That was really good, thanks. I live in Glasgow so my routes south tend to be West Coast or East Coast. I have often thought about going to London St Pancras via Leeds (like in the old days) and now I've seen your film I may well do that one day soon. I often go First Class and am pleased to see that EMR give refreshments. I was slightly disappointed to learn that southbound trains from Sheffield no longer serve any stations south of Leicester, as I would like to "do" the Corby line but that seems a bit difficult if travelling from The North! It's becoming the same story on East Coast - I regularly visit friends near Northallerton but now it's almost impossible to get trains direct between Edinburgh and Northallerton (and vice-versa). We're now supposed to change at Newcastle, but as you rightly say, Trans-Pennine trains seldom bother to turn up! London-centric thinking is getting worse, in spite of the Government endlessly wittering on about "Levelling-up" but doing nothing whatsoever about it!

Great review. I have really enjoyed your channel, and have enjoyed travelling on some of the routes over the last year or so. Such an inspiration, keep up the fantastic content 🙏😊

2:47 I think the 1st class lounges are now permanently closed as I have seen a few of the regular first class lounge hosts now on gatelines or platforms etc. Though that said Derby's 1st class lounge has reopened as a waiting room a while ago. Everywhere else is still shut though. 3:26 The reason for the "overkill" of 1st class carriages is that when they were orignially built the 222's was 9 carriages (222001-222007), (3 1st carriages and 6 standard carriages) and 4 carriages (222008-222023) (1.5 1st class and 2.5 standard). The 9 car units then got reformed into 8 in the MML days. And then reformed into the 7 carriage units at the start of the EMT days. So at the start of the EMT days units 222001-222006 was 7 cars, and 222008-222023 was 5 cars. Fast forward to EMR and units 005 and 006 got reformed into 5 cars so that units 101-104 was given an extra carriage to make 5 cars. It was also spectualted that Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) as well as MML (Midland Mainline) overestimated the number of 1st class customers when ordering the new units. 3:47 The buffet car does get used however from experience, only seems ot be open on strike days or/and when the train is busy. I suspect the company behind the catering chose to do a all-trolley service to make as much money as possible, something I supected happened after covid, as weekends pre-cvodi was always buffet, but nowadays trolley service unless busy. 4:00 With the standard seating I have noticed some units have had some seats refurbished/replaced as there are some seats with all red, (with the EMT/stagecoach blue/orange dots no longer there).EMR have mentioned that they are in the stage of deep cleaning/rpelacing the seats though these seems to be taking a lot longer than usual, though suspect might have been paused. 08:15 The plug sockets was installed when the trains was build back in 2003-2005. There was talks about EMT adding usb slots back in 2018/2019 but when it was annoucned they lost the franchise it never came to be. And EMR don't have plans to install them since they are being repalced. Though the new 810s will have plug sockets and usbs. 15:43 something to point out is that from Luton to London, I'm sure top line speed is at max 90 mph so 222's and 360's will only reach as far as 90mph. So top speed between these units wont matter since they reach that speed. That said I have noticed on my journeys leaving London, that the sheffield services always seem to get stuck behind the corby services near Wellingborough. As our train is usually a couple mins early and then end up waiting for the 360s to leave early. Something i ahve always said is that the 360's should be on the slow lines after Bedford to allow the 222's/180s to pass them without being delayed. 17:00 Like with all TOC's, i think EMR's 1st class offering has reducded a lot since covid. Like pre-covid, you could have a hot meal in the afternoon, or have a full english on the breakfast trains. Both of which no longer available nowadays.

I want them to being back catering!

@tonywilkins6090

Жыл бұрын

Catering is back on EMR? If you mean standard, one of the hosts on the train said roughly 1/4 of trains will have standard catering as they dont have enough staff compared to covid. If you talkign about the buffet bar then the bar does get used but usually when its busy (i.e. football weekends etc).

Sheffield Victoria was on the Great Central Railway from Manchester to London Marylebone

Excellent and informative video 👍 I'm a big fan of Sheffield station too. Not just the architecture though, the Sheffield Tap pub is a real gem 🍺

@JohnnyHooverTravels

Жыл бұрын

Oh and the purple thing? Dreadful... it probably gives under-fives nightmares!

Paddington Bear is better

Nice video,like the commentary informative,well produced, it was the hsts for me best thing on mml,remember going to London early 1980's,double headed peaks(don't which ones),but the 125's transformed timing's on mml,from 1982 onwards,until last year when withdrawn from.service.

Enjoyed the video and your comments. GWR has to be the pits in terms of passenger service. This was fascinating for me, as i have no experience of the east midlands routes except on Cross Country up to Leeds. I would like to find out more. More videos please!

Enjoyed your video. My nearest station is Market Harborough and so I’m a frequent user of EMR. I like the class 222 as it’s a comfortable train, however I echo the view the rolling stock is a little tired, trains are often overcrowded and under staffed. However, on the whole the staff are friendly. From my point of view being able to take non-stop services from Market Harborough to St Pancras is a real bonus!

Hi Midland London. The class 222 meridians are potentially going to Cross Country once the Class 810 Auroras are in service. That is according to Wikipedia.

i feel the 222s will go to cross country. as it seems they love adopting older trains from other fleets. and also due to them already owning many bombardiers trains. or perhaps tfw, but their new fleet says otherwise. loved the video man

@wesh420

Жыл бұрын

what abt grand central

@noahbowie5985

6 ай бұрын

@@wesh420 Few to Grand Central and most to Crosscountry as they've been forced to retire their HSTs without a replacement planned. Can also see a world in which some 222s go to Scotrail to replace the HSTs up here

@londonbuses4763

6 ай бұрын

A bit of a shame the 222s can’t be used on the Norwich - Liverpool route, would be a great upgrade

@EdgyNumber1

6 ай бұрын

​@@londonbuses4763I thought they were using 8 or 9 car Stadler FLIRTs? GEML is hamstrung by its lower speed and lack of 4-track and we won't be seeing any more speed upgrades anytime soon. The 222s would be wasted on that line - though it would be interesting to see them electrified.

I haven't been to Sheffield in almost 10 years, but remember the station and the Redcliff power station very well. One interesting thing that happened to me is both on my first trip up from London and final trip back to London (more than a year later) there were track problems in Leicester . Anyway I really hope I can fly out to visit the city again because covid cancelled my last try.

@tsungiraichiramba

Жыл бұрын

Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station

Looks very comfortable. I’m going on one to Luton (it’s a special Sunday stopping intercity service :)) I hope the first class manager declassified the first class :). Will be making a review on the train too!

I am so happy that I live near an EMR hub as they do seem to be one of the better companies running trains at the mo 😃

Oooh an EMR video. Sheff to St. Pancras. Might see the stop of my home town of Loughborough on this video. Edit: Ah, nvm. Still nice video reviewing the type of train I always take to Sheff (the connection stop on my way to Leeds). Always a mixed bag with the conditions of the trains but I havent been sorely disappointed yet

An interesting review, particularly as for me this is a relatively frequent journey. Despite being a little tired, the seating and ride is pretty comfortable, much better than the LNER Azuma and CrossCountry trains. I travel through work so tied to a standard class ticket however, if I can get a cheap Seatfrog upgrade to first class then I will. It's primarily for a bit more space to work. It's certainly not for the food as in recent times a bottle of water, a packet of crisps and a snack is all that's been available, no sandwiches or hot food, maybe it's the time of day that I travel. I've never been on one that runs to time but in general it's only a few minutes late although I have filled out a lot of delay repay requests which is a little more complex when you use a booking partner and e-tickets. I wish the delay repay was as easy as LNER where they simply advise your due a payment, confirm it's ok and the money is transferred. I have had to lodge a few appeals with EMR, maybe a tactic to reduce payouts, as the appeals have always approved.

1:43 when EMR ends, i hope this staute goes to the rail museum

Brillaint video, the Class 222 meridians are good units and ones local to me who lives in Leicester since introduction. It's a shame the standard class seats aren't in the best of condition right now. I've never tried first class myself but maybe I will someday. I think the Meridians will probably end up with CrossCountry in the future.

@darrylrichardson7940

Жыл бұрын

You could be right about Abellio Cross country getting the 222 from Abellio East Midlands Railway. But there are also class 221 voyagers coming off lease at Avanti one unit is sitting at Worksop with its future undecided.

@gonzaleztravelsandchalleng3225

7 ай бұрын

The 222s will likely end up in Scotrail whilst a number of 221s will end up in Cross Country.

18:06 the 222’s and the 221’s on Avanti west coast will most likely head to crosscountry, due to them not having many trains. That will mean, cross country has all the voyager trains in Britain.

I used to be a 1st class season ticket holder of EMTrains which I gave up upon the timetable change may 2018 (lost intercity services - DofT interferiance). At seat staff I found tentative in keeping the coffee cup topped up. 2009 (I think) we lost cup & saucer in favour of mugs after complaints from the rattling (never an issue on HST's). EMR appear to have let the services become somewhat down market, trains always appear dirty.

@terinasargeant138

4 ай бұрын

Hi I used to be a TM on MML days on the HSTs from Notts. I loved the trains and my customers as we knew who we could have bants with. I started as a Customer Host in 1997 worked 16 hours on the breakfast and dinner trains. Proper good food like a restaurant. Premier service came in and was still good 👍 lots of tea and coffee and those scones with cream 😋 EMR and EMT had bad higher management. Everyone is a back stabber now so I'm glad I ain't there😂

Legend says the beer bottle is still here to this day

As a fairly regular user of this line it was good to see this review. I agree with your good and bad points - friendly staff, free-flowing refreshments, worn out interiors. Industrial action aside, I find the operation usually reliable with minimal delays. First class fares can be very reasonable too with advance purchase. I wish EMR would reinstate the first class lounges but I suspect they're gone forever. Something to try one day: Derby to Long Eaton is 8 minutes and an advance first class ticket can be just £10. Is it possible to consume the cost of the ticket in free sandwiches and other refreshments in the time the journey takes? 🙂

@tonywilkins6090

Жыл бұрын

Derby to Long Eaton doesnt have advance fares due to the short journey, so 1st class tickets will always be £10 (as theres no offpeak tickets for 1st) and to be honest isnt worth getting for a short journey. I have seen advance fares going as cheap for Derby to Leicester at £7. With stopping services thats 30 mins of free snacks though staff dont do down as often so you probably get 1 lot of free stuff unless they leave the trolley in Coach D, (then you could help yourself).

Living in chesterfield I've known the voyagers and meridians since I can remember. It will be a shame to see the meridians go from EMR but exciting to see some new trains serving chesterfield. Who knows, the meridians might still serve Chesterfield if bought by XC

Maybe XC will take them and off load there 12 HST strong fleet?

It looks a lot better than anything Via Rail Canada can offer!

nottingham would need the bridge and old taxi rank and concause being re built to be electrified with the ohle but could use the 3rd rail system

Hola from Long Eaton. Yep, the 222's are getting quite ropey now, and certainly could use with some TLC, but with the experiences I've had with both LNER and GWR, I'd sooner have these than the Hitachi's any day, even with the improved seating. As for the 222's going to a new operator, XC would be the likely choice, however they will need to be recalibrated to work with the 220's / 221's, due to an indifference of their electrical systems.

@terinasargeant138

4 ай бұрын

222s are filthy. No deep clean in years. Probs got bugs in residence 😂

@stanmarsh14

4 ай бұрын

@@terinasargeant138 the amount of times I've been on em from Derby to St Pancras, I count myself lucky I've not caught anything yet! Was even on one once that had a red flare let off on it at St Pancras.

Best train ever😊

Perhaps because MMR aren't bothering with refurbishment of the class 222s because they're giving to be replaced soon.

have you ride on a Thameslink service? i wanna see you review it!

Have you reviewed the electric class 360s on this mainline yet? Hoping the 360 doesnt replace the 222 when electrification of the line progresses further north - no one wants the 2+3 seating!

@declangaming24

Жыл бұрын

I don't think they would put 360s all the way up to sheffield the new Hitachi trains with be bi mode so it will be useable on overhead wires or diesel mode and will be similar to the IETS giving the same 125mph Exprience which could potentially increase to 150MPH if the infrastructure is upgraded Rotherham - Doncaster line is one line I would like to be electrified so the Sheffield tram train can serve all 3 South Yorkshire city's Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster also serving the intermediate stops at Swindon, Mexborough, Conisbrough.

Great video midland. Will the 222s end up with XC? Who knows? The monorail coast £4.90 singal from Luton to the airport? That's crazy considering the Birmingham version is free...

@AprilFool91

Жыл бұрын

Not surprising though given how Luton Airport seems to have been redesigned now to extract as much money as possible from people travelling through it.

@jacobporrett

Жыл бұрын

@JG010491 It's ridiculous really and expensive.

The Meridians could be some of the best trains in the UK with a bit of TLC. The standard class seats are very comfortable when in good condition but do have a habit of collapsing and leaving a metal bar in your thigh which is quite painful. I really hope that they head over to CrossCountry to increase capacity there but I'm not holding my hopes out for any refurbishment since CrossCountry don't seem to care in the slightest about their trains from my experience.

@artfuldodger4850

Жыл бұрын

Well said XC👎

All good until the summer sweats (you will stick to the seat)

join the movement, return the much beloved pacers #Ilovepacers #blovedpacers

I think Grand Central might have the class 222 when EMR gets the class 810 they already have the class 180

The voyager and meridian family seem to get a hard time from train fans. However having recently experienced the harsh, noisy, rattling, LNER Hitachi ‘Azuma’ I would take a refurbished voyager / meridian any-day.

Most likely the 222s will go to CrossCounty, there doesn’t appear to be much demand for them elsewhere

@grassytramtracks

11 ай бұрын

And there they should be sent, crosscountry really should run more 8-10 car trains rather than just with 4 and 5 cars

Didn’t EMR just take enough 360s for the Corby services, they need refurbishing so can’t see them running to Leicester.

Class 222's should stay with EMR for their Liverpool to Norwich route (albeit being shortened). The current trains on that long route are noisy and outdated. Either that or maybe give them to Scotrail to replace the Intercity 125's. Yes, I know the 125's are much better for passengers, but after that crash the other year, there's been calls to replace them with more modern, safer designs.

I want the 222’s to replace the 158’s at SWR 🤞

@declangaming24

Жыл бұрын

Is there any 125mph sections on the South western network? If they where to go to any operator Northern could have 2 sets running Nottingham - Leeds calling at Sheffield and Leeds GWR could have some to replace HSTs on there services any operator can have them if they are used on semi or express services.

@bagelcrisp

Жыл бұрын

@@declangaming24 XC would probably take them

Sheffield to St Pancras International Sheffield, access to, CrossCountry, TransPennie Express, and Northern service Chesterfield Derby East Midlands Parkway Leicester St Pancras International, our final stop, and access to, Southeastern, Thameslink, and Eurostar service, thank you for usinf the EMR service

Sorry I can't agree with you about Sheffield Station. While the front has been smartened up over the years, the partial closing in with glass screens made a great improvement over the old open taxi rank frontage, the platforms are still the cold, often wet, wind tunnels they always were with few sheltered, warm, waiting areas on many platforms. It's also a noisy place to wait for trains as operators are still reluctant to turn the diesel engines off while trains idle in the platforms - the air quality around the station must be horrific. In that respect I note that the Shellfield ULEZ for traffic conveniently misses the station! Consequently I try to minimise travelling through Sheffield as much as possible (I'm a Worksop resident) and much prefer the ECML over the MML. As for trains it would be unfair to compare the Meridians with the ECML Azumas but an old Cl 91 / Mk IV train, on the ECML, is far superior to any of those multi engined 'coaches' now in use on the MML. 😂 - and I think LNER offer far better catering in First, free alcoholic drinks to start with! It will be interesting to see what the Hitachi stock ends up like and whether the on train service improves .

@sugarbertie1143

Жыл бұрын

Same here mate. I live on the Robin Hood Line and could easily go to Sheffield for going North or Nottingham for going South but always use Retford and LNER or HULL trains. I hate using Sheffield Station, it's like a throwback to the 1980s. Noisy with the units idling and a terrible place to get trains from as the capacity is appalling for a city station with trains always stopped before the station on the ridiculously designed 'one up , one down' line at the Northern end . Trains are often late as well because of this. There's been little investment if none, into Sheffields railways, they are a neglected mess and quite honestly embarrassing. LNER every time for me. My grandad used to be a driver on the GC, they should never have shut the GC mainline/Woodhead routes . They were always the better lines into Sheffield and faster than the very poor Midland routes and electrified to Manchester. The Meridians are tatty in standard class as well and sadly a cousin of the awful Voyagers which are terribly designed trains capacity wise for such a busy cross country route.

Class 222 will probably end up with Cross Country so they can retire there HST sets

I really don’t like EMR at all to be honest I quite often head towards Manchester and Liverpool purely for the comfort and excitement of the pendolinos. The meridians are great but nothing beats Avantis pendolinos

I hope they go to XC. It would make sense to me as XC really need longer trains and are probably wanting to rid of their HSTs eventually. XC also have depots that will probably not need much tweaking if any to support these trains owing to them already having 220s and 221s. If they did go to XC I do worry that they will be left to fall apart and I suspect XC would turn off the tilting to save maintenance cost. Ideal scenario: Arriva loses XC and the government or another company take it over

@tonywilkins6090

Жыл бұрын

222's dont have tilting though so it cant be turned off with XC since it doesnt exist.

@grassytramtracks

11 ай бұрын

​@@tonywilkins6090cross country don't actually make use of the tilting capabilities of their super voyagers

Your accent. Kind bit of mixed great video

I think the class 222's would go to cross country

Cross Country

YOU KNOW WHA GRINDES MY GEARS, MORE IETS AND KNOWING THERE GONNA BE BAD, REALLY REALLY BAD

@darksars3622

9 ай бұрын

Its starting to get down right suspishus of the shire amount of IETs

The mildest Yorkshire accent if any, I’ve ever heard

@grassytramtracks

11 ай бұрын

Perhaps his parents aren't from Yorkshire

豪華やけど、日本では、逆向きに走るのは、受け入れられない😥

Sick and tired of these worn out filthy units. At 4:00 freeze the picture and look at the filthy threadbare seats. The bolsters that would be beside your face are filthy and black the aisle seat to the right has been worn away so you can see the orange foam coming through. Why is it that the 170 cascaded from all over the U.K. are being put into service with out being refurbished (before the ex Scotrail Turbostars entered service on the Robin Hood line 20 foot long posters were put up at every station along the route saying your new trains are coming and telling everyone they would be refurbished with new seating and three years later they have not been touched. we get the TFW, WMR and then the old southern crap with the wrong couplings fitted to them (so if they fail then its hard to move them as some of the line is single track). Not forgetting the class 360 units they are total and utter rubbish, yet again the passengers were told the units would be refurbished and the 3 and 2 seating would be replaced with 2 and 2 Come on E.M.R. pull the other one its never going to happen. I live 2 miles from the Robin hood line that could get me to Nottingham to get a connecting train to St Pancras. But because the trains are so filthy and knackered I prefer the 30 minute drive to Newark Northgate on the East Coast Main Line to get an L.N.E.R. Azuma or 225 set to get me to Kings Cross. Its also mostly cheaper to drive to Newark Northgate pay for a return on L.N.E.R. and to pay for parking than to do E.M.R. To London on the dirty filthy stinky clapped out Meridians.

@sugarbertie1143

Жыл бұрын

Same here mate and agree with you 100%. See my other post, I'm also on the RH Line and never use the MML. Its a very poor relation to the ECML and WCML for us North Midlands folk. EMR have, as you say inherited those 170s from Scotrail, they're also very tatty, need refurbishing but are in constant use on the RH line , and we've now got some ex Southern ones which are in a bit better condition. The only thing with the 170s are that they're nicely designed units but very slow off the mark at stations, they aren't designed for stop/ start services. EMR have got some real clapped out units including the Meridians and are in dire need of some actual new trains not the second hand sh*te they seem to be getting from other operators. Another thing g with the RH line is that they've cut out some stops on their hourly service which means that in the daytime some stations only get a two hourly service which is a disgusting decision and left some places high and dry without a proper hourly service. EMR are not a good operator at all.

@grassytramtracks

11 ай бұрын

Well there's not much point spending the money on a refurbishment when they will be gone (and probably deployed with another operator) so soon. Makes more sense to refurbish once they're with a new operator

Are you American? You pronounced lever in the American way

@christopherwright8388

Жыл бұрын

Also, Pennine is PENN-ine, not puh-NINE.

@tomsmith48

Жыл бұрын

Think there are more similarities between northern accents and the states.

@johnd6487

Жыл бұрын

Well, the pilgrim story does begin in North Notts, which - accent wise - has always felt closer to Sheffield than Nottingham.. but I suspect it has more to do with kids today being raised on Disney

2nd worst company after cross country. 1st class OK but standard is awful,mainly to massive overcrowding. Years too late with new rolling stock,only took over the franchise to get access to HS 2,which will not now happen. They also use the awful class 180s.

@sugarbertie1143

Жыл бұрын

Got to agree with you there mate. EMR are awful. Everything they seem to be inheriting is second hand crap to run what are well used but overcrowded services. The units they have , the 156s and 158s are clapped out and have outlived their usefulness, and have never been spruced up, the second hand 170s are very tatty, the Meridians, for a mainline fast train are also tatty, and those squealing 180s which were never good on Hull Trains are no better. They need the franchise taking away as their poor excuse for a proper timetable is appalling. The Robin Hood Line where I'm on, has regularly cancelled trains, and only a two hourly service for some stations up to 20.00hrs which means I often can't get home at a proper time after journeys for work off ECML/LNER trains. They are absolute rubbish as a train operator.