FTPE - 350s between York and Manchester?

[andrewkeith5]

I have just booked a return trip in November from York to Manchester, on 1st Advances. However, I'm confused as my seat reservations appear to be in coach C (C10 in all three services I've been given, to be precise, which smacks of ignorance towards my desire for always forward facing!).

As every seating plan for the 185's I have seen has first in coach A, I rang customer services to try and work out what was going on and was told that the services I have been booked on are all operated by the new class 350s (which have first class in coach C).

If true, this is excellent news as it would be nice to try out the new trains, however I'm extremely confused as I can't find anything anywhere that suggests that the 350s actually operate on the York services. Is this just something I have missed?

 

[swt_passenger]

It cannot be true as there is no electrified route.

 

[DarloRich]

I have just booked a return trip in November from York to Manchester, on 1st Advances. However, I'm confused as my seat reservations appear to be in coach C (C10 in all three services I've been given, to be precise, which smacks of ignorance towards my desire for always forward facing!).

As every seating plan for the 185's I have seen has first in coach A, I rang customer services to try and work out what was going on and was told that the services I have been booked on are all operated by the new class 350s (which have first class in coach C).

If true, this is excellent news as it would be nice to try out the new trains, however I'm extremely confused as I can't find anything anywhere that suggests that the 350s actually operate on the York services. Is this just something I have missed?

Your 350 is going to struggle over the pennies without any electric........

it will be a 185 and they have a coach C, but i cant recall if it has the FC cabin in or not.

You may perhaps get a 170 (they have worked York - manchester before)

 

[jonesy3001]

The 350s only do Airport-scotland services, unless someone has waived a magic wand and electrified the line between york and manchester.

 

[wensley]

Your 350 is going to struggle over the pennies without any electric........

it will be a 185 and they have a coach C, but i cant recall if it has the FC cabin in or not.

You may perhaps get a 170 (they have worked York - manchester before)

First Class is in Coach A on a 185. Hope that helps.

 

[andrewkeith5]

That's exactly what I thought the case would be, thanks for confirming I'm not mad!

I'm still extremely confused though. The reservations are definitely in coach C but every FTPE seating plan I can find (for both 185s and 170s) has first class in coach A (or A+D in multiple)...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

First Class is in Coach A on a 185. Hope that helps.

It helps me confirm I'm thinking straight, thank you! Now though I'm just confused :/

 

[northwichcat]

I suspect it'll be a 4 car 170 with paper signs indicating coaches A, B, C and D opposed to the letters painted on the carriages being used.

 

[andrewkeith5]

I suspect it'll be a 4 car 170 with paper signs indicating coaches A, B, C and D opposed to the letters painted on the carriages.

Oh, that's a shame 170s are alright but nothing on 185s...I wish you could find out these things before booking!

What is first like on the FTPE 170s? Is it as pathetic as all the other first class compartments on turbostars/electrostars?

 

[driver9000]

There is a plan to alter the seat numbering/coach letters so the reservations match if a 185 works vice a 350. Not sure when it is happening though.

 

[snail]

I'm confused as my seat reservations appear to be in coach C (C10 in all three services I've been given, to be precise, which smacks of ignorance towards my desire for always forward facing!).

I agree it sounds wrong for a 185, TPE may have programmed the wrong unit into the reservation system or they may be reconfiguring so coach C is First in both 185 and 350 types.

As for the comment about forward facing, if it is a 350 table seat you will have seat 10F. If a 185 it will be 10A. Forward facing is a lottery in 185s as there is no way of working out which way round the unit will be so far in advance.

 

[northwichcat]

Oh, that's a shame 170s are alright but nothing on 185s...I wish you could find out these things before booking!

It could be what driver9000 suggests but I just tried a date in December and it offered me Coach A seat 1 when I selected a First Class Advance for Manchester Airport-York, which suggests something's not right in the booking system if it is.

What is first like on the FTPE 170s? Is it as pathetic as all the other first class compartments on turbostars/electrostars?

I think it's basically as it was when SWT had 170s* but with new seat covers and carpets. Although, there's now 1 FC section (per 2 train) not 2.

(One of the TPE 170s is actually an ex-CT 170)

 

[andrewkeith5]

It could be what driver9000 suggests but I just tried a date in December and it offered me Coach A seat 1 when I selected a First Class Advance for Manchester Airport-York, which suggests something's not right in the booking system if it is.

Very confusing...Might give them another call tomorrow or nearer the time.

I think it's basically as it was when SWT had 170s* but with new seat covers and carpets. Although, there's now 1 FC section (per 2 train) not 2.

(One of the TPE 170s is actually an ex-CT 170)

I'm afraid I've no idea what that means! Assuming it's like Southern's first class sections I'm now a bit miffed that I wasted the money if it does turn out to be a 170

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As every seating plan for the 185's I have seen has first in coach A, I rang customer services to try and work out what was going on and was told that the services I have been booked on are all operated by the new class 350s (which have first class in coach C).

Rather a somewhat profound faux pas for their customer services to suggest that class 350 ran on the route you were discussing with them.

 

[northwichcat]

I'm afraid I've no idea what that means! Assuming it's like Southern's first class sections I'm now a bit miffed that I wasted the money if it does turn out to be a 170

First Class is 2+1 seating. Something like this: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/12705200443_af8a306127.jpg Although that's a Greater Anglia train not a TPE one.

 

[turboslug]

TPE are changing the coach letters in December to match 350s which means coach C will be where first class is in 170s & 185s

 

[wensley]

I suspect it'll be a 4 car 170 with paper signs indicating coaches A, B, C and D opposed to the letters painted on the carriages being used.

I wasn't aware there were any services booked for 170s from York?

 

[andrewkeith5]

The third time I spoke to TPE customer services I finally got through to someone who appeared to speak sense, their explanation after quite some time on hold was that the formations were being reversed around the 12th October...which would make sense...

 

[IanXC]

I suspect it'll be a 4 car 170 with paper signs indicating coaches A, B, C and D opposed to the letters painted on the carriages being used.

TPE have their 170s as A, C, D, F so that they can fill in for 185s without too much disruption to seat reservations (B is usually last to be reserved).

I wasn't aware there were any services booked for 170s from York?

In my experience usually York terminating services on a Sunday...presumably for crew traction knowledge.

 

[142094]

I wasn't aware there were any services booked for 170s from York?

Seen it happen when there is engineering work on.

 

[D6975]

I had 170302 York-Leeds on a Sunday afternoon after a visit to the Museum