Scotrail Class 385 Discussion

[snookertam]

Partick platforms can be extended for a not outrageous (though still substantial) cost.

Hyndland will be getting a full rebuild (probably on a slightly different location) in the next 10 years. Would be criminal if 8 x 23m platforms were not included.

Argyle Street is a trickier prospect. My controversial suggestion would be to close it entirely. It’s too close to Glasgow Central and the leisure centre of gravity in the city centre has moved eastwards in the last 40 years. I’d replace it with a reopened low level station at Glasgow Cross instead to better serve Merchant City/ Fruitmarket etc.

Oh no - You're right it is controversial and for good reason. If Argyle Street was "too close" to Central station then it wouldn't be getting used, but evidence shows otherwise. It isn't just Argyle Street itself the station serves but is also closer to George Square, Ingram Street, Merchant City. A new Glasgow Cross station would serve the Merchant City for sure but would be further from other parts of the city centre. A lot of commuters use Argyle Street and moving them to a station further way wouldn't be a popular move, and for no real benefit to the network.

EDIT; I would point out, no harm in a Glasgow Cross station being added - that would probably be a positive step. Removing Argyle Street is an absolute non starter though.

 

[NorthClyde320]

Does anyone know if the afternoon 385 diagram on Cathcart/Newton still runs or if it has been replaced by a 318/320 with the Dec tt change?

 

[snookertam]

Does anyone know if the afternoon 385 diagram on Cathcart/Newton still runs or if it has been replaced by a 318/320 with the Dec tt change?

Still runs, with additional diagrams in the morning peak as well.

 

[NorthClyde320]

Still runs, with additional diagrams in the morning peak as well.

Thanks for confirming . I did read about the morning diagrams a few weeks back.

 

[route101]

Had a 6 car 385 on 1303 to Edinburgh via Shotts. Is this normal?

 

[hexagon789]

Had a 6 car 385 on 1303 to Edinburgh via Shotts. Is this normal?

Yes, I've had two 6-car off-peak 385 via Shotts, I assume it's a regular diagrammed thing.

 

[route101]

Yes, I've had two 6-car off-peak 385 via Shotts, I assume it's a regular diagrammed thing.

A 385 was attached at Glasgow.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Hello everyone. Just out of curiosity, do the 385's sound exactly the same as Class 80x stock in electric mode? I was listening to 2 on YouTube but couldn't work out if they sounded the same or not.

I should hopefully be on a 385 on Monday 20th April in a few months time !

 

[samuelmorris]

Hello everyone. Just out of curiosity, do the 385's sound exactly the same as Class 80x stock in electric mode? I was listening to 2 on YouTube but couldn't work out if they sounded the same or not.

I should hopefully be on a 385 on Monday 20th April in a few months time !

Not quite as they are geared differently, but similar. The 385s also appear to have considerably louder transformers (though neither are quiet).

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Not quite as they are geared differently, but similar. The 385s also appear to have considerably louder transformers (though neither are quiet).

Ok then.

 

[Speed43125]

Not quite as they are geared differently, but similar. The 385s also appear to have considerably louder transformers (though neither are quiet).

if you are standing next to the 442xxx carriage of a 385 the roar is deafening, more so I feel that on the AT300s, that said, it's a very contained sound and if you move one coach away it generally is unnoticeable.

 

[PYROOGOBBO]

oh yeah , I usually like to stay in one of the unpowered coaches if its on a 4 or 8 car unit, the electric motor noise is pretty loud, but spose if you feel energetic its kinda groovy!

then again my favorite seats are the ones at ethier end of the coaches near the first class where you get near infinity legroom

I'm a big fan of these trains tbh, i rode a 170 going to markinch out of curiosity just to compare the 385 and 170, and honestly being on the 170 again makes you feel pretty claustrophobic, only major flaw of the 385's is the seats are freaking stiff, so i'd honestly get a floofy jacket to sit on if you're going on long journeys on them

 

[Class83]

...only major flaw of the 385's is the seats are freaking stiff, so i'd honestly get a floofy jacket to sit on if you're going on long journeys on them

The 385s are almost exclusively used for journeys less than 1 hour, so the chance of taking a long journey on one is low.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

oh yeah , I usually like to stay in one of the unpowered coaches if its on a 4 or 8 car unit, the electric motor noise is pretty loud, but spose if you feel energetic its kinda groovy!

then again my favorite seats are the ones at ethier end of the coaches near the first class where you get near infinity legroom

I'm a big fan of these trains tbh, i rode a 170 going to markinch out of curiosity just to compare the 385 and 170, and honestly being on the 170 again makes you feel pretty claustrophobic, only major flaw of the 385's is the seats are freaking stiff, so i'd honestly get a floofy jacket to sit on if you're going on long journeys on them

I find the seats to be pretty adequate. I mean the journey isn’t really that long to justify super comfy seats. I do agree they aren’t as comfortable as perhaps the 334s which I think have good seating but the slimline style seating I think works well and makes the trains far more spacious.

 

[anthannan]

I find the seats firm and supportive, just as a seat such be!

 

[route101]

Only compliant is how clinical they are with the lighting at night.

 

[anthannan]

Only compliant is how clinical they are with the lighting at night.

I'd agree with that.

 

[Stopper]

I find the seats firm and supportive, just as a seat such be!

that’s all they need to be. On journeys such as the E-G and North Berwick you are grateful just to get a seat.

 

[PYROOGOBBO]

i sat on the floor on a packed saturday night train and tbh it was like... epic, so the floor sitting experience is awesome

though the 170 is great for floor sitting, hard to beat

 

[InOban]

Since an 8-coach 385 has a third more seats than a double 170, this suggests that EGIP has generated extra traffic.

 

[anthannan]

that’s all they need to be. On journeys such as the E-G and North Berwick you are grateful just to get a seat.

Exactly

 

[route101]

i sat on the floor on a packed saturday night train and tbh it was like... epic, so the floor sitting experience is awesome

though the 170 is great for floor sitting, hard to beat

Not ideal though.

 

[Stopper]

Since an 8-coach 385 has a third more seats than a double 170, this suggests that EGIP has generated extra traffic.

There has been quite regular standing on the E-G trains since the 385s have been introduced. Not much extra traffic, just not enough of a capacity increase.

 

[kilonewton]

Is it not enough capacity, or just not enough in the front coaches?
My observations, admittedly from 8 months plus ago when it was still 7 coaches, was that the front ones heading into Glasgow / Edinburgh on E&G services were full and standing in the peaks from the stations closest to Edinburgh / Glasgow yet plenty of seats still in the rear coaches.

 

[Kite159]

Is it not enough capacity, or just not enough in the front coaches?
My observations, admittedly from 8 months plus ago when it was still 7 coaches, was that the front ones heading into Glasgow / Edinburgh on E&G services were full and standing in the peaks from the stations closest to Edinburgh / Glasgow yet plenty of seats still in the rear coaches.

It's the same everywhere when you get long trains from terminals which load from the back. The rear coaches can be full & standing but the front coaches can be lightly loaded as people can't be bothered to walk or cut it fine.

At least with 385s there is a gangway so passengers can walk forward if needed

 

[Stopper]

Is it not enough capacity, or just not enough in the front coaches?
My observations, admittedly from 8 months plus ago when it was still 7 coaches, was that the front ones heading into Glasgow / Edinburgh on E&G services were full and standing in the peaks from the stations closest to Edinburgh / Glasgow yet plenty of seats still in the rear coaches.

it’s full and standing throughout. Regular rail travellers are smarter than that, they tend to go to areas where it isn’t expected to be busy so the loads are even all the way through.

 

[HankyuDentetsu]

Would agree with Stopper - some may not bother walking the distance but these services are full at peak, it's literally just a case of which cars have more people standing in them, rather than finding cars with available seats.

Scrap first class and that might solve a few of these problems

 

[route101]

I usually walk to the front at Queen St , saves a walk the other end , if the train stops at Croy , the front will fill up.

 

[alangla]

Certainly when I used to use the E&G, double 170s would load all the way along at Queen Street. If your luck was in it would be a suburban or SPT unit at the front with no first class at the extreme ends. Single sideways seat behind the driver was the favourite on them.

 

[scotrail158713]

it’s full and standing throughout. Regular rail travellers are smarter than that, they tend to go to areas where it isn’t expected to be busy so the loads are even all the way through.

I don’t know. Some regular travellers I see prefer standing near the front for a quick exit than have a seat.