Non-motoring > 125mph this morning	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Focusless	Replies: 63

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:17   125mph this morning - Focusless

...on the train of course. The reason I know is because they've attached 'Volo-tv' LCD screens to the backs of seats in at least one of the carriages of the Intercity125 I take between Reading and Bath. If you want to watch old TV programmes you have to pay, but there's no charge for a satnav-like 'moving maps' display with speed and altitude (or you can browse some BBC news headlines). I thought it was great, although I couldn't see anyone else using it, and I guess the novelty will wear off after a few journeys. We only got up to 125 once, between Didcot and Swindon, but we were consistently over 120. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:19   125mph this morning - R.P.

Altitude ? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:23   125mph this morning - Zero

rate of climb or descent? would be interesting to see it maintain 120mph up a descent. Have to say, those HST 125's really are the dogs knees. Been pounding the lines at those speeds for donkeys years. Great piece of kit, Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:28   125mph this morning - movilogo

I measure speed of train with sat nav :) When a road is just besides the track, it jumps out of track and go to road though. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:29   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> rate of climb or descent? would be interesting to see it maintain 120mph up a >> descent. I did keep an eye on the rate of change of the altitude, and it didn't appear to make any difference. I don't know how 'steep' the gradients are in rail terms. >> Have to say those HST 125's really are the dogs knees. Been pounding the lines >> at those speeds for donkeys years. Great piece of kit The youngest is over 25 years old isn't it? I agree - FGW were starting to introduce new engines when I first started taking this route over 3 years ago, but passengers soon set them straight and they were never seen again. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 11:26   125mph this morning - Bigtee

The original engine was a paxman diesel originally designed for marine use & converted to loco spec, the engines were changed to the MTU a much cleaner running engine better performance got all the specs in my locker from the training course. Some 35+ years old now and was sold to many parts of the world including Australia for one, was overhauled at Brush for the east coast the old GNER. Can see it been around for at least another 10 years untill a replacement comes in from Japan. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:19   125mph this morning - Number_Cruncher

HSTs are really rather special - they make all the more modern trains look like complete rubbish - especially the Voyagers and Meridians, with a noisy engine under each carriage, they're nothing but a glorified DMU. With some modifications to improve access and automate the doors, mk3 carriages offer excellent quiet and comfortable accomodation. Why build a completely new design - why not accept some shortcomings, save massive development costs and simply build some new ones to print? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:27   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

The main problem with the HSTs is it takes too long to get up to speed, the idea of having an smaller engine in each coach is you get much better aceleration. The HSTs work well in straight lines with infrequent shops but they are hopeless on say the West Coast main line with all the bends. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 15:42   125mph this morning - Bigtee

The main problem with the HSTs is it takes too long to get up to speed, the idea of having an smaller engine in each coach is you get much better aceleration. The HST gets up to speed just fine it pulls many more coaches and passengers the mk3 coaches are better than the mk4 too many problems with doors old slam coaching stock is fast and easy to repair. The DMU i work on are ok for the "bus route" but not designed for the relaxing long route of the HST but can see the current stock of DMU not changing were getting rid of 8x of our better 156 class to take 16 150/1 old bangers well it will keep me in a job busy fixing them. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 15:45   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

the Sprinters do the job well though, I hate traveling in them as they are always overcrowded but they don't take up much station space. Imagine the cost of running 125s on local journeys. Surely the Pendolino 9 car EMUs carry more weight than the 125s? The Voyagers however are crap and no real replacement the 125s. Just too cramped and too many seats next to a pillar meaning no view. I also hate the 156s northern have with all the seats facing opposite each other. In rush hour it is hell. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 15:49   125mph this morning - Bigtee

I also hate the 156s northern have with all the seats facing opposite each other. In rush hour it is hell. Don't worry they won't be around much longer these are the most reliable unit and were getting rid to get some old junk, but more coaches means more revenue so in time it pays and you as the customer would rather have a seat to sit on after work than stand up so it makes some sense. The 158 3 car got a lot of these good unit. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 15:54   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

As a passanger I would be glad to get see the back of them :). My favourite local train by far is the Class 323s they run on the cheshire lines. They just sum up comfort. They were always only half full too. THey are also gettign rid of these though :( Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 23:00   125mph this morning - Bromptonaut

>> rate of climb or descent? would be interesting to see it maintain 120mph up a >> descent. I'm sure either OS Nock or PWB Semmens will have covered the subject in detaiil but my impression is that the IC125 runs up Stoke bank at close to the speed Mallard came down. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:25   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> Altitude ? IIRC started in Reading at about 220ft (none of your metric malarky), up to about 350 in Swindon,. then back down to 180 (or possibly lower) in Bath. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:33   125mph this morning - commerdriver

These trains are something else I have been getting one from Reading to Swansea on Mondays and back on Thursdays every week for the last year and they have been great, especially when you think the original design from the 1970s has not changed much at all. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:34   125mph this morning - movilogo

On a separate note, 125 MPH is not that much. Most modern cars can travel at that speed (law permitting) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:40   125mph this morning - oldnotbold

Anorak mode What's the mpg of a 125 at full chat, and what does it work out as per passenger on say a 75% seat loading, and how does that compare to a 40 mpg car with just the driver? Anorak mode Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:46   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> On a separate note 125 MPH is not that much. It's not bad if you're paying less than 15p per mile :) Last edited by: Focus on Wed 17 Mar 10 at 09:47 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:48   125mph this morning - movilogo

Most train journeys are unaffordable in this country! Don't know how much the fare is in that route, but First Capital Connect (Bedford - London - Brighton) is prohibitively expensive compared to car even when only driver travelling. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:52   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> Most train journeys are unaffordable in this country! >> >> Don't know how much the fare is in that route Advance ticket admittedly, but £10 for 70+ miles hence <15ppm (peak time). Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 10:00   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> >> Most train journeys are unaffordable in this country! >> >> >> >> Don't know how much the fare is in that route >> >> Advance ticket admittedly but £10 for 70+ miles hence <15ppm (peak time). Sorry - that wasn't quite accurate. I was forgetting that the £10 advance ticket is for between Didcot and Bath only, and I pay £7.80 for the return between Reading and Didcot. It's £7 from Bath back to Didcot, so: 10+7+7.80 / 2 = 12.40 Reading-Bath = ~17ppm average Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 22:57   125mph this morning - Bromptonaut

>> Advance ticket admittedly but £10 for 70+ miles hence <15ppm (peak time). About same rate as my annual season between Northampton and Euston. Round trip is 130 miles * 220 working days is 28,600 miles per anum. Season cost £4128 so 14.4ppm. Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 17 Mar 10 at 22:57 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:37   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> I have been getting one from Reading to Swansea on Mondays 0711? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 10:29   125mph this morning - commerdriver

>> 0711? >> Too early I get the 0811 gets into Swansea 1044. Company deal is they will fund first class if we work on the train, very comfortable and all emails dealt with before I hit my desk. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 10:36   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> Company deal is they will fund first class if we work on the train very >> comfortable and all emails dealt with before I hit my desk. That's nice - I work on the train but have to slum it in standard. Apart from Fridays that is - for some reason the advance single back from Bath to Didcot goes up from £7 to £8, but it's only £8.50 for a 1st class ticket, so I treat myself to roomy leather seats, free coffee/cake/Times, and no riff-raff :) The downside is I have to hop out at Didcot and run back to join said riff-raff in the standard coaches for the last leg to Reading :( Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 20 May 10 23:04   125mph this morning - MD

>> The downside is I have to hop out at Didcot and run back to join >> said riff-raff in the standard coaches for the last leg to Reading :( >> And a quick one in the Three Guineas? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:47   125mph this morning - Alanovich

I shall be riding one of these on Thursday and look forward to enjoying this new service. If I can get a seat. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:48   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> If I can get a seat. Can you buy your ticket now for a specific train? That comes with a seat reservation. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 09:52   125mph this morning - Alanovich

Well I'm only bumbling into London for the evening, so I'm not all that fussed if I'm honest. I shall probably just grab a can of Cornish bitter and drink it whilst staring out of the window if there are no seats. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 10:15   125mph this morning - jc2

Interesting that Intercity 225 are quoted in Kph;actually 139.9 Mph. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 17 Mar 10 22:58   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

The Pendolinos are the most fun, 125mph round corners! I remember the last time I took my sat nav on a train I texted a friend saying I am currently doing 100mph her reply was that she was shocked! I then pointed out that Siemems do not make cars! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 20 May 10 23:06   125mph this morning - MD

>> saying I am currently doing 100mph her reply was that she was shocked! I then pointed out that Siemems do not make cars! 100 MPH Siemen. Guaranteed result then!! Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 20 May 10 23:10   125mph this morning - Bromptonaut

>> I then pointed out that Siemems do not make cars! They don't make Pendolini either; they're and Alstom product. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 09:15   125mph this morning - Focusless

After that one journey, never saw the back-of-seat TVs again until this morning. Now you don't get anything free apart from trailers and safety information (they've removed the safety cards) :( £1.50 for an hour's 'entertainment', or £3.50 for the whole journey - don't know whether a satnav-like display is available at all. Might keep the kids quiet for a bit on a long journey I suppose. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 09:27   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> don't know whether a satnav-like display is available at all. www.volo.tv/about.html "There is also a real time train locator feature so that passengers can follow their journey progress on the screen." Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:21   125mph this morning - VxFan

>> £1.50 for an hour's 'entertainment', or £3.50 for the whole journey If you've got a smart phone with a free data package, or a laptop and dongle or wifi, you could always watch TV on that - tvcatchup.com/ Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:28   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> or a laptop and dongle or wifi, you could always watch TV on that - tvcatchup.com/ Have got a laptop, but no internet when on the train. But I was thinking the other day about getting a Freeview USB stick - might that work? Last edited by: Focus on Wed 19 May 10 at 10:28 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:35   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> But I was thinking the other day about getting a Freeview USB stick - might that work? Looks like reception might be a problem without a proper aerial :( Last edited by: Focus on Wed 19 May 10 at 10:36 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:41   125mph this morning - R.P.

Book ? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:44   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> Book ? Well I should be working really... just fancy a new gadget :) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:46   125mph this morning - Iffy

...Book?... Or if that's too 19th century, how about electronic books? My mother has a Nintendo with "100 Great Books" or somesuch loaded on it, and is getting along fine. I think she finds the screen almost easier to read than a paper book because it's backlit. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 10:50   125mph this morning - R.P.

Kindle - you can read and surf (in a clunky sort of way) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 11:10   125mph this morning - Focusless

Thanks - good ideas, although actually I'm quite happy working in the mornings, and in the evening I either work or nod off. Also try to keep the rucksack weight down due to a 4 mile cycle at one end and 2 mile run at the other (and the laptop isn't that light...). Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:01   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

I went on a few when I was down south and they are wonderful trains. They are very very comfortable and almost silent in the coach. Its hard to believe they are over 30 years old. The refurb has worked very well bringing the old MK3s into something which looks newer. Of course the slam doors give away how antique the trains really are. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:30   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

Just a comment on the trains I went from:- Manchester > Bristol - day one Bristol - Minehead - Day two, ok it did involve a bus connection - day two Minhead - Plymouth - Bus and a train - day three Plymouth - Newquay - day four Newquay - Torquay - day five Torquay - Manchester - day six I spent less than £120 on train tickets the entire week. Only day one and day six were booked in advance, I got the rest of the tickets on the day but I was creative about it (e.g split ticketing). Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:32   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> I got the rest of the tickets on the day but I was creative about it (e.g split ticketing). ...and off-peak? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:42   125mph this morning - WillDeBeest

I agree with NC. (Have I heard that somwhere else?). The HST has aged fantastically well. I remember 1977, when my dad was commuting from Didcot to Paddington to do a job he hated with civil servants he despised. One night he came home purring, having had his first ride on an HST, and he contrived a reason that weekend to take my brother and me to London just so that we could experience it too. I now work next to the London end of that line and, despite the hideous FGW colour scheme, the HSTs still brighten my day as they go by. Incidentally, they always used to be in groups of seven coaches but now mostly have eight. Presumably this is a benefit of the new engines. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:43   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

Probably more that there is a surpless of MK3S now a lot of the fleet has been replaced. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:57   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> Probably more that there is a surpless of MK3S now a lot of the fleet >> has been replaced. According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterCity_125#Regions_and_operators they have always been at least 2+8. When it was announced last year(?) that they were going to spend millions (billions?) of pounds upgrading the London to Bristol/Wales line which I use to electric I thought sounded like waste of money - as suggested, just continue updating the 125s. IIRC that plan has now been scrapped - don't know what if anything has replaced it. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 13:29   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

But they have been replaced in a lot of parts in the country, on the west coast for example (London to Glasgow) they have all been replaced by Pendolinos. The last time I sawe a MK3 at Picciddily was in 2005 and that was pulled by a rented class 67. When they took them off the west coast that would have freed 100's of carraiges for other parts of the country. I should also add since the class 43s have been removed from the west coast line the journey time from Manchester to London has almost halved. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Wed 19 May 10 at 13:30 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 13:40   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> I should also add since the class 43s have been removed from the west coast >> line the journey time from Manchester to London has almost halved. Ok, that is quite impressive. Is that due to the improved acceleration, or top speed, or both? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 13:44   125mph this morning - Bromptonaut

Rattle, The 125 was only used on a few Manchester services. Its main application on the WCML was to Holyhead where it saved the time/cost of a loco switch where the wires end at Crewe. They were capable of equal or better times than the electric + Mk 3 sets which the 125 could comfortably out accelelerate. I used to regulary catch one at Milton Keynes where it called around 07:00 having left piccallily at silly o'clock. It went out again to Holyhead and I think the Manchester sector was becuase it lived at Longsight. The Pendolini have taken about 35 mins out of Manchester timings but most trains make fewer stops so the average speed across the whole service is much higher. Last edited by: Webmaster on Fri 28 May 10 at 11:56 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 14:23   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

Yep the frequency of service has been increase thus viewer stops but also the Pendolinos can do much higher speeds round the bends where as the 43 has to slow down and then takes longer to pick up speed again. The last time I went to London from Manchester it took less than two hours. It took 3 and a half hours only ten years ago. I do remember very clearly getting on a 43 set back in 1997 and also in 2004ish when East Midland operated a service which went from Manchester to Sheffield then onto London via the east coast line. Once the west coast works completed this route just could not compete with the Virgin west coast service and was dropped. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 14:25   125mph this morning - WillDeBeest

Ah, Focus, but Background and Design in that same article agrees with me. Wikipedia in Not Entirely Reliable Source shock. Whatever next? };---) Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 14:32   125mph this morning - Focusless

>> Ah, Focus, but Background and Design in that same article agrees with me. Wikipedia in >> Not Entirely Reliable Source shock. Whatever next? >> };---) :-) But I think it only agrees if you don't count the buffet car, which I was doing (it does have some first class seats in it). Or am I missing something? Happy to be corrected. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 12:54   125mph this morning - Zero

>> >> But I was thinking the other day about getting a Freeview USB stick - >> might that work? >> >> Looks like reception might be a problem without a proper aerial :( you have zero chance of getting a usb freeview to work on a train. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 13:36   125mph this morning - Bromptonaut

There were some surplus Mk3 coaches following the West coast upgrade. Some have been absorbed by other services including Wrexham & Shropshire's activities and charter sets. The loco hauled versions were electrically different from those in HST sets but there's now work in progress to convert those that remain to strengthen HST units The new IC-E units that would have superceded the HST in either electric, diesel or hybrid forms are currenly on hold. The outgoing gov were not prepared to authorise such a massive programme and it will now have to take its chances with the spending review. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 17:13   125mph this morning - Mapmaker

Tomorrow I catch the sleeper from London to Scotland. Advance purchased ticket makes it £60; 500 miles by road, makes it 12p per mile. Full price 3-4 times that, travelling 2 up makes it utterly uneconomical. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 17:32   125mph this morning - RattleandSmoke

You have the stress of a 500 mile car journey, or you can sleep and be refreshed when you arrive :). Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Wed 19 May 10 at 17:32 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 17:49   125mph this morning - spamcan61

>> >> >> But I was thinking the other day about getting a Freeview USB stick >> - >> >> might that work? >> >> >> >> Looks like reception might be a problem without a proper aerial :( >> >> you have zero chance of getting a usb freeview to work on a train. >> Agreed, even if you can get a signal the receiver will go nuts when presented with 100mph+ of doppler shift. i've read of people allegedly getting Freeview working on the move but looking at the specs. for DVB-T then anything more than walking pace shouldn't work. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 19 May 10 19:02   125mph this morning - Bagpuss

I use the ICE high speed train services in Germany quite frequently. The ICE 3 has onboard wireless LAN, for the older ICEs I rely on a UMTS card for my laptop. It works ok, even at 300km/h. The ICE 3 has the drive units distributed across the axles instead of a dedicated locomotive, so sitting at the front and looking over the driver's shoulder is a special experience. Sort of like sitting upstairs in the front seats of a double decker bus, but faster. The French TGV is faster than the ICE but noisier. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 20 May 10 08:30   125mph this morning - Alanovich

Bagpuss, I was on an ICE last week, Berlin-Hamburg and back. It only reached 230km/h. I had thought that they could do 300, and I had been telling my travelling companion to look out for that, but it got to 230 on the display in the carriage and that was that. Disappointed! Are there particular routes where 300km/h can be achieved, Berlin-Hamburg not being one? Nice ride, mind you. Reply to this message | Report message

Thu 20 May 10 20:27   125mph this morning - Bagpuss

The ICEs only travel at 300km/h if the train is not "overfull". Also at the moment only certain trains are allowed to travel continuously at this speed due to the widely publicised problems with the axles on the ICE 3s where the manufacturer is struggling to replace all the units. After the tragic Eschede accident in 1998, where 100 people were killed in an ICE when a wheel disintegrated and the train hit a bridge, they're a bit sensitive about axle problems. I've seen 300 on the routes between Frankfurt and Stuttgart and between Munich and Nuremberg - 200km in 50 minutes! I've travelled faster on a TGV but it can't beat the ICE 3 for that "gliding in silence" feeling. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 21 May 10 09:40   125mph this morning - Alanovich

That would explain it. My train was packed with exuberant Fulham fans on their way to their club's greatest ever night. Well, the outbound was. We weren't quite so exuberant on the return leg. Reply to this message | Report message