A promising return? Transport for Wales 'Business Premier' Service is back (sort of)!
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- Опубликовано: 19 авг 2021
- Hello guys and welcome to leg 5 of the long weekend 'trip-fest'!
Well I was getting a bit tired by now as you can probably tell in the footage at this point in the weekend. Nevertheless, I was pressing on and this would be a four hour plus trip from Newport up through the Welsh border lands and across the North Wales coast to Holyhead on the famous 'Gerald of Wales'.
The train had recently returned to service with some shiny new Mk4 rolling stock. As a seasoned traveller on the old train, I was interested to see what had changed in the First Class section compared to the previous offering. Granted the first class dining option was not yet available so it's unfair to comment on that, I will however, show you the new kitchen and shop and it was also good to have a look at the seating area, general layout, comfort and other facilities in these 'new to TfW' coaches.
Was I impressed? Well, 'watch-on' as they say and I'll give you my verdict at the end of the trip. I would also like your comments on the service: Have you travelled on Gerald before? What do you think of the new seating in First and Standard? Do you agree with my summary or not? What about the scenery - some of the best in the UK? Let me know.
As always guys, I really appreciate your input. Let's have a discussion about it and please, if you enjoy this content, spread the word and feel free to like and subscribe. That would be really great.
Thanks for watching and cheers for now!
Mark
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Cheers Mark.... You have pulled a absolute Corker of a video...yet again.... Nice to see what our old mark 4 London North Eastern sets are doing.
You have absolutely nailed it with scenery footage and great information.
Just what I needed to see after the day I've had which your videos are a very entertaining welcome in my book.
Well done m8... I look forward to more my friend 😀👍
Hey thanks Richard, glad I’ve brightened your day a bit! I tell you what, the North Wales coast is absolutely stunning at that time of day if the sun’s been out. I did like the train overall, I had a kind of ‘unofficial upgrade’ at the time so I was able to enjoy the First Class carriage but I can’t wait for the full service to come back. Overall though, I preferred the old one. Cheers mate 😊
Brilliant vid. TfW trains are not allowed to travel without a disabled toilet. But its a lovley journey. Thanks a lot.
Cheers Keith 😊👍
Excellent ❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕👍👍👍👌👌👌
He does a great video
Nice journey and review do like the look of that first class carriage on the Transport for Wales Cardiff to Holyhead express service.
I loved the views. In addition, the sparsely filled train did look so clean...of course that is because it was sparsely filled. Thank you for giving us the cost saving suggestion of buying a standard ticket, and then upgrading once you are on the train. Of course there are risk with this option, but it does appeal to those of us who are budget minded. Great video, and I am looking forward to your next one.
Hi Debra, thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it. Yes the first class coach was quiet all through the trip, although standard class was really busy as far as Shrewsbury/Chester. There is a little risk with the upgrade but I’ve never been turned away yet 😂. I’ll be heading back on it next month once the food returns so I’ll report on it again then. Hope you’re good, Mark 😊
New friend from mj here wow enjoy you guys
Great journey thanks for taking me along, stay safe and well.
Hi Simon thanks for the comment and good to hear from you, glad you enjoyed it. Honestly does make a difference when the sun’s out though! It was a beautiful evening for it, I think I’ve been quite lucky with the travelling over the last couple of months weather-wise 👍
I went on the Newport Holyhead train using first class about 3 days after you did this video Got on at Cardiff mind and back on the next train the next day - was lovely for £80 including the Travelodge next to the station - and the food was super too
Best food on any U.K. train imho, the service is spot on and the staff are great. Just love this train!
@@LetsMakeaTrip yes I had a 3 course meal going up and a Breakfast going back - loved it will be doing it again soon
Beautiful video. Fabulous scenery. One I would like to try one day.
Yes and you can do the circular thing referred to in my other reply about the ferry to Ireland. Depends where you live as well to a certain extent.
How I miss the Mk4s back east!
Good video as ever...lots more of these sets to be used in future on Swansea-Manchester services.
Meantime, inspired by one of your earlier videos, paid a visit to Hopton Heath and it's castle as well as lovely Bucknell on recent walking holiday.
Hi John, thanks very much for the comment. Yes I believe December is the date on the Swansea-Manchester trains (subject to confirmation of course) and Gerald's proper food service will be September. I'm going to try them both out and also hoping to do the GWR Swansea - Paddington Pullman if I can organise myself properly!
I'm really pleased about the Hopton Heath thing btw - one of my least successful videos tbh (not sure why) as I had a lot of fun making it. I've lived in Shropshire like forever and didn't know it was there but I think it's well-worth a trip, hope you thought the same. And Bucknell too, great walking country around there with Offas Dyke and the Heart of Wales line trails. Bucknell is what I like to call a 'village you could retire too' - very quiet. The station has been up for sale once or twice too.
All the best, Mark.
Another great video, and a very popular one apparently. Unfortunately for me it will always be the video I was watching when I got a phonecall informing me that my 23-year old niece had died. Every time I watch this video, I'll be thinking of her.
Hi, thanks for the comment but really sad to hear of your niece. I ‘hearted’ your comment because I’m sending the heart out to you and your family with my condolences for your loss. I’m really sorry to hear this but I hope that if you do watch the video it can be a reminder of the good times and fond memories you had together. Mark
@@LetsMakeaTrip Thank you very much for your kind words.
Hi Mark, hope you are safe and well. You're right in that the newer carriages look nowhere near as intimate. Hopefully the food and service will be as before. Best wishes.
Hey Richard, I’m ok, bit tired tbh - too many trips coming up, not enough time and trying to hold down a job and playing in two bands as well 🤣🤣 Hope you’re good yourself 👍 I’m pretty sure when I was talking to the lady in the onboard shop the same Chef is com8ng back which is great because the food was really good before. I think he gonna be busy though because there looks to be at least twice as many seats in the new First Class as there was before! Cheers mate 😊
6:03 The seat reservations were showing LNER stations such as London King's Cross, York, Newcastle etc... when I travelled on this train.
That’s interesting - I wonder if they were in the process of sorting it all out and transitioning from the old set-up at the time? I’m assuming it’s sorted now but reminds me I must check to see if TfW are doing the full Gerald catering experience yet. It was supposed to be up and running last month I heard 🤔
@@LetsMakeaTrip - Three trains a day now in each direction with a cooked breakfast, lunch or dinner available at extra cost!
@@DaveSuperThomas yes, great to have the increased service but I did notice recently that they were charging for two/three course meal options and breakfasts. Not like the good old days unfortunately - have some great memories of the old Gerald First Class!
@@DaveSuperThomas yes, great to have the increased service but I did notice recently that they were charging for two/three course meal options and breakfasts. Not like the good old days unfortunately - have some great memories of the old Gerald First Class!
The class 82 on the back of the train is actually a Driving Van Trailer from ECML days. When the line was electrified, passengers weren't allowed to travel in a leading vehicle doing over 100mph, so they had to make the front of the push pull unit a glorified guards van.
It does seem strange having the first class carriage sandwiched between 2 standard class coaches.
Hi Simon, great info there and thanks for the insight. Interesting to learn some of the history too as I’m not that clued-up on them tbh! I’m still not sure why there’s a standard class coach between this and the first class? I’m ‘reaching out’ to people on here to maybe come up with the reason😊 All the best, Mark
Great video! Looking forward to the ferry crossing to Belfast. ✈️
Coming up next AFUK that is one great ferry I can tell you and I’m really looking forward to sharing that on the channel next week. Thanks as always for the kind words 😊👍
Aviation Fan UK: The ferry from Holyhead goes to Dublin and not to Belfast,
@@robertgriffith8857 Hi Rob, yes it does now. The ferry crossing we’re referring to was the temporary Stena Holyhead to Belfast route which ran at weekends for approximately 3 weeks prior to the Republic of Ireland lifting its covid restrictions. All will be explained in next weeks video. Cheers.
@@LetsMakeaTrip Thanks for the update. I hadn't realised there was a temporary service to Belfast.
Have you done any more videos of travel between North and South Wales by either bus or coach? (there used to be an air link between Cardiff Airport and Anglesey but I'd heard that had bitten the dust) I love the so-called 'Welsh M1' (A470 Cardiff to Llandudno) because of its scenic value but in terms of ease, it just isn't between, say Cardiff and Bangor/Caernarfon. Is it??
Cheers, yes I did the flight between Cardiff and Anglesey a few years back. You’ll have to go way back on my channel to one of the first videos I ever did and I apologise in advance for using an old phone and ‘not being very good at it’! A great flight though - Eastern’s Jetstream 41. It was my second attempt, the first was from Valley to Cardiff, the aircraft went tech and they put a ‘bus replacement service’ on instead!! Imagine that! I declined on that occasion and just went home. Glad I did it when I could because I doubt it’ll ever be resurrected unfortunately.
Awesome video buddy from Alan in Lowestoft
Cheers Alan, I definitely recommend Gerald too - a hidden gem!
Quite an interesting ride with a thoughtful commentary. The only thing I noticed is that when you spoke to the camera at the end it was a contra-jour shot and you came out rather dark! I would face the light to avoid this. Thanks for uploading.
Hi Tenterden Town. I must admit, I had to google contre-jour to see what it meant! But yes thanks, I’ll bear that in mind because i wanted to get the train in he background but I think the sun was setting behind me. Cheers for the comment and all the best 😊👍
We should pay Gerald a visit together when he's got his full service back Mark? I love the North Wales coastal route, so picturesque. I've only ever been as far as Llandudno on the train, but have driven to Angelsey a few times to get the ferry to Ireland for work... beautiful! The Mk.4 ex-LNER First coaches have always been a fav of mine 😍 Anyway, another great video, one of your best imo! 🏴👍🏻😃 Ps. You'll raise some hairs calling the Mk.4 DVT a 'Class 82' 😂
Yes I believe it’s September at some point, I’ll have to tweet TfWr see if they know a definite date unless anyone on here can confirm. Last time I did Shrewsbury to Holyhead on it though I did get some food but I think the chef likes to cook it after Cardiff so everyone’s pretty-much eaten by the time you get past Hereford! The breakfast is awesome going down though so, yeh, I dunno we’ll work something out I’m sure 👍 I was really pleased with the music for this one, it’s a big part of doing the videos for me so hope it does well. Maybe the class 82 bit will get some comment lol, I’m not really that technical when it comes to this sort of thing anymore. it’s a long time since I carried a Platform5 around with me 🤣 so happy to be corrected by the experts, no worries 😊
@@LetsMakeaTrip How inconvenient of you to live right in the middle of the route 😂 We'll definitely sort something mate 🥐
THE NEW SERVICE IS NOT AS CHEAP NOW - AND FIRST CLASS MEALS ARE A LOT EXTRA!
It’s a different ambience as well in my opinion. It doesn’t look as good as the old service unfortunately but I will try it to compare at some point. Cheers Gerald 😊👍
These MK4 sets are still as they were from LNER, TfW will be refurbishing them at some point with all new seats, tables, carpets, panelling ect and a reconfigured buffet.
Hey Shaun, thanks for the info on this. I’ll look forward to this, tbh I think they’re pretty good now and when the food comes back well, I think it’s a service that’s going to be hard to match. All the best, Mark
im guessing only the 67 has power , would be weird in the other end going the other way
I love this train !! Very clean & very nice seats & very nice views !!! 👍😃 I find Welsh trains very clean & luxury looking seats & big wide windows & very nice sceneries are always guaranteed seemingly !!?
Can we see puffins from the window of the trains on this rout !!!?
A very nice vlog !! 👍👍😃💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎤🎵🎶🚈💞
Cheers Spark. The Transport for Wales trains vary quite a lot in terms of comfort and ride quality tbh, anything from the old class 150’s to these ex LNER coaches. It can be a bit of a lottery if you’re on a long journey (say Manchester to Cardiff) what you’re going to get but at the moment a nice comfy three-car class 175 would suffice for me and even those range from the old unrefurbished Arriva ones to the nice TfW liveried with new interiors. Not sure about the puffins, I’ve never known them to be on the North Wales coast but I could be wrong if any ornithologists are reading this?
@@LetsMakeaTrip Hi there !! Oh...lol. I see !! Lottery !? Lol. Man !! I thought tgey all looked very comfy !! Lol. I'll check on 175 ! I am not sure what that is ,or where ( the route ) it operates . Puffins in Anglesey !! I thought you mentioned it in your video !? I just googled to make sure & it turned out that the number has decreased to only about 7 !!!? So sad !! 😞
Thank you so much for your reply !! I am your new subscriber !! I'm looking forward to watch more of your videos to come !! 👍😃💜💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎵🎤🎶🚅🚄💞
@@spark_6710 yeh Puffin Island on Anglesey I just don’t think the train gets close enough to see them. You’d probably need to get the stopping all stations train to llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch station which is just the other side of the Menai strait. Thanks for the sub btw, hope you enjoy the channel 😊👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip Lol. 👍That long long name !! I had learnt about it in my old English class( from the text book )in Tokyo Japan back in the late 70's !! At my Jr.high ? Or in '80 at high school ! I told my Welsh b.f.Jon ( Jon Lee of Feeder ) that on the phone & he couldn't believe it !! Lol. I am Japanese. He was only 13 & I was 15 !! Lol.
I recently talked about that a lot with various people !!
Thank you so much for your follow ups & information,I really appreciate it ! Looks like I got not much luck with puffin watching !!Sigh. As ,either I'll get up super early & get to the ferry ride place in Pembrokeshire by 8 ?, which is impossible for me & I doubt if my mom ( we'll be travelling there in the near future ) wanna do that ,even though she's a morning person !! Lol ,or change our itineraries for that purpose & go to see 'em in England ( we'll visit England ,too ,but not in the direction ! ) ,or Anglesey ...which we won't be going ...wanted to ,though. Ugh ...!!
Btw.,how's the current green passport situations everywhere you go & in U.K. !? It looks like very inconvenient & not really necessary.? Though I agree with wearing masks & taking all the precautions !
I love your vlogs !! I love traveling & watching travelling vlogs & lately subbed to many train & bus trip channels & air travelling channels !! I am so glad that I found yours !!
Thank you so much for all of your lovely replies !!! I'll be looking forward to watch more of yours & learn new things from you !! Thanks so much !! 🙏👍👍💜💜💜💜🥁🐉🎵🎤🎶🚍🚈🍰🫖🇬🇧☕🍵💞
Hey Spark, thanks for the kind words. Yeh the station, well I can’t say it tbh, lots just call it Llanfair PG for short 🤣 but if you ever do go there, the whole thing is spelt out on the station name board (it’s a bit of a tourist attraction really).
Puffins - well a few years back I heard of some islands off the west coast of Ireland called the Skelligs. They’re nothing more than jagged rocks sticking out of the Atlantic really. Anyway to get there, some local guys with small boats will take you out but the weather has to be properly good to be able to land. It’s quite a journey - a good couple of hours BUT the reward when you get there is just fantastic - the whole island (Skellig Michael) is full of puffins and you can get real close to them. It’s a amazing place and I felt really privileged to have been able to visit.
I know of Feeder, I’m a big fan of welsh music actually: Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Cowbois Rhos Bottwng, Cate Le Bon and SFA mainly. I’ll have to give them a listen. 😊👍
Another good video, you plan some good trips. Did it feel odd not getting off at Shrewsbury?
Yes, very much so. I was pretty tired at that point so it was very tempting to call in for a bit!
lovely run that was and train. wow that service was full at the start, i guess they were going to shrewsbury wrexham and chester
Hi Sion, thanks for the comment mate. Yes it’s amazing how many people got off at Shrewsbury and Chester it’s lovely and quiet after that. The first class coach I reckon there were about 4 people in it (including me) all the way to Holyhead!
@@LetsMakeaTrip thats good. yesterday i uploaded 2 videos at cardiff central
Nice one I’ll check them out, I’m looking forward to getting back down to Cardiff next month hopefully when Gerald’s got the food on. You can’t beat the breakfast on that - superb!
@@LetsMakeaTrip thanks. Has TfW really got there 67s back then I know there is more Cardiff to holyhead but they could be using 175/1
I heard there were more 67’s coming on the Manchester - Cardiff run. Don’t know the latest though tbh?
Nice to see the old LNER First Class seats surviving… they are much better than the new First Class seats on the Azuma. 🤔
Hi Roger, yes very comfy. Though not as comfy as the old Gerald of Wales first class seats which were more armchairs you’d sink into really - especially after coming back from Cardiff in the evening having finished off a superb meal and a couple of glasses of wine. Good days those, hopefully to be somewhat replicated when the food on this train comes back 🤞
A MK4 82*** is not to be confused with a Class 82, an electric locomotive built in the time period between 1960 and 1962. Although DVTs have the same number, they are not Class 82s.
Hi Busplayz, thanks for the comment and yes, that’s quite an early loco then - didn’t realise that. A few people have pointed this out now which I’m sure I can edit it out if need be. I’ve definitely learnt the difference between the DVT and the Class 82 😊. All the best, Mark
@@LetsMakeaTrip Okay, and keep up the great content! 👍😁
Cheers mate, it’s the ferry to Belfast next week so something a bit different hopefully 👍
Great video, only one problem is you make the English mistake of calling Conwy - Conway
Thanks mate. Oh I’ve already been told off for getting Conwy wrong 😂
Seems a common English thing
@@aldo4319 I live in Shrewsbury, guess how many people pronounce that wrong!
There's about three different ways of pronouncing Shrewsbury
Nice ride along North Wales coast 👍 Newport looks a good base for a week for some shorter rides around the Valleys. Shame no Pacers there anymore. I might ride that train to Cardiff I'm down there in September. Is that a class 67 at the front and a 225 at the rear?
Hi Scott, yeh it’s great in nice weather that part of the world! You may see one or two pacers kicking about in the sheds around Cardiff awaiting their fate!? I would say definitely get Gerald if you can, it only goes down there once a day early then back to Holyhead around 5ish I think. Cardiff’s a good base, cheap Premierinn I would recommend. 82226 on the back/front mate. All the best, Mark
Yes, it seems that the last wagon is a MK4 DVT
Old LNER stock pre Azusa.
Yes. Not bad, I thought standard was nice and bright, comfortable. Can’t wait for the food to come back. It was supposed to be this month so it might already have started.
@@LetsMakeaTrip - No longer complimentary to those travelling First Class. You have to pay a tenner extra for a full, cooked breakfast!
Tut tut! It's CONWY not Conway!
Do you say Cardiff or Caerdydd bet it's Cardiff
@@RushGoal1Nil: Conwy is the official name in both Welsh and English ! What has it got to do with Caerdydd/Cardiff?
@@robertgriffith8857 Conway is the English pronunciation
@@RushGoal1Nil : Really! If you want to be ignorant I guess you can pronounce it any way you want!
@@robertgriffith8857 at the end of the day there are far more important things in the world 😆
Those who put bags on seats are thoughtless and inconsiderate, others have to sit where a dirty bag has been plonked. Dont do it!