Like many UK towns & cities Liverpool has an iconic historic railway station, I was there last year in May (for Eurovision). Heritage like this is worthkeeping for the generations to come.
My travelling on long distance journeys in Britain are sadly now very few. When my mother was alive and living in Huddersfield My partner and I took the Eurostar to St Pancras. Then used the West Coast mainline to Manchester Picadilly Then took a TPE to Huddersfield. The service in first class was always good in my experience and always surprisingly quiet - yet with advanced fares we could get good deals. Once because the Eurostar was late we missed our scheduled train and found that a journey to Leeds and a night in a hotel (because we couldn't get a train to Huddersfield that late) was about a third of the price of a hotel in London on a few hours notice. The East Coast staff were very helpful too. (but they were in one of their nationalised phases then)
@@michaelscott7166 The line from Leeds to Birmingham is an East West Axis cross Country line taking trains from York and Leeds via Birmingham New Street Station to Bristol and Cornwall not London Euston and is operted by X Country trains who will not operate into Birmingham Curzon Street Station
@@peterwilliamallen1063 Yep and the sooner there is an alternative the better. It takes nearly 2 hours to go 100 miles and you're lucky to get a seat even if you have a reservation. A high speed line would not only add capacity but reduce journey times by more than half.
On last November, I travelled with Avanti West Coast service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston on second class, and it was awesome. The seat was comfortable, and the speed of 125 mph and the tilting was incredible. I would love to travel with Avanti West Coast again, Greetings from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 (I live in Switzerland 🇨🇭)
5:50 I agree with that ! I recommend joining Club Avanti as 9 journeys with Avanti of 75 miles or more (EUS-Rugby or further) qualifies for a free standard premium ticket . Superfare does not count.
Someone has probably already pointed this out but the Pendelino's tilting functionality is based on the APT's as they bought the APT technology to develop it.
I honestly find this rolling stock we're more comfortable than Azuma, which is a bit concerning because the similar rolling stock that being use in Taiwan were far more comfortable than Azuma in the UK even though the Taiwan version were running on Cape gauges (1067mm) 😅
Just a point of interest - there is an identical statue of Matthew Flinders at Flinders railway station, at the terminus of the Finders line, next to Flinders Medical Centre in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. Keep the great videos coming…
Flinders’ grave was discovered (it had been lost when the station was originally built) when they were doing preliminary excavation work for HS2 at Euston in 2019 - he was identified from the plate that had been on his coffin, and he was reburied in his birthplace in Lincolnshire in 2024.
Thanks for the info. I had heard about this & it appears he was only re-buried quite recently. There is another statue the same in Port Lincoln which he named after his home county of Lincolnshire. He thought it was a beautiful harbour. Port Lincoln is home to Australia’s largest fishing fleet but before aquaculture it was most famous for bluefin tuna. It is also home to a huge grain handling facility.
Compared to my first class experience from Kings Cross on an Azuma, this is just so much better, and the Pendolinos in general are just nicer to ride on imo, not sure how the 805s will do but looking forwards to it nonetheless
Great video! Prices really need to come down to at least less than flying. For a laugh, I checked BA from Heathrow to Manchester on 11/11 vs Avanti on the same day with BA in business class with food and lounge and Avanti in first with the same. BA: £133.49. Avanti: £188.10 (off peak).
It's an absolute farce (Avanti must be extracting the urine) that a one-way business class ticket from Manchester to London costs £188 yet you can buy a 7-day first class global Interrail pass for £309! I use Avanti when returning from Newcastle on my Interrail trips and, although the Pendolino is a good train, the fares are overpriced. Don't forget, Avanti automatically give you a free reservation when booking your ticket in advance - and you get to pick your seat.
And to add insult to injury and open 1st class return ticket Manchester to Euston is £540! £1.50 a mile. And we wonder why our railways are struggling. 😮
Did the Pendolino from Euston to Crewe and back. It was a breakfast menu going north, and so sad they cannot provide the "full english" which BR were famous for.
@@PadisherCreel Can but won't. Had a full English on a Virgin Pendolino once. Blasting through Stafford in the dark while munching on that is definitely the best way to see Stafford.
@@6yjjkI rather beg to differ as someone who has lived in Stafford in the past for 12 years. There are far worse places to live on the route and I would offer both of Nuneaton and Milton Keynes in comparison. What I would also say is that HS2 as things stand at this moment (11 Jan 25) is not going to be very clever with just 6 platforms in both Old Oak Common and Euston which is with the latter wholly inadequate and needs to be 8 or 10 platforms looking towards the future. 6 platforms now and then extending in the future to meet demand will prove to be stupidly expensive.
Excellent job, the sooner Virgin Trains starts its services again and gives Avanti price competition the better. Great service by Avanti at a price that alienates the first class market to most people
Typically, Avanti (more likely First Group) opted for a cheap version of the IET with no tilting technology (unlike the Voyagers they replace). This will invariably mean the where the IETs are used of the West Coast mainline, they will undoubtedly end up delaying following Pendolinos - don't forget that on some parts of the route the frequency of trains is every 5 minutes. I've already heard rumours that when the Pendolinos are life-expired, the replacements will be non-tilting (slower journeys but you can bet the fares will increase)!
The theory with the IETs is that despite having no tilt, the acceleration is quicker than the Pendolinos, thereby making up the difference. All due, allegedly, to advances in electric technology and losing the weight of the tilting mechanism. How it works in practice we'll see.
@@ronclark9724 I agree but the Scots are get several billions in compensation from th cancelled project. How much are Wales getting? T he grand sum of £O thanks to this Labour government
2:25 Yes it is and the plugs usually don't work . These days I treat going to Starbucks as a required expense during long waits to ''prevent technical failures'' .
@@NonstopEurotrip No .I couldn't justify the cost of it especially as where I was heading at the other end had no lounge( Wrexham , North Wales) and it would have been £90 whereas my standard ticket was £40 something . Between London and Tamworth , I fell asleep! That's not something I do very often . It's been a while since I've ridden the pendolinos .
Not being Funny Virgin was the best for Host Service when I had my ALR 1st Class 2 weeks was Amazing i am going back a bit but it seems to be all Profit related today where as it used to be customer based
I’ve had a new job for 6 months or so and travel a lot. The luxury is being able to use public transport and I’ve now experienced most of England’s rail services. Unfortunately I have no choice but to use GWR who rank as fast yet the most expensive and very poor service in 1st class (it’s the same as standard you just don’t pay, but choice is so limited it’s not worth it). Then at the top by a country mile is Avanti. What a difference. It’s actually cheaper per mile than GWR, just as fast but 1st class is wonderful. Again - it’s a luxury but what a difference. Every rail company needs to follow their example.
Great video as ever, I get this train regularly.. you were lucky to actually get one that hadn't been cancelled. Worth noting that Standard Premium is actually really good value if you dont want food and drinks. Next time, you need to have a look at the heritage Museum, I visited with students from Crewe UTC on a field trip and was suitably impressed with the knowledge of the volunteers there. We even sat on the APT!
Interesting to view this and compare it with my recent experience travelling from London to Liverpool. The ride is smooth: better than the east coast. I travelled standard premium because of the cost of FC. I was very comfortable, but going to the buffet for a cup of tea was a journey too far! Altogether enjoyed the trip. I agree with you about GWR. Its customer service in FC is abysmal!
As a one time London worker and cyclist I noticed the tiny bike racks outside this main line London station. Just compare that with the facilities in any mainline station in Holland, France, or Germany. No wonder so few commuters bring a bicycle into London by rail - or have they simply banned them on trains?
For that price, buying discount tickets, I could travel a little bit more than 3000 kilometers by rail, and that’s almost 10 times from Warsaw to Gdansk😳🥴. Of course, I'm talking about second class and an old train from 30 years ago, but it's still impressive!
Used to use trains a lot, especially from Birmingham to London for football and concerts but since Avanti took over from Virgin, not only have prices risen but the service has been really hit and miss. Going to Scotland in December and still can't decide if to get the train or drive.
You should try with transport for wales dvt class 43 from Manchester to Cardiff on first class. They are very good! Great video though love avanti. They do go to Edinburgh. Also I did manage to do a review with avanti from Birmingham to Milton on first class which is found on my channel and honestly I find them very good with their breakfast. One of the best first class in the uk.
TfW do not operate any Class 43 and never have. The trains you are relating to are hauled or pushed by a Class 67 diesel locomotive, the train is formed of 5 Mark IV coaches and a Mark IV DVT.
Great train, great journey but, oh, the cost - it’s ridiculous. It’s no wonder the first class compartment was virtually empty (OK, it was off-peak, but most of us retirees travel off-peak). Go to Switzerland (always considered the most expensive for rail travel) and you can get a Swiss Pass 1st class allowing 8 days unrestricted travel for around £600 giving rail, bus, lake steamer and tram services. The UK’s rail charges now are some of the highest in Europe. Is HS2 necessary? Yes, but it has to go north of Birmingham to make it worthwhile.
While you say these Pendolino sets are `imported` & it`s true you may have been on one that was perhaps, in fact the bulk of these 390`s were built in Washwood Heath in Birmingham, the last tranch though being built in Italy. Nice vid, thanks.
Have you seen the new Avanti West Coast Class 805 Evero that some have entered service and have replaced the Class 221 Voyagers. And the Class 807 Evero to start entering service from next year.
When Richard Branson ordered those trains he went for a smaller window because the carriage was a lot stronger , refer to the Virgin crash years ago towards Scotland after which the rolling stock went back into use .
All that needs to be done to get people off the roads and onto the rails is, reduce the fares. I've travelled first class a few times on Avanti and the price is way too expensive, but miles better than GWR. And seasoned rail travellers, like yourself are in a much better position to argue the case for HS2, rathe r than all the false information from the main stream media. I hope I'm still around to see it! Good video.
Ah but the French and Spanish system of compulsory reservations means that overcrowding doesn’t happen on trains! It’s a MUCH better system than in the UK where MOST peak time trains are full with passengers who’ve paid for a seat expected to stand. You had a first class ticket which rarely sell out.
I love the points you've made for the HS2, and I also hope they get implemented. Meanwhile in the US, we just want something faster than a car and cheaper than a plane.
Unfortunately as long as most of America's tracks are owned by freight companies that do not desire to increase the speed of their tracks, that will never happen... Amtrak's Northwest corridor is already faster than cars and cheaper than flying considering airport parking fees...
I wish they had one of these across the North of England on SailRail direct from Hull, Leeds, Manchester Victoria to Holyhead, timed to meet ferry check-ins and arrivals from Dublin - they could call it “the Irish express” or similar, as one of the trains leaving London at 5pm or 6pm for Holyhead direct used to be called something similar, possibly “the Irish mail train”, as Avanti already have these trains on the North Wales Line via Chester, having used them to get to Holyhead from Chester, rather than wait for a slower and more cramped TfW service to Holyhead and risk missing my ferry check-in time
@@michaelscott7166 there used to be ferry sailings from Liverpool to Dublin (with dedicated express trains from Manchester Victoria) and Holyhead to Dun Laoire (near Dublin) but these got scrapped once air travel became more popular - in these days of climate change and if the Irish government decides to comply with EU directives to ban all short haul flights between Ireland and the U.K. these ferry and rail services might be reinstated, as the Irish government is currently committing itself to a massive investment programme on Irish railways
I would be more interested in HS2 if we'd pushed the frontiers and gone for a maglev train. Cannot see the point in all the expenditure for a relatively modest reduction in journey times.
@@shanewaterman4125I agree that if you're going to blow that much money, you should be doing something revolutionary, not slapping a sticky-plaster on what's already there. For all the HS branding, HS2 has never been about speed. It's purely about capacity. And I guarantee you that,before long, WCML will be back at capacity and HS2 will start getting choked up with freight trains.
Good video. *FOR THOSE THAT are interested in the Pendolino story,* Vanmayo has put together a series of videos chronicling the arrival of the trainsets to the original Virgin Trains fleet on his channel - check it out 👍
100% agree with you re. Avanti West Coast's catering. It is far superior to LNER:consistency of offer quality and menu presentation. It allway's makes me laugh seeing all these YT videos proclaiming LNER as Britain's best first class/raving on about their catering. LNER used to be good but their famous full breakfast is only available on saome trains + thhey have 4 different menus on offer from full to snack no atter what ticket/price you buy ie a lottery. AWC = same catering throughout
Euston suffers the most due to it being the main link to london for the biggest cities in the UK. It really needs to be rebuilt to suit that role beyter regardles of the future of HS2
As of September 16, 2024, there are 66 Vande Bharat trains in service in India: 18 sixteen-car services, 3 twenty-car services, and 45 eight-car services.
I was shocked about the price of a first class ticket. I'm sure it wouldn't be that expensive in Europe, so no wonder you almost had a carriage to yourself. Train travel in this country is appalling. You gave us a good,honest review as always.
Always enjoy your videos, thanks again. However, some questions. Why would I want to drive to my local station in my 16 year old diesel Yaris, then pay for parking, then commute to London, then go across London, then spend up to £267 getting to Liverpool to have to hire a taxi to get to where I am going when I can simply get in the 1.4 diesel Yaris and drive up there including stopping at every service station for a £10 meal and save money? Environmentally wise trains are supposed to be better, but is an empty first class apart from you, and empty premier class apart from one person and a not half full normal class actually better for the planet than my car that does 70mpg just taking me along? Taking my own meal in a tupperware tub I'd certainly use less plastic ! :) Like you said though, if they asked for less money then it would fill up more and be better for CO2 etc per train movement. It's a bit mad.
@@NonstopEurotrip . Not sure why the tears face, unless that is the emoji of frustration? This is the problem with rail in the UK, the eternal triangle of cost v hassle v environment is not that pro train friendly. I enjoyed your trip to Amsterdam from London and thought I would do that for next Feb for my wife's birthday, but now seems to be a change in Brussels due track repairs in Amsterdam station ? How does that work? Meanwhile Easyjet do Amsterdam for half the price, even with the hassle of an airport and charges ( they even charge for drop off nowadays ! ) the triangle is tipped in the airline favour. Grrrrr My wife said " Let's visit Lille" ... she always had a hankering for it. Lovely place it seems and here the train makes great sense. She loves those waffles though, turned her brain.... Not quite the Venice of the north though. Joking aside trains still have some way to go to get all points of the HASSLE - COST - ENVIRONMENT triangle perfectly pointed to make them a no brainer choice.
It's a shame that HS2 was marketed around passenger convenience and journey times instead of the freight capacity that it's actually for. There's been loads of mis-management, but the public attitude of "£40bn for a trivial time-saving for passengers" has done absolutely nothing to help.
@@NonstopEurotrip If it was all about freight, the UK could have added another track alongside the present tracks, if necessary expand the right of way three meters and rebuild bridges a hell of a lot cheaper than the huge BOONDOGGLE cluster fuck of HS2....
Well, it's true. Say what you want but accessibility in the UK far exceeds many countries. I know it's not perfect, but it's definitely 'good' if not 'great'
Hi I have a request.. Please visit Bangladesh🇧🇩 We have a rail system started by British... It's not that good... It has so many problems but certainly our trains are new.. It features comfortable cabins..so I want you to review our trains...
Wait, HS2 not even finish? How the government let High Speed Train Project going this long? Are they not aware the longger they let the project the more expensive it is for no reason? I hope the HS2 Will be finished soon. Only UK let train Project goes very expensive for no reason i think😅
The majority of the Pendolino fleet were built at the former Metro-Cammell works at Washwood Heath in Birmingham and not imported as stated in the film. Only the 2nd batch of units and adittional carriages to lengthen a number of units were built outside the UK as the Birmingham factory had been closed by the time these were built. Also when in the UK please use miles rather than kilometrea as this is the standard unit of measurement here.
Please watch the video properly before making a comment that is explained in the video. I use both km and miles in all my videos. Km are far more used worldwide, so that will always be first.
Consider the reality of UK train travel vs. its counterpart in France The rail journey from London Euston to Glasgow is approx. 650km and takes 4.5 hours minimum The rail journey from Paris Gard du Lyon to Avignon TGV is approx.680km and takes 2.75 hours So 5% further but close to 40% faster, platform to platform (in France) Cast your mind back to the 1960s and Harold Wilson's boast about the "White Heat of (British) Technology" Comparable advanced Western Liberal Democratic States but significantly different long term outcomes - who do you think has fared better?
@@NonstopEurotrip Rail networks always experience problems but in general the LGV network on the other side of La Manche has proven much more efficient/resilient than its lower speed counterpart in the UK - can you provide evidenced details of catastrophic/chronic failure across the LGV network?
Problem with HS2 if you live south of Birmingham it is a pointless exercise, from Birmingham Airport, Coventry, Rugby, Northampton and Milton Keynes passengers will still have to use the slower Avanti and semi fast slow services. First class in the UK is ridiculous, it is as if they don't want to do it. Hence the Premium Standard class. no food and less than half the price of 1st. There are also different ways to get to Liverpool. - Direct - the dearest, via Crewe is next and then its via Birmingham, takes the longest and is the cheapest.
Late comment, just got back from a holiday to UK. Coincidentally, I and my partner took this Pendolino train back and forth to Chester (and connected with TfW all the way to Wales). We only bought standard class as the first class price is as you say 'extortionate'. I would say it's a decent ride with some nice scenes along the way, but people who are suffering from motion sickness might feel some vertigo due to the tilting motion of the pendolino. To conclude, it was a good ride but nothing special. And as you also mentioned, Euston is one hell of an ugly station. It has no appeal nor grace whatsoever
Your comments seem to always show up late for me Luke, or in my spam box...I'm sorry for the late reply and how ironic you've just been on this train 😂 did you have a nice trip to the UK?
You won't get much disagreement about the need for HS2 from your subscribers, but there are two issues: 1) The previous government sold the land that they had previously acquired. 2) There is no money. Recently, I watched a video about the UK's economy, which mentioned a 'lost decade'. While one should take any RUclips video with a very generous helping of salt, the arguments brought forward did sound reasonable enough. Considering that the incumbent government keeps mentioning that they don't have any money, and that there's going to be pain, HS2 doesn't seem to be in the offing - even though it would improve the UK's economy in the long run. They should consider using different traction than a Class 66 if they want to be truly green, though. Although there are probably too many non-electrified sections, but I know very little about that.
The land is in limbo at the moment while decisions are made and there's always money, it just needs reappropriation 😆 In reality the UK should have 5 or 6 high-speed lines by now and the economic benefits will be endless 🚆
@@NonstopEurotrip Yeah, but you got austerity after the 2008 financial crisis (after the elections, with the coalition and successive governments). Then the Brexit referendum came. Then Covid-19 hit, and even more was borrowed than in 2008. So you have a seriously high debt-to-GDP ratio, but also an economy that has been sluggish for a long time. I'm not going to give voting advice, but I'd invite anybody to look at the figures, and make up their own mind.
Click the link and Use Code: OCT24 for 10% OFF New User APP Bookings up to €100: omio.sjv.io/QO0XMx
FYI - The link does not appear to work
@@arilebon it works fine for me
Like many UK towns & cities Liverpool has an iconic historic railway station, I was there last year in May (for Eurovision). Heritage like this is worthkeeping for the generations to come.
Eurovision in Liverpool was one of the most incredible experiences of my life!
13:44 the pendolino was developed using the tilting technology developed by British Rail for the APT
Excellent presentation per usual. Wow, substitles in 140 languages is simply amazing and puts you mega miles above all the rest!
Wow, thank you Sam 🙏🏻
My travelling on long distance journeys in Britain
are sadly now very few.
When my mother was alive and living in Huddersfield
My partner and I took the Eurostar to St Pancras.
Then used the West Coast mainline to Manchester Picadilly
Then took a TPE to Huddersfield.
The service in first class was always good in my experience
and always surprisingly quiet - yet with advanced fares
we could get good deals.
Once because the Eurostar was late we missed our
scheduled train and found that a journey to Leeds and a night in a hotel
(because we couldn't get a train to Huddersfield that late)
was about a third of the price of a hotel in London on a few hours notice.
The East Coast staff were very helpful too.
(but they were in one of their nationalised phases then)
Thanks for sharing 😊
Kay Burley alert!
At 2min 49sec. With a half eaten apple.
It's literally a Japanese woman 😆
HS2 is going to be amazing, I have no doubt that it will be completed in full to Leeds and Manchester, the only question is when.
Let's hope so 🤞🏻
Same hopefully sooner rather than later. The line between Leeds and Birmingham is nothing short of a disaster, far too slow and far too overcrowded.
It may be completed to Manchester but there is no logical reason to run HS2 to Leeds
@@michaelscott7166 The line from Leeds to Birmingham is an East West Axis cross Country line taking trains from York and Leeds via Birmingham New Street Station to Bristol and Cornwall not London Euston and is operted by X Country trains who will not operate into Birmingham Curzon Street Station
@@peterwilliamallen1063 Yep and the sooner there is an alternative the better. It takes nearly 2 hours to go 100 miles and you're lucky to get a seat even if you have a reservation. A high speed line would not only add capacity but reduce journey times by more than half.
On last November, I travelled with Avanti West Coast service from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston on second class, and it was awesome. The seat was comfortable, and the speed of 125 mph and the tilting was incredible. I would love to travel with Avanti West Coast again, Greetings from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 (I live in Switzerland 🇨🇭)
Excellent, thanks for watching 😊
Interesting fact, the designers of the pendolino studied the failed apt to learn from it’s mistakes as to avoid doing the same thing
As far as lounges go, Paddington's is pretty special not particularly big but it includes Queen Victoria's personal lounge that you can use.
5:50 I agree with that ! I recommend joining Club Avanti as 9 journeys with Avanti of 75 miles or more (EUS-Rugby or further) qualifies for a free standard premium ticket . Superfare does not count.
Doesn't really help if you live on the ECML 😆
@@NonstopEurotrip True. I'd argue the occasional free sausage roll at Greggs alone makes LNER perks worth joining.
Great video! Been on these Pendos, HSTs & 225s...
Cool! Which is your favourite?
@@NonstopEurotrip HST, 225, Pendo in that order
Someone has probably already pointed this out but the Pendelino's tilting functionality is based on the APT's as they bought the APT technology to develop it.
I honestly find this rolling stock we're more comfortable than Azuma, which is a bit concerning because the similar rolling stock that being use in Taiwan were far more comfortable than Azuma in the UK even though the Taiwan version were running on Cape gauges (1067mm) 😅
I dunno about that. Nicer seats in Taiwan for sure 😁
@@NonstopEurotripI think the Avanti Voyager replacements are supposed to better.
Just a point of interest - there is an identical statue of Matthew Flinders at Flinders railway station, at the terminus of the Finders line, next to Flinders Medical Centre in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia.
Keep the great videos coming…
Flinders’ grave was discovered (it had been lost when the station was originally built) when they were doing preliminary excavation work for HS2 at Euston in 2019 - he was identified from the plate that had been on his coffin, and he was reburied in his birthplace in Lincolnshire in 2024.
Thanks for the info. I had heard about this & it appears he was only re-buried quite recently. There is another statue the same in Port Lincoln which he named after his home county of Lincolnshire. He thought it was a beautiful harbour. Port Lincoln is home to Australia’s largest fishing fleet but before aquaculture it was most famous for bluefin tuna. It is also home to a huge grain handling facility.
Interesting 😎😎😎
So polite about the state of Euston station and the dreaded 'race down the ramp'.
😂😂😂
I was barked on by the staff to hurry up as I unintentionally held the line by scanning my digital ticket on the wrong place
Great footage! Beautiful presentation, work! Thank you for great effort!
Many thanks!
Compared to my first class experience from Kings Cross on an Azuma, this is just so much better, and the Pendolinos in general are just nicer to ride on imo, not sure how the 805s will do but looking forwards to it nonetheless
Great video! Prices really need to come down to at least less than flying. For a laugh, I checked BA from Heathrow to Manchester on 11/11 vs Avanti on the same day with BA in business class with food and lounge and Avanti in first with the same. BA: £133.49. Avanti: £188.10 (off peak).
Thanks for sharing - there in lies a big problem! Although at least it's city centre to city centre with the train!
It's an absolute farce (Avanti must be extracting the urine) that a one-way business class ticket from Manchester to London costs £188 yet you can buy a 7-day first class global Interrail pass for £309! I use Avanti when returning from Newcastle on my Interrail trips and, although the Pendolino is a good train, the fares are overpriced. Don't forget, Avanti automatically give you a free reservation when booking your ticket in advance - and you get to pick your seat.
And to add insult to injury and open 1st class return ticket Manchester to Euston is £540! £1.50 a mile. And we wonder why our railways are struggling. 😮
Who flys London to Manchester these days? I understand Glasgow or Edinburgh to London
@@s125ish many people, which is why BA still run flights.
Did the Pendolino from Euston to Crewe and back. It was a breakfast menu going north, and so sad they cannot provide the "full english" which BR were famous for.
Sad, right!!
@@PadisherCreel Can but won't. Had a full English on a Virgin Pendolino once. Blasting through Stafford in the dark while munching on that is definitely the best way to see Stafford.
@@6yjjkI rather beg to differ as someone who has lived in Stafford in the past for 12 years. There are far worse places to live on the route and I would offer both of Nuneaton and Milton Keynes in comparison.
What I would also say is that HS2 as things stand at this moment (11 Jan 25) is not going to be very clever with just 6 platforms in both Old Oak Common and Euston which is with the latter wholly inadequate and needs to be 8 or 10 platforms looking towards the future. 6 platforms now and then extending in the future to meet demand will prove to be stupidly expensive.
Excellent job, the sooner Virgin Trains starts its services again and gives Avanti price competition the better. Great service by Avanti at a price that alienates the first class market to most people
Let's hope so!
Brave of them to have a warning triangle for a logo...
👀
Do you know what their logo actually means?
Typically, Avanti (more likely First Group) opted for a cheap version of the IET with no tilting technology (unlike the Voyagers they replace). This will invariably mean the where the IETs are used of the West Coast mainline, they will undoubtedly end up delaying following Pendolinos - don't forget that on some parts of the route the frequency of trains is every 5 minutes. I've already heard rumours that when the Pendolinos are life-expired, the replacements will be non-tilting (slower journeys but you can bet the fares will increase)!
There's no tilting version of the IET
The theory with the IETs is that despite having no tilt, the acceleration is quicker than the Pendolinos, thereby making up the difference. All due, allegedly, to advances in electric technology and losing the weight of the tilting mechanism. How it works in practice we'll see.
hi. Thanks for greatreview. i will only be an enthusiast of HS2 if they incorporate Wales into the plans.
And the Scots feel the same way with HS2... Politics always gets in the way of infrastructure improvements...
@@ronclark9724 I agree but the Scots are get several billions in compensation from th cancelled project. How much are Wales getting? T he grand sum of £O thanks to this Labour government
Forgot to add that, in my experience , mile per mile, FC with LNER is a lot cheaper than with Avanti.
Very true. But a worse train, and food.
@@NonstopEurotripwhat about the 225
2:25 Yes it is and the plugs usually don't work . These days I treat going to Starbucks as a required expense during long waits to ''prevent technical failures'' .
No lounge access then 😆
@@NonstopEurotrip No .I couldn't justify the cost of it especially as where I was heading at the other end had no lounge( Wrexham , North Wales) and it would have been £90 whereas my standard ticket was £40 something . Between London and Tamworth , I fell asleep! That's not something I do very often .
It's been a while since I've ridden the pendolinos .
great video ❤❤😍😍
Thank you 🤗
Not being Funny Virgin was the best for Host Service when I had my ALR 1st Class 2 weeks was Amazing i am going back a bit but it seems to be all Profit related today where as it used to be customer based
I’ve had a new job for 6 months or so and travel a lot. The luxury is being able to use public transport and I’ve now experienced most of England’s rail services. Unfortunately I have no choice but to use GWR who rank as fast yet the most expensive and very poor service in 1st class (it’s the same as standard you just don’t pay, but choice is so limited it’s not worth it). Then at the top by a country mile is Avanti. What a difference. It’s actually cheaper per mile than GWR, just as fast but 1st class is wonderful. Again - it’s a luxury but what a difference. Every rail company needs to follow their example.
Bom dia muito lindo trem avanti West coad boa viagem ai trem ai boa sexta
Excellent report Adam...:):):)
Who?
Great video as ever, I get this train regularly.. you were lucky to actually get one that hadn't been cancelled. Worth noting that Standard Premium is actually really good value if you dont want food and drinks. Next time, you need to have a look at the heritage Museum, I visited with students from Crewe UTC on a field trip and was suitably impressed with the knowledge of the volunteers there. We even sat on the APT!
I've been! And sat in the APT and HST cabs too 😊🚆
@@NonstopEurotrip the APT has a curious old smell that I actually found quite evocative
@@jonathanfarber yeah, the smell of the 1980s 😆
Interesting to view this and compare it with my recent experience travelling from London to Liverpool.
The ride is smooth: better than the east coast. I travelled standard premium because of the cost of FC.
I was very comfortable, but going to the buffet for a cup of tea was a journey too far!
Altogether enjoyed the trip.
I agree with you about GWR. Its customer service in FC is abysmal!
As a one time London worker and cyclist I noticed the tiny bike racks outside this main line London station. Just compare that with the facilities in any mainline station in Holland, France, or Germany. No wonder so few commuters bring a bicycle into London by rail - or have they simply banned them on trains?
I think there's more elsewhere!
Welcome back to UK
I've already left 😆
@@NonstopEurotripEven better 😂
tomorrow im going on avanti first class to edinburgh waverly from euston, im so excited
Have fun!
For that price, buying discount tickets, I could travel a little bit more than 3000 kilometers by rail, and that’s almost 10 times from Warsaw to Gdansk😳🥴. Of course, I'm talking about second class and an old train from 30 years ago, but it's still impressive!
Used to use trains a lot, especially from Birmingham to London for football and concerts but since Avanti took over from Virgin, not only have prices risen but the service has been really hit and miss.
Going to Scotland in December and still can't decide if to get the train or drive.
Great video, and I agree with all that you say !
Thanks!
You should try with transport for wales dvt class 43 from Manchester to Cardiff on first class. They are very good! Great video though love avanti. They do go to Edinburgh. Also I did manage to do a review with avanti from Birmingham to Milton on first class which is found on my channel and honestly I find them very good with their breakfast. One of the best first class in the uk.
I've already filmed it, will be released in the coming months 🙂
TfW do not operate any Class 43 and never have. The trains you are relating to are hauled or pushed by a Class 67 diesel locomotive, the train is formed of 5 Mark IV coaches and a Mark IV DVT.
@@SimonPilkington-g3i I was meant to say 67 but I cba to edit it
Great train, great journey but, oh, the cost - it’s ridiculous. It’s no wonder the first class compartment was virtually empty (OK, it was off-peak, but most of us retirees travel off-peak). Go to Switzerland (always considered the most expensive for rail travel) and you can get a Swiss Pass 1st class allowing 8 days unrestricted travel for around £600 giving rail, bus, lake steamer and tram services. The UK’s rail charges now are some of the highest in Europe. Is HS2 necessary? Yes, but it has to go north of Birmingham to make it worthwhile.
Absolutely 💯
Great video.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
While you say these Pendolino sets are `imported` & it`s true you may have been on one that was perhaps, in fact the bulk of these 390`s were built in Washwood Heath in Birmingham, the last tranch though being built in Italy. Nice vid, thanks.
As stated in the video
It’s was Avanti west coast from Euston to Preston via Blackpool north
What's was
Have you seen the new Avanti West Coast Class 805 Evero that some have entered service and have replaced the Class 221 Voyagers. And the Class 807 Evero to start entering service from next year.
If you watched the whole video you'd know I have 😉
When Richard Branson ordered those trains he went for a smaller window because the carriage was a lot stronger , refer to the Virgin crash years ago towards Scotland after which the rolling stock went back into use .
Interesting, thanks!
3:54
Hi, just discovered your channel. I've clocked Pendolinos at 132mph on speedometer apps sometimes, very naughty
Wow... I overspeeeeeeed 😋
London is my favourite UK city and Liverpool is my second favourite
All that needs to be done to get people off the roads and onto the rails is, reduce the fares. I've travelled first class a few times on Avanti and the price is way too expensive, but miles better than GWR. And seasoned rail travellers, like yourself are in a much better position to argue the case for HS2, rathe r than all the false information from the main stream media. I hope I'm still around to see it! Good video.
I agree 💯👍🏻
Too expensive in both classes and in general a very poorly run service.
Ah but the French and Spanish system of compulsory reservations means that overcrowding doesn’t happen on trains! It’s a MUCH better system than in the UK where MOST peak time trains are full with passengers who’ve paid for a seat expected to stand. You had a first class ticket which rarely sell out.
Imagine a first class passenger complaining about fare prices.... If first class is too expensive for you, ride in second class...
Disagree. Because it leaves people with no option to travel
Just wondering if the chap at 11:25 is alright he seemed to play it off somewhat smoothly ha
I know right 😂
I love the points you've made for the HS2, and I also hope they get implemented. Meanwhile in the US, we just want something faster than a car and cheaper than a plane.
Unfortunately as long as most of America's tracks are owned by freight companies that do not desire to increase the speed of their tracks, that will never happen... Amtrak's Northwest corridor is already faster than cars and cheaper than flying considering airport parking fees...
@@ronclark9724 hey, it's a good start
A high-speed train?! 😆
I wish they had one of these across the North of England on SailRail direct from Hull, Leeds, Manchester Victoria to Holyhead, timed to meet ferry check-ins and arrivals from Dublin - they could call it “the Irish express” or similar, as one of the trains leaving London at 5pm or 6pm for Holyhead direct used to be called something similar, possibly “the Irish mail train”, as Avanti already have these trains on the North Wales Line via Chester, having used them to get to Holyhead from Chester, rather than wait for a slower and more cramped TfW service to Holyhead and risk missing my ferry check-in time
I've always been amazed they didn't try one service from Hull to Holyhead to link both ports so you could do Rotterdam to Dublin.
@@michaelscott7166 there used to be ferry sailings from Liverpool to Dublin (with dedicated express trains from Manchester Victoria) and Holyhead to Dun Laoire (near Dublin) but these got scrapped once air travel became more popular - in these days of climate change and if the Irish government decides to comply with EU directives to ban all short haul flights between Ireland and the U.K. these ferry and rail services might be reinstated, as the Irish government is currently committing itself to a massive investment programme on Irish railways
Absolutely 💯
Great trip.
Thanks!
Last time i used the lounge at Euston there was no food beyond cookies and crisps. I seem to recall that alcohol was charged.
Must have been a very long time ago because except for during the pandemic, it's been like this for 10+ years
@@NonstopEurotrip last time was 2018 that I was there
Very good video. Why can’t rail companies keep the windows clean?
Annoying right?!
I would be more interested in HS2 if we'd pushed the frontiers and gone for a maglev train. Cannot see the point in all the expenditure for a relatively modest reduction in journey times.
Unfortunately the technology isn't there yet. Best let China and Japan make it mainstream first!
@@shanewaterman4125I agree that if you're going to blow that much money, you should be doing something revolutionary, not slapping a sticky-plaster on what's already there. For all the HS branding, HS2 has never been about speed. It's purely about capacity. And I guarantee you that,before long, WCML will be back at capacity and HS2 will start getting choked up with freight trains.
Guess you didn't get down to B to see the 3rd accessible toilet.
Too far 😆
Good video.
*FOR THOSE THAT are interested in the Pendolino story,* Vanmayo has put together a series of videos chronicling the arrival of the trainsets to the original Virgin Trains fleet on his channel - check it out 👍
100% agree with you re. Avanti West Coast's catering. It is far superior to LNER:consistency of offer quality and menu presentation. It allway's makes me laugh seeing all these YT videos proclaiming LNER as Britain's best first class/raving on about their catering. LNER used to be good but their famous full breakfast is only available on saome trains + thhey have 4 different menus on offer from full to snack no atter what ticket/price you buy ie a lottery. AWC = same catering throughout
Absolutely agreed 💯
LNER East Coast Main Line Newcastle to Edinburgh good
What'd good? It's certainly not the trains....
@@NonstopEurotrip scenery was good u should do the Argyle Line up in Scotland one day
I always thought the Pendelino trains were built by Fiat in Italy ! Am I wrong ?
Only a few
Euston suffers the most due to it being the main link to london for the biggest cities in the UK. It really needs to be rebuilt to suit that role beyter regardles of the future of HS2
As it is being
Looking at these trains we in India are not far behind in terms of trains. We already have dedicated freight corridor only used by freight trains.
As of September 16, 2024, there are 66 Vande Bharat trains in service in India: 18 sixteen-car services, 3 twenty-car services, and 45 eight-car services.
Hopefully when your high-speed is running!!
@@NonstopEurotrip in couple of years
@@NonstopEurotrip trains are using similar technology I.e. EMU and consistently getting 160 kmph speed, track upgrade work is in progress.
@@NonstopEurotrip it will be better because it is Greenfield project, shinkansen train.
If only HS2 connected to HS1 so that continental trains can serve Birmingham, Manchester and the rest of the North if rail capacity limits allows.
Would be nice eh 😉
I see no plants or trees in the bland outdoor plaza.
Very true!
Great video & train, but as you pointed out, way too expensive !!
True!
Ha. Kay Burley in the First Class Lounge.
👀
The Hitachi's are so uncomfortable compared to the old Intercity ones. :(
I was shocked about the price of a first class ticket. I'm sure it wouldn't be that expensive in Europe, so no wonder you almost had a carriage to yourself. Train travel in this country is appalling. You gave us a good,honest review as always.
You could cross half the continent for that price on the mainland.
Thanks for watching! I was shocked too 😂
I don’t think many people will disagree with you about Euston.
Amen 🙌🏻
Traveling around 300 km for only £25.- on Stadard class is a cheap price
Hi, are you in the UK often?
@@JonathanButler-zd8qt once or twice a year
Always enjoy your videos, thanks again.
However, some questions.
Why would I want to drive to my local station in my 16 year old diesel Yaris, then pay for parking, then commute to London, then go across London, then spend up to £267 getting to Liverpool to have to hire a taxi to get to where I am going when I can simply get in the 1.4 diesel Yaris and drive up there including stopping at every service station for a £10 meal and save money?
Environmentally wise trains are supposed to be better, but is an empty first class apart from you, and empty premier class apart from one person and a not half full normal class actually better for the planet than my car that does 70mpg just taking me along? Taking my own meal in a tupperware tub I'd certainly use less plastic ! :)
Like you said though, if they asked for less money then it would fill up more and be better for CO2 etc per train movement. It's a bit mad.
I do agree. But that's beyond my remit 😂
@@NonstopEurotrip . Not sure why the tears face, unless that is the emoji of frustration? This is the problem with rail in the UK, the eternal triangle of cost v hassle v environment is not that pro train friendly.
I enjoyed your trip to Amsterdam from London and thought I would do that for next Feb for my wife's birthday, but now seems to be a change in Brussels due track repairs in Amsterdam station ? How does that work?
Meanwhile Easyjet do Amsterdam for half the price, even with the hassle of an airport and charges ( they even charge for drop off nowadays ! ) the triangle is tipped in the airline favour.
Grrrrr
My wife said " Let's visit Lille" ... she always had a hankering for it. Lovely place it seems and here the train makes great sense. She loves those waffles though, turned her brain....
Not quite the Venice of the north though.
Joking aside trains still have some way to go to get all points of the HASSLE - COST - ENVIRONMENT triangle perfectly pointed to make them a no brainer choice.
Would you say it's worth it though?
Not at full price, no
It’s great, but crazy prices compares to Europe
Pretty sure we're still in Europe 😆
@@NonstopEurotrip the UK is continental Europe, but not EU. Some first class tickets in mainland Europe are half the price for double the distance
@@EthsGames and visa versa, with advanced fares too
4523 Durgan Turnpike
It's a shame that HS2 was marketed around passenger convenience and journey times instead of the freight capacity that it's actually for. There's been loads of mis-management, but the public attitude of "£40bn for a trivial time-saving for passengers" has done absolutely nothing to help.
Oh absolutely, great point!
@@NonstopEurotrip If it was all about freight, the UK could have added another track alongside the present tracks, if necessary expand the right of way three meters and rebuild bridges a hell of a lot cheaper than the huge BOONDOGGLE cluster fuck of HS2....
Gone are the days where I could get a first class upgrade with Virgin for £4.
Ikr 😢
Ramps are available to bored the train should you need them?
Every wheelchair user just fell out of their chair laughing when they heard that 😂.
Well, it's true. Say what you want but accessibility in the UK far exceeds many countries. I know it's not perfect, but it's definitely 'good' if not 'great'
@@NonstopEurotrip ruclips.net/video/5XBsr5FGVug/видео.htmlsi=-sYZu5BQXa7vjVwL
🖖👍thank you . See you later
This prices just ridiculous! How do you even live with them?!!😮😮😮
Don't use them much 😆
Hi I have a request.. Please visit Bangladesh🇧🇩 We have a rail system started by British... It's not that good... It has so many problems but certainly our trains are new.. It features comfortable cabins..so I want you to review our trains...
I will, at some point!!
Bro next journey india in vande metro train
Why 👀
Euseless station.
😂😂😂
Wait, HS2 not even finish? How the government let High Speed Train Project going this long? Are they not aware the longger they let the project the more expensive it is for no reason? I hope the HS2 Will be finished soon. Only UK let train Project goes very expensive for no reason i think😅
Hardly even started yet 😕
The majority of the Pendolino fleet were built at the former Metro-Cammell works at Washwood Heath in Birmingham and not imported as stated in the film. Only the 2nd batch of units and adittional carriages to lengthen a number of units were built outside the UK as the Birmingham factory had been closed by the time these were built. Also when in the UK please use miles rather than kilometrea as this is the standard unit of measurement here.
Please watch the video properly before making a comment that is explained in the video. I use both km and miles in all my videos. Km are far more used worldwide, so that will always be first.
@@NonstopEurotripThanks for seeing the light as a Brit. If only more of your kind countryfolk would be the same, the world would be a better place 😂
Vist Bangladesh ❤
I will!
Consider the reality of UK train travel vs. its counterpart in France
The rail journey from London Euston to Glasgow is approx. 650km and takes 4.5 hours minimum
The rail journey from Paris Gard du Lyon to Avignon TGV is approx.680km and takes 2.75 hours
So 5% further but close to 40% faster, platform to platform (in France)
Cast your mind back to the 1960s and Harold Wilson's boast about the "White Heat of (British) Technology"
Comparable advanced Western Liberal Democratic States but significantly different long term outcomes - who do you think has fared better?
Both have massive failures.
@@NonstopEurotrip You will have to be more specific - "both" (what) have failures?
@@peterdavidson3268 UK and french networks
@@NonstopEurotrip Rail networks always experience problems but in general the LGV network on the other side of La Manche has proven much more efficient/resilient than its lower speed counterpart in the UK - can you provide evidenced details of catastrophic/chronic failure across the LGV network?
Hey are you British citizen? 🤔
I am 👍🏻
Problem with HS2 if you live south of Birmingham it is a pointless exercise, from Birmingham Airport, Coventry, Rugby, Northampton and Milton Keynes passengers will still have to use the slower Avanti and semi fast slow services.
First class in the UK is ridiculous, it is as if they don't want to do it. Hence the Premium Standard class. no food and less than half the price of 1st.
There are also different ways to get to Liverpool. - Direct - the dearest, via Crewe is next and then its via Birmingham, takes the longest and is the cheapest.
HS2 was never about south of Birmingham though
i am back pls for the love of my sake pls try more hungarian transport
Soon 😉
Bro come to india and try rrts
Commuter train?
@@NonstopEurotrip yeah though the entire project be completed by March or April . But a major chunk is operational
was that a drunken passenger in the buffet car ?
No idea 😶
Late comment, just got back from a holiday to UK. Coincidentally, I and my partner took this Pendolino train back and forth to Chester (and connected with TfW all the way to Wales). We only bought standard class as the first class price is as you say 'extortionate'. I would say it's a decent ride with some nice scenes along the way, but people who are suffering from motion sickness might feel some vertigo due to the tilting motion of the pendolino.
To conclude, it was a good ride but nothing special. And as you also mentioned, Euston is one hell of an ugly station. It has no appeal nor grace whatsoever
Your comments seem to always show up late for me Luke, or in my spam box...I'm sorry for the late reply and how ironic you've just been on this train 😂 did you have a nice trip to the UK?
@@NonstopEurotripYeah. Though expensive, I had an enjoyable time. Need to save up money again so that I could return there someday 😅
face to face seating sucks, particularly for expensive 1st class.
Not if travelling in a couple
You won't get much disagreement about the need for HS2 from your subscribers, but there are two issues:
1) The previous government sold the land that they had previously acquired.
2) There is no money.
Recently, I watched a video about the UK's economy, which mentioned a 'lost decade'. While one should take any RUclips video with a very generous helping of salt, the arguments brought forward did sound reasonable enough. Considering that the incumbent government keeps mentioning that they don't have any money, and that there's going to be pain, HS2 doesn't seem to be in the offing - even though it would improve the UK's economy in the long run.
They should consider using different traction than a Class 66 if they want to be truly green, though. Although there are probably too many non-electrified sections, but I know very little about that.
The land is in limbo at the moment while decisions are made and there's always money, it just needs reappropriation 😆
In reality the UK should have 5 or 6 high-speed lines by now and the economic benefits will be endless 🚆
@@NonstopEurotrip Yeah, but you got austerity after the 2008 financial crisis (after the elections, with the coalition and successive governments). Then the Brexit referendum came. Then Covid-19 hit, and even more was borrowed than in 2008. So you have a seriously high debt-to-GDP ratio, but also an economy that has been sluggish for a long time.
I'm not going to give voting advice, but I'd invite anybody to look at the figures, and make up their own mind.
@@SeverityOne the debt to GDP ratio of the UK is lower than many countries (including: France, Spain, The USA, Japan, Greece, Belgium, and Canada)
I wouldn’t be surprised if hs2 is descoped and run with class 390s at 140mph.
@@s125ish it definitely won't.
125 - very 80s. Wifi is terrible
Amen 🙌🏻
More of those pendolino trains? No it doesn't. Not at all.
Why?
If you want a less expensive fare, don't ride in first class... Duh... This isn't rocket science!
How would I review first class then?