The Anonymous Widower

A Quick Visit To Hartlepool – 19th September 2026

I went to Hartlepool today from King’s Cross station.

These were my objectives.

• Assess Grand Central Trains current offering.
• See how Hartlepool station has improved since my last visit.
• Take some pictures of Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station.

These are some pictures I took.

Note.

Here are my thoughts on my objectives.

Grand Central Trains And Their Class 180 Trains

This is a summary of my journey from King’s Cross and Hartlepool.

1. The journey took eight minutes under three hours and we arrived thirteen minutes late.
2. The train was four minutes early at the Newark Crossing, one minute early at Doncaster and on-time at York. Was this good driving or was the driver having assistance from the digital signalling?
3. Delays seemed to build up after York.

There was no trolley, so I didn’t have any refreshment.

This is a summary of my journey from Hartlepool and King’s Cross.

1. The journey took seven minutes over three hours and we arrived one minute late.
2. The train was two minutes late at York and Doncaster and a minute late at the Newark Crossing.
3. As the train ran smoothly into King’s Cross, was it using the digital signalling, as I observed in Did My InterCity225 From Leeds Arrive Like An Airliner In King’s Cross?
4. At King’s Cross we shared Platform 4, with a five-car Azuma, which shows the advantage of splitting the platforms into a and b.

There was again no trolley, but the buffet was in the next car.

Six Hours In A Class 180 Train Was Not Good For Me

I have not felt well today and I blame six hours in Class 180 trains yesterday.

I used to feel like this, after a ride in a Class 390 train, but since they have been fitted with better air-conditioning, I have not had a problem.

Hopefully, the Class 820 trains will be better.

September 20, 2026 - Posted by AnonW | Energy, Transport/Travel, Uncategorized | Air-Conditioning, Centrica, Class 820 Train, Grand Central Trains, Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station, Hartlepool Station, Nuclear Power, X-energy, Xe-100 Advanced Modular Reactor(AMR)