Class 180 Adelantes - discussions, including their return to FGW

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Even SWT^▸ (South West Trains) normally try to keep the First end of the 444s at the London end of the train at all times, although now and again disruption causes the odd discrepancy.

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

It also means that many non-First Class West-bound passengers board at Paddington in Coach G and annoy the heck out of First Class passengers there, and in Coach F, by walking through the train to their reserved seat in Coach A ...  

[Timmer]

Perhaps it was decided that 1st Class should be in a full carriage for seating capacity reasons. 

Would appear to be the most logical suggestion as to the reason why.

[Btline]

When you consider that there is no kitchen or vestibule, how many fewer seats to the end coaches have though?

And remember that a Voyager has First in an end - plus the "kitchen" microwave.

[JayMac]

The Class 180s were originally built to provide Bristol and Cardiff with a half hourly service. These are important business destinations and I assume the reasoning behind a full carriage of 1st Class in Coach D rather than cab ends A or E was because FGW^▸ (First Great Western) believed the seats would be filled with the important revenue generating full fare business travellers.

With a catering station and at-seat service there's little concern about the distance to the buffet. Which even at times when 'at seat' was not offered is only one full carriage away at the end closest to 1st. Further to walk from H to F in a HST^▸ (High Speed Train).

That's my take. I'm sure there were sound reasons for the layout settled upon. Doesn't make the person who signed off on it a dumbo. 

[Richard Fairhurst]

As a 'quiet coach' regular I rather selfishly like the location of 1st Class in Adelantes... it acts as a buffer zone to stop the unaware from stumbling into the quiet coach!

The 125mph train, which has been given mechanical and electrical improvements and a new livery

Is this the usual 'dynamic lines'? Slightly surprised if DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have agreed to an operator-specific branding so close to the end of the franchise.

[LiskeardRich]

i'm expecting the livery to be the same plain dark blue as the latest 150s have had applied!

[devon_metro]

It's got the same livery as Hull Trains, just with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) branding.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Finally found the right place (after gatecrashing London to WofE) to ask my question - does anyone know what diagrams the 180's are going to take over, and will any HST^▸ (High Speed Train) turns be affecetd?

[inspector_blakey]

As a 'quiet coach' regular I rather selfishly like the location of 1st Class in Adelantes... it acts as a buffer zone to stop the unaware from stumbling into the quiet coach!

*anorak on*

I thought first class in the Adelantes was in D, with the isolated standard class vehicle being E (formerly offering some kind of audio thingy, and identified with a gold stripe at cantrail level rather than the yellow stripe for first class). That would mean that the quite carriage was actually A at the other end of the train. Or am I getting my proverbials in a twist?

*anorak off*

[IndustryInsider]

Finally found the right place (after gatecrashing London to WofE) to ask my question - does anyone know what diagrams the 180's are going to take over, and will any HST^▸ (High Speed Train) turns be affecetd?

The short answer is 'kind of' and 'no'

See the third post down from 'CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about)' on the following thread (and following comments):

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=9485.15

That situation remains unaltered as far as I know (i.e. all weekday Turbo services that currently go west of Moreton-In-Marsh will be operated by 180s - except the morning 'halts' train), save that I've heard rumours that they'll also be deployed on a couple of stopping/semi-fast Thames Valley services as well.  But HST turns are not likely to be affected.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Many thanks for this.

[IndustryInsider]

Oh, and earlier possibilities of Henley's and Banbury's appear to be on hold for the time being at least.

[Btline]

Oh, and earlier possibilities of Henley's and Banbury's appear to be on hold for the time being at least.

Good.

[IndustryInsider]

I'm hearing through the grapevine that the full introduction of all 4 daily diagrams will be by September with, as previously stated, all services that run west of Evesham being either formed by HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s or Adelantes except for the early morning Moreton-Worcester service and its return 'halts' train.  The down 'halts' service is to be an Adelante (coming from Paddington at 16:20?).

Driver training has started (literally this week) with a progressive introduction of Adelantes (probably on the off-peak Turbo Cotswold Line services) before their full introduction as part of the driver retraining programme.

A couple of other services will also be Adelante operated, with one or both of the current (very full) three car Turbo operated 07:00 and 07:21 stopping services from Oxford (but semi-fast from stations such as Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough) being mentioned, as well as an evening service and workings the other way to get the stock there.