New Hitachi Rolling Stock Unveiled by Hull Trains As Part Of £60m Investment
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
Five new Class 802 trains will replace Hull Train‘s current fleet of four Class 180 trains and an InterCity 125.
Currently, the InterCity 125 runs the service between Kings Cross and Beverley stations, whilst three Class 180 trains are needed to run the six round trips between Kings Cross and Hull stations.
So Hull Trains have a spare train, that can be in maintenance.
With five new Class 802 trains, replacing the current fleet, four will be needed for the current service, thus leaving a spare train.
The new trains will give various advantages.
- The Class new 802 trains have a top speed of 140 mph, whereas the current Class 180 trains can only do 125 mph.
- The Class 802 trains have an increase of thirteen percent in seating capacity.
- They will obviously have a better interior, with everything passengers expect.
In a few years time, the extra speed may offer a big advantage.
The Southern part of the East Coast Main Line is being upgraded to allow 140 mph running, which would probably save around ten minutes on a journey between Kings Cross and Hull stations.
Could this time-saving mean, that extra services between Kings Cross and Hull stations are possible?
If 140 mph running allowed a round trip in under five hours, I have a feeling this could mean over ten trains per day in each direction, if there are enough paths available.
But flights of Class 800 trains and Class 802 trains running at 140 mph might just do it.
Conclusion
What would ten trains per day between Kings Cross and Hull, do for the economy of Hull?
The East Coast Main Line might not have the 250 mph operating speed of High Speed Two, but 140 mph isn’t that slow.
Budget Trains To Get Rail Network Flying
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in The Times.
It outlines how open access operators like Grand Central and Hull Trains, are being encouraged by the Office and Rail and Road to set up new services.
I think that these companies are a welcome addition to the UK rail network.
I don’t always use them, when one is available, but if their train is at the right time for my trip, I usually do.
Sometimes I save money and sometimes I don’t!
Grand Central Opts For Split And Join
An article in the April 2018 Edition of Modern Railways is entitled Grand Central Appies For Extra Services.
Grand Central wants to run the following services.
- An extra daily round trip between Sunderland and Kings Cross.
- An extra service from Bradford to Kings Cross.
- An early morning service from Wakefield Kirkgate to Kings Cross.
- A late evening service of two trains; one for Wakefield and one for York, whicj would split at Doncaster.
Cleethorpes would also be served by running West Riding services as two trains, which would split and join at Dncaster.
All this can be done with the current fleet of ten Class 180 trains, supplemented by four extra released by Hull Trains, on delivery of new Class 802 trains.
By running as pairs between Kings Cross and Doncaster, the operator cuts the number of paths needed, on a crowded East Coast Main Line.
Joining and splitting is not without problems.
- Train timings need to be accurate.
- Joining and splitting hasn’t been done on the East Coast Main Line before, so would need permission.
- I suspect that, the process won’t be automatic, as on Hitachi’s trains.
But get it right and this would surely open up the possibility of extra destinations in the North, provided like Bradford, Cleethorpes, Sunderland, Wakefield and York, they are on railway routes North of Doncaster.
The Class 180 trains are 125 mph diesel trains, that are about fifteen years old.
All other operators on the East Coast Main Line in a few years will be running variants of Class 800 trains, which will be capable of running at 140 mph on large parts of the route, when in-cab signalling is up and running.
As these trains can split and join with ease, surely Grand Central will be looking for some suitable new trains.
Currently, the fastest trains take about around a hundred minutes between London and Doncaster.
A rough estimate says that savings of around ten minutes could result from all trains being 140 mph capable, which would benefit all services.
But all operators on the line would have joining and splitting, so expect some new destinations from Kings Cross.
i
First Class Gluten-Free Food
I was travelling First Class both ways on my trip to Yorkshire yesterday.
Going up to York, I used East Coast Trains and although I got coffee, there was nothing else I could eat that was gluten-free. But it didn’t matter as I was going to see friends for lunch.
In some ways I often feel cheated in First Class, as others get all sorts of goodies and I get nothing. It’s usually worse at the weekend, as all that is available is sandwiches.
Coming back from Hull on Hull Trains, I effectively told the steward I was gluten-free by declining the biscuit with the coffee. So when it came to selecting the complimentary meal, she apologised and thought, they might not have anything suitable. But she did say they had one chilli left.
Now my chilli con carnes and many I’ve had in pubs and restaurants have been gluten-free! So I suggest that she checked and she returned a minute or so later with the packet and a big smile on her face.
Gluten-Free Chili On Hull Trains
The pouch said the food was suitable for coeliacs and I gave it a go. There’s more details on the food here.
Chilli With Tortilla
Unfortunately, the tortilla crisps weren’t marked and I just chanced a couple.
The meal was excellent and I got no adverse reaction at all. So my gut liked it too! Perhaps, I should have had more of the crisps.
The steward then got the bit between her teeth and checked all the other things they served including the chocolate. Admittedly, First Class was by no means full.
After all coeliacs may not be that numerous, but statistics show that about one in a hundred of the UK population may have the disease.
The steward had certainly remembered the two things you don’t lose in any form of customer service; enthusiasm and your temper.
It was an enjoyable and enlightening journey after a bad day at the football.
So well done to Hull Trains and their staff! And especially to Steph!
Hot Coffee With Cold Milk
I had coffee coming home and it was served hot with cold milk.
Hot Coffee With Cold Milk
I only know one person, who is specific about having their coffee like that and like the train, she has connections to Hull, as she was born and grew up there.
Perhaps it’s a Hullensian thing.
Silly Water Bottles
I very much dislike water bottles with teats. I got one on the train coming back from Hull.
Silly Water Bottles
So I’ve had a stroke and have a bit of difficulty sucking, but what’s wrong with a good old-fashioned screw cap?
The Anonymous Widower 