GWR First Class Review! Is It Worth The Upgrade?

[@naoisecooke6079]

Excellent video Daniel! Keep up the great work!

[@danielstripreports]

Thank you!

[@michaelformaini7053]

Just stumbled across your channel while viewing other KZbin clips. Very well presented. I travelled this route from Worcester Shrub Hill to Reading four years ago in similar accommodation when the Class 800/802 sets were new in service. Thanks for the memories.😀😀

[@danielstripreports]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video. I must say I am rather suprised GWR offer a full Intercity service on these routes as it is essentially a regional service.

[@KempSimon]

@@danielstripreports - Oxford, Worcester and Hereford are all cities and Reading will soon be joining them. Some very wealthy and influential people live in and around the Cotswolds, not to mention the Malvern Hills!

[@JackJackProductions]

125 Mph and electric running kicks in after Didcot, in order to not hold up services from Bristol, Cheltenham, Swansea, and Cardiff

[@danielstripreports]

We didn't call at Didcot though.

[@JackJackProductions]

@@danielstripreports The 80x units can change between diesel and electric running whilst at speed. That is why Penzance and Plymouth services don't leave Reading under diesel when the wires extend to Newbury, they drop pantograph at Newbury Racecourse.

[@OnTheRailwayOfficial]

​@danielstripreports The service you were on doesn't stop at Didcot, but it changes power at Didcot.

[@henrybn14ar]

The Hitachi trains need to be upgraded to the scrapyard.

[@daydays12]

You seem to be in the vast majority on that!

[@Andrewjg_89]

Great Western Railway is still a good train operator as I quite how they made their trains so posh, beautiful and very enjoyable. Despite the seats on the Class 387, Class 800 and Class 802 that aren’t as comfortable that most passengers have complained about.

[@KempSimon]

GWR is a "good train operator"? Who are you trying to kid? Certainly nobody who travels regularly by rail between Portsmouth Harbour and Cardiff Central via Salisbury will be taken in by your assertion. A route linking major cities (Portsmouth, Southampton, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol and Cardiff) served by slow, noisy, dirty Thames Turbo commuter trains with no First Class seating areas, no refreshment trolley and a fares structure intended to rip you off (no Off-Peak Singles or Returns, just expensive Anytime tickets) deserves much better than GWR's offer. It would be rather nice if Transport for Wales could run locomotive-hauled Mark 4's with First Class and a Restaurant Car between Cardiff and Portsmouth. That might make GWR sit up and think!

[@joemercedeschannel196]

​@KempSimon I agree. GWR has got to be more worse than TFW to be fair. The seats on the 800/802 IET's are so uncomfortable and very bad. The interior doesn't look good either as the colours don't go together for me.

[@Shadow_x12]

​@@joemercedeschannel196GWR should've kept the HSTs with their lovely leather armchair seats

[@daydays12]

How can a train be posh/enjoyable if it is painful?

[@Del-bm]

Great trip report

[@gftyhify]

Do they offer marmalade sandwiches in the lounge? They should as they are Paddington’s favourites

[@danielstripreports]

Unfortunately not!

[@KempSimon]

No, but you can take a free hot shower to freshen up if you need one!

[@RhysTAGOMOTOFouracre]

window blind is availble in standard aswell. but this could very on the type of train

[@NetworkX90]

I have many memories of travelling between Hereford and London by train. Back then it was mostly HST’s and Class 180’s.

[@maimadha]

London Paddington to Hereford was better operated by HSTs

[@Metal197]

Long live the HSTs

[@maimadha]

@@Metal197 HSTs will live on forever

[@Abandoned23345]

@@maimadha Unfortunately, just in hearts. GWR said that the Castle HSTs will be withdrawn in December 2023

[@maimadha]

@@Abandoned23345 why are GWR retiring the Castle Set HSTs?

[@devon896]

Most of it isn't their fault as the spec is all down to the DFT. The old HST first class was how GWR wanted and planned for the IET's to be.

[@daydays12]

The uncomfortable seats are 100% GWR's fault and comfort and safety are the most important things.

[@maimadha]

​@@daydays12GWR need to scrap the 800s and 802s

[@daydays12]

@@maimadha Agreed!

[@daydays12]

@@maimadha Agreed!

[@KempSimon]

I made the same rail journey on Monday, 11th July, returning home after attending the Hereford Beer, Cider and Perry Festival. The five-coach GWR IET was very busy on departure from Hereford and the overcrowding (which became severe after Oxford) wasn't helped by an air conditioning failure on one of the hottest days of the year. The scenery along the route is fantastic, with apple orchards and hop gardens west of the Malvern Hills and the rolling limestone uplands with their picture-postcard villages east of Moreton-in-Marsh. It would be rather nice if GWR provided a Pullman Dining offer on this route at lunchtime and in the evenings, similar to the provision made between Paddington and Plymouth/Swansea. I believe that the North Cotswold Line contains the only stretch of single track railway in England which is cleared for 100mph running! Such a shame about the uncomfortable seats which spoiled the journey for me.

[@daydays12]

GWR is not responsible for and should not claim credit for the countryside!!!

[@Craigc6060]

This is good to know as booked a 1st class ticket to Bristol Temple Meads in February. Possibly booked too early as had 0 sest reservations but we'll find out

[@AircraftOfTheWorld]

Nice to see you come to Hereford where I am fron

[@danielspencer6174]

It good G.W.R 125 hatchi trains service not stopping at elizabeth line stations .

[@SisterStrives]

Great vid!😊

[@econ1240]

Stunning Video Bro 👍

[@christophermarkwart1267]

GWR first class catering is massively inferior to that offered by Avanti West Coast and LNER, where coffee is served in proper cups not plastic!

[@kc23236]

Do you get the food and drink for free as i am travelling on Monday and wanted to Know

[@danielstripreports]

Yeah all free

[@spookyspookers44590]

Not too sure if u mentioned this. It To add on the snacks in FC are complimentary but in ST u would have to pay for snacks & drinks so technically if u wanted food on the train depending where u go & the price of said ticket FC & standard would roughly be the same price 😅😊

[@daydays12]

So there seats with no windows in first class on these trains??? Scandalous.

[@miniroll32]

I travelled on a Transpennine Express on this class of loco, it was very comfortable and quiet 😊

[@Listenerandlearner870]

Seems a very nice journey.

[@danielstripreports]

Was indeed

[@nendwr]

Nice video. I tend to use First Class a lot west of Cardiff (where it's exceptionally good value). My main gripe about the 80x's is that the single seats are almost all singles facing in one direction, rather that 1+1 bays - this has the effect that they can almost all be backwards! I also dislike the composite carriage in the 5-car units - this has the effect of passengers traipsing through to/from standard class at every station. Good to see the sandwiches back - they've been gone for two years. They look decidedly less fancy than the ones from before the pandemic though.

[@clivelangham435]

I enjoyed this a lot.

[@danielstripreports]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@kiwitrains]

What happened to Evesham

[@maimadha]

Daniel didn't include Evesham in the video

[@KempSimon]

@@maimadha - Or the four-mile continuous and unbroken climb out of the Severn Valley, through Campden Tunnel and over the Cotswold Escarpment, banked at 1:100, between Honeybourne and Moreton-in-Marsh. It was here in 1935 that the Down "Cathedrals Express" became the first GWR train to smash through the 100mph barrier, rather than merely nudging up against it.

[@KempSimon]

And Honeybourne!

[@henrybn14ar]

The toilets don't stay clean for long. The ride is so rough that you can't be sure of aiming into the bowl.

[@daydays12]

good point!

[@TheWandererRemixes]

New subscriber here 👍 Think you could do with the ambient sound being a little louder as at certain points in the video there's just silence.

[@danielstripreports]

Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for subscribing!

[@simondavey7787]

Wonderful trip report along a beautiful stretch of line. How far in advance did you book your ticket?

[@danielstripreports]

I booked about 2 months in advance

[@KempSimon]

Worth noting that if you ever travel mid-day with GWR between Guildford and Hereford, a refundable walk-on Super Off-Peak Single is considerably cheaper than a non-refundable Advance Purchase Single! Not that I'm complaining, but where's the sense in that?

[@tsungiraichiramba]

Brilliant video, how much was this trip

[@danielstripreports]

Hi it was £21.50

[@Listenerandlearner870]

The on screen links to your vids need adding.

[@danielstripreports]

Yes my bad, I will add them when I'm home from holiday

[@mrquickogaming]

When I did it recently there was no catering at all!

[@danielstripreports]

Probably some sort of staffing issue, lot of that going on rn.

[@stepheng7586]

Great video Daniel. I haven't travelled on a GWR 8xx set but I have travelled on the Transpennine Express 802 units. I found the first class section on the 802s very underwhelming.

[@maimadha]

Great video

[@danielstripreports]

Thank you!

[@alangaming2003]

West Midlands I think you meant London Midland since they never separated

[@maimadha]

London Midland lost the franchise in 2017

[@SeanMidlandstransporthub]

Great video mate! I've caught this service from Moreton-in-Marsh before. When the rail sale was on I got Penzance-Reading for £30 first class and I really enjoyed GWR first class! I found the seat cushion and overall seat comfortable and much better then standard class and much better then LNER's Azuma first class.

[@danielstripreports]

Wow that's a good price! While GWRs service doesn't rival LNER and Avanti in quality, I do find it to be pleasent enough, don't see any difference to LNER in comfort though.

[@katieguyan7224]

my experience of the GWR was how uncomfortable the seats are on long haul journeys, I left the train with a numb bum!!

[@KempSimon]

I got on at Hereford (like Daniel but a week later) and by Worcester my backside was sore. No matter how much I twisted and turned in my seat, I just could not get comfortable. Why, oh why, did GWR get rid of its IC125's with their lovely leather armchair seats? And, come to think of it, what became of the complimentary glass of wine served to your seat by GWR on Friday afternoons and evenings?

[@daydays12]

@@KempSimon Thanks for your info I am planning a trip from Bristol to Plymouth. GWR sounds vile.

[@thetrainspotter43]

I’m from Hereford

[@harrynking777]

Those seats are very hard. Not particularly comfortable for a long journey.

[@maimadha]

The seats are very uncomfortable for any length of journey

[@KempSimon]

@@maimadha - I started my journey in a GWR five-coach IET at Hereford, and on arrival at Worcester my backside was numb and sore. No matter how much I twisted and turned in my seat I just could not get comfortable. Oh, how I miss First Class on the old IC125's or the Class 180 Adelantes, which used to run between Hereford and Paddington!

[@gowestyorkshire_4782]

@@maimadha well you could always stand or find another train company

[@daydays12]

Why have GWR done that? Do they hate their customers?

[@maimadha]

​@@daydays12Hitachi are twats by giving the 800s and 802s uncomfortable seating

[@doghat1619]

I had a first class journey on the same train as this one over the weekend, though I came on later in the journey than you did. No sandwiches were offered, train was delayed 40 minutes, and first class was packed and very noisy. My first experience in first class, something I only went for as the upgrade price was on offer and was very cheap. Overall I didn't enjoy my time and it didn't feel like a first class experience, wouldn't have paid full price for it. I was also unaware of the first class lounge, it wasn't well advertised or signposted at all at paddington. Would've saved me sitting in a cafe when waiting for my return trip the next day.

[@KempSimon]

There used to be a rather good First Class customer lounge at Bristol Temple Meads but penny-pinching GWR shut it down around the year 2006 not only in order to save a bit of money, but also to display the full depth of their contempt for passengers paying well over the odds to travel First Class. The First Class Lounge (or, if you prefer the Welsh language version, Lolfa Dosbarth Cyntaf) at Cardiff Central was very small and lacking in amenities when I last used it, just before the first Covid-19 lockdown. Apparently GWR has no plans to extend or refurbish it.

[@andrewbutler6477]

Probably quicker traveling via Newport from Hereford to Paddington

[@shiro8686]

For now, very true

[@2010ColinF]

Nothing wrong with the train or seats or ride perfectly comfortable

[@henrybn14ar]

I have been on these trains recently. The ride is unstable and the seat cushions have collapsed. The seat layout is a mess.

[@maimadha]

​@@henrybn14ar43s and 91s are better than 800s and 802s

[@daydays12]

@@henrybn14ar thank you for your honest reply

[@daydays12]

Examples of long distance journeys in second class you've taken on these trains?

[@maimadha]

@@daydays12 travelling on the 800s and 802s is absolutely horrible

[@GeorgeCoyle-y2r]

30 Jan 2024 things have not got any better in first class no trolley service between Plymouth and Reading and prices have just risen guess GWR shareholders don’t travel on these trains

[@daydays12]

They surely don't the *******s

[@Ron_TTE]

I would of chosen a bay of 2, I dont get why you would sit in a bay of four, when maybe someone with their kids would come on. It just seems greedy to me, great vid tho.

[@NafisaLondon]

*would have chosen

[@martynmiller4247]

Your video is very selective. Clearly you have a view... which you intended to push... pity, as you could have been unbiased and objective.