First Automatic Thameslink Train in Passenger Service

ATO (Automatic Train Operation) is already working on five London Underground lines, but it's now come to the National Rail network too.
As part of the Thameslink Programme, to get 24 trains per hour through the 'Core' section between St Pancras and Blackfriars (to be extended to London Bridge), the trains now drive themselves, and we too a ride on the first ever one ...
Thanks to Christ Denham from Network Rail, and Matt Street - the voice of Thameslink! - from GTR.
For more information have a look at the Railplan2020 website: www.railplan2020.com/

[@Joris-Vanbillemont]

2:52 "ETCS" stands for "European Train Control System" it's what high speed trains such as Eurostar, and tgv etc.. use.

[@TheProfessorofFilm]

I had no idea I was a train nerd. Found you through the Londonist now I’m loving all the nerdy train information. Your videos are great, informative, and really enjoyable. Thank you Geoff.

[@elliothutcheson3930]

literally the same as me

[@topmark99]

"Surely, you can't be serious?" Nicely done Richard Messingham

[@JoelHudson]

Mark Harper Don't call me Shirley!

[@cythrosi]

This makes me sad that the Washington Metro has had this for years but it's been disabled because of poor maintenance and operation and design flaws. Congrats to Thameslink for showing that it can still be done.

[@mercifulzeus01]

"Doors will open automatically at the next station" is what I heard approaching Blackfriars for the first time yesterday (although I haven't been through that way for a few months).

[@MrRoadRunner147]

Every time I see some good news/milestone in London's transport network I think "yay another Geoff video soon"

[@janekt248]

I am serious... and don't call me Shirley!

[@bonez319]

I truly hope that someone made that response on the video... why would you cut that out?

[@janekt248]

John Peat The Cheetah. Next?

[@josephkarl2061]

Jan T Given that the train is driving on instruments, I'd also expect to hear a bit of Saint James Infirmary or Jazz Me Blues coming from the cab...

[@janekt248]

Joseph Karl Depends how far off course they are. Benny Goodman would be better than option C!

[@josephkarl2061]

Jan T In the movie, its Dixieland jazz, hence my choices :-)

[@EricMBlog]

It's been a while since I've heard GSM buzz. Ahh, brings back the memories.

[@arfski]

There is nothing worse on the phone than hearing yourself telling yourself how important your own call is whilst your on hold, when it's your voice used for all the announcements for your organisation...

[@JohnTalbot-k6xi]

Best explanation I’ve seen so far of how the system works + all the hardworking folks behind the scenes (!!) The real people of the Railway

[@TheArkamedBat]

ATO drives very smoothly. Comfortable for passengers.

[@PodgyAsthmatic]

Chris!!! WE love Chris!!! More Chris please!!!

[@SteveMorton]

They make a great double act!

[@davidhcobbald3632]

Yes! 👍

[@gmfinc18]

Please mind the intelligence gap, between the video and the comments.

[@kbproductionsgaming]

Nicely done!

[@DanceswithDustBunnies]

Best comment award.

[@officialDragonMap]

This is a KZbin comment service to nowhere.

[@unitedrail-mainchannel8991]

159 !

[@wta1518]

Yeah, like the people who put unnecessary commas in their comments.

[@phillipportnoi1839]

Hello Geoff my name is Samuel I am 10 years old and I love you channel also today I went on a Thameslink cab ride from Haywards Heath to Finsbury Park and back and we went throw the tunnels were the train goes automatic and it looks so wired when the driver is not touching the handle but at the same time it looks so cool and it also looks like the underground a bit when you go throw the tunnels and it is also looks cool when they switch over to the over head wire.

[@harveydee9115]

Brilliant Video Geoff! Great as always!

[@RyanLind]

I think the annoying thing about the music was that your volume when you speak and the music was different.... maybe in post you could adjust the levels to the same... And yeah I agree C is the better choice.

[@patricescattolin43]

Ryan Lind THIS when I watch late at night I turn up the volume to understand Geoff and then the music comes on much louder and I wake everybody up!

[@RyanLind]

I was watching the Crossrail one yesterday (can't remember what station) the one with 18 degree tiles on the floor... and I had it semi loud then the music comes BOOOM!

[@gtavstepfordcounty1733]

Ryan Lind I rather have no music

[@SignalBox]

Yeah, personally I think the music should be quieter than speech. I find myself adjusting the volume all the time because it's just too loud!

[@ProfSimonHolland]

love the music....the dialogue was clear as a bell. but i would say that, i'm a TV music editor...ha

[@bobstacey9311]

I remember commuting on the Victoria line in the early 80’s when trains would arrive at Finsbury Park with the “driver” feet up, reading a newspaper, the Victoria line having been designed to be driverless, subsequently commuted on truly driverless trains on the Dubai metro and currently Doha metro were you can grab the “drivers eye view” seat looking out of the front of the train, mind boggling technology

[@CyclicPilot]

I've enjoyed the music choices in your recent videos. It suits your style, and it's not so distinctive or busy that it detracts from what's going on in the video. Sincerely, The Silent Majority

[@kilthajuice9218]

C is the best choice it brings in the adrenaline on a good day to do reviews on thameslink and other national rail routes it will make your videos go from normal to a video full of fun hype and entertainment :)

[@Rega128]

very cool Geoff :-D great to see Chris again as well!

[@SteveMorton]

Excellent video Geoff and Happy Birthday! Very Casey with the music!

[@dream.machine]

This is truly awesome!

[@applefanXXX]

Music isn't annoying it's just bizzare and goes well with these videos. Much love 😂👍

[@Sim0nTrains]

I do love that movie Airplane! :) nice piece of an historic video Geoff

[@Wasserfeld.]

Used Thameslink yesterday from St Pancras to London Bridge. It was great to be able to do that again after all these years. Had wifi and tables finally installed too. Thameslink (and Crossrail) will be great once complete.

[@missgfaulkner]

And because of the power of Matt's voice, I have now subscribed to Geoff's channel! (Kidding, was already subscribed)

[@johnrafferty5284]

Another Great Vid Geof. you superstar!!!. Not seen a bad one yet. Hats off

[@TukayAway]

Caught a train from Farringdon to London last night. This explains why the driver was resting chin in his hands and leaning on the dashboard as the train pulled in! I did think it odd that he didn't have any hands on the controls...

[@metropod]

The subway line here in New York that I ride to work is automated and I swear I once saw the train operator eating something as the train came in.

[@EpicThe112]

@@metropod those are only found on 7 and L trains soon the Queens Boulevard line E F M and R trains system for it is the Siemens CBTC so that you can give 8313-8376 to the M train

[@metropod]

EpicThe112 I know. It was the L train. I was trying to avoid going into details to prevent anyone getting in trouble.

[@jamesrivis620]

You and Chris are totally hilarious...... loved the video.

[@norfolkman1]

As the instigator of the great music debate I congratulate you on the noteworthy improvement. Belated birthday greetings Geoff.

[@10reubenl]

I was also going to say the same thing about the music! I'm glad you took it into account.

[@dariobirindelli4338]

Your music choice is awesooomeeee!! Keep that fresh bouncing hip hop!!!

[@Sam-ht5dk]

Heard Matt on one of the welwyn garden city station announcements the other day.

[@marc21091]

They pass through the closed Kings Cross Thameslink station at 7:36 . The narrow platform can be seen. No wonder it could not continue in use - today's passenger volume could never have been handled there safely.

[@f1stc47]

We need Chris back in more videos. He's great. :p

[@StarshineBomber]

There is a similar System in the RER A in Paris, the whole central part of the RER A (Between Nanterre Université and Vincennes) is fully automated to allow more trains per hours, called SACEM, so it pilots the train automatically so one can wait like 2 or 3 meters behind the train at the platform. And full automatic operation of the train will come early 2019 on the line to allow again more trains and a 5km/h speed increase It will be renewed during the 2019-2022 period to work along with NExTEO that operates on other lines.

[@ronanaballerino9794]

This man makes me want to move to Great Britain

[@leqin]

Please DO NOT do the video of the emergency procedure required if the inflatable train driver begins to deflate.

[@KyunaCookies]

Nigel Oulton ahahahahahahhaha, I love airplane

[@kimmadsen9811]

once again great video. very informative and funny.

[@TheTransportHub17]

Cool video Geoff, Nice to see you at one of my local stations. I really need to get on a Thameslink train from Finsbury Park. ATO trains should be good. The class 313s will be replaced by class 717s in December. I always thought that the branch of track into the tunnel by Kings cross was for Crossrail but it's for Thameslink lol.

[@jamestoyn9755]

i remember Geoff Marshall in a episode of the tube in 2003 called Race Around The Underground trying to break the world record to get round all 275 tube stations in the fastest time possible.

[@Jaxymann]

Chris is back! Wheyyy!

[@timothyalgera1244]

I was only in London for a few days, and I can't believe that I actually saw Geoff Marshall in person at the London Transport Museum! (I live in North America, so it's a pretty rare event). Happy birthday, by the way!

[@akarouge]

Darn... lucky guy. I'm 1 year early.

[@Highwayman66]

The guy watching you in the high viz in the reflection on the windows is like wtf is going on 🤣🤣. Great video 😊😊😊😊

[@maiconjunior2303]

More of these in service please

[@Gpcas9]

7:28 Don´t call me Shirley!

[@michaelgask]

I was lucky enough to ride in the new Thameslink trains from Brighton last December... they are BEAUTIFUL. ❤️ Possibly the nicest trains I've ever ridden in... Thanks for the video.

[@trainmaniacstudios8216]

With seats like ironing boards? Unlikely... Mind you, i am tall so that doesnt help.

[@michaelgask]

Train Maniac Studios I’m tall too, but didn’t notice they were particularly uncomfortable. 😔 I just thought the train space was really light and open. And the display boards were great, showing you where the emptier carriages were. Coming from New Zealand, I’m possibly easily impressed when it comes to trains. If you travel on most of ours, you’d see why. 🤣

[@trainmaniacstudios8216]

Ahhh, i see :D

[@crispinl]

I say music C but I'm so excited about the clocks going forward too woohoo🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@jadencorner4476]

I dont get why people say the class 700 looks really bad its defently better than the class 319

[@woodhouse122]

they look nice,but the seats are dreadful

[@cheesekingofdenmark6910]

and much better than the class 385 too. (I know the 385 is a bit out of nowhere)

[@jadencorner4476]

I agree the seat is probably the worst thing about it

[@fetchstixRHD]

It doesn't look bad, they're quite good looking imo, but the seats and lack of tables and power outside of first class are what most people complain about (especially seeing that the 387s had them).

[@scottpeacock5492]

I'm from Baldock Hertfordshire and I have travel on the Class 700 at Hitchin by boarding the 9:51am train at Baldock for Hitchin to change for the 10:30am service to the Thameslink core through the canal tunnel to London Bridge and the passengers complaint is more to do with the ironing board sits rather than the train, i think these new Class 700 trains are great, I do not have a problems with these sits,

[@joelstevens2697]

Who's complaining about the music being annoying?! Music has been awesome lately, keep using it!

[@solarpenguin1]

Thanks for explaining the canal tunnels. Any chance of a "Secrets of the Canal" video?

[@mariusgosea5912]

For anyone who does not know what ATO is it means Automatic Train Operation

[@dantheleafsfan1692]

Honestly, I've always thought the music on this channel has been excellent.

[@jontytodd-stewart3908]

Geoff, your music sounds cool its one of the best bits #alltheiritatingmusic

[@coasterb1]

On USA model railroads, it's called ATCS, automatic train control system.

[@sonicboy678]

5:31 That K looks like an entirely different character...

[@polalagi]

he is the best youtuber, he does not say anything about subscribing in his videos!

[@zawtowers]

Entertaining and informative, as ever. Always found it odd (and still do) that Farringdon has the three letter National Rail code ZFD - most people think it's FAR which is what was drawn on the diagram. Only thing is that those Class 700s have rock hard "ironing board" seats in standard class, and it's only in first class where the seats are comfortable (so don't blame you one bit for taking a seat in there) - not to mention the heating issues...

[@norbitonflyer5625]

Stations owned by London Underground all have Z-prefixes. Farringdon - the original terminus of the Metropolitan Railway, has always been owned by the Underground.

[@russrh]

can we have the KLF please? been impressed with your stuff since you mentioned 'it's grim up north' lol

[@robhorne3048]

Fascinating video. Are there any plans to expand ATO to Crossrail in the future?

[@Bogeyboy-kz8uu]

In my lifetime I'll be lucky to see this on my local line. Nothing ever gets done and I still have semaphores lol.

[@AureliusR]

This kept throwing me for a loop because "Press to ATO" is a very specific term used in Space Shuttle launches... I've heard it so many times, it's seems odd in the reference of trains! For those interested... ATO means Abort To Orbit. When you hear the callout "Press to ATO" it means the Shuttle has enough speed and height that if an engine went out they could make it to a stable orbit.

[@CBTvideos]

To be honest I loved the music!

[@awersomeplaneguy9999]

Music C is Keep On Going by Joakim Kariud.

[@lionvillelion]

Yeah Chris, Yeah Music C

[@AlexWindsor]

The music you've been getting someone to do your videos recently is great - A please

[@robmarkworth5377]

Matt Streeton's a very switched on bloke. Good stuff

[@noahstrainadventures3031]

I have been on those trains there really cool

[@elsviec]

i think the music you use is always getting better

[@daveedwards6653]

Love watching your vids.. However,I have a few questions. It seems to me that NR is just another subway system that overlaps the London Underground,but travels to the suburban areas. Is there much difference between the Subway Surface lines, the Tube lines... and the inner National Rail lines?

[@tartrazine]

Music! Choice of music apart, I must say the sound quality of it is superb and I get a kick just off that! :o)

[@nicolasblume1046]

Chris is great!

[@TheBarnem13]

Very good

[@LouisOnAir]

"So if you see an inflatable driver don't be alarmed" "Surely you can't be serious" Whooooosh

[@vurpo7080]

Whooosh

[@ForTheThrills]

I know I'm 6 months late but your comment is soo ironic 😂

[@joshuahawkes7218]

It was a quote from the movie

[@trainspotter9941]

Second and cool train! I want to go on it!

[@ProfSimonHolland]

C was my choice too....love your music..

[@Vocalzone_covers]

Geoff have you ever thought about composing a theme tune incorporating all the wonderful sounds of the railway. I've always thought that would be a great idea.

[@magnumcolclough7208]

Sure it's sunny today but just you wait and see what this week and next have in store.

[@darenhaines8830]

Can we suggest what type of music to put in your video?. What about, when you're running for a train or a bus, you play the Benny Hill theme tune!

[@stephenholt4670]

It would have been handy to see the old York Road tunnels on the diagram, because they ostensibly did the same job - linking the Thameslink core (aka City Widened Lines) with the line out of Kings Cross. Those went through KX station and bypassed St Pancras though I suppose, so weren't suitable for the modern link?

[@norbitonflyer5625]

No, because the old Kings Cross Thameslink/Midland/Metropolitan station's platforms were too narrow and too short.

[@efaber3565]

Very good channel. Option B would have been the preferred choice because the rhythm matches with train speed going over the rails. Happy birthday from Toronto, Canada.

[@medieval2]

I liked all the music selections except choice A. Where can I find the full track of choices B, C, and D? Whenever I watch your videos, I generally like the music choice you use in your videos.

[@dennisjeffs4239]

Geoff you don't need any music on your videos, they are interesting enough without background irritation!!

[@mayabashova]

Matt works on the Ruislip Lido Railway

[@ahpadt]

I really liked the "old", funky music. :(

[@DavidShepheard]

"Play that funky music, Geofftech!"

[@oxlacticalthree-six-five9264]

I like the 707 class.

[@marcussheen]

7:37 The gap either side of the door between First Class and Steerage is probably big enough to actually walk through without even having to open the door

[@Valle641]

I'd say B for the music choice. you should have a poll (pole?) in the video aswell

[@mittfh]

So the canal tunnels are brand new train tunnels that go beneath the canal, rather than tunnels that originally carried a canal, later upcycled to carry train tracks instead?

[@ciaranfarley]

I am really curious to see the geographical map of where the views are from on this channel and the londonist

[@ciaranfarley]

because im from the us and just watch these videos because I like the way you make videos and I kinda want to know how many of us there are

[@akarouge]

Imagine: ATO fully between Cambridge and Brighton

[@dumsquared3]

A or C is great!

[@tjejojyj]

Very interesting. Please give the capacity in pax per hour per direction.

[@richardsweeney5785]

I was at blackfriars when you got off. Shame I was on the other platform I would have a chat with ya

[@clairecleveland4195]

I seen Matt before on the ruislip lido railway

[@rjc0234]

bit of a bold headline statement. where I live on the east Midlands Leicester to London line these improvements have been causing havoc! Trains down to only 1 every hour, most routes replaced with a bus that you still have to pay for.

[@askefant3053]

so I just have to give up the dream of driving trains

[@bfapple]

askefant You’re fine, ATO is only going to be on metro sections for the next couple of decades.

[@thomasm1964]

You’ll just have to volunteer on a heritage railway!

[@RBXTrains]

Can't we just hear the sound of the railway in motion like on some of your older videos? :)

[@andrewventhem3130]

Just had a look on the National Rail app, and if I wanted to go to Brighton from Kings Lynn (which does stop at Cambridge) it would take me 22 minutes more if I went via St Pancras from Kings Cross than if I went Victoria from kings cross?!

[@SouthWalesTrainSpotter]

Did anybody’s audio go all fuzzy as they passed out through abandoned kings cross?