Great Western Railway Heathrow Express Class 387 Refittment and Service Updates

[the-man]

Thank you

 

[Melancholia]

387141 is due to be going to Ilford on friday, leaving only 387137 + 138, which are still currently sat spare at West Ealing.

 

[JN114]

First ETCS-fitted 387 (probably 135) also coming back from Ilford Friday

 

[Melancholia]

387138 + 387141 off to Ilford today.

 

[JN114]

387138 + 387141 off to Ilford today.

130 not 138, 138 is still at West Ealing

 

[Melancholia]

130 not 138, 138 is still at West Ealing

Apologies, my mistake

 

[Melancholia]

387134 + 139 (and perhaps another one, couldn't see) at Reading now fully refit internally, along with ETCS. Coming soon to an airport near you!

 

[traji00]

387134 + 139 (and perhaps another one, couldn't see) at Reading now fully refit internally, along with ETCS. Coming soon to an airport near you!

Looks good — falls a teeny bit short of the ambience of the 332, but certainly better than the other 387s out of Victoria.

There’ll no doubt be a bit of disappointment regarding the seat type, but considering the short journey time it shouldn’t be too much of an issue here.

 

[RichJF]

Looks good — falls a teeny bit short of the ambience of the 332, but certainly better than the other 387s out of Victoria.

There’ll no doubt be a bit of disappointment regarding the seat type, but considering the short journey time it shouldn’t be too much of an issue here.

I was going to say the GatEx 387s should have had something similar to this interior from the outset but hindsight is a wonderful thing!
That interior certainly separates them from the normal GWR 387.

 

[RailWonderer]

They’ve removed tables for cup holders?! I know the journey is 15-20 mins but nothing was wrong with the tables anyway. Still, the Stansted 745s will still be superior, and the best airport train even without the first class by the looks of it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The 1st seats look good for Fainsa Sophias!

 

[Steddenm]

Do they realise that the "welcome landscape" screens are upside down?

 

[Uzair]

They’ve removed tables for cup holders?! I know the journey is 15-20 mins but nothing was wrong with the tables anyway.

+1

I'm disappointed, but not surprised.

 

[hwl]

They’ve removed tables for cup holders?! I know the journey is 15-20 mins but nothing was wrong with the tables anyway. Still, the Stansted 745s will still be superior, and the best airport train even without the first class by the looks of it.

15 minutes journey time.

They may have done some work showing some customers didn't want tables, the airline seating still has drop down tray tables.

Stansted 745s with single doors might not be good for overall performance on WAML e.g. with lots of luggage at Tottenham Hale! Might I suggest field trip to Oslo before you use the word "best"!

They may well be thinking longer term and looking at what happens when passenger numbers drop post TfL rail running 4tph to T2+3 & T4 from May 2020 Crossrail opening.

 

[fgwrich]

The 1st seats look good for Fainsa Sophias!

I noticed that too, Now if only the rest of the 802s could receive similar...

Im surprised the GWR Green Carpets have been left. I know they will still be fairly new, but it does contrast a little against the HEX Design. All in all, not a bad effort for sub 20 minute journeys.

 

[JN114]

RE cup holders vs tables - it’s matching what’s already there on the 332s - Tables in Biz First and Cup holders in Standard.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thinking on, it's a reduction in quality in 1st which was 1+1, wasn't it?

 

[JN114]

Thinking on, it's a reduction in quality in 1st which was 1+1, wasn't it?

2+1 originally, reduced to 1+1 in most recent interior refresh to provide a better ambience to try and sell more biz first tickets as they weren’t doing too well at the time.

More recently there has been a sharp uptake in takers for Biz First, and often insufficient seating available for all that want it. With the smaller Biz First area on the 387s (2/3rds of a slightly shorter coach vs full coach on 332) HX specified 2+1 seating.

Still an awful lot better than a GX 387 or a 379.

 

[Mikey C]

Do they realise that the "welcome landscape" screens are upside down?

For Australian visitors

Yes it looks better than the normal GWR 387s, but still a comedown from the style of the 332s, both externally and internally

 

[Elshad]

The new screens look a bit tacky in my opinion, especially the one in the last picture, which seems to be located very badly and almost touching the overhead racks. Looks like it was just bolted on randomly.

 

[py_megapixel]

I assume that those blue ripples are just a plastic sheet used to protect the carpet, and won't be left on the floor?

 

[Melancholia]

I assume that those blue ripples are just a plastic sheet used to protect the carpet, and won't be left on the floor?

Yeah they're only there temporarily to not destroy the carpets whilst techs and IT wizards with all their heavy equipment do their thing and make them work

 

[modernrail]

My journey from Herne Hill to Heathrow has always been finely balanced between underground all the way (much cheaper obviously) and underground and then Express, with the Express only being marginally quicker and then only if you time it right. I think it is fair to say that the quality of the interior of the new stock is enough to tip the balance in favour of the underground. I know all the reasons why ... but it is a downgrade from the current stock and a service that charges silly prices will lose customers if it does that.

Even better when I can just change at Farringdon onto Crossrail.

 

[northernbelle]

I noticed that too, Now if only the rest of the 802s could receive similar...

Im surprised the GWR Green Carpets have been left. I know they will still be fairly new, but it does contrast a little against the HEX Design. All in all, not a bad effort for sub 20 minute journeys.

Funnily enough, the 332s had purple seats and green carpets when they were new.

 

[T-Karmel]

Business First will be just a length of half carriage of the current stock, therefore need to be 2+1 to make up number of seats.

Demand for FC is quite high especially because so many customers has free upgrade.

It's good that big tables in Standard are gone, journey of 21 mins doesnt require tables (if you really want to have one, use the airlines seating) as currently so many passengers keep their small and large suitcases with them on the 4 seats. On the other hand, tables would prevent them from doing it... And on the other other hand smaller luggage racks aren't helping at all...

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Slightly disappointing but unsurprising.

No ambient mood lighting by sticking with the existing striplights.

Ironing boards for standard class, if HEX is a very expensive & premium service then standard passengers should at least receive better like the same seating as GA's new Stadler FLIRTS so lucky Stansted Express users!

Maybe GWR are hoping people will be put off by the downgrade and instead travel by Crossrail then they could make HEX a first class only service by giving the trains a better refurbishment and whack up prices or withdraw HEX for good.

Standard class passengers will find it more comfortable travelling to Stansted than to Heathrow, Luton & Gatwick...

 

[FGW_DID]

Maybe GWR are hoping people will be put off by the downgrade and instead travel by Crossrail then they could make HEX a first class only service by giving the trains a better refurbishment and whack up prices or withdraw HEX for good.

The business side of the operation is nothing to do with GWR, they just run the operations side of things I.e provide drivers and maintain the units. Any decision like that would be down to Heathrow itself.

 

[JN114]

GWR aren’t hoping anything. They’re just paid (by Heathrow Express) to operate the train service. They don’t have any powers to upgrade the whole service to FC only or withdraw the service autonomously.

Heathrow have specified the interiors for the conversions

 

[pdeaves]

Quite right, FGW_DID and JN114. Heathrow Express is not a GWR service, all the decisions about it are made by Heathrow Express. They 'just happen' to outsource the driving and a couple of other bits and bobs.

 

[berneyarms]

Slightly disappointing but unsurprising.

No ambient mood lighting by sticking with the existing striplights.

Ironing boards for standard class, if HEX is a very expensive & premium service then standard passengers should at least receive better like the same seating as GA's new Stadler FLIRTS so lucky Stansted Express users!

Maybe GWR are hoping people will be put off by the downgrade and instead travel by Crossrail then they could make HEX a first class only service by giving the trains a better refurbishment and whack up prices or withdraw HEX for good.

Standard class passengers will find it more comfortable travelling to Stansted than to Heathrow, Luton & Gatwick...

HEX isn't as expensive any more - there are GBP 5.50 advances available throughout the week if booked 90 days in advance, and fares from GBP 7.50 single available from 14 days in advance.