First Group class 222?

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 07 May 2007 23:32

So I was minding my own business waiting for my train at Newark North Gate this evening when a four-carriage class 222 rumbled through on the up-line at a considerable rate of knots. It was in a green livery, but a different green to Midland Mainline and had first group logos on it.

I didn't know first group had 222s. Anybody know anything about this?

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 07 May 2007 23:38

Ahh, okay, five seconds of web research tells me that Hull trains is 80% owned by First group and some of their trains have the First logo on them.

There I was thinking it might be something exciting...

andel · Post by **andel** » 08 May 2007 10:56

Hull Trains is owned by First, yep... and they are one 222 down at the moment due to it falling off the jacks at Crofton...

Andelibob

Hyronymus · Post by **Hyronymus** » 08 May 2007 11:23

Parkey wrote:Ahh, okay, five seconds of web research tells me that Hull trains is 80% owned by First group and some of their trains have the First logo on them.

There I was thinking it might be something exciting...

Next time I would appreciate it if you just edited your message instead of posting a reply within 6 minutes.

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 08 May 2007 11:38

Hyronymus wrote:Next time I would appreciate it if you just edited your message instead of posting a reply within 6 minutes.

Sorry. I thought doing that would have been a bit schizophrenic.

Answering the question in the same post as I asked it would also have made my thread appear completely pointless... which I guess it is anyway.

Post by **Dave** » 08 May 2007 17:30

Yes ... They've written off at least one of the cars on the 222. A shame really because the Pioneers have been one of the revelations of the network.

They're "80% new train" apparently compared to Virgin's Voyagers, but they're basically similar. Just a better interior layout according to users.

Just for clarification:

First Hull Trains' 222s are called Pioneers and are strictly 4-car.
Midland Mainline's 222s are called Meridians and are either 4 or 9 car trains, I believe.

Grand Central wanted to use 222s but will end up with HSTs.

tubechallenger · Post by **tubechallenger** » 09 May 2007 04:13

MML have 4, 5, 8 and 9 car Meridians I think.... at least they did last time I checked.

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 09 May 2007 06:56

Dave Worley wrote:They're "80% new train" apparently compared to Virgin's Voyagers, but they're basically similar. Just a better interior layout according to users.

I actually prefer the Voyagers personally.

The interior layout of a Meridian is very different. There are more seats packed into a Meridian, which has been managed by making the toilets smaller and removing half of the luggage racks. So there are seats where you can't see out of a window (MML likes to reserve these for me) and there's much less space to put large items of Luggage.

The most annoying difference however is the overhead luggage rack which is absolutely perfect in the Voyager, so Bombardier decided to improve on that by reducing the depth of it to mean-average-size-of-luggage-minus-an-inch meaning a lot of bags don't fit. Mine just about does if I use a mallet to hammer it in there. Worse was my girlfriend's bag, which pinged out somewhere near Trent junction narrowly missing a small child.

Better still, give me a carriage that doesn't make my teeth chatter when the engines idle. That's anything electric or a HST.

Post by **Dave** » 09 May 2007 13:24

Please don't start vegging about HSTs and Loco-Hauled stock. I would be forced to put my boot in your face when I saw you.

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 09 May 2007 17:12

Dave Worley wrote:Please don't start vegging about HSTs and Loco-Hauled stock. I would be forced to put my boot in your face when I saw you.

No need. I'll take anything that doesn't have 750hp of roaring, reciprocating, floor thumping, tooth chattering, fuel guzzling, oil dripping..... ness under my seat.

Post by **Dave** » 09 May 2007 17:46

Rather than a noisy, wasteful pair of 6,000hp Valentas screaming across the Cotswold countryside taking 4 passengers to Swansea? I very much think not...

Kevo00 · Post by **Kevo00** » 09 May 2007 22:10

Oh no, not the HSTs v Voyagers debate again! *tin hat*

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 10 May 2007 07:20

No, as I said Voyagers are fine. I like them.

I just, given the choice, prefer trains that don't make my teeth rattle when the engine idles in stations.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » 10 May 2007 17:27

What you really want is all the old Met Camm DMU's brought back! They'll rattle teeth, bones, everything you got!!

Illegal_Alien · Post by **Illegal_Alien** » 10 May 2007 17:30

(For the people like me, who dont know what kind of train is talking about

)

Badger · Post by **Badger** » 10 May 2007 17:34

And this is the pile of cack I just mentioned!

Griff · Post by **Griff** » 10 May 2007 17:52

Leeds!

Oh wait...this isnt the station game.

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 11 May 2007 11:42

badger wrote:What you really want is all the old Met Camm DMU's brought back! They'll rattle teeth, bones, everything you got!!

Oh happy memories. Hard to believe they were still using those less than 20 years ago. Back in the good ol' days, when a 150 Sprinter was the state-of-the-art. Well, I *say* gool ol' days...

My first thought when I saw this 222 on the ECML with First livery, before I knew about their hull trains ownership of course, was that it might be something to do with their bid for that route. Going by Oxford's recent experiences with FGW it'd be completely in character for First group to replace a 9-carriage Mallard set with a 4-carriage 222.

Ameecher · Post by **Ameecher** » 11 May 2007 14:55

Parkey wrote:
badger wrote:What you really want is all the old Met Camm DMU's brought back! They'll rattle teeth, bones, everything you got!!
Oh happy memories. Hard to believe they were still using those less than 20 years ago. Back in the good ol' days, when a 150 Sprinter was the state-of-the-art. Well, I *say* gool ol' days...

Er, 101s were in use until 2001 around Manchester...

Parkey · Post by **Parkey** » 11 May 2007 15:02

Ameecher wrote:Er, 101s were in use until 2001 around Manchester...

Blimey 'eck!

Well that is "less than 20 years" I guess.

I guess Manchester must have recieved its 101s a few years prior to 2001 to replace its existing fleet of ageing trains.

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