Great Western Railway Heathrow Express Class 387 Refittment and Service Updates

[43096]

Business customers loves to pay a bit extra for more comfort and that premium feeling.

I think you’re out of touch with what many corporate expense policies say nowadays in terms of standard class travel being mandated.

As an example, last year I was working in Amsterdam for a week. During that time our CFO came over. She flew: on easyJet. No big expense or premium there: travel policy applies to everyone.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think you’re out of touch with what many corporate expense policies say nowadays in terms of standard class travel being mandated.

Indeed. I think First Class's future is as a leisure and self-upgrade product, and for that to work the cost will have to come right down - and if that's not viable, it'll go away. So for HEx it'll be Bob and Mavis treating themselves on the way to their week in the Spanish sun - the suits with their laptops will be in Standard.

I don't know what that price point is on HEx at present, but £10 extra is probably what the market would stand, I reckon. It might well be that already!

With regard to commuters it's effectively just a seat reservation which is a bit different.

 

[Energy]

Considering how much HeX charge already I doubt many business would pay the little extra for a table.

 

[py_megapixel]

I think you’re out of touch with what many corporate expense policies say nowadays in terms of standard class travel being mandated.

As an example, last year I was working in Amsterdam for a week. During that time our CFO came over. She flew: on easyJet. No big expense or premium there: travel policy applies to everyone.

Considering how much HeX charge already I doubt many business would pay the little extra for a table.

Some companies will only pay for their staff to travel standard but are happy for them to travel first class if they pay the difference themselves; maybe there's a market in that?

But I think it's a little different in this case, as HEx is already the premium product. The "standard" option is what will become Crossrail.

 

[northernbelle]

Some companies will only pay for their staff to travel standard but are happy for them to travel first class if they pay the difference themselves; maybe there's a market in that?

But I think it's a little different in this case, as HEx is already the premium product. The "standard" option is what will become Crossrail.

Yes there is a market in that.

Some companies' expenses policy does cover First Class if the journey is seen as long enough - I imagine business passengers on long haul could also be a market to investigate.

 

[James James]

Considering how much HeX charge already I doubt many business would pay the little extra for a table.

Many businesses won't really care what the actual difference is - especially for those travelling to London from another country. It's a question of business policy really - and I can see plenty of businesses allowing first or equivalent for train travel - after all if you've just spent thousands on your business class ticket from another continent, the extra for the HeX upgrade is pocket change. There are plenty of penny-tight companies around (that said: Easyjet and loco airlines often win purely thanks to their routes/schedules), but plenty with flexible policies - and above a certain level, keeping employees happy with fancier train tickets is cheaper than trying to find new employees when a different company offers them a better travel policy.

But also, there are at least a few business travellers getting a free HeX upgrade thanks to the various frequent flyer cooperations with HeX (BA, Star Alliance, and other gold cards, all get you a free upgrade).

 

[hwl]

Some companies will only pay for their staff to travel standard but are happy for them to travel first class if they pay the difference themselves; maybe there's a market in that?

But I think it's a little different in this case, as HEx is already the premium product. The "standard" option is what will become Crossrail.

But the gap between Standard and Premium will narrow with the Standard frequency to T2&3 going from 2 to 6tph and Crossrail having far better connectivity and journey times east of Paddington.

 

[T-Karmel]

Thank you northernbelle and James James for supporting my words, that is exactly the thing, we are talking about Heathrow, not Gatwick nor Stansted (which as an example is getting rid of the FC with arrival of their new fleet) and airlines like BA, AA, entire Star Alliance, not easyJet, therefore we are talking about biggest and most prosperous companies of the world that have money to spend on treating their employees to comfier travels. Great you mentioned free upgrades which obviously make a lot of journeys in FC yet I need to say there is still a lot of business in FC ticketing. They would not keep 2 entire carriages of FC on the long formation trains for more than 2 years if it would not be financially beneficial to them. In Peak time sometimes you could not find a seat in FC whilst free upgrade customers were asked to free up seats to full paying customers. On new trains FC compartments will be shorter though there'll be 3 seats in the row instead of 2, so there will not be that much less seats.

 

[paulravuslante]

Two HEx branded 387s currently sitting in Hayes Loop and one GWR branded but uncoupled from the HEx pair. Looks like they are running a test train down to T4 in the wee hours.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I saw a Heathrow Express 387 dragged throught Stratford yesterday (direction of Liverpool Street), anyone know why?

 

[cactustwirly]

I saw a Heathrow Express 387 dragged throught Stratford yesterday (direction of Liverpool Street), anyone know why?

I imagine to get it back to Reading, after mods in Ilford

 

[Siemens Staines]

If it was on this, then it was to Oxford. I think 1 or 2 more HEX 387s may be stored at Oxford.

Realtime Trains - 532X 1259 Ilford E.M.U.D. to Oxford Up Carriage Sdgs

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[FGW_DID]

387138 has joined 387131 & 387136 at Oxford (I’ve just gone past on the train).

 

[Murray J]

Any timeframe for when 387s are entering service? Are they delayed or still on time?

 

[JN114]

Any timeframe for when 387s are entering service? Are they delayed or still on time?

No firm timescales - late summer/autumn was the most recent "date" being worked towards, but there's no telling how/if the Corona situation has afflicted that. Against original original schedule that would put them approximately a year late - but as previously put upthread there were signoff hurdles to overcome.

 

[Murray J]

Ah right.

 

[JonathanH]

Some sort of training run in place today running Paddington to Hayes & Harlington and West Ealing sidings using (I guess) a spare 387 that would otherwise run to Reading between the peaks.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...-20/0915-1545?stp=S&show=all&order=wtt&toc=HX

 

[paulravuslante]

He

Some sort of training run in place today running Paddington to Hayes & Harlington and West Ealing sidings using (I guess) a spare 387 that would otherwise run to Reading between the peaks.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...-20/0915-1545?stp=S&show=all&order=wtt&toc=HX

View attachment 80969

Hex driver traction refresher possibly?

 

[JN114]

He
Hex driver traction refresher possibly?

Correct

 

[jon0844]

Considering how much HeX charge already I doubt many business would pay the little extra for a table.

As I'm sure we've all seen, people get first class tickets by clever upselling at the airport. If you've seen the staff working, they sell first class like asking if you'd like to go large on your Big Mac meal.

One wonders how many people get upgraded, pay, then don't even get to first class on the platform as the train rolls in and they don't even know where it is!

 

[T-Karmel]

One wonders how many people get upgraded, pay, then don't even get to first class on the platform as the train rolls in and they don't even know where it is!

Platform staff is always quite good in pointing customers where to go to on the platform when asked, also last year platforms were divided into zones what makes it simpler to tell customers where to go, also a PA.

 

[Horizon22]

Updated post-Covid plan is for late October for 2tph and late November for 4tph with 387 stock. Test trains - as @JonathanH mentioned above are planned to run every weekday.

 

[JN114]

Also over the past couple of days:-

387140 has moved from warm store at Reading TCD to Ilford EMUD for final phases of upgrades
387132 made the return journey from Ilford to Reading
(Both hauled by Rail Ops Group 37800)

 

[Horizon22]

5Q82 & 5Q84 have run today between Ilford-Reading. 5Q84 briefly ran into problems at Slough delaying a few passenger services.

 

[3973EXL]

37601
130 to Ilford
140 to Reading

 

[6862]

I've recently noticed a pair of Heathrow Express Class 387s parked in the sidings just north of Oxford. I assume they're being stored there due to reduced demand? Also, as electric units how did they get there? I assume they were dragged there but by what - a DMU or a loco fitted with some sort of adaptor?

 

[221129]

I've recently noticed a pair of Heathrow Express Class 387s parked in the sidings just north of Oxford. I assume they're being stored there due to reduced demand? Also, as electric units how did they get there? I assume they were dragged there but by what - a DMU or a loco fitted with some sort of adaptor?

Would have been dragged by whatever 57/3 was on Reading Depot at the time I suspect.

 

[6862]

Would have been dragged by whatever 57/3 was on Reading Depot at the time I suspect.

Are they fitted with the required couplings? I know some 57s had Dellner(?) couplings for dragging Pendolinos but I didn't realise these had gone to GWR (I assume they're for the GWR sleeper?).

 

[221129]

Are they fitted with the required couplings? I know some 57s had Dellner(?) couplings for dragging Pendolinos but I didn't realise these had gone to GWR (I assume they're for the GWR sleeper?).

Yes they are fitted with the required couplers. They are not GWR locos I think they still belong to DRS. The prime use is for thunderbird duties for the 387s but they do sometimes find themselves on a jolly to Cornwall.

 

[6862]

Thanks 221129 - curiosity satisfied!