How comfy are GWR's new trainset? Corwall to London Train Trip
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Hi everyone, welcome back to England for a trip report onboard the latest stock of GWR the class 800 on a long distance route from Cornwall to London
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- TRIP INFORMATION -
Railway company: GWR
Train type : Hitachi Class 802
From : Penzance to London
N° of train: Unknown
Duration : 5h08min
Price : Around 70 GBP
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New, modern, quiet, quick and all that, but these trains will never be as iconic as a HST.
Ikr
Nothing iconic was ever initially thought so. Even the Eiffel Tower was criticised for its design when it was new!
The HST certainly was iconic in many ways but why does its replacement need to be instantly seen as iconic. At the end of the day it’s a mass transport vehicle and it does it’s job
No the underfloor engines intrude on passenger comfort in my opinion
HST are best Your objectivity of opinion is clear from your CZcams login.
Hey, man! I'm from Belarus, been to the UK only once in my life (this year, but looking forward to come there once again). I traveled by this train from Manchester to Leeds (Transpennine service). It's super quite and just wonderful.
Cheers!
Great video as always! 👍 Oh the saga of the GWR IET seats... 😄 Firstly the ones you had are the 'improved' version which have GWRs cut moquette, rather than DfT (UK government Department for Transport) specifieded plain grey cloth which had no give whatsoever. After much complaining from passengers after the first 800s had entered service the DfT gave in and allowed GWR to have the plain grey cloth seat covers change for the GWR moquette they and GWRs 802s have today.
The lack of a cafe bar / buffet and the lower number of luggage stacks for large suitcases was also down to the control DfT over the specification of the 800s, which GWR had very little say. Even when GWR went on to order the 802s, the DfT insisted that the interior specification be the same as the 800s they'd ordered or they wouldn't approve GWR to be able to place it order, to save them face from the 802s being better than the 800s for passengers.
Virgin Trains East Coast, now LNER, was slightly more lucky, in that the DfT allowed them to specify a cafe bar / buffet, and better (in my opinion) seat cushions with moquette covers for their 800s and 801s. They too however have had issues with lack of luggage space, particularly on their Scotland services, but have been able to get DfT approval for more to be fitted to their 9 car 800s and 801s. Just some of the hoops that UK train operators have to jump through! 😂
Other than the seats of and some luggage storage issues the Hitachi 800s, 801s and 802s are good trains, but personally I'd say LNERs are the best of the bunch! 😁
Agreed- love the LNER azumas
You should try the only proper domestic high speed train in the UK. The Class 395 "Javelin" that operates long distance commuter services for Southeastern out of London St Pancras down HS1 (Eurostar line) to cities and towns in Kent
If you search... He has already 😉
Did you notice how the weather improves as you leave the southwest? 😆 I live in Devon and it really does rain for 9 months of the year
Indeed, we in the west get the brunt of depressions sweeping in from the Atlantic
They should bring back mainline steam between Plymouth and Penzance as it would be a great tourist attraction and due to all the old stations architecture and signals it will totally feel like going back in time.
Anyone ever noticed Thibault wears an Ice watch? And anyone ever realised “ICE” stands for “InterCity Express”?
Coincidence? I think not 😂😏
There are also ice trains in Germany
That’s what fast trains are supposed to be
I love our French neighbours too definitely the best rail network in the world ❤️
I love and really enjoy your videos! I can’t tell you how much it has helped me plan and organise some fantastic rail trips in Europe! Thanks so much 🙏❤️👍
Love the green of the GWR livery, looks really smart I think, big like added and subscribed
Hitachi improved alot on the seats in the EMU3000 train sets for TRA!
Like with Voyagers, I can forgive them a lot because they have great acceleration and the traction motors make a nice sound
I love Penzance station....made this trip With Class 45 and blue-grey coaches in sep 1976.....great
I was going to comment Ton Ton's are not lizards - but they are!! Who knew - thank you for the educational opportunity :) Nice ride too...
Hello There, great Review by the way, I loved the comparison shots in terms of the old Intercity 125 HST Set and the new Class 800 IET, I still prefer the old HST, as it has a certain amount of style, elegance and class within the interior, even within Standard Class. Please continue to keep up the good work! Kind regards Peter :)
You are correct with your notes. These commuter trains need a refit of new comfy seats, an onboard shop, toilets that don't fail after 20 minutes, more luggage space, and more reliable aircon (stuffy or too cold). And all other silly tech faults repaired. Perhaps then these units can then be upgraded to somewhere near intercity status !!
Another great video showing the scenic part of the gwr network i also love the Hitachi trains (despite the seats being rather hard ) and the unpredictable weather is standard in Britain i do like it when it's cloudy or light rain however I don't like downpours or too hot weather like it is currently when I'm typing this
That's the thing with us Brits, we complain if it's either too hot or too cold lol
@@NonstopEurotrip that's very true 😂😂😂
Yep that's Devon and Cornwall weather for you 🤣 though right now the UK is bathed in glorious sunshine. Even Cornwall!
Once this pandemic is over and everyone can go out like normal again, it’ll go back to the usual British weather 🤣
Great video! The seat model looks similar to the seats of the Dutch sprinter SNG (CAF Civity.) The Dutch passengers also complain about the seats.
We sure do!
It's because he got used to the comfort of SNCF which can't be beaten
I'm guessing this was filmed sometime in the second half of 2019? As the slam door 2+4 HSTs on GWR as you saw ended on 31/12/2019... and I was on the last trip! :)
Another great review. You love our weather so much that we always want to make you feel at home though since the pandemic started weather has been hottest all year. I’ve not been on these trains yet but still fond of the intercity 125s.
SR: Travels on Class 800, hates it.
Also SR: Willingly chooses to go on a 5 hour journey in them.
Bonjour Thibault,
Just subscribed after searching for Belgian railways, the seats on the 800 series are known as “ironing boards” they’re not at all popular. Agreed, our weather is rubbish but it does make England lovely and green I guess. Anyway, love your films and will be working through some more of them as time permits. Parle bientôt, bonne journée.
I love IETs/Azumas/Novas. Lovely units
Thank you for reviewing this ! I was wondering how I would get to Cornwall from London, IET or Night Riv, as always a great video! Stay safe
Night Riviera is much nicer if your schedule matches up.
The main thing is being comfortable on a journey of that length. You will need to bring food with you. The trolleys wont suffice.
Also go for a wander along the train from time to time. Unfortunately there isn't much to explore but it's better than sitting for ever.
The seats are now more comfier. When the class 800 were first brought into service it had lots of teething problems but they have settled into service really well x
Not what superalbs reported the train built quality from the assembling factory in Italy is terrible
I think DfT (department for transport) had influence in cabin specs, which is why it's rather cramped, hard seats and lacking luggage space. The Azuma sets have a cafe, not as big as the Pendalino cafe though. The new CAF EMU on the west coast line between Liv & Man to Scotland looks more comfortable.
yes it should be called the department against transport
Lumo also have class 80x trains and they've sorted it out. The seats really let down a good train in my opinion
These type of seats are also used in Vande Bharat Express of India. But they are a lot better than these seats.
Penzance is one of my favourite places.I takes this train and catch it half way along ! I never understand on long distance trains why the seats are so bad. I did Newcastle to Bristol and it was 6 hours of hard seats and little leg room.
The new trains are absolutely beautiful in the green livery.
I really do like them, the seats just let them right down
The seats weren't as uncomfortable as I thought
That's what I thought when I sampled one, but I only rode it on a short 10-minute hop from Newport to Cardiff so my comment doesn't hold much validity
Belle vidéo ! 😀
I love GWR! Take the class 166 from Paddington to Reading next time
Unfortunately, the 166s no longer run out of Paddington, and GWR have lost the Paddington-Reading route to TfL
@@AviationFRuk good, those trains were WAY too small and cramped, imagine 3 car to the capital during rush hour it’s mad
@@kake_dnb1422 i used to use a 2 car 166 to get into london during rush hour…
@@kake_dnb1422 2 car London to Oxford services were something special
@@kake_dnb1422not so much fun riding them for up to 2 hours down to Portsmouth
The trouble with alot of newer long distance trains in the UK is the lack of legroom - seats with insufficient space between the seat in front, pathetically small and quite flimsy fold up tables, and seats that are just abit too firm for sitting in for two, three, four or more hours. Firm seats are ok for shorter distance or commuter trains but not really good enough for long distance travel.
Compare seats on our fast trains with those in France, Germany or indeed many other European countries and you'll see what I'm talking about. We haven't quite managed the 'comfort' factor with seats on newer fast trains yet, and tbh this is pretty important to get right. We should look at what the newer Eurostar trains have got right and use this as a benchmark for our own domestic fast trains.
Well, lumo have the seats sorted out, and the seat comfort is a massive let down for these trains
You can thank the government for those seats. NEVER let politicians have a say in specifications for anything.
The Star Wars reference is just another reason for this to be one of my favourite channels 😱🤟🏻🤙🏻😂
I think governments are in error when they make seats uncomfortable in the name of safety. If defeats the purpose if people find the trains too unpleasant to travel in, and use a more dangerous mode of transport (car) instead. Has fire historically been that much of a problem in trains anyway, particularly when people can decamp to adjacent carriages?
The real issue (which the greedy bastards at DfT blatantly REFUSE to admit) is 'saving money' and switching to cars is something the DfT secretly want, as it probably makes them more money than use of public transport!
Exactly a train is not like a plane. I don't think the risk of a seat fire is that severe. Besides, other trains, like those on lumo have managed to sort out the seats
These seats are pretty similar to those fitted on the Series 447 from Renfe that you did a review some time ago. I bet they're from the same company.
But only the regional ones, not the commuter
I don't think they are going to electrify the Cornish Main Line any time soon. I have not seen any plans to that effect.
1:44 - _Big_ no-no. You _never_ leave any baggage unattended like that.
Exactly what you said about them! As "Colani Tower" said they will never be as iconic as and "HST"
Thank you for sharing this video with us !!! :):):)
Never say never. Did people find them iconic when they first came in? People thought the Eiffel tower was going to be an eyesore in the Paris cityscape, but now it's so quintessentially Parisian. If you say Paris or France, people will instantly think of the Eiffel tower, and I don't think people at the time would have foreseen thst
Excellent video. I desperately wanted to like these trains. However after a few shortish trips on those awful seats I am of the opinion that they are inadequate even as short range commuter trains. Whether it was the DfT or the train operator who approved the seat design, whoever was ultimately responsible should be required to commute 2 hours each way daily as punishment! The lack of a walkthrough facility on the long ones, no buffet area and the over bright lighting also convince me that they are totally unsuited for long distance travel. The HSTs were luxurious in comparison. Shows how little the DfT and the rail companies regard their customers. I prefer travelling from the London area to Cornwall by train, however I will in future take the car as I really don't want to endure the torture of those seats.
I took a IET from Plymouth to st Austell, a short but brutal journey really uncomfortable even for 45 mins
Don't become a cager; use the coach, National Express have very comfy leather seats and prices under £20 between London and Cornwall is a steal!
I only use them for Basingstoke to Reading
Its the DfT who made the seats crap
nice 802 video they feel faster then the HSTS as in departing the stations and with the seats HSTS are more comfy but i would not say IETS seats hurt me. from plymouth to penzance there 5 or 9 cars because the platfroms are too short so if there a 10 they uncouple in plymouth
The amazing thing is that these are Japanese built trains. Clearly the penny pinching Brits got their hands on the seats as, if you ever go to Japan and ride on their Shinkansen (or even local trains) the seats are awesome. A second class Shinkansen seat has more space even than a X2000, tilting seats and a footrest. Much needed.
The seats are like ironing boards, from commuter trains elsewhere, the ride is alarming at speed and the bogies 'Hunt' on Cornwall's bends. The catering can is shambolic, the units struggle on the Devon banks, the old HST were so much better. I just wonder if the reformed 'Castle' HST will be used on the far west trains?
The IETs are a very good design that were completely messed up by the DFT. Hopefully the 803s and 810s will be done 'properly'.
Lumo actually have much better seats on theirs, which is actually giving it overwhelming popularity on the London-Newcastle-Edinburgh corridor!
Think these seats are bad try the ones on the Thameslink class 700 there even worse.
Thing is that’s almost more acceptable, Thameslink is less than hour on the service for most. Even Bristol is 2 hrs and a hell of a lot of GWR services are much longer than that. The DfT has wasted a vast amount of money under specifying the interiors of the new fleets they’ve been in charge of procuring.
Thameslink class 700s are commuter trains. What do you expect? A reclining seat with a reading light and curtains?
@@tescotrain no that is not the point I'm trying to say the 700 seats are even harder, even though they are comunters trains there seats are still too hard and should be softer, I can't even cope 5 minutes in those. But yeah it's more acceptable on the 700 because its a commuter train.
Good train video, thanks from Buenos Aires. Hopping next.
Same vile seats as LNER, travelled on one before Lockdown between Montrose and Edinburgh that was very uncomfortable,thank God we have ScotRail HSTs
It’s seems all these hitachi trains have horrible seats the ones Hull trains and Trans Pennie are using are also terrible
@@liamg5845lumo have the same trains but have sorted out the seats, I don't think Hitachi fit the seats. The same kind are also used in other countries, but on short journeys for which they are adequate
This is the problem when you don't have competition - they can make the trains as uncomfortable and profitable as they like. People will still have to use it as there is no alternative. If there were two or three different operators on the same route and one offered comfortable seating and a cafe/bar, then the others would have to step up to the plate or slash their prices to remain competitive.
It's nothing at all to do with private train operators having a monopoly, the specification for these was drawn up by the Department for Transport. Just the same with the East Coast ones.
I drive now... my spine can’t take a long trip on one of these things. From the West Wales point of view a step backwards, uncomfortable, no decent catering (if I wanted a drink from a flask I’d bring my own) and still running on diesel. They should have left these on the Paddington - Cardiff service and left the HST thru to Swansea. GWR? Certainly not “great” these days
I have been on 43002! It was the final gwr HST, the flying banana and the hst in the York train museum
You have to review the Frecciabianca. It Is the High Speed train of Trenitalia (🇮🇹) that has his trucks on North and center of Italy. It's a nice train, like a Brother of frecciarossa 😃
Excellent video 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Go try to get a ride on either a class 350, 444 or 450. The Desiro UK family is in my opinion the quietest and most steady trains in the UK
As someone who lives on the PDL I very much disagree.
Nice one mate
Wow big fan bro!
So, the seats; its the fire retardant foam that makes the seating so uncomfortable; it is unyielding and after some usage, the foam compacts -- which is even more uncomfortable. On commercial airline seats it is the same except for first class, where the airline usually selects a better foam cushion and that is wrapped with a fire retardant covering before the decorative covering is fitted.
Other modern trains have managed to do it better, so that can't be the whole reason
Ótimo vídeo parabéns
Our weather is great when your not here.............
Haven't watched the video yet but my guess is you found the seats to be uncomfortable. I regularly travel on the LNER version of these which have the same seating - just a different colour
Nice job on the report.
Dont let anyone tell you those seats are like that due to fire regs. Its entirely because the DfT specified the absoult cheapest seat possible. Same for the Class 700s. Massive shame because the rest of the IETs are absolutely first class.
I cannot find those seats comfortable, even on the 1ST Class. About the luggage storage space, I can say the trains were designed with some space rules to be followed by passengers, who, in the end, will do whatever they want (talking about where to store your bags according to their size). LNER Azuma were a kinda of fiasco, as they did'nt come with a massive storage space, as the Driving Van Trailer was. I have seen a lot of passengers complaining because they could not travel due to the lack of space for their belongings, even if following the maximum baggage allowance. I can't imagine it on busy periods like Xmas!
ANyway. Nice video!
Or summer holidays! At least LNER are removing some pairs of seats to add baggage racks and solve the problem some what... 🚄
Lumo's trains have managed to sort out the seat situation, so it's clearly doable. They're good trains let down by skimping on catering and seats
Recently travelled back from Penzance to Newport first class on one of these things a pacer would have been better
Enjoy the weather but we all know that railfans generally get disturbed by rains. But trip was nice
I did complain and had a written reply advising they were ergonomically designed , I did ask if any one had actually sat in them ,no reply came forth . The screens on the side frequently fail on the destination .
I saw the same train at London
Seems like the ride quality, trolley service, sounds and toilets were good, but not the seating, tray tables and luggage space.
These older HST125 are being sold to Scotsrail. In Sctoland, they have introduced the new Hitachis and they are not pleasant at all. Not having seats better then Ryanair. Even the new CAF trains running by Northern to Manchester have the same poor seats. We miss the old Alstom that are still running between Helensborough and Edingburgh. Recently, we travelled from Brest to Nantes with the new regional trains and their seats were so ergonomic and comfortable, but I suppose that this is an areaa where the British companies could learn a lot.
I agree but I do love th 91
I've rode this as well however seat pitch was smaller than Japanese Shinkansen or express train (even though Japanese trains are designed smaller than European ones cuz we're smaller lol)
The only thing I like about the 800 class is the speed but as for the insides the dft ruined it with the way they wanted things done otherwise these sets would be good.
DFT just do anything as cheap as possible
Nice video. I like the lNER sets more tho as they are a tad bit more comfy and that they have a cafe
You should be doing all your UK trips now .we've just had the driest and sunniest spring on record. 😎
470danadidas never heard of Covid 19
I live on this line. Even travelling in First, the 800s are rubbish compared to the HSTs. Cheap and cheerful - except from the passengers point of view who are stuck with rock hard seats for hours and no catering worth speaking about and very high fares. The only reason they’ll attract customers is because we have now lost FlyBe. Those snack boxes! Ugh. What idiot thought they’d be a good alternative to real catering?
Luckily you got a much more comfortable and probably more scenic route to Exeter from London Waterloo; heard it's cheaper as well so that's worth a shot for those travelling from London to Devon & Cornwall - may be slower, but definitely still faster than a coach!
@@AymanTravelTransport That is very true and it would be a far faster line if re-doubled south of Salisbury. I’ve always enjoyed the novelty of seeing trains depart for London heading out of Exeter St Davids in opposite directions too
@@hoof2001 I think if tourism for Salisbury is further boosted after the pandemic, redoubling the line would be a reality; as well as being the gateway to Stonehenge and having a grand cathedral, I heard it has an amazing market square and plenty of other historic attractions to admire around it! I wonder if the town of Yeovil (halfway between the cities of Exeter and Salisbury) has anything worth seeing as well?
@@AymanTravelTransport It’s a very small city but has a lot of nice areas as you say. Yeovil is famous for Bill Bailey, a helicopter factory and a small heritage railway centre at Yeovil Junction. I’m not sure I’d think about it as a destination though
@@hoof2001 I'm aware Salisbury is very small for a city; however, I've been to many places officially holding city status that are much smaller (Bangor, Ripon, Ely, St Asaph, etc.); St Asaph in Wales (which is somehow smaller and less significant than pretty much every town in its area) is basically a large village with a cathedral that isn't much bigger than your average town church - Salisbury does hold up as a city on the other hand cos of how many famous landmarks it has and its rich history, especially compared to Yeovil which is a town of a similar size (both places have populations around 45k) but as you said, not a worthwhile destination like Salisbury
I think there is little wrong with these trains beyond a seat upgrade however the reality is that they are with there lack of buffet car better they are better suited to cross country routes and shorter journeys just like the one that 4 coach HST was doing. GWR should push the dept of transport to procure a 125 mph electro diesel locomotive to put at each end of 8 Mk5 coaches (and a single locomotive with 3 coaches plus a driving trailer for shorter lighter routes) they would have a true successor to the HST.
How fast can trains go on the Royal Albert Bridge?
Don't rely on the catering. If you need to eat and the trolley has run out of sandwiches you might have to wait hours for a sandwich.
I never really use catering on trains, as it's always cheaper to buy food at a nearby supermarket before getting on the train; sometimes I may buy a hot drink if I feel like it tho!
Heard someone on a 9 car IET that the trolly only went to coach 7
Compare with the new Greater Anglia trains to Norwich.
Actually it is hard to compare the Stadtler trains with 802s because London to Norwich is only 2 hours at most. It's not possible to tell what 5 hours would be like on a Stadtler train. The 802 might be better but it would help alot if the 802s had even a small buffet car.
I took one of these trains from Cardiff to London Paddington I was glad I had my jacket, i used it as a cushion made the 2 hour journey more bearable
9:45 been about 30 degrees here for most of the last week or so
Lovely trains but will never be better than the HST
Are you uploading any overnight train travel in spain
Had it been me, HST to Plymouth then have to board IET to Paddington
It's such a shame the 800 is like it is and more investment wasn't made with the seats. According to some sources the class 800 is a commuter train for the Japanese and they think it's funny we use them for intercity services :) sounds weird but the seats for LNER 800's seem a little more supprotive but could just be me....I dunno haha
Móito lindo tren simples gostei show
You are always kind about the UK but the comments about our weather are starting to annoy. You filmed this in autumn. It can be poor across most of Europe including France. I'm writing this in my garden in the UK at 10pm it's light and still 24 degrees in the sunniest spring ever. No rain since March 9th here. This weather is actually quite typical in UK.
Nice! Ath which time and day did this train leave from Penzance?
The aerodynamics must be terrible with the all the boxes on the roof and the wide gaps between the carriages.
I can only apologise for the weather, but a shame you were on the wrong side to truly appreciate the sea views on the Dawlish sea wall!
I miss the HSTs to London, far more comfortable than the new trains.
Rock hard Seats, Rubbish experience now, compared to wot had everything the HST 125
@@paulcrook792let's scrap the 800s and 802s and bring back the InterCity125 and InterCity225 sets
Mate we’re having wall to wall sunshine, clear sky’s and 25c every day recently and for the forceable. Where have you been? 😎
If it always rains when you come to the UK, can you come to London more often? My back garden lawn is dead from lack of rain.
10:12 R.I.P Class 332
1998-2020
Did you also made a Trip report on the far north line (Inverness to Wick) or will you in Future?
My goodness, all those passengers and no masks. How times have changed!
One of the ,lovely aspects of older British trains was their seats...interior ambience...made train travel a delight...,...I'm going back to the compartments era and then right though the HSTs....and I loved those trains..as did we all....so why the dreadful seats on these new Hitachi wonder trains? It's appalling...yes I hear it might have something to do with fire resistence....well here in New Zealand the long distance train seats are very good, as they are in Europe and on the North East Corridor of the US....so fire resitance is a smoke screen(!). They are bad seats and they should not be. Another thing. If the British designed and built HSTs were so good...and they were...why are the new trains not British?
they are not British built because successive Conservative governments have been on a mission to destroy manufacturing in the UK since the days of Thatcher.
there are still HST on the Great Western Mainline^^
Not into Paddington there isn't
Yes, not into Paddington and not full HST sets!
Good review thats near me. What camera do you use to film these youtubes?
it's in the description
The bullet train 🚄
First!!!