Pretendolino - what a crock of ...

[NiallGray]

To me, the best rail travel is on preserved railways, I just don't think you can beat a
Mk1 corridor coach, plenty of room and deep sprung seats.

Totally agree. When I got a few trips in on the Lymington Slammers before they were retired, I realised just what I'd been missing thses past few years. I sat in 1st class and didn't want to get off the train!

[terrycunliffe]

My main gripe with the Pandemoniums is the so-called window seats (or lack of) There are several rows of seats within each coach that don't have a window, and I find sitting there is very claustrophobic.

At least all window seats in the Vomiters have, erm, windows.

[Pyromaniac]

Pendolinos have to be the worst trains i've travelled in. Far too cramped and if you have a big piece of luggage don't even try to attempt walking through the train with it. Seats are always cramped and the carriages just give a big claustrophobic feel about them. I've also felt sick often travelling in them. Every time i use them i sit on the two seats located near the toilet area, perfect if you want a bit of space and all you have to put up with is a dozen people asking if your waiting to use the toilets. I dislike voyagers just as much. When is their scrapping date again....?

My local line only operates Class 321's (which i rarely use unless there are works on the lines) and Class 360's. Not a mad fan of 360's but i will say that they have plenty of space to both sit and walk through. Seats are the usual uncomfortable rubbish though. Though they don't compare at all to the very comfy MK3's still in operation between London & Norwich. Nice seats, tables, a nice airy feel with the large windows, real air if you feel a bit ill.

I prefer the 321's to the 360's, i find the 321 more comforable and although they don't have Air Conditioning, they do have windows . I rarely catch the MK3's as i usually travel from Chelmsford to Shenfield (to those who don't know the Norwich trains stop at one or the other of these two, not both) but they are very nice. Have proper opening windows at the ends of the carriages which is a breath of fresh air when you stick your head out at 100 odd mph .

Cheers

PT

[malcolmowen]

gotto agree there , on voyagers and 390s you nerly all the time feel sick , but on the trains like mk3s mk2s hsts 47s and even the wag / 57 and 2 mk2s with a break and a buffet also loved slaming the doors lol , what on earth was branson thinking ?????????

[GlennMitchell]

As one who is 6'4" I have had to cease travelling by train where the conveyance is Pendolino/Voyager or class 150 . Sad and against all my principles, but if I can't fit in the seat then I ain't travelling....

Have you been on a 144 recently?? I'm not even 6ft and when sat in one my knees are rammed up against the seat in front. Although it is pretty fun once it gets bouncing!!

[alisterbetts]

As one who is 6'4" I have had to cease travelling by train where the conveyance is Pendolino/Voyager or class 150 . Sad and against all my principles, but if I can't fit in the seat then I ain't travelling....

Have you been on a 144 recently?? I'm not even 6ft and when sat in one my knees are rammed up against the seat in front. Although it is pretty fun once it gets bouncing!!

Luckily if I ever travel on a Pacer it's lightly loaded so can sit in one of the sideways seats or have plenty of room - quite like them for being so bad, if that makes sense? At least they have plenty of light so you never get the claustrophobia a 150 can inflict... progress, eh?

[Kromaatikse]

Sounds like a good reason to ignore the "no feet on seats" rule! Hey, even sardines are packed side by side.

[oldrocker]

For me, Pendolinos have to be the worst thing I have ever traveled on.

So much like being on an aircraft.

They are the RyanAir of railways.

[charlierc]

I was on both at the start of June. I found the Voyagers surprisingly comfortable, and the Pendolinos completle rubbish. Mind you inbetween I had been to a rock concert and had to sit in a flip-down seat on the Pendolino as that was all avaliable.

I don't think they'd be as comfortable as the olden days of MK3s though.

[NiallGray]

I was on both at the start of June. I found the Voyagers surprisingly comfortable, and the Pendolinos completle rubbish. Mind you inbetween I had been to a rock concert and had to sit in a flip-down seat on the Pendolino as that was all avaliable.

I don't think they'd be as comfortable as the olden days of MK3s though.

Voyagers are ok, when I've been able to find a seat that is! In terms of capacity, Cross Country trains are a joke as their services through the midlands down to Reading are nearly always packed. You sometimes can't even get along the coach for the people who are standing in the aisle and at the end by the doors/toilets. One time I almost didn't get off at Coventry due to the amount of people who were blocking the way.

Fortunately for Birmingham, Chiltern Trains is a viable alternative for me and I can always get a seat! In future, if I do Coventry again for work, I'll be taking Chiltern to Leamington, then I have to only suffer Cross Country for one stop!

[charlierc]

I live near Chiltern Railways and find their trains a more comfortable and direct alternative to London. So I prefer travelling by them to Virgin or London Midland.

[qzdcg8]

Voyagers are bad because of the engines - slung under every carriage AND they're only 4/5 coaches along - the long ones are just two stuck together and you can't get from one half to the other

Pendos are super smooth and very very fast - they are more cramped than a Mk3 - but the whole train feels just ... modern

...and I've been using them weekly for five years now so know every wrinkle and every best seat etc etc

[taron1]

the pretendalino loooooool

[Kromaatikse]

If it's any comfort, the Finnish Pendolino is only 6 cars. That's about 4.5 cars worth of actual seating once you subtract the buffet and the cab/equipment areas.

This was actually a problem on one of the trips I took recently - an Intercity train (with plenty of dual-deck carriages) was terminated short due to a temporarily closed line (fallen trees, downed OHLE, etc.), and when we got of the buses we found a Pendolino unit waiting for us. The result was a little bit cramped, with children even sitting on other peoples' laps so they wouldn't have to stand or be cooped up in their pushchairs for several hours.

[wolly1380]

Yup can't beat mk1's and 2's you know pendos are made by a complany owned by Fait who make imo awful cars.
I've nver known atrain to rattle so much yet send a mk3 down the WCML at 125 and it's smooth