PurpleTrains Now Serving Heathrow Airport

[@the4fibs832]

*announcement plays* Geoff: "That's correct." Geoff knows the train route better than the train itself

[@danwiddon3854]

Geoff is very tolerant of whoever decided the stop is announced as Heathrow Two Three! 😂

[@Duncan1974]

You did very well on finding a seat Geoff

[@shrimpishflavour1464]

Mavluda Fokine what the actual *fawk*

[@transportmerseyside6020]

He dosent have to sit you know

[@alisonlee3314]

😂

[@nathanwaters1078]

I wished that the whole Elizabeth Line was open now but they keep delaying it. It would be easier to get around London if the entire thing was open.

[@richmayes8451]

For me, to get from North Kent (Queenborough or Sittingbourne) to say Swindon, which I have done a few times in the past, I have to get the High Speed to St Pancras before joining the Circle or Hammersmith Line to Paddington. If there was any disruption on the High Speed or Underground Engineering Works, I could get the Elisabeth Line if it was open, I could get a Thameslink service from Rainham or Gravesend to Abbey Wood and then get a train directly to Paddington or Reading before joining a GWR service to Swindon. It may be just as quick doing it that way as well. Obviously, with Covid-19, I am not travelling anywhere near as much on the train at all (twice since lockdown on local services through necessity).

[@CityWhisperer]

@@richmayes8451 I've always been curious as to why Southeastern call them 'High Speed' services when the only high-speed line in the UK is HS1.

[@richmayes8451]

@@CityWhisperer between St Pancras International and Ashford International, the Southeastern High Speed trains can use the line at a maximum of 225kph or 140mph. Once it comes off HS1, it can run on various Main Line and Metro lines, having to go slow from there on. From Sittingbourne, it takes roughly 1 hour to get to St Pancras International, but is only on HS1 for 17 minutes, picking it up from Ebbsfleet International. If travelling between St Pancras International and Ashford International, it runs for 37 minutes on HS1 before going on the slow lines. There is one section where the speed limit drops to 15mph (24kph) just outside Strood, and once it joins the Southeastern Main Line, it has a few miles at 30mph (48kph) until somewhere between Chatham and Gillingham where it can reach up to 90mph (145kph).

[@PadisherCreel]

running the danger that airport BER will be open first 😂😂😂😂😂

[@DavidShepheard]

The health and safety aspects of getting all those signalling systems to talk to the train are critical. We had the Ladbrook Road crash on the very line between Paddington and Hayes and Harlington. They have made improvements and safety isn't just about a train driver looking at upside-down traffic lights any more. They have computers that talk to trains. Crossrail is so big, that it has to talk to several different signalling computers. Now, if the British government funded a mainland-wide program of signalling renewal, we could have had a national system with just one computer to talk to. But Crossrail trains have to be able to hand over from one signalling computer to a totally different signalling computer. The train *has* to be safe at all times and you don't want the safety system to have no signalling computer to talk to and have it slam on the breaks and flat out refuse to move. So the plan for Crossrail was *always* for it to open in stages. The bit west of London and the bit east of London have been working for a while. So the software programmers have nailed those bits. And, the Heathrow branch means the programmers have nailed the handover between two different systems. Trail running in the middle bit is next. (But they need to make a gap for the engineering works in the middle section to get caught up, so they are blocking the test trains so the station programmers can mess around and get the stations connected to London Underground sorted out. And then they need to work on the other handovers, so that people don't get stuck on stubbon trains that can't see a different signalling computer and get forced to walk down the tunnels. In 100 years, nobody is going to care about the delays. Nobody cares that the Jubilee Line wasn't open in the year of the Silver Jubilee. ;-)

[@steeeeeeeeeeeee]

I’ve been on a Southern train today from VIC and, for the whole journey, the info boards said “This is East Croydon”. Eventual it said this is HHE but then reverted at WIV.

[@JustKiddingNYC]

Geoff: *surprised at wrong destination signage* NYC subway users: bruh

[@Sylveonkpopnyct]

This is so true 😭😭😭

[@mahammad]

What’s the joke? That the signs on the NYC subways are wrong? 😂

[@JustKiddingNYC]

@@mahammad yep. Older ones had roll signs which people could move themselves with some effort. Newer trains would have computer based displays but those can be wrong too.

[@PaulJaYmes]

Always love hearing the announcements at Paddington - after seeing episodes of Paddington Station 24/7 we all know who the voices are!

Counting up to 9 with Geoff. Would watch again. Also, glorious shot of the train leaving the platform at the end, no people and it's like the train never ends, it's so long.

[@MrBnsftrain]

4:32 Apparently, lots of people who speak Punjabi live near Southall. Wallsend has Latin signage due to its location near the Roman Hadrian's Wall, while stations with "International" in the title are in French

[@thetelephoneprankster4254]

None of the international stations on HS1 are in French. I am not sure about any others

[@cmartin_ok]

@Hæte MæksKoro 27 The Romans set up a great railway network for us..... I think some of their trains are still in use today

[@toranine09]

@@thetelephoneprankster4254 Ashford is littered with bilingual signs, especially on the Eurostar platforms (that’s perhaps expected, though 😜)

[@thetelephoneprankster4254]

@@toranine09 Yes, that is true. Especially the exit sign is in French. Shame the same could never be said for Stratford International 😛

[@Inkyminkyzizwoz]

I know what you mean about constantly being interrupted by tannoy announcements - that's what I was increasingly coming to hate about working in Sainsbury's!

[@caw25sha]

Clothing colleague to checkout 9 please. Clothing colleague to checkout 9 please.

[@paulharvey9149]

@@caw25sha Unexpected item in the bagging area!

[@Inkyminkyzizwoz]

@@caw25sha It was more the fact that some of them seemed to ramble on for ages, such as the advertising ones - if you want to highlight a particular offer or product then you can just put signs up about it! Some might ask how much notice people take of signs, but then how much notice do they take of tannoy announcements? After all, they seemed to give up making announcements asking people not to let kids ride in the trolleys, presumably because no one took any notice!

[@Pasonia]

This is called pollution? Bugger off, Singapore's trains announce in FOUR languages every THIRTY seconds. You guys have it good!

[@Inkyminkyzizwoz]

@@Pasonia Relative privation fallacy - just because something else is worse, doesn't mean the first thing isn't bad!

[@chriswilkes236]

Good stuff, Geoff. Compared to NYC and Kennedy, this is paradise, and we still complain! Keep safe and well.

[@CityWhisperer]

Good to see that the project is slowly making its way to completion.

[@Lulu-jl5zd]

Great filming Geoff. Loved the shots at T5. But then again these trains are really eye catching. It doesn't help the announcements are so loud but maybe they were expecting far more passengers and their noise to get over. When there is only a hand full of people well it is just so stark.

[@sabersz]

Yep, I've been on trains where the only passengers where me and a mate with two others down the opposite end and it's just so jarring. Even with headphones on its still pretty evident the voice is there lol

[@TheNails3]

4:13 well done Geoff on calling TFL out on the audio pollution 👏👏👍

[@john3Lee]

So - The train doesn't bounce around, like the northern line then ? Looks very smooth !!

[@dressrosacr7]

Don't all the lines do this, I've never been in the northern line

[@john3Lee]

@@dressrosacr7 No !! This is so smooth, its like gliding along... The Northern line is like sitting on a wild horse, in comparison !! lol

[@luketaylorsversion13]

@@dressrosacr7 same

[@hamfish225]

@@dressrosacr7 the northern line is so bad, on the Edgware branch cause that's where I lived... don't leave home without headphones because the screeching noise is SO loud.

[@nathanwaters1078]

Hamish, I think it’s good. MY OPINION.

[@benjibatch]

You’ll find the new class 387 Heathrow express stock at West Ealing sidings as that’s their new depot and in the sidings at Reading TCD. Drivers are currently going through driver training for the 387s so you’ll often find a 4 car GWR 387 not in service at certain times of the day at Paddington, these are the driver training units

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Crossrail? It's obviously the CrossElizPurp line

[@SK_3PT1]

#PurpleTrain

[@markiangooley]

You’d be cross too

[@musicgarryj]

CrossPurpEliz sounds much smoother!

[@spongebot64]

Purp Fiction

[@BIZKIT551]

by MTR corporation which is the main train service running in HK

[@paulharvey9149]

Hi Geoff, your point about the empty trains is by no means unique. Scot Rail have been adding extra carriages where possible throughout the lockdown to help with social distancing, and on our first train ride last month my friend and I enjoyed an entire coach to ourselves all the way from Edinburgh to Dunblane - in both directions! Normally, half of Falkirk gets on at Falkirk Grahamston, heading for Stirling (as most of their shops have now shut down), but there weren't any on the way out and only a handful returning; while just 15 people alighted at Stirling and 12 at Dunblane - a total of 27 people with an 8-car Class 385 EMU all to themselves, on a Saturday afternoon! [Sadly the fight between railway and canal last week, in which the canal won, means there are now no trains heading that way at all...]

[@ES-hr6vg]

I took one of the new trains from Ealing Broadway to Paddington. They are so nice! We decided to take that instead of the Central Line into the city because the new trains have excellent A/C. The Central line can be pretty miserable in the summer.

[@ChristopherBrownSkeptomai]

I've been using this both from Ealing Broadway to LHR and to Paddington. Loving these trains.

[@trainstrainstrains40]

Congratulations on 190k subscribers Geoff! Almost at 200k! 😁 I really enjoy your videos. 🙂

[@juoig7799]

Earlier this week (as of writing) I went to London and when I went back home to Slough, I got a TfL Rail service, but the train went fast to Slough. It skipped Acton Main Line, stopped at Ealing Broadway, skipped Hanwell, stopped at Southall, then skipped Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Iver, and Langley then stopped at Slough. The service went as normal to Reading I believe.

[@johncrwarner]

I was due to watch the All The Stations section that covered Stonehaven that day - I have been rewatching them this summer - I stopped and still haven't restarted watching them - I might now watch it.

[@2themoon863]

Which episode number is that stretch at Stonehaven?

[@johncrwarner]

@@2themoon863 The "I am not a puffer nutter" episode Inverness to Carnoustie stretch

[@BomberFletch31]

I visited London a couple of years ago and stayed at that hotel right next to Hayes & Harlington. At that time I commuted frequently on either the purple train or GWR from Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington. This video brought back a lot of great memories of that trip.

[@ianmurray250]

Stayed there as well, it's a very useful location isn't it.

[@audigex]

I feel like, with this change, the service frequency finally lives up to the airport - there's little more annoying than than having a long flight and then sitting at the airport for an hour waiting for a train

[@BritishAPT]

Geoff is now excited by station signs. What will be next? Dot matrix / LCD displays? Door open/close signals? Announcements? Something else? We won't know until we see it.

[@SK_3PT1]

he was actually excited by the purple custom house roundels and the travelators at bank

[@caw25sha]

He's missing the bin bags blowing in the wind.

[@philipsarell2467]

I am old enough to remember the destination boards when they the station names that 'cascaded' down the list to build the whole route. Hypnotic to watch.

[@davidcollins9512]

@@philipsarell2467 Or the destination boards that a porter would slip into the slot on the platform with the destination of the next train painted on it.

[@stewartbrodie1720]

Laser display boards. On second thoughts, that won't be next because ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rp7Nm4SiiL-hppY

[@samazubuike9023]

Hi Geoff I love public transport like you do as well I'm using public transport more often now I first went back to using public transport on the 19th of July I love both the buses and trains and trams and the underground

[@adamtoms761]

I’ll never get over how spacious the purple carriages are

[@graceonline320]

Finally someone else has noticed the horrible noise pollution of continual loud announcements throughout so many train journeys these days. Thankyou!

[@CTCTraining1]

Yes I saw a long Crossrail video about how complicated the signalling systems were to make work together ... and if they had been perhaps digging a borehole and come across some particularly tough rock that took extra time to breakthrough then fine ... but all these systems were pre-existing. No bonus marks for making a video about it. It will be interesting to see what lengths HS2 goes to to avoid interacting with any existing infrastructure.

[@Daysra]

The Crossrail trains are so beautiful. I'm jealous.

[@kinkisharyocoasters]

It would've been better if they had more transverse seats. But I guess they're gonna get crowded

[@markdickson3820]

So great seeing it edge close to completion, so 3 different services to London from heathrow now - I can think of another major city on other side of pond still without a single service right into the airport. Kinda sad seeing the airport so quiet

[@fluffybadger9832]

There have been 3 services for years, Heathrow Express, Heathrow Connect & the Piccadilly tube line. The Heathrow Connect service was renamed TfL rail until the full Crossrail aka The Elizabeth line service comes into full service (2022 now!)

[@airfoxtrot2006]

Great video, it was very respectful to delay the upload.

[@TheByard]

When the Heathrow Express first opened I understand if flying BA you could check in at Paddington and get rid of your check in luggage. Something I did often in Hong Kong at Central Station. That was great way to travel with having to struggle with your bags. Though I did enjoy and also took visitors on the double decker bus bus service into town, great start to the sightseeing tour. Must check out CrossRail map for my next visit home to the UK. Another very helpful video thanks again and stay safe.

[@brumsgrub8633]

Don't know if it is just me, but I once got a train from Central London into Heathrow and it was possibly the most confusing place to visit on a train ever, it was like a Anika Rice challenge.

[@mst4309]

I have to complain though, the TfL rail announcements sound sooo mechanical and ugly. The GWR and old Heathrow Connect voices are much more naturally pleasing.

[@thesalandarian3314]

C-S featured nah I like the voice especially when it calmly says the next station is Acton main line so smoothly compared to the chokey rest of the underground eg the jubilee the next station is Wil-siden greeen if you know what I mean

[@manusmacgearailt667]

The best voice announcements in my opinion are the ones done by Julie Berry, they use her voice on thameslink, stansted express and on the piccadilly line - well I know for certain her voice is on the piccadilly, not sure about the main line trains, they sound a bit like the narrator in little britain come fly with me.

[@chriswilkes236]

Good one.

[@merlynmitchell5195]

Manus Macgearailt v

[@CarpeDiemTraveller]

@@manusmacgearailt667 Celia Drummond is my fav!

[@DanceswithDustBunnies]

Dang plague. Seems to wrong for such a beautiful train to be so empty.

[@mst4309]

Don’t forget Geoff, these trains also run to Reading!

[@androandrejevic3002]

Geoff has not forgotten as he made a video from Reading recently

[@LeafyGooner]

@@androandrejevic3002 I think C-S was referring to Geoff’s statement early in the video saying Class 345 trains, until recently, ran only as far as Hayes and Harlington. We all know what he meant but could be confusing for someone unfamiliar with the service. Great video as usual, Geoff. Thank you. I'm hopeful my next visit to London will include a Class 345 direct from Heathrow T2&3 to Canary Wharf.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

@@LeafyGooner Not if you're planning to come to London in the next couple of years!

[@LeafyGooner]

Norbiton Flyer. Yes looks like, at minimum, another 2 year delay. I was fortunate enough to ride the 345’s on my last visit in 2018 from Liverpool street. It will be a great addition to the Rail network whenever it is completed.

[@androandrejevic3002]

@@LeafyGooner Ooops me bad sorry lol

[@zoefroon4269]

Thanks for sharing. You have no idea how much watching the under ground means to me. As we have nothing like this in South Africa. Thank you for sharing your amazing trips.

[@TheSzczerzak]

There will be 4 trains to T4, not 3 as you heard from platform host, and they will be "Heathrow Connect" and extended "Hayes" trains stopping as per now. In addition to this there will be 2 trains to T5 which will be semi-fast trains stopping only in Ealing Broadway, Southall and Hayes (plus T2&3 and T5 of course). HEX will run as always with 4 trains per hour. That comes up to 10 trains per hour through T2&3 in each direction, so 20 trains per hour through the station.

[@jfwfreo]

That article shows exactly why Crossrail has taken so long to open. Its a bunch of different bits of railway (both existing and new) all linked together and all those lines have a number of different signaling systems which has made it hard to produce software on the trains that can work in all the different environments. (especially when a fair chunk of that track is shared with other train services using all sorts of trains.

[@acozkan]

3:05 wait you arrived at TfL Rail's least used station?

[@OneKnifeYeHand]

He means least used by passenger numbers.

[@roundel52]

Surely T5 (NR) is TfL's least used station, as they don't normally run any trains there!

[@bkjimena11]

Hello Geoff, I am a big fan of yours from Canada’s capital, Ottawa!

[@tescotrain]

I thought it was Toronto 😳

[@atomic_typh00n66]

@@tescotrain lmao where do u get that from

[@thesalandarian3314]

Mømentous Ottawa is the capital

[@joermnyc]

Mømentous It originally was supposed to be Toronto (which used to be called York), but they lost out to Ottawa... probably (like Canberra) since it was between the 2 major cities of Canada at that time (Canada was a lot smaller then).

[@TheOwenMajor]

@@joermnyc Not just two largest cities, but the figurative capitals of French and English Canada. Also next to no one lived in Ottawa at the time so the threat of an angry rioting mob burning down parliament was greatly reduced.

[@nicolasblume1046]

What height are the platforms at Heathrow? Are they different than those in the core? Edit: And height are the surface level platforms in the west and east?

[@fetchstixRHD]

If I’m recalling right, the Heathrow platforms are entirely step free between the trains (can’t remember the exact height) and the Core platforms match that height to be step free too. The other West/East platforms aren’t(/weren’t) step free but can’t remember what their heights were either...

[@dskadd32]

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder Geoff. I haven't. J

[@ayushc5704]

If you lost in UK and met Geoff.. You met the best person for directions

[@Nath2256]

I don’t like how the 345s do not have a ‘close door’ button, like their predecessors on the Shenfield-Liverpool Street branch. Highly appreciated in the winter.

[@adamkehoe7405]

So now begs the debate: 1) Does the train journey from Paddington to Heathrow T2/3 &/or 5 cost the same, less or more than the Heathrow Express? 2) If cheaper, will Heathrow Express reduce their pricing to compensate a slight loss in passenger numbers?

[@ashleyw1393]

It’s less. But not sure why the question mark, Heathrow Connect has been operating a slower cheaper service for years now and it doesn’t seem to have had a major impact on Heathrow Express and their pricing.

[@geofftech2]

TfL rail charge you £10.10 off peak / £10.80 peak, whilst getting the Tube (Picadilly) is only £5. Getting the Heathrow Express however can cost up to £25, you pay for the premium non-stop service.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Lovely video, the GWR Services in the future will be new-ish trains but they just using Class 387 and they have been modified for use on the Heathrow Express services. they will be in a different livery and not in the green and honestly it was very respectful to delay the video.

[@Hammondfreak]

You're right about noise pollution - sometimes there is just too much information. How did we manage before all these announcements?

[@robertgambling502]

Too much volume on the announcements. At least the female voice is pleasing to my American ear. On the New York subway on some older trains, the manual announcements are whole sentences compressed into one garbled word. "wchthclsdrpls" Translation: "Watch the closing doors please".

[@KeriCsongor]

Still is wrong information on tfl website about tfl line.... 2:29 Didn't show Heatrow Terminal 5... I want to go early morning with first train to T5 so I hope it's going there...

[@phillgoldsmith252]

Hey Geoff. Total respect for you not putting the video up after the incident. Quick question. Are tfl planning to do a 24 hour service like they have done with the night tube as well as the night overground serive. I just think it would give people a better alternative then having to get night buses plus it would also help to boost the airport economy with it being one of the major airports in the UK

[@duncanconduit]

Heathrow doesn't operate 24 hours a day anyway only 06:00 - 23:00 for regularly scheduled flights so it would be a bit redundant but now the full line is open it does make a lot of sense more generally for 24 hour service

[@John_259]

You can count up to 31 using the fingers and thumb of one hand, by working in binary. /nerd mode :)

[@davidcollins9512]

Aah that wonderful system where 1 + 1 = 10

[@kanedaku]

I didnt know that. I know the Chinese way of counting up to ten on one hand. Six is thumb and little finger and eight is fingers out like an octopus!

[@wilsonator2008]

At least it’s easier to social distance on trains in London with more carriages per train compared to outside the capital. The biggest train we’ll see in Leeds is the LNER Azumas, after that you’ll occasionally get a few coupled Class 222’s or 185/Novas for XC/TP services.

[@peeky44]

I note that the Purple Trains have a "TfL Rail" roundel on the carriage sides. Clearly that's temporary, although with all the delays to opening the Crossrail core the definition of "temporary" is being stretched a little. Do we know what will replace "TfL Rail" on the carriage-sides? Given it says Underground or Overground no matter what line a train is on, I'd have thought the 345s should have "Crossrail" on the side (as that's the "mode") but I suspect TfL's desperation to lose the "Crossrail" brand means they're likely to end up saying "Elizabeth Line", which I feel would be a mistake and brand confusion, especially if Crossrail 2 actually happens...

[@harleyilott5110]

It will say ‘Elizabeth line’ with an updated purple roundel

[@peeky44]

@@harleyilott5110 yeah that's what I feared

[@gameguild1555]

In The Netherlands we had a problem with the program to. They wanted a part to let Cargo train's and Metro on a little part of the rail near Hoek van Holland. Only it toke some time to make a software where Cargo train's and metro can communicate and signals.

[@ianmcclavin]

Hi Geoff. You mentioned towards the end of the video the possibility of GWR introducing new rolling stock on the Heathrow Express...on a couple of occasions in the sidings just west of Reading Station, weeks ago pre-lockdown, I saw some brand new Electrostar trains in Heathrow Express livery. I'm not aware of any being pressed into service yet.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

They're not brand new - about four years old. They previously worked the Paddington - Reading services until the 345s took over.

[@ianmcclavin]

@@norbitonflyer5625 Oh right...I didn't know they'd been displaced from there...prestige routes like H-Ex normally would get the brand new stuff. Still with non-electrificfication (for now) of routes like Oxford, I suppose it makes some sense.

[@benoitbourdaire4194]

Does anyone know when we will be able to us the Crossrail service straight from Liverpool Street to Heathrow?

[@williamhuang8309]

7:06 DLR classic font?

[@gen12345able]

Award-winning videography showing us the inside of the train by pointing the camera at yourself all the time.

[@thecartologist4992]

That really really irks me that she says 'terminal two three' instead of 'terminal two AND three'.

[@sihollett]

Well there's no 'and' in the station name. Everyone assumes an ampersand between 2 and 3 subconsciously, but LU has always (strangely) used a comma.

[@roundel52]

@@sihollett Actually, if you look at the station wall, the National Rail/Elizabeth line station is named "Heathrow Central". The "Terminals 2,3" name belongs to the Piccadilly Line station. Someone at TfL/Crossrail cocked up here.

[@sihollett]

@@roundel52 I think TfL want consistent naming of the two stations, but Heathrow Express own and manage it and haven't changed anything. There's certainly a cock up somewhere! Until they rename T2 ('East' not 'Central'), using terminal numbers makes more sense anyway as that's what people want to know.

[@vanillasplash6198]

Think Heathrow Central suits better as a name for the main Airport hub, sharing a bus terminal w/ the same title..

[@sherondalewis8053]

For the Heathrow Express...how many stations does it not stop at? And I know even on the train, you have to social distance as much as you can but, 9 cars? Wow..that is a lot. Especially going to and from the airport when there are not a lot of flights coming or going...unless they are allowing more flights to come in now.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

HEX runs non stop from Padd to H2/3. TfL Rail calls at all (or at least most) stations

[@sherondalewis8053]

@@norbitonflyer5625 thank you!

[@agent_605]

They can’t shorten trains as the on-train equipment is spread between the carriages, and the process of splitting the train is complex and requires somewhere to store the spare carriages. Because of this, they just don’t bother and run full length trains instead

[@sherondalewis8053]

@@agent_605 thank you Alasdair...well, I guess no one can complain about seating...there are plenty of seats...and space!

[@shunjike7]

Is there another languange written on the Southall signboard at the platform?

[@amarjeets]

Southall (ਸਾਊਥਹਾਲ) in Punjabi

[@economicsinaction]

8:52 Loving the blue/purple lit platforms

[@Seringapatam]

Hi Geoff, I'm sure you will have been asked this question before, but couldn't find it in the comments, so apologies in advance. We're looking forwards to when Crossrail comes into service mainly as it promises to offer easy transport to Heathrow rather than have to run the gauntlet of the A12 and M25. Our journey would involve picking up Crossrail at Shenfield, having arrived from further north in East Anglia, to go through to Heathrow. What I haven't been able to see on the trains is any luggage stowage? Travelling for holidays requires at least a couple of suitcases, but there doesn't seem to be any secure luggage stowage on the Crossrail trains on what would be a fairly long duration journey (Shenfield to Heathrow)? P.S.Always enjoy your videos - thank you.

[@geofftech2]

yup... no luggage space/racks on the Crossrail trains, because they are (were?) seeing them as being busy like Tube trains in the central 'core' section. whether that'll still be the case in years to come though we'll have to wait and see ... !

[@Seringapatam]

Geoff Marshall Thank you 👍

[@richcolour]

On 21st Aug the 345 I travelled on had an Elizabeth Line roundel on the side instead of TFL Rail.

[@michaeljohnson9421]

GWR plans to replace the present fleet of Heathrow Express trains with Class 387 units, as used on commuter services out of Paddington. There's been at least one 387 in HE livery lurking in the depot at Reading for a while now - it can be seen from passing trains. Presumably the 387s used on HE will have a heavily revised interior. I don't think GWR will be able to market Heathrow Express as a 'premium' service if people have to perch on the standard ironing board seats!

[@1292liam]

status on construction of the spur from Reading to LHR ? Which will then provide a direct journey from the west to LHR, with a single change at Reading.

[@danielslovacek2101]

Hello everyone, why is TfL Rail fare to Heathrow like two times higher than the standard "Piccadilly" fare? 😀

[@sihollett]

Because the tunnel from Hayes & Harlington is a private railway, paid for and owned by the Airport, and it took a lot of wrangling , of which the keeping of the Heathrow Connect prices was part of, for TfL to be able to run services along their railway.

[@danielslovacek2101]

@@sihollett Oh, thanks... 😊

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

Question is why anyone would still use the express at £25 when the Elizabeth line will be in operation...

[@johnjohn6486]

its absolutely fantastic and beautiful engineering is crossrail,amazing to think of the hard work they have done,just amazing.

[@gh1851]

Heathrow is so complicated.

[@p4rz1val]

And compared to New York-JFK or LAX, it actually looks rather simple

[@andrew_ray]

@@p4rz1val Nah, JFK doesn't come close to matching the disaster that is Heathrow T5, where you wait in one building, then about five minutes before boarding, they finally tell you which building your flight is leaving from so you can make a mad dash for the train to the other building, where, uniquely in all of Britain, the gate agents have no idea how a queue works and invite people who arrived late to bypass people who arrived earlier. At JFK, you show up, go through security, and proceed directly to your gate where you can wait for your flight without the last-minute scramble.

[@danm4320]

Really isn't

[@onetwo2196]

Im a gatwick fan

[@gemmaballinger7027]

HI Geoff can you do a all the stashons when crossrall fillly open and do crossrall

[@englishciderlover7347]

The way things are going, it will be down to Geoff's grandchildren to make such a vid.

[@mickyboy223]

Interesting point about the varied signalling system causing the delay to the implementation of CrossRail but surely this was a known issue prior to construction?

[@agent_605]

It was, there just wasn’t expected to be so many technical hurdles in allowing trains to change from one system to another

[@mickyboy223]

@@agent_605 mmmm......sounds like bean counters got the better of engineers! A public enquiry wouldn't go amiss given the funding involved. How much will HS2 eventually cost? 20% more?

[@DanielMeakin1]

I love your new profile picture its better than the last

[@PlatformEdge]

Geoff, do you think Cross Rail will extended elsewhere ? If so where?

[@meep5646]

hopefully dartford or ebbsfleet via the north kent line since the south east needs some more tube links even though crossrail isnt a tube line

[@Claire-ue2oe]

Ho chuggy :wave:

[@BritishAPT]

hey it's chuggy twain

[@PlatformEdge]

@@BritishAPT Wow

[@PlatformEdge]

@@Claire-ue2oe Hi

[@dianapatterson1559]

As a visitor to London (ordinarily) only yearly, can you give pros and cons for Purple Train vs. Heathrow Express?

[@brian9731]

The Heathrow Express service is one of the most expensive rail journeys in the country. The Heathrow Connect service and the CrossElizPurp service are slower and stop at several places but are way cheaper.

[@agent_605]

TfL Rail only takes 15 minutes longer, yet is less than half the price when you buy a ticket on the day. The Underground is cheaper still, but takes significantly longer (over an hour)

[@brian9731]

@@agent_605 - the Tube to or from Heathrow is the longest hour of anyone's life. I would not recommend it!

[@agent_605]

@@brian9731 Try doing it when you've already been to every other station on the network in the previous 17 hours!

[@grendel_nz]

Similarly i only had to use LHR 2 times a year. I found the Express trains quiet, but full and expensive. Purple trains sound very noisy!? Not what u want for relaxing travel after >24hrs of flying (or if you're Aspie).

[@sxmmieftw]

Love crossrail, love seeing me ends of london!! I do miss it!

[@GFEFC1878]

I live near Shenfield and will look forward to the time when I can get all the way over to Heathrow on a direct train.

[@baxtermarrison5361]

I notice that both the Purple Train as well as the new Northern Rail stock no longer have the yellow frontage or panels. Is this no longer required? 🤔

[@agent_605]

New Northern trains do have yellow fronts, I presume you’re thinking of TransPennine. Assuming a train has powerful enough headlights (which these do), since 2017 it’s no longer a requirement to have yellow fronts

[@baxtermarrison5361]

@@agent_605 Apologies, Trans Pennine. I had noticed that the Class 68, and the DVT, as well at the new Azuma claa that they operate, the Lner versions maintain the yellow front liver. Thank you for your explanation.

[@SCTransportProductions]

Love this video Geoff! Keep them up!

[@jasonl5967]

I wonder how long it will be when the stretch from Reading To Shenfield open's, me and my mother visit Clacton about twice a year and the only way to get there is by National Express Coach's but they no longer do the 484 from/to Victoria Coach Station to/from Clacton, I live in South Wales and it's too far to drive and my mum don't like the tube

[@animationcreations42]

Is it Emma Hignett that does the PA for those trains? She sounds very similar to the NSA on Go North East buses

[@lewismaberly2488]

These videos are absolutely peak KZbin

[@starseedtravel8902]

I think it’s great that it has so many announcements. Especially for tourists.

[@MervynPartin]

I find my tinitus is less annoying than the constant moronic announcements.

[@BluestarFanOfficial]

This is the TFL Rail service to Southampton Central next station Southampton Central where this train terminates change here for Bluestar Unilink and City Red bus services

[@TravelSignal]

Unfortunately it looks like, from the service pattern diagram, that there won't be any Heathrow trains from Stratford / Shenfield...

[@christopherbentley5216]

Geoff Could you please do your magic and find out exactly what is planned for the East West route,specifically from Bletchley/ Milton Keynes, what trains,what destinations and when its actually going to run revenue earning trains?. Thank you in advance.

[@davidstone408]

Same they can’t connect Reading with Heathrow via Rail still RailAir link bus, maybe you should video it

[@jacksonhughes6409]

Heathrow Express are getting New class 387 (Same ones as GWR) and there already painted just need to be tested then they'll be in service.

[@ashleyw1393]

They are not really new, they are the GWR ones. They are just getting different livery and internal modifications more suited to Heathrow Express services. . These have become available due to the 345’s taking over some of GWR’s services.

[@frankw9619]

Liking the look of those trains.

[@皮志平]

Still wondering when will Tfl Line between Paddington and Liverpool Street

[@starplatinum7836]

ive stil been seeing 360s at my local station(acton mainline) so i dont think they have fully rolled them out yet unfortunately

[@agent_605]

It's always a progressive rollout, they never do it completely in one go.

[@WBDE]

I have been to London several times from where I live in North Carolina but I think I would be completely confused now about the easiest way of getting from Heathrow into London

[@cephalopod7300]

Yes there are a few ways now, but you'd just have to do some internetting and compare cost vs journey time and other factors. Heathrow website ought to just spell all the options out very clearly including taxi fares etc, but last time I was there they heavily push the Heathrow Express so not the best source for neutral passenger info.

[@thomascundy6753]

Can you use oyster or travel card, as last I knew only to hays and Harlington then a excessive fare to pay to the airport?

[@TommyWoodland]

How could it say it was t5 next is Acton main line next not t5

[@roundel52]

I still don't understand how TfL get away with calling a station "Terminals 2&3" when the sign on the wall clearly says "Heathrow Central". Surely that's confusing for passengers.

[@agent_605]

It’s called 2&3 on the Tube Map, and is clearer for passengers who are trying to get to a specific terminal for their flight

[@randomclass4653]

finally no more heathrow local rush hours!

[@markg6860]

If I need to get from Heathrow to Romford, would taking Crossrail/Elizabethan Line direct work out to the same cost as taking the slowwwwww Piccadilly & Central Line to Liverpool Street, then TfL overground to Romford?

[@johnbridge4938]

If you enter coach 7 of 9 do you encounter the Borg?