 

[SWT Driver]

Personally, I think you've got two hopes. Bob Hope & No Hope and as Bob is now deceased, absolutely No Hope.

 

[Mintona]

Personally, I think you've got two hopes. Bob Hope & No Hope and as Bob is now deceased, absolutely No Hope.

Personally, I think you're wrong.

 

[HS Driver]

As of today (Sat 10th Oct '09) Southeastern High Speed IS accepting free staff travel

I'm not sure of the details but it's worth your enquiry now as to whether it's just the southeastern pass or "the box" being dated, but it has finally been open to staff from today.

THE ONLY RESTRICTION IS - we're not allowed for free during peak hours m-f, a full price ticket has to be purchased as there is no provision for staff discount.

Hope this helps in someway......

 

[route:oxford]

Are normal "Network" railcards valid on off-peak services?

 

[Mike395]

Believe so subject to time and minimum fare restrictions.

 

[SWT Driver]

As for priv's I think I'll wait for a formal announcement on the ATOC website, that way I know I can't get busted for it, I value my boxes & travel facilities & my job.

 

[jon0844]

It is something special too. It really is.

While it is obviously a valuable service, is it really that special?

It's a new train - so that's impressive.
It runs at 140mph - well, that's sort of impressive (even if Mk4s can do 140mph and have been known to on the ECML)

Eurostar runs at nearer 190mph (albeit not on all sections) - which I see as more impressive.

Charging a premium for 140mph running seems unnecessary, and a sign that we'll now have to accept huge price hikes for future upgrades. A nice way to justify inflation-busting increases, and when all the other routes are phased out, we'll be paying even more. I really think SET should not have been allowed to charge more, as it sets a nasty precedent for future projects. Tax payers pay for all sorts of things, and it is public transport after all!

I want to try the service to see how nice the trains are, but if these trains were used on other routes, let's imagine for example that Hitachi won a deal to build trains for the Northern City line with a 30mph limit, would we pay more for the 'wow' factor?

At the moment everyone is so happy we've got out of the stone age with HS1 - but in years to come, we shouldn't be seeing it as anything special. Will the fares come down?

I mean, take the Dartford toll which was to be charged for xx years until paid for, then the tolls would go. Oh look, they're still there... what a con!

 

[MCR247]

They can't be that special consideringthat they are only timetabled to do 10% less than 140mph (126mph) which is 1mph more than what 390s, HST, 225s, 222s etc can already do

 

[jon0844]

Personally, the 'special' bit is some new rolling stock that looks quite nice. It is also another place in London for trains to arrive at - which will suit many people, thanks to decent onward transport connections.

However, although it may get better in December with the new ticket hall, I do now find that - especially Friday evenings - King's Cross/St P is now a nightmare to get around with so many people going home and arriving for weekend breaks on Eurostar.

I think the whole area will reach capacity, and exceed it, far quicker than predicted. It may well have some people opting to use the old, slower, route instead - although Victoria isn't exactly empty!

 

[asylumxl]

They can't be that special consideringthat they are only timetabled to do 10% less than 140mph (126mph) which is 1mph more than what 390s, HST, 225s, 222s etc can already do

Timetabled.

They usually arrive at Ebbsfleet more than 5 minutes early. Ask the drivers how fast they drive them.

 

[Mintona]

Timetabled.

They usually arrive at Ebbsfleet more than 5 minutes early. Ask the drivers how fast they drive them.

They usually drive at about 130-135mph.

Had a great day out today. Did Ashford - London - Ebbsfleet - Ashford - London - Ashford. The trains are brilliant. The staff are brilliant. Passengers are nicknaming the trains "the happy trains" coz they know they will see a friendly member of staff when they get on. Passengers actually talk to each other rather than sitting in stone cold silence. It is such a better atmosphere then most other trains.

 

[jon0844]

I have no doubt that this will end when they start normal service and half the train isn't made up of people who are there to experience and try out the service.

Sorry, but I don't believe the romance will last when;

a) Commuters start paying through the nose to be on them
b) Staff get bored of the new train and those nice people who helped trial the service
c) The trains start to break down
d) The trains start to get grubby and vandalised

etc.

I want to try them out while people are still happy, so I better hurry up!!

 

[asylumxl]

They usually drive at about 130-135mph.

Had a great day out today. Did Ashford - London - Ebbsfleet - Ashford - London - Ashford. The trains are brilliant. The staff are brilliant. Passengers are nicknaming the trains "the happy trains" coz they know they will see a friendly member of staff when they get on. Passengers actually talk to each other rather than sitting in stone cold silence. It is such a better atmosphere then most other trains.

SET really wanted to do something different with this service. I hear they picked their best and brightest staff for the service, and that the lack of class divisions was to try and make everyone feel equal.

As an extreme left winger politically, I can only praise SET!

 

[dk1]

As for priv's I think I'll wait for a formal announcement on the ATOC website, that way I know I can't get busted for it, I value my boxes & travel facilities & my job.

Wait no longer

Announcment now on ATOC stating full staff travel facilities will be accepted from THIS Saturday 17th October. Restrictions only are 'peak' arrivals & departures from St.Pancras mon-fri. This also applies when full timetable starts in December.

 

[Mintona]

I have no doubt that this will end when they start normal service and half the train isn't made up of people who are there to experience and try out the service.

Sorry, but I don't believe the romance will last when;

a) Commuters start paying through the nose to be on them.

It's less than £20 more a week to go to London from Ashford. It's not as expensive as the press would have you believe.

b) Staff get bored of the new train and those nice people who helped trial the service.

All the staff I know are very very passionate about high speed and I can't see that changing any time soon.

c) The trains start to break down.

Could happen, I don't really know what Hitachi are like reliability-wise. So far, these hasn't been a serious failure of any sort with any of the trains. There are enough people in that big shiny depot at Ashford that if anything does go wrong it will hopefully be rectified quickly though!

d) The trains start to get grubby and vandalised.

Cleaners are currently on board every service. It probably won't be the same come December but at the moment trains are still spotless, and all the train crew tidy things up when they are untidy. As for vandalism, well the trains have 4 interior CCTV cameras per carriage with excellent clarity so hopefully if any vandalism does occur the people responsible will be found.

I'm not trying to pretend it is all perfect and will be forever - it isn't. But I can't remember the last time I went on a train and felt as good about the journey as when I go on high speed. Just get out there and have a go!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Wait no longer

Announcment now on ATOC stating full staff travel facilities will be accepted from THIS Saturday 17th October. Restrictions only are 'peak' arrivals & departures from St.Pancras mon-fri. This also applies when full timetable starts in December.

Trains arriving at St. Pancras between 07.00 and 09.59, and trains departing St. Pancras between 16.00 and 18.59.

Is there a link to the story? Only I can't find it

 

[jon0844]

Long may the 'romance' continue then. I still feel like that (a bit) when using Eurostar, even though the trains looks rather dated inside even after the refresh.

 

[dk1]

Is there a link to the story? Only I can't find it

Try here mate...


http://www.atoc.org/rst/_download/special_offer/Web_HS1_121009.pdf

 

[Mintona]

Try here mate...


http://www.atoc.org/rst/_download/special_offer/Web_HS1_121009.pdf

Thank you! I didn't know about that, I hope someone down here does!

 

[MCR247]

Timetabled.

They usually arrive at Ebbsfleet more than 5 minutes early. Ask the drivers how fast they drive them.

So? THe HSTs record is 147mph so is that the fastest train in the UK?

 

[Edvid]

That's irrelevant because:
a) The UK speed record on rail is 208mph (achieved on 30 July 2003 by a E*);
b) An APT managed 162.2mph during tests on classic rails 30 years ago;
b) 395s do up to 140mph in service (unlike HSTs or even the technically 140mph-capable 91s/390s) and unless I'm mistaken would have been driven at the usual 10(max.)% overspeed during testing anyway.

 

[Failed Unit]

I had a run on it at the weeked, travelling to North London it was great as I didn't need to bother with the tube, just cross the road to Kings Cross. I don't pay a premium either as AP's from the north have the route included.

Trains are nice enough, my only comment is that the baggage space is small (although a lot better than the electro-starts which have none!). Just one stack per coach which has a nice window seat. Some passengers don't have that near where the doors open. Why didn't they put the luggage stack in front of the plastic?

As for is the premium worth it, depends where you are going. If you were going to "the city" and used to use Charing Cross I would be miffed about the whole thing. At the moment you would be quicker using the classic route (it is only 1/2 hour slower today but you will lose that 1/2 hour on the tube). Come December the fastest services on the Classic route get slowed down as they will stop more often. Winners and losers of course but some customers will feel that SET is making more losers by slowing down journeys on the classic lines. I am of course a winner so also a happy bunny and I get it for free.

 

[dk1]

A Class 91, 91010 (now 91110) holds the British locomotive speed record at 162 mph (261 km/h), set on September 17 1989, just south of Little Bytham on a test run down Stoke Bank with the DVT leading. Although both Class 370s and Class 373s have run faster, both types are EMUs, which means that the Electra is officially the fastest locomotive in Britain. Another loco, hauling five Mk4s and a DVT on a test run, once ran between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley in 3 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds, still the current record. The set covered the route in an average speed of 112.5 mph (181.1 km/h), and reached the full 140 mph (225 km/h) several times during the run. When introduced, they were the most powerful locomotive in Britain before the Class 92s entered service.

From Wikipedia.