I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.

It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
something to be desired.

I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
consideration of sectional running times?

Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>
> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
> something to be desired.
>
> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
> consideration of sectional running times?
>

Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
Pendolinos and Voyagers?

On Sun, 25 Feb 2024 11:54:01 GMT, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
>> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
>> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
>> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>>
>> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
>> something to be desired.
>>
>> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
>> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
>> consideration of sectional running times?
>>
>
>Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
>Pendolinos and Voyagers?

Was it specifically for those trains? In any case that work finished
in 2009 I believe.

Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Feb 2024 11:54:01 GMT, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
>>> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
>>> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
>>> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>>>
>>> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
>>> something to be desired.
>>>
>>> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
>>> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
>>> consideration of sectional running times?
>>>
>>
>> Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
>> Pendolinos and Voyagers?
>
> Was it specifically for those trains? In any case that work finished
> in 2009 I believe.

No, it continued for long after that. Until quite recently, there were
regular track closures weekend overnight track closures north of Watford,
meaning only pair of tracks were open on Friday nights.

On 25/02/2024 11:54, Recliner wrote:
> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
>> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
>> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
>> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>>
>> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
>> something to be desired.
>>
>> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
>> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
>> consideration of sectional running times?
>>
>
> Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
> Pendolinos and Voyagers?

My experiences using the IETs and HSTs between Cardiff and London
Paddington during the changeover was that the IETs were less comfortable
that the HSTs as the ride and seating was inferior.

When scrapped the ride on the HSTs was already degraded from the
original British Railways specification.

In my opinion the ride is more to do with the design and maintenance of
the rolling stock which seems to be poor.

The time keeping between Westbury and Taunton suffers badly due to
climate change than anything else. It travels through part of the
Somerset Levels. The service looks to be fine this morning.

Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
> On 25/02/2024 11:54, Recliner wrote:
>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
>>> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
>>> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
>>> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>>>
>>> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
>>> something to be desired.
>>>
>>> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
>>> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
>>> consideration of sectional running times?
>>>
>>
>> Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
>> Pendolinos and Voyagers?
>
> My experiences using the IETs and HSTs between Cardiff and London
> Paddington during the changeover was that the IETs were less comfortable
> that the HSTs as the ride and seating was inferior.
>
> When scrapped the ride on the HSTs was already degraded from the
> original British Railways specification.
>
> In my opinion the ride is more to do with the design and maintenance of
> the rolling stock which seems to be poor.
> …

My first ride on an HST was from Swansea to Bristol Parkway in the summer
of 1979 or 1980 (check when the big Beattock derailment was around that
time). My feeling, watching people negotiating the aisle, was that the
ride was no better than the Mk2s that I rode on most of the rest of the
time, but the carriage was a lot quieter, which made a great difference to
the perception of a smooth ride.

Sam

--
The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
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On 26/02/2024 10:50, Sam Wilson wrote:
> Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>> On 25/02/2024 11:54, Recliner wrote:
>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
>>>> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
>>>> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
>>>> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>>>>
>>>> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
>>>> something to be desired.
>>>>
>>>> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
>>>> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
>>>> consideration of sectional running times?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
>>> Pendolinos and Voyagers?
>>
>> My experiences using the IETs and HSTs between Cardiff and London
>> Paddington during the changeover was that the IETs were less comfortable
>> that the HSTs as the ride and seating was inferior.
>>
>> When scrapped the ride on the HSTs was already degraded from the
>> original British Railways specification.
>>
>> In my opinion the ride is more to do with the design and maintenance of
>> the rolling stock which seems to be poor.
>> …
>
> My first ride on an HST was from Swansea to Bristol Parkway in the summer
> of 1979 or 1980 (check when the big Beattock derailment was around that
> time). My feeling, watching people negotiating the aisle, was that the
> ride was no better than the Mk2s that I rode on most of the rest of the
> time, but the carriage was a lot quieter, which made a great difference to
> the perception of a smooth ride.
>
> Sam
>

In the noughties when I was living in Keighley with fairly frequent
meetings in London, I used to go out of my way to try to travel on HSTs
- best was an early direct Skipton - Kings Cross in the morning. I found
the HSTs to be far more comfortable than the routine trains on the route
Leeds / London.

--
Colin

ColinR <rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk> wrote:
> On 26/02/2024 10:50, Sam Wilson wrote:
>> Coffee <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>>> On 25/02/2024 11:54, Recliner wrote:
>>>> Graham Harrison <edward.harrisom.one@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>>>> I found the ride quality on my 2 Pendolino very good. Just a couple of
>>>>> places where it felt like we passing over "cobblestones". The 2 800s
>>>>> on the other hand were abysmal, almost the complete opposite to the
>>>>> Pendolino, just a couple of spots where the ride was nice and smooth.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's also the case that time keeping down through Castle Cary leaves
>>>>> something to be desired.
>>>>>
>>>>> I find myself wondering whether the maintenance standards for the two
>>>>> routes can be so different and whether there needs to be some
>>>>> consideration of sectional running times?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Wasn't most of the WCML (expensively) rebuilt for the higher speed
>>>> Pendolinos and Voyagers?
>>>
>>> My experiences using the IETs and HSTs between Cardiff and London
>>> Paddington during the changeover was that the IETs were less comfortable
>>> that the HSTs as the ride and seating was inferior.
>>>
>>> When scrapped the ride on the HSTs was already degraded from the
>>> original British Railways specification.
>>>
>>> In my opinion the ride is more to do with the design and maintenance of
>>> the rolling stock which seems to be poor.
>>> …
>>
>> My first ride on an HST was from Swansea to Bristol Parkway in the summer
>> of 1979 or 1980 (check when the big Beattock derailment was around that
>> time). My feeling, watching people negotiating the aisle, was that the
>> ride was no better than the Mk2s that I rode on most of the rest of the
>> time, but the carriage was a lot quieter, which made a great difference to
>> the perception of a smooth ride.
>>
>> Sam
>>
>
> In the noughties when I was living in Keighley with fairly frequent
> meetings in London, I used to go out of my way to try to travel on HSTs
> - best was an early direct Skipton - Kings Cross in the morning. I found
> the HSTs to be far more comfortable than the routine trains on the route
> Leeds / London.

It may well be that there are other frequencies and vibrational modes that
affect overall comfort rather than whatever makes it difficult to negotiate
the aisle with a cup of hot tea, or there may have been differences in the
quality of the track between Swansea and Bristol compared to that between
Leeds and London.

Sam

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