I hate them. Sitting on these damn trains that take you to the Midlands (and elsewhere - went on one to Preston earlier in the season) makes me feel nausious. The seats are too small, there's not enough legroom, the flow of air is dreadful, and the way they tip up going round corners makes me want to puke. Actually that's not completely true - it's the straightening up that makes me feel sick, I've discovered. Having done a few journeys to Birmingham recently I have discovered that the worst bit seems to be between Milton Keynes and Coventry. Why can't they build tracks straight? Or just get some nice French TGV trains?The nonsense is that the tipping trains means they can go faster: except all that's happened is that the trains now get you to Birmingham at roughly the same speed they used to 20 years ago. I don't get it. I'm getting old and grumpy.
8 comments:
The Pendolino was used on the west coast mainline because of its ability to tilt, and the fact that this is the curviest high speed track in the country.
This enables the train to continue at its current speed restriction (due to poor track investment the train will reach 140 MPH restricted) of 125 MPH around corners with tilt active, and with its 12 traction motors producing 7500 brake horse power can hurl it 400 tonne weight plus passengers to this speed within minuites.
The French TGV does not tilt as it travels on its own dedicated STRAIGHT stretch of track.
If you like I can continue to tell you the benefits of this peice of engineering genius and its systems and other functions on board to make the passengers journey between Glasgow and London a pleasant and safe one.
Fantastic.
Your entire argument is blown apart however by your last sentence - describing a jourmey on a Pendolino as 'pleasant. Firstly you must have VERY short legs to believe this, secondly you must have no problem with motion sickness (well done, lucky you)., Finally you must have no problem with the over-priced slop they sell you to eat and drink (when they can be bothered to open the 'shop' - why not a buffet like other trains).
This is of course essentially a political argument. Our trains were privatised and no investment was/is being made in maintaining and improving tracks and idiotic ideas like the Pendolino are therefore bound to happen. Had we never had the awfulness of Thatcher (and those who followed her - I don't exclude Blair) we might have a decent nationalised properly run and priced service like they have in France.
I hold my hands up, I drive the pendo, so maybe you get used to it, I have never heard of such hositlity toward the ride quality before and without rubbing it in , there is plenty of leg room up front. Joking aside, we do care what you think and welcome positive or negative comments with a view to improving the service.
I will refrain from adding a political comment.
Good blog site Gary
I love it that you are so positive about the train you drive. Maybe you'll let me sit up front with you one day.
Gary,
I found your interesting blog because I was looking for fellow sufferers of severe motion sickness on the Virgin Pendolinos. Instead of the thousands of posts I expected, there's me, you and a Jenny at Warwick University. I can't believe there's so few of us (there are many complaints about the [faster, more tilting] Italian Pendolinos).
Steve P.
Er... I thought these WERE Italian? No?
I too suffer on Pendolino trains, I do a lot of travelling for work from the Midlands to London or other parts of the UK. At high speeds the motion sickness is unbearable, and causes me to be very nauseous.
I was just googling "I hate the Pendolino" to see if it came up with anything. I've a list as long as a Pendolino (which is pretty short - especially on a Friday when most carriages are needed!) of how much I hate them - and was pontificating on it just the other day - and even then I left some stuff out - Like the rubbish refreshments and the stinking toilets!! To save time though - a quick copy and paste.
The Pendolinos arerevolting trains! Nasty "Off the peg" machines built with no understanding of how we use our train services! I've written to some 12 year old at Virgin with a long list of the faults only to be told that they've spent £50million or something to get the things right? Who did they ask? Mr Impossible!?
They are cramped, claustrophobic, there is barely enough seating, Even less luggage space with bags constantly overflowing up the aisle. The ride quality is rubbish, The above seat luggage racks barely take a hat, because of the need to keep things narrow because of the tilt you are constantly being elbowed in the side by passing passengers. The seat allocation displays rarely work, the seats themselves are hard and uncomfortable for long distances. They variably don't run enough carriages - and at 4pm on a Friday this should be a punishable offence. I am hoping against hope that some day they will reopen the Woodhead Tunnel so other companies can run services to Manchester other than Virgin!
I'd rather have Inter-city 125's going that way than Pendolinos. The near epitome of train design with lovely seats and plenty of luggage - even space for bicycles too!
Perhaps we should start a club? :)
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