for the first time anyone could remember......

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

LA79 is the Midland Mainline set.

Is this set on temporary loan whilst the refurb is taking place or is this set now part of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fleet and will refurb shortly?

The former.

One of the sets heading to XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) by any chance?
I can't wait for XC to start running HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) again. I can actually start travelling Cross Country for long distance travel rather than go via London. Bristol-Birmingham is my absolute limit on a Voyager.

[John R]

It's a last nostalgic reminder of how Mk3s used to be comfortable, have a view down the carriage (and out of the windows in front of you, not just next to you), and how you could see whether anyone was sitting in a seat before you passed it. Enjoy it whilst you can.

[Mookiemoo]

There are a lot of unrefurbished buffet cars, as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) intend to withdraw them. They are being kept for the moment whilst passenger reaction to the trolley service being introduced is monitored. But I suspect your days of enjoying being next to the buffet car are numbered.

Actually I like the brown seats. They are much more comfortable than the refurbished ones, which look nice, but are somewhat hard on the behind after a couple of hours.   

Officially the longer routes such as hereford and penzance  (and swansea?) were supposed to keep the buffet?

Otherwise a 3 hours journey with no buffet?

[Ollie]

AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know)
Trials were on the following:

Cardiff Central services
Bristol TM^‡(resolve) services
Worcester services


<Don't quote me =P>

[Btline]

I hardly call Hereford long when compared to Penzance!

But it is quite.

[Mookiemoo]

AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know)
Trials were on the following:

Cardiff Central services
Bristol TM^‡(resolve) services
Worcester services


<Don't quote me =P>

WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) is being trialled - off peak

the peak services re running with a buffet - reburbed or not

[Ollie]

There are only a few sets I believe that have no buffet, so it is only limited services they are being trialled on.

But that in general is the routes you will find them on.

[smokey]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should keep the Buffet cars, turn them round and put in Standard class seats.
To operate a fleet of Non-buffet and a fleet of Buffet car HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s is asking for trouble, big trouble.
First class businessmen won't like it when their Glolden Hind train has no Buffet and it WILL happen.

[John R]

If they had done that then they could have increased capacity in standard without needing to cram more seats in. Then they wouldn't have needed to do a complete refurb, and could have spent the money on more stock for the Wessex services, and probably still been quids in, even with the costs of running the additional coach in the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)..

I'm not sure how much value customers put on a train with a brand spanking new interior. So long as it is clean, they can get a seat, its comfortable, and everything works then most people are fine. New fabric on the seats, a refresh of the toilets (which were looking yuck), and I reckon most passengers would have been happy, if not happier than what they've now got. My wife went to London recently and phoned me to say how nice the set she was on was. LA79 of course.   

[Mookiemoo]

If they had done that then they could have increased capacity in standard without needing to cram more seats in. Then they wouldn't have needed to do a complete refurb, and could have spent the money on more stock for the Wessex services, and probably still been quids in, even with the costs of running the additional coach in the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)..

I'm not sure how much value customers put on a train with a brand spanking new interior. So long as it is clean, they can get a seat, its comfortable, and everything works then most people are fine. New fabric on the seats, a refresh of the toilets (which were looking yuck), and I reckon most passengers would have been happy, if not happier than what they've now got. My wife went to London recently and phoned me to say how nice the set she was on was. LA79 of course.   

And power sockets!

[John R]

Good point!