FGW HSTs: worst refurbishment ever?

[whole diary]

[Conner]

The problem is, routes that need tables also need the extra seats!

No one needs a table, people just like to have them.


A Penzance express would be useless as it would be empty.
It would need to call.
Penzance-St Erth(u)-Camborne(u)-Redruth(u)-Truro(u)-St Austell(u)-Par(u)-Bodmin Parkway(u)-Liskeard(u)-Exeter St Davids(st)-Reading(s)-London Paddington

(u)=Pick up Only
(s)=Set Down Only
(st)=Stop for crew change only

And it would be quite un profitable as lots of profit comes from the day passengers in Cornwall.

[woody]

The problem is, routes that need tables also need the extra seats!

Would it not be possible to make FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets 2+9 by adding an extra coach as GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) did with their HSTs,yes I know there are financial and operation issues to think of but that did not stop GNER pursueing this option to cater for growth.

[Conner]

The problem is, routes that need tables also need the extra seats!

Would it not be possible to make FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets 2+9 by adding an extra coach as GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) did with their HSTs,yes I know there are financial and operation issues to think of but that did not stop GNER pursueing this option to cater for growth.

It would be a good idea but there aren't any spare coaches, we would have to split some of pour existing ones which I don;t see happening.

[John R]

Ask a family with 2 young children on a long journey whether they need a table.

2+9 won't work as there are no coaches left (unless the 40 allocated for NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) are now available) and I believe depots would need extending etc, so pretty expensive.

The problem is that the service (especially the South Wales and Bristol lines) are trying to cater for two different markets with one design of train (notwithstanding the HD,LD versions, which aren't in reality much different). Commuters travelling for up to an hour, and long distance traffic where something a little more than "just a seat" is required.  Yes the long distance services have their peak moments too, especially on a friday, but maybe other solutions are better for that problem.

[Conner]

John R, me, my Mum, my Dad, my Brother and my Sister don't need a table on a journey to London, no one does, people would like one but they don't need one.

[stebbo]

As I tend to have to get up early to catch trains into London I like to have coffee and bacon roll whilst reading the newspaper. Try that in an airline style saeat - thinking about it there's probably a bit more room on BA^» (British Airways - about) or Easyjet.

[west49th]

John R, me, my Mum, my Dad, my Brother and my Sister don't need a table on a journey to London, no one does, people would like one but they don't need one.

It's attitudes like this that have made FGW^▸ (First Great Western) such a contaminated brand.

Surely, FGW should look to provide the best possible customer experience.

And part of that experience for families and friends travelling long distances is the social interaction that tables clearly provide, and airline (or should I say 'bus') configurations fail to deliver.

[Conner]

Try that in an airline style saeat - thinking about it there's probably a bit more room on BA^» (British Airways - about) or Easyjet.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s have the most legroom of any train in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) I think and also more than most short distance airlines.

John R, me, my Mum, my Dad, my Brother and my Sister don't need a table on a journey to London, no one does, people would like one but they don't need one.

It's attitudes like this that have made FGW such a contaminated brand.

Surely, FGW should look to provide the best possible customer experience.

And part of that experience for families and friends travelling long distances is the social interaction that tables clearly provide, and airline (or should I say 'bus') configurations fail to deliver.

I find the HST's to give a perfect experience, I use the train reguarly with my family, every couple of weeks for leisure purporses because it is so cheap and they all like the HST's. And I can alway get a table on a journey on a HST in Cornwall and I mean always.

[Andy W]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s have the most legroom of any train in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) I think and also more than most short distance airlines.
[/quote]

If that is true then how do you put in more seats that an unrefurb unit and increase legroom?

The answer is either 1) you take away storage areas for luggage or 2) have Dr Who on the design team

[devon_metro]

Seats are thinner and less reclined, increasing space.

[Conner]

Seats are thinner and less reclined, increasing space.

Do you agree I am right?

[devon_metro]

Well no, The current HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is not ideal for long distance, an extra carriage with more tables would be more suitable and perhaps the family carriage could have all tabled seating.

A Penzance express would be useless as it would be empty.
It would need to call.
Penzance-St Erth(u)-Camborne(u)-Redruth(u)-Truro(u)-St Austell(u)-Par(u)-Bodmin Parkway(u)-Liskeard(u)-Exeter St Davids(st)-Reading(s)-London Paddington

(u)=Pick up Only
(s)=Set Down Only
(st)=Stop for crew change only

As for that, most of the trains drop off many people in Plymouth for the day, so you would have to put Plymouth into that!! Don't really see the need to stop at par either, unless you can connect from Newquay. Set down only at Reading is a good idea though.

[Conner]

Well no, The current HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is not ideal for long distance, an extra carriage with more tables would be more suitable and perhaps the family carriage could have all tabled seating.

A Penzance express would be useless as it would be empty.
It would need to call.
Penzance-St Erth(u)-Camborne(u)-Redruth(u)-Truro(u)-St Austell(u)-Par(u)-Bodmin Parkway(u)-Liskeard(u)-Exeter St Davids(st)-Reading(s)-London Paddington

(u)=Pick up Only
(s)=Set Down Only
(st)=Stop for crew change only

As for that, most of the trains drop off many people in Plymouth for the day, so you would have to put Plymouth into that!! Don't really see the need to stop at par either, unless you can connect from Newquay. Set down only at Reading is a good idea though.

I meant about legroom, obviously the layout could be better but the legroom is the best in the country.

The stop at Par is for Newquay servics.
Well that was the point Mookiemoo was trying to make, they are meant to be long distance and shouldn't be local trains. That is what my timetable is and I did say that they carried lots of people for locla journeys and that it would lose lots of money.

[devon_metro]

Well no, The current HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is not ideal for long distance, an extra carriage with more tables would be more suitable and perhaps the family carriage could have all tabled seating.

A Penzance express would be useless as it would be empty.
It would need to call.
Penzance-St Erth(u)-Camborne(u)-Redruth(u)-Truro(u)-St Austell(u)-Par(u)-Bodmin Parkway(u)-Liskeard(u)-Exeter St Davids(st)-Reading(s)-London Paddington

(u)=Pick up Only
(s)=Set Down Only
(st)=Stop for crew change only

As for that, most of the trains drop off many people in Plymouth for the day, so you would have to put Plymouth into that!! Don't really see the need to stop at par either, unless you can connect from Newquay. Set down only at Reading is a good idea though.

I meant about legroom, obviously the layout could be better but the legroom is the best in the country.

The stop at Par is for Newquay servics.
Well that was the point Mookiemoo was trying to make, they are meant to be long distance and shouldn't be local trains. That is what my timetable is and I did say that they carried lots of people for locla journeys and that it would lose lots of money.

ah, but I bet more people travel to London from Plymouth that Liskeard, so to have a potentially un full HST sailing through at 25mph would be a joke!

[Conner]

Well no, The current HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is not ideal for long distance, an extra carriage with more tables would be more suitable and perhaps the family carriage could have all tabled seating.

A Penzance express would be useless as it would be empty.
It would need to call.
Penzance-St Erth(u)-Camborne(u)-Redruth(u)-Truro(u)-St Austell(u)-Par(u)-Bodmin Parkway(u)-Liskeard(u)-Exeter St Davids(st)-Reading(s)-London Paddington

(u)=Pick up Only
(s)=Set Down Only
(st)=Stop for crew change only

As for that, most of the trains drop off many people in Plymouth for the day, so you would have to put Plymouth into that!! Don't really see the need to stop at par either, unless you can connect from Newquay. Set down only at Reading is a good idea though.

I meant about legroom, obviously the layout could be better but the legroom is the best in the country.

The stop at Par is for Newquay servics.
Well that was the point Mookiemoo was trying to make, they are meant to be long distance and shouldn't be local trains. That is what my timetable is and I did say that they carried lots of people for locla journeys and that it would lose lots of money.

ah, but I bet more people travel to London from Plymouth that Liskeard, so to have a potentially un full HST sailing through at 25mph would be a joke!

But Mookiemoo was saying about a Penzance express.
Plymouth gets enough HST's anyway, not stopping one wouldn't do anything.