It's day and night on my return train journey to London! LNER First and Caledonian Sleeper in a seat
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- čas přidán 14. 10. 2022
- I was going to London anyway so decided to make this wee comparison video of two VERY different train journeys between the Scottish and English capitals.
We start with a morning LNER First Class service from Edinburgh Waverley and return the same night with Caledonian Sleeper in their infamous seated carriage.
We have good and bad on both trips but not for the reasons I expected.
Enjoy the journey!
Itinerary:
Edinburgh Waverley to London Kings Cross
LNER First Class, Coach L, Seat 39
Departs 06:56, Arrives 11:39 (although we arrived shortly after midday)
Price £107.50
London Euston to Edinburgh Waverley
Caledonian Sleeper, Coach A, Seat 01A
Departs 23:50, Arrives 07:30
Price £70.00
Hi, I’m Steve, a travel reviewer from Scotland. Join me on my adventures as I discover my own country, often visiting places for the first time, so hopefully it's as much of an eye-opener for you as it is for me! Don't expect expert opinion, just a very honest journey of discovery. Sometimes featuring my intrepid sidekick Alicja, sometimes featuring adventures beyond the borders of Scotland. Enjoy!
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#LNERfirst #CaledonianSleeper #SteveMarsh
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it's so interesting to watch as a German - I know you've been to Germany several times and might already be aware but we are much more direct than you Brits and have absolutely no problem with complaining when a service or a product is faulty :D (sometimes comes across as rude to other cultures, but I can tell you it saves a lot of trouble :D ) I can tell you 99% of Germans would have complained if they had been in your shoes :D Especially because it looks like the train was not that busy - you probably would have been offered a better, less noisy seat :) but you took one for the team, so thanks for another great video and greetings from Germany :)
One of my mates had this happen on the sleeper, he complained to the staff and they gave him a room to sleep in instead for no extra cost
Wow, I wish I'd tried that! :D
@Justin R - was that under the old Caledonian Sleeper, or since it changed hands? My impression is that the new staff are less helpful (no doubt it's not their fault, I'm assuming it's company policy) than under the previous arrangements.
The cabins are certainly improved, but the costs are higher and my impression is less staff discretion in cases like this. I used to be a fan of the Caledonian Sleeper, but no longer
Great Idea.
It's amazing how we don't complain but how some people would rather split hairs in the comments.
Rather than just say good idea I'll do just that ,cheers mate .
@@steve-marsh If you don't ask
Had what happen?
I used to go up to Scotland by rail in the 1970s and nothing has changed.
This reminds me of a trip I took to Hokkaido in 2012. Got on the overnight train at Shin-Aomori Station, saw the bunk beds, dropped my bag, sat down, started taking my shoes off and this train attendant came by and asked to see my ticket. He looked at it and politely told me that I was in the wrong car then showed me to the correct one. It was just rows of seats. I was the only non-Japanese person, and as we rolled through the night, I watched others spread across three seats, use their bags or coats for pillows, etc. I did the best I could with my long legs and such. And I thought that was a rough night's sleep until I saw this video! I bet you slept hard between Edinburgh and Montrose!
That overnight train service ended a few years later and was replaced by a shinkansen (bullet train) which gets the passenger between Shin-Aomori Station and Shin-Hakodate Hokuto Station in an hour. But I always flew All Nippon Airlines after that anyway, Tokyo-Sapporo in an hour, then rental car to Yubari.
A bit jealous reading about your adventures!
@@steve-marsh Wait, if I'm jealous of your adventures and you're jealous of mine... which one of us buys the first round when I'm in Scotland?
Many years ago, I was travelling from Glasgow, home to Oban. It was the time of the "Blue electric trains" doing a half hourly service from Craigendoran to Bridgeton in Glasgow, each way., and the trains had to share a line. The Oban train was of the very old type with a corridor leading into a wee booths for 6 people and an overhead parcel rack. The Oban train had to go like the hammers of hell, to Craigendoran, near Helensburgh, with a blue train on it's rear. There were 3 of us in a second class carriage, and our luggage came down from the parcel rack, and the wheels were screaming at the speed it travelled! We were literally tossed about like rag dolls, and prayed that the blue train would not shunt into the rear of our train! After Helensburgh the old train shoogled away as it climbed to Crainlarich, but at a much gentler speed!! I love your journeys around Scotland, as I am now disabled and unable to travel, and I feel that I am taken with you on the modes of transport, and love every minute. ......Tich.
Amazing to think there are twice as many people in London as there are in Scotland.
Love your video 👍👍👍
Just booked Doncaster to Edinburgh on LNER before seeing this - so glad I opted for 1st class deal on return, and a senior railcard. Enjoying your many videos - thank you.
Good, bad, or indifferent your reviews are just terrific.
I follow a lot of transport you tubers, and yours randomly popped up. The Caledonian Sleeper leg must've been pure hell with that noise.
Cheers Gem! Aye, it was brutal, but made for a more interesting video :D
Back in my youth, took overnight trains without seat reservations and once stood all the way from Euston to Carlisle! Now I can sleep anywhere, anytime.
When booking sleepers (Plymouth to Paddington and back) I always chose berths in the middle of the coach to avoid noise from the wheels and bogies. Rarely choose to sit over the bogies, even on a daytime trip.
Modern (Siemens "Venture") coaches here in the USA where I now live have uncomfortable, hard cushion seats. I was told it is due to the type of dense, fire retardant foam they have to use these days. They've just introduced an overnight bus with "lay-flat beds" (like in Business Class planes) between Washington DC and Memphis TN (10 hours) where there's no competing train service.
Thanks for your videos. Good job!
Cheers for the comment, some good advice in there!
The journey down would be ok but as soon as you said that you were in a seat for the return and for eight hours ! , well I could feel your pain, do hope that you are now recovered and staying safe, many thanks and cheers.
Cheers Simon, a good long nap when I got home helped with the recovery, I can't imagine being able to function after this one :D
Great video, Steve!
Cheers :)
Steve you made me smile. London to Edinburgh and return is one of my favorite train rides. I can't wait to get back.
Choose wisely! :)
Excellent steve !!! Putting your videos on is such an excellent escape from the news these days .. crack open a beer sit doon and enjoy !!!
Cheers Brian! :)
Another brilliant video Steve - I love watching these. The morning LNER journey looked superb. I used to do that from Motherwell to London and always loved the journey and service.
Great video Steve. The first class, very posh 😂. Really felt your pain on home journey, I would be putting in a complaint along with your video evidence. X
I really should Judy! Will be interesting to hear if they care
Great comparison video and you've created the polar opposite of ASMR, what a pioneer.
Haha love it :)
Hi Steve, great video as per usual. The Caley Sleeper seats are classics, aren't they? I've come up with a theory. I think there was an obligation to provide seating, but they deliberately made the carriage seriously unpleasant, so it wouldn't attract business away from their more expensive sleepers. My local MSP (an SNP man, so very interested in all things Scottish), was interested in my video and my less-than-glowing report. It's such a shame the Caledonian Sleeper doesn't put other overnight European trains to shame.
That seems very likely. They've stopped the seats available from Edinburgh to Fort William as well (always sold out). It completely misses the point of a sleeper train and is just a tourist gimmick, luckily it's being taken away from Serco soon...
A very good theory mate and I bet it has a lot more truth than any reply I'd get from them!
@@77smp while I agree that Serco has to go, the train is this way at least partly because of the demands of the Scottish Government on how they wanted the service to look like.
Hi Scott watched a video Rivera train sleeper although it was a cabin not seating seemed world away from calley sleeper it hurts lack of attention detail lighting no usb plugs working etc etc you and Steve got g8 memories of calley sleeper now 😀 poor Steve his face told it all 2022 eh a 5 year old train I travelled many times azumu not all way too London though if it gets you there trouble free can't be bad it's a shame our scottish sleeper shows up like this disappointing I think that noise go round Steve's head for years yea bad show now I have go back watch your review again Scott thanks too you both I try see if there's a Rivera seating video 2 compare
@@77smp Its good they're going but the service will still be very expensive to run and require massive subsidy. Will anything change?!
Yet another great vid Steve , mind you that noise would have tested the patience of a Bishop .... Hope your both keeping well Regards Rab.
Cheers Rab!
Sad to see the Caledonian Sleeper is not aging well, and they looked so nice when they first came out. ☹
Yeah, a bit of a flawed service these days and nothing like what their fancy website promises...
It's going that badly that the Scottish Government are taking the franchise away from Serco early next year. Thereafter it will probably be run by an arms-length government-owned company.
I felt your pain on the return train, at about hour 4 on a long haul flight from the US, I am wanting to jump out, so my daughter & I take selfies of how we are feeling instead...and most of those photos look good enough to be in some horror movies. Thank you for taking us on the trip!
Haha cheers :)
Another great video Steve always get a silent chuckle whenever it's breakfast time and full Scottish English you love yir food m8 Keep up the excellent work Steve you're awesome superfly guy ❤
Wow Steve what a beautiful city Salamanca is & the apartment you stayed in was absolutely amazing ( so cheap considering the amazing location) I've been to St.Marks Square in Venice & to be honest it was put in the shade by this stunning Plaza!! Glad you got to return to your favourite food place( 12 Euros what a bargain)!! Thanks again Steve what wonderful video showing us once again how many places are definitely worth visiting 👍
Just watched you Edinburgh to London return trip. Intersting and informative video as always. Regarding your comment about the first class seat on the LNER Azuma. For many years I used the East Coast service from Newark to Edinburgh. First class seats and service always good. Then they introduced these new Azumas. Seats nowhere near as comfortable and the trains are actually noisier. I've been informed the Azumas are actually used as commuter trains in some countries as opposed to long distance. There are many complaints about these seats on social media.
Just to say well done on the 40k subscribers on your channel a great achievement so congrats 👏 hard work has paid off so well done again, onwards & upwards to the channel going forward 👌👌👌👌
Sorry Michael I just saw this comment, thanks so much!!!
As the old saying goes
Rather you then me wee laddy 😅
That rail sounds like insane
The things I do for CZcams :D
Hi Steve, I think that I would have complained and at least moved to another seat in the carriage. The morning train looked awesome plus the breakfast and views. Great video, thanks.
Very nice video. Thanks!
No comments just enjoying your video clips 😊
Oh no, that return journey just looks horrendous. Reminds me of the torture of the Stagecoach bus from London to Scotland I did once as a youth, never been so uncomfortable, never again! Trains are so expensive though, I spose travel is now full stop with all the fuel price hikes. As always you make a the journey entertaining & fun! Thanks.
Crikey, what a contrast to the 1st journey!!! Hope you complained to Caledonian Sleeper management, I wouldn't have put up with that. At least you now know to take the LNER for the way back, and I imagine you'd get a far better sleep.
Also, your face in the reflection when you arrived at Preston, creeped me out! Hahaha. (I know that was due to the lack of sleep)
Cheers for another cracking video, Steve. :)
Haha well spotted mate! :D
I loved the lner train looked very comfortable
It isn't perfect, but I can never complain at the opportunity to travel in first class, it's wayyyy better than anything I'm used to :)
I have been watching all your amazing videos and keep it up and I am just waiting for your next video
Thanks a lot Stephen!
Steve the train splits at Cairstairs - one portion continuing up to Glasgow and the section you was on going up to Edinburgh.
Ahh cheers for this!
As always, great fun, for us viewers. I loved the look on your face when you were playing with the seat controls. Like a little boy. Ha!
Haha so true :D
Great comparison. I find it difficult to sleep on the sleeper even in a bed berth. The seated car with the lights on and the rattle and hum is genuine torture as you discovered. At Carstairs the “track loop” to Edinburgh is south of the station. So when they’ve divided the trains in the station, the front portion continues in the same direction to Glasgow, but the Edinburgh portion goes in the opposite direction into the loop. 😀
To be fair, any transport at night is pretty shit if you're wanting 40 winks.
It's almost impossible to get any meaningful and quality rest. Only thing which would come close would be a decent cabin on a cruise ship. Even business class on a plane is awful.
@@sandersson2813 I would agree with that. I’ve done BA Club World a few times and it is hard to nod off - though all the wine they serve you does help! 😂
There was a sleeper bus from Scotland to London that was actually pretty great. It gently cruised down empty motorways and you had a bed. It wasn't really loud or anything and was pretty cheap. You would wake up in the morning and go to a seat then get a complimentary tea/coffee. I'm sad that's gone, the train's crazy expensive and no night buses have bunks now. You could enjoy the whole day there then get a bus back at night, saving on needing hotels.
@@loneiidev I think that was the Megabus Gold Sleeper service. Never got to try it but I heard good reports! 😀
That sounds incredible!
Great vid Steve i really enjoyed it and the channel too , so interesting what you do , first class looked good the lounge look even better . well done
Thanks so much Roy!
Great 1st part...sounded like the train back had a square wheel...what torture indeed!
Haha it so did :D
Well done Steve, nice meal on the morning trip.
Aye, really enjoyed half of this journey! :)
A martyr to your art convinced me 1st class the way to go
Mate, the return in a bed was something like £270, I'll take the rattle over that :D
In 2001 I slept in Charleroi airport having watched Scotland go out the World Cup without a shot on goal. MY NIGHT ON THE SLEEPER SEAT WAS WORSE
Haha love it! :)
Endured a journey to Durham a few weeks ago after a sad fatality - we were delayed 4 hours in all - the train was rammed even in first class - the staff were superb!
Btw the coffee at Kings Cross lounge was dire - forgive me…
Thanks for this video Steve. What a difference a train makes. Hope you did get your sleep eventually 😀
Keep up the good work. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Cheers mate! It was a long nap after getting home from that one! :)
@@steve-marsh hahahaha
absolutely love this channel. very different. 👍
Cheers Mark, appreciate it!
Thank You.
Thanks a lot Steve for the wonderful trip.
Lovely scenery as usual.
You have all my sympathy for your trip back on the Caledonian sleepless coach 😩
Anyway I appreciate your informative trip/ views etc.
Keep it up 👍😇
Cheers Stasek!
I also like train videos and the the unintended pun " a wee look at the toilet" .G'Day from Australia.
Haha even I missed that one mate!
Great video thanks 😊
Hi Steve,
The reason why it was reversed at Carstairs is because it splits there. One portion goes to Glasgow Central and the other portion goes to Edinburgh. The southbound service combines at Carstairs with portions from Edinburgh and Glasgow to make one train.
Cheers for this! :)
I don't know how you keep trekking around at early starts. You have more motivation than me., great motivation!
Oh it's always a challenge to get up mate!
We recently did my bucket list of both sleepers travelling from Penzance to Fort William. We had cabins which were very good and luckily no noise on the Caledonian Sleeper they have had issues with those carriages since they introduced them though. We ended up travelling the other way as well when they split the train at Edinburgh, the dining car is OK but can be very very busy at departure as everyone wants a meal or drink before bed.
I understand your pain, I've had a few nights like that in my life. While in the Navy, my ship was tossed about in a typhoon for a week and I got almost no sleep the whole week. It is hard to function like that.
No torture like it!
took that train a couple of weeks ago, and enjoyed it. A great end to my visit to Scotland
Always love the train videos mate! A wee bonus that u found that first class ticket, makes the journey a bit better! Nice to see Rentons “famous stairs” at the end of the video 😂🏴
Haha well spotted mate :)
First Class on that line was wonderful when it was East Coast, and after a bit of a hiatus while Virgin ran the trains (all ‘style’, mostly lousy style, and poor service) it seems to have gone back to excellence under LNER. Even second class is pretty comfortable, though you have to bring or buy your food… The price of any ticket, especially a first-class one, could be made less eyewatering by booking well in advance and a bit of canny split-ticketing. None of that is so easy post-Covid, though, because advance reservations are less available.
as always Steve this video is great, your camera skills are brilliant ,not every journey is good however you got back safely.
That's the main thing :) Cheers
The beginning was wonderful and I would have swapped places with you, delicious breakfast 🍳 and looking out over Berwick upon Tweed a destination for us at least 3 times a year. You can watch the trains crossing the bridge from the caravan. Especially brilliant seeing a steam train crossing. To top it all York Minster another very favourite city. Then poor you downhill all the way back home. The problem with a rattle like that is in the end that’s all you can focus on and your just willing it to end. Perhaps Caledonian sleeper may see this and take note!! Bet you were pleased to get home. All in all a great video. Best wishes P
It's so true Pamela! It's all you can hear after a while! :D
At Carstairs Junction, they uncouple the 2 trains. One heading for Edinburgh, one for Glasgow. On the way down, that's where they couple the 2 trains and you can feel a bump when they do
Great vlog Steve as usual. Years ago when i lived in Edinburgh and my future wife lived in Glasgow we travelled south to visit my uncle. The trains met up and joined at Carstairs then.
Perfect! :)
LOve your work Steve..
Cheers :)
Another great vid Steve. Nice to see Durham Cathedral make a fleeting appearance as my wife & I will be in the cathedral this evening to watch a spectacular light show. It should be fun - unlike your trip on the "Sleeper Deprivation" train. What an awful journey you had on that one!
Cheers mate, how was the light show?
@@steve-marsh it was canny but not as good as the Lumiere light festival they have around Durham City every two years. I think I would have enjoyed it better if I hadn't frozen my nuts off queuing outside 😅
@@DaveyPalmer1 Haha I can imagine! I'll need to add one of these to the list - not sure how easy to film though!
The morning train looked nice! Appeared nicer than pics/videos I’ve seen over here.
Aye, quite impressed with it, although I don't know if my review is critical because it's a very rare treat :)
Great vid Steve. At Carstairs the lowlander sleeper (Glasgow and Edinburgh) splits and heads to Glasgow and Edinburgh separately.
Ahh thanks for this Cameron!
Love the LNER first class experience! Granted can be abit pricey if you don't book early enough but so worth it from the lounge to the service soon as you sit down.. the drinks trolley is always a welcomed sight on the long journey too haha!.
A lovely treat (the journey down anyway!)
When I go on the sleeper I find it helps to have a couple of pints before hand - makes it far easier to get to sleep!
I wish I'd done just that!
I’d have needed a bloody general anaesthetic the last time.
LNER are all in all great in my experience. Trains in the UK are too expensive overall but comparatively they provide a great service. Having Lumo on the East Coast will hopefully encourage fares to come down if that old capitalism and competition really is a thing!
Great video, sorry about the ‘sleeper’! 😅
Good point mate!
Sleeper...what a misnomer in the seating area.
The LNER Azuma trains are awful...a truly miserable, uncomfortable & even painful experience. The seats are butt-numbing, I could barely manage Leeds to Peterborough, let alone going the full distance to London. Steve also mentions LNER appear to have also downgraded the comfort of the First Class seats also....They're not winning any friends with these penny-pinching measures.
@@_Ben4810 I completely agree. I've stopped using LNER on my regular London/Edinburgh trips because I can't walk by the time I get to the end. The LUMO all electric Azumas are a much better experience for standard class - and cheaper too.
Was pleasantly surprised by how nice LNER was when we rode them between Kings Cross and Waverly over the summer - food was good, service was good, staff constantly coming through the first class carriage offering hot and cold beverages. Caledonian Sleeper wasn't an option on the dates we traveled... and I'm kind of ok with that based on your experience and some other reviews I've seen recently!
Yeah it’s a real shame, but their contract will be up soon so here’s hoping we get a nice upgraded service before too long!
As someone who has frequent insomnia I feel for you Steve. My tip is Podcasts, it helps pass the time.
Enjoyed seeing the journey and thanks for the info, cheers Joe.
Great tip!
Thanks Steve excellent video the trip down to London looked lovely pity about the trip back 🙁
Cheers James!
Edinburgh Waverley Station was originally equipped with a certain number of Bathrooms for the use of passengers on the then more numerous overnight sleeping car trains. The passengers who used them could then after morning ablutions go via an internal passages to The North British Hotel and have breakfast in the Hotel Restaurant, and then charge their breakfast to the Bathroom, and of course pay at Reception on leaving the Hotel. Sorry you had such a bad trip on the Caledonian Sleeper, I think the problem is due to very soft suspension in these new coaches. Even in Mark 3 and 4 Coaches there was always a certain amount of noise near the vestibules but that was bad.. The fact the at seat power supply wasnt working is inexcusable.
Steve - Please say that you alerted the conductor to this annoyance and seat short-comings? He / she could have at a minimum authorized you to move to another seat and I would lean a bit on them to alert them to your CZcams following as a travel blogger. That may spur a thorough maintenance inspection to have the issues resolved for the next traveler too.
Surely, they also have an on-line capability for notification of such issues too? I know, I know, I'm preaching to the choir, but this is certainly not the level of service you've come to expect as a paying customer.
I decided just to stay in the seat to give a true review of seat 1A, hopefully helpful for anyone booking (or not booking!) this seat in future. Truth is though I didn't see a staff member all night, but I could have gone looking for one
Is there a better run of views from a train in the UK than along the coast, past Berwick and Newcastle and then on to Durham? on a sunny morning like the one you had, is simply a pleasure to watch the world go by!
Totally agree!
I'm not going to argue about which is best of the two, but in my view the joint best first place is shared between this run and the classic coast side run to Penzance on the GWR.
The train splits in half at carstairs, and front goes to glasgow.. my only memory of first class was the morning of 7/7 and I had to get off at watford and wait, oh the nightmare of a night seat and left luggage at Euston memories. Great video
Haha thankfully the true memory of this return has faded with a good sleep all day after it :)
Nice video as always Steve in terms of the train at carstairs this is where they split the Caledonian sleeper half goes to Edinburgh other half goes to Glasgow
Ahh cheers for that!
Always think Waverley one of the coldest stations. I drove this year to London from Glasgow and I enjoy driving but the train looks so relaxing. The Car cost me £130 return but I was going to other places I got down and up and gave me freedom.
It’s getting to be a trickier decision though as the costs of fuel and running costs all go up
@@steve-marsh yes- it’s a shame. I can’t help feeling that if we ever had a British government which gave a damn about saving energy and reducing pollution, train travel would be made easier. Call me naïve…
Morning Steve agrees with your comments seat even on Virgin train never that comfy . I used to do that trip once a month for 5 years got to know all the train crew very well and had some interesting chat with some characters.
So sorry for the terrible return trip , but thank you for the video!
Very welcome Cathy!
Great video as usual. Had a travel overnight from Boston to DC. Similar noise. Little sleep. At least u had legroom
Cheers Robert!
And that just reaffirms what I say. Thank you for the "work" that you do to bring these videos to us. I thoroughly enjoyed the first class part of the trip but the return... Had they been wanting to know something I would have spilled my guts within the first 5 minutes. Horrible. Say hi to Alicja for me. Be well, stay safe, hope you travel quieter the next time, love from Texas.
Lucky Alicja not on this return Kate :)
Definitely catch that left seat heading down…I love that view around Berwick 🚂. Nice to see train travel from Waverley has got a whole lot prettier since the last time I did it (30-35 yrs ago) 😎👍. That rattle & lack of power on the table was complaint-worthy 😬. 🤔🧐 I’m sure they stopped at Carstairs because that rattle had driven you mental and they were going to offload you at the funny farm!!
Haha this made me laugh out loud (from my cell)
The main issue for Caley I think is the fact that there are quite a few other competing products, which all get you from a to b much more quickly (and often, much cheaper too if you know how to be savvy). This means that they rely on their higher-priced cabins to make them money, so they neglect the carriages as a result.
Other night trains (such as the Night Riviera) have the advantage of having much less competition - GWR are the only operator who run a direct service between London and Penzance as far as I’m aware.
On top of this, there are loads of ways of going between London and Edinburgh - multiple train lines, flights and even busses to choose from. Whereas to get to Cornwall directly from London, options are very limited as no direct flights and very infrequent direct coaches - making the train the only option.
That being said, definitely hope to try out both the Caley and the Night R someday!
Good morning Steve, thx for showing us Lner and sleeper comparison 😱ugh now we know how Not to travel! Take care see you soon 😘
Thanks Linda! Sure made for an interesting video though :D
I say always learn something from your channel 👍
Thanks great video 😊👍
Cheers Peter!
Sorry to hear of your overnight journey problems. I’m afraid trains in the U.K. seem to have gone down and down in terms of comfort, despite being replaced with new ones (with the exception of the FGW Exeter / Torbay and Barnstaple local trains which I believe may be antique underground trains? 🤔🤭). They take the term ‘basic’ to a whole new level and score 2 out of ten for comfort. On the other hand, South West Trains (last time I travelled from Waterloo) were using very old trains for Exeter journeys, but despite this, the first class seats were as springy and comfy as my grandmas armchair. I once heard that FGW buy trains which are being decommissioned from other parts of the country where upgrades are happening, not sure, but it’s possible. And can’t find anyone who’s a fan of the Paddington to Penzance Hitachi trains which have suffered multiple technical issues since their arrival; get on via the wrong carriage at your peril - there’s no way to walk from one end of the train on the other.
Haven't even watched yet but makes me happy that once I get in at 2am from DJ'ing at a wedding in Clackmannanshire that I have something good to watch 🙂
Steve.... Its a weekly Saturday thing now 🤣 Come home from the gig, feet up and wind down to your content. Keep up the great work mate 🏴👍🙂
Thanks so much mate! :)
I have spinal problems and sitting on the seats of those azuma trains for long periods is the stuff of nightmares. It's unbelievable how much money was spent on those trains and they managed to make the seats some of the most uncomfortable you'll ever sit on, although I'll admit I've never sat in First Class or on an LNER variant.
It's a trend with refurbished and new trains to have dreadful seats, the refurbished Avanti trains seats are so bad, terrible seat pitch/angle and the padding is rock solid. They're literally a pain in the arse and in the back!
the bogie is under where you were sitting you would feel every rail join, plus it sounded like a wheel wasnt round (flat tyre), i would have seen if there was any other seats
Aye, decided to suffer the true 1A experience for the video :)
Dear oh dear ....that noise 😠.....you have experienced the trains in Spain👍...great upload thank you, on balance I'd choose National Express
A wise choice mate!
LNER first class is always an excellent experience, travelled 1st class late from Edinburgh to London on the older though nicer Intercity 225’s (big plush leather seats) so appreciated considering I arrived early hours 😝
The seats on the Caledonia Sleeper kind of remind me of on a plane
Except seats on a plane are reasonably comfortable and recline just enough so you can doze a little. Try thinking of Soviet style bus and you're just starting your journey to the awfulness of Caledonain sleeper seating compartment.
Enjoyed watching subscribed
Cheers James! Welcome aboard!
As you say, day and night between the two trips! That noise was evil, If the carriage wasn't busy, I'd have tried another seat, great video though Steve.
Cheers, it was a proper test, but good for the video I guess :)
That rattle is reminiscent of our XPT train in New South Wales, although at 40 years old it possibly has an excuse. It's being replaced soon (I hope) with a new long-distance train (seven hours from Sydney to our station) but if the British experience is anything to go by, that might be even worse. Thanks for a great report. Love Edinburgh!
Cheers David!
The LNER first class looks lovely -- a good start for your day's work. But I'm so sorry you suffered so badly on the Caledonian Sleeper on the way back to Edinburgh. That noise is really appalling!
Cheers Barney! A good long nap after that one! :D
Great choice of "music"at the end!
Having watched this I'm happy I chose the coach to get back from Edinburgh overnight next year. At the bargain price of £16 it's even more appealing given the sleeper's extorionate costs nowadays. The carstairs stop is to split the Edinburgh and Glasgow portions of the Lowlander, so the change in direction may have something to do with the track layout there
A wise choice - the coach always seems worse in my mind than the reality
Great video! I think that 1st class price was pretty good! Get to see a bit more than flying and looks a bit more relaxed. Don’t fancy that sleeper seat lol
Cheers Mat! Aye, a very relaxed way to make the journey :)
At Carstairs the train splits up. Part will go off to Glasgow and the other part Edinburgh.
Cheers Caroline!
great insight into the uk train system steve
Cheers James!
Lol loved the outro tune. What a banger 😂😂😂
I play it on loop every night
I did the seats to Edinburgh once and it was made worse by someone with restless legs behind kicking my seat while he was alseep. Ive never been happier that my hotel let me check in at 8am!
Yeah agreed, the first class seats on the new Azuma trains are a downgrade on the old 225 coach stock. They had the nice grey leather seating. Now first class just feels like standard class. If you don't get the full meal service on your journey then LNER 1st class is going to be a big let down on a long haul trip. Have to say the KGX 1st lounge (in Virgin days) was also a big disappointment. Not been in a lounge since LNER took over, but looking at what you saw in Edinburgh Steve the catering is no better (for which read non-existent).
So true mate!