On Sat, 15 Jul 2017 04:55:39 +0100, Basil Jet
wrote:

On 2017\07\14 18:45, Chris Date (CMPD) wrote:
Managed to get out of the Friday morning meeting earlier with 30 mins to spare to get to Stratford for the daily Elizabeth Line unit working.

I arrived on the Central Line at 10:41, it pulled in cross-platform at 10:42. Perfect timing!

Photos:

https://twitter.com/cmpd_date/status/885811382662438913

The nice driver(s) even let me take some photos in the cab at Shenfield:

https://twitter.com/cmpd_date/status/885817575158009857

Overall, I give the train a 8/10, the interior décor is a bit too dark (too much grey) and the seats are more akin to the rock-hard Overground 378s rather than the comparatively softer LUL S Stock but otherwise well done to all involved.


Thanks.

The moquette is crap. The coats of arms of Greater London, City Of
London, Essex, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire would have made more of a
statement.

Doubt this sort of detail is possible on moquette. It would be great
to have the coats of arms somewhere on the trains. But, my preference
would be Middlesex as opposed to Great London.

Of greater concern is the longitudinal hard seating. Within my memory
commuters from Twyford had compartment stock and conveniences on
board. Progress NOT.

e27002 aurora wrote:

Of greater concern is the longitudinal hard seating. Within my memory
commuters from Twyford had compartment stock and conveniences on
board. Progress NOT.



Within rather more recent memory, Twyford was served by noisy rattly smelly
and slow 1st Gen DMMUs, against which 345s will surely be an improvement.

Also, presumably Telford will still be served by some gWr electrostar
services?


Anna Noyd-Dryver

On 17/07/2017 16:38, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
e27002 aurora wrote:

Of greater concern is the longitudinal hard seating. Within my memory
commuters from Twyford had compartment stock and conveniences on
board. Progress NOT.



Within rather more recent memory, Twyford was served by noisy rattly smelly
and slow 1st Gen DMMUs, against which 345s will surely be an improvement.

Also, presumably Telford will still be served by some gWr electrostar
services?


Anna Noyd-Dryver

Given to slow rate of progress for the many 1st gen DMUs a toilet was
essential.
I think the poster was referring to the way some trains were 'flighted'
in that some Reading to PAD trains with Mk1 carriages stopped only at
Twyford and then ran non stop with the next from Reading stopping at
only Maidenhead.

Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
e27002 aurora wrote:

Of greater concern is the longitudinal hard seating. Within my memory
commuters from Twyford had compartment stock and conveniences on
board. Progress NOT.



Within rather more recent memory, Twyford was served by noisy rattly smelly
and slow 1st Gen DMMUs, against which 345s will surely be an improvement.

Also, presumably Telford will still be served by some gWr electrostar
services?


Twyford, #obvs.

Damn autocucumber again!


Andy Hyde-Rover

Jim Chisholm wrote:
On 17/07/2017 16:38, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
e27002 aurora wrote:

Of greater concern is the longitudinal hard seating. Within my memory
commuters from Twyford had compartment stock and conveniences on
board. Progress NOT.



Within rather more recent memory, Twyford was served by noisy rattly smelly
and slow 1st Gen DMMUs, against which 345s will surely be an improvement.

Also, presumably Telford will still be served by some gWr electrostar
services?


Meaning Twyford, obviously!


Given to slow rate of progress for the many 1st gen DMUs a toilet was
essential.
I think the poster was referring to the way some trains were 'flighted'
in that some Reading to PAD trains with Mk1 carriages stopped only at
Twyford and then ran non stop with the next from Reading stopping at
only Maidenhead.


That still occurs, to a certain extent, particularly in the down direction
evening peak, but there are some up peak trains specifically to ease the
lot of Twyford/Maidenhead commuters.


Anna Noyd-Dryver

I travelled on one of the new Elizabeth Line stock yesterday.
The seats are hard, uncomfortable and unpleasant; every bit
as bad as those on the 700 series used by Thameslink. Why
do TOCs specify hard seats? My journey was between Stratford
and Liverpool Street. I feel sorry for anyone coming in from
Shenfield or Maidenhead.

On a more positive note, I do admire the interior layout of these
trains: spacious and offering a choice of seating arrangement.