Samson
Member
- Joined
- 10 Jun 2015
- Messages
- 5
Tonight was a joke. 700106 had ALL 5 toilets locked out of use, many grumpy passengers onboard!
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress
- Thread starter fgwrich
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Bornin1980s
Member
- Joined
- 4 Apr 2017
- Messages
- 720
I am planning to travel to Horsham on the weekend of 27 to 29 July. Now, the simplest route for the final stage of the journey would be St Pancras to Horsham on Thameslink. Now how reliable do you expect the service to be,considering it is GTR? Also, what might be the best times if I want to get a seat?
mushroomchow
Member
Thameslink is reasonably reliable for the most part, and frequent. If you do end up with your service cancelled or delayed and have a specific ticket booked, you'll get on the next one just fine and won't have to wait more than 20 minutes at all but the quietest times.
As for your second question, you won't have a problem getting a seat at weekends, but that raises the question - why would you want one on a 700? You'll be more comfortable standing or slumped by the door.
Remember the disclassifield 1st class in the rear coach. Im not sure the masses are aware of it yet.
Failed Unit
Established Member
Still no idea if that is only on Thameslink services. Don’t feel lucky enough to try it on great northern. RPIs could enforce it...
Failed Unit
Established Member
Thameslink is reasonably reliable for the most part, and frequent. If you do end up with your service cancelled or delayed and have a specific ticket booked, you'll get on the next one just fine and won't have to wait more than 20 minutes at all but the quietest times.
As for your second question, you won't have a problem getting a seat at weekends, but that raises the question - why would you want one on a 700? You'll be more comfortable standing or slumped by the door.
Did you mean 30+? Peterborough- Horsham will only be half hourly. So 30 mins will be the minimal wait for a cancelled train.
D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 13,157
Good point, Peterborough via Huntingdon is remaining 2tph.
I had no more problems with the seating than on a 365, personally, aside from the airlines being a little tighter.
Thameslink services have messages saying where first class is (it doesn't say where first class isn't in the case of the rear being declassified but it's safe to say people DO know as first will likely be full, even with standees, when standard may have room) so I wonder if that'll happen on the GN route going forward?
When the 387s had first class front or back (before they were turned around as needed to be consistent) the screens did start to show where first class was, but it seemed as if it was done manually and was often missed out, or even wrong. At least first class only being at the front stops that problem on the 700s.
The service is normally reliable.
Thameslink is reasonably reliable for the most part, and frequent. If you do end up with your service cancelled or delayed and have a specific ticket booked, you'll get on the next one just fine and won't have to wait more than 20 minutes at all but the quietest times.
As for your second question, you won't have a problem getting a seat at weekends, but that raises the question - why would you want one on a 700? You'll be more comfortable standing or slumped by the door.
Standing is quite common on Thameslink services on Saturday and Sunday mornings southbound, and evenings northbound between St Albans and St Pancras. However as the Horshams will be off the ECML, I expect seats will be easier to come by.
Regular travellers are very much aware of it, however only a small proportion are able to benefit, and most people can’t be bothered (because, to be honest, most people aren’t worried about the seat comfort). Fewer regular travellers at weekends, so a better chance then.
4 Sundays per year only, for the core from now on. Subject to change of course. However works either side may reduce the service level or destinations, but that is the same as always.
They should of Recieved the new brief,it’s all over twitter!https://twitter.com/gnrailuk/status/966613772998672384?s=21
Failed Unit
Established Member
So if I get a penalty fare should I pay it or give my details for prosecution? I don’t trust the social media team as the cover the whole of GTR and often get their facts incorrect. On the trains I use the loading indicators are red for 6/8 coaches and green for 2. Wonder why.
notverydeep
Member
- Joined
- 9 Feb 2014
- Messages
- 1,176
So if I get a penalty fare should I pay it or give my details for prosecution? I don’t trust the social media team as the cover the whole of GTR and often get their facts incorrect. On the trains I use the loading indicators are red for 6/8 coaches and green for 2. Wonder why.
There is a message that comes round on the Passenger Information System, every couple of minutes (visual only). I have taken the 700 on the 1722 King's Cross to Cambridge twice now since they were introduced and it has played on both units (700050 and 700052)...
So if I get a penalty fare should I pay it or give my details for prosecution? I don’t trust the social media team as the cover the whole of GTR and often get their facts incorrect. On the trains I use the loading indicators are red for 6/8 coaches and green for 2. Wonder why.
IF you are given a penalty fare, I'd probably advise paying it and then appealing. I am sure an appeal for that is going to be less pain than if they go down the potential prosecution route. Sure, you'd 'win' that too but it would mean having to wait and fire off letters, wait again...
But this is wholly hypothetical because I am sure no RPI will give penalty fares and will be fully aware.
Failed Unit
Established Member
I was PF on the 387s in first class before they labelled then properly. I won the appeal as they agreed that from the photos provided it was not possible to tell if you had entered from the next coach considering the seating is identical.
That said. Will try using the rear on 1722. Worse case is I am stood in comfort so no worse than currently.
The 387s were a mess when introduced. Barely any signs at all. A bit like the 321s when refurbished, as if someone forgot to put the stickers back (or had replaced the anti-etch film and had run out of stickers).
At least the 700s have first class well marked from the get go.
The 365s have also had their ups and downs over the years. With sensor problems on the doors, it is common to have the doors locked open and there were times that some units had no stickers at all and you had only the antimacassars to tell you. Crazy if the seats you can see are occupied and therefore the seats are blocked.
59CosG95
Established Member
The final 700 rolled off the production line at Krefeld today; it should be here in May this year after a spell at the PCW. http://railcolornews.com/2018/03/08...for-thameslink-rolled-of-the-production-line/
Hmm,well done for appealing,often see 1st class open on 365(doors locked open Why?,bit silly as means they can claim difference refund
Oo,what was last unit number?
samuelmorris
Established Member
Judging by the pictures, 700060 
Why would you be able to claim the difference just because the door to first class is locked open? That doesn't make it declassified.
So do they pretty much start on the 717s straight away now?
No, you can’t claim a difference refund for that.. not unless it is officially declassified.
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 34,230
There's no logical reason why the 717s wouldn't already be started, they could just as easily have been planned to overlap with, or follow on from the 707s...
I thought so too, but there seems precious little info about them bar a couple of recent photos and, erm, that's it?
Failed Unit
Established Member
GTR keep saying the expect driver training to begin in May. Saying that never believe anything GTR say with dates. New timetable uploaded Feb 25th....
Quite possibly
They have already started. I have seen pictures of actual bodyshells in unpainted aluminium with the end emergency doors being tested.
Ooo,were you seen?
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 34,230
There are new pictures, linked to today, of a GN 717 on test over in the main GN 717 thread. Discussing them here in the 700 thread as well could get really confusing...
- Status