Pendolino from Euston to Glasgow with Avanti West Coast in 1st Class
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Last year I had a 1st Class ticket to Glasgow, but a series of storms meant I was rerouted on a King's Cross to Edinburgh train. This year it all went smoothly and I'll got to ride the West Coast Mainline.
With great views and excellent on-board service, this is a ride most people would enjoy. Although, after twenty-odd years, these Pendolinos are ready for their turn in the workshop for the much-needed refurbishment.
Departure: London Euston, England, UK
Destination: Glasgow Central, Scotland, UK
Distance: 645 km / 401 miles
Duration: 4 hrs 30 mins
Cost: 1st class advance single, with 1/3 railcard discount: £72.40 / €82,20
Date of Travel: February 2023
Operator: Avanti West Coast
Motive power: Class 390 Pendolino 9-car EMU. Built: Alstom (2001-2004)
Thank you to everyone that supports the channel by subscribing, liking, commenting or just watching these videos. I really appreciate it!
I travel regularly on Avanti First Class from Liverpool to Euston and Wigan to Glasgow and they have got their act together after some rocky moments in the last few years.
Yes. I think we would all agree that it is "a great service when it runs" and hopefully the reliability is coming back now.
Thank you so much for watching. It is really appreciated 👍
Will you be doing a review of the Avanti West Coast Class 805 and Class 807 once they have entered service.
Yes. I think that needs to happen!
Just want VT back, or APT style seats and customer service, anything that isn't this boring, soulless, cattle esq "first class"
@@Hascienda27 ah, i think you are being a little harsh. I quite like the service. I haven't been on a refurbished set yet. I'd hope the seats have been brought back up to how they were when VT first started running.
Thanks so much for watching 👍
Bring back Virgin Trains West Coast service... Avanti are rip-off merchants !!!
Kinda know what you mean. It was a lovely run, with great service and staff. But I can't really forgive them the disruption of the past and the generally high ticket prices.
Thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels ... see Avanti West Coast if you want 'high ticket prices' !!!
Excellent video as always. Well done for pointing out some of the downsides--like lack of space for safe luggage storage.
East V West? Well, I cant book through journeys from the SW to Glasgow, but i can book through journeys via Edinburgh with LNER.
Just back from Taunton to inverness with GWR/LNER and my food offering on LNER looked better than Avanti, and the scenery and the history of the East coast route I think also wins out. I just wish internet booking would allow me to put it to the test, and see what Avanti can offer..
Yes, being from the SW too, I agree about the through ticketing. Maybe things will be different when we are changing at Old Oak Common.
Excellent vid as always. I can’t help thinking of your trip compared to what it would have been like during the hey days of the LMS. Yes it would probably have taken around you around 2 hrs extra but am sure in more comfort. I remember travelling that route in the 70/80s when class 87,s etc pulled comfortable carriages. A very interesting route and full of scenic delights
Thank for that. Yes, I'm that age too, so remember the Class 87s with some fondness.
I'm not sure about the comfort thing wrt the past. The coaches were undoubtedly very opulent, but the ride was a lot rougher without continuous welded rail. Bit it would still be cool to go back 100 years to try!
@7:31 Emergency exits blocked with cases .. As you say 'NOT GOOD'
Surely the train manager should have the power to get these removed and perhaps even taken to another carriage where there is space. I would have imagined safety is one roles of the manager. A message over the loudspeaker would probably do the trick.
Yes. I really do not like to see it. I've been on enough fire training courses to have learned about what happens when an exit is blocked.
Thanks for watching 👍
A fantastic video although I'm miffed that you didn't mention my hometown of Rugby. The northern part of the line was familiar to me because I had travelled this route on Train Simulator from Dovetail. The 390 was still in Virgin livery.
@@Videx19 haha sorry about that. Can't mention every place i pass 😁
Best wishes to you and to Rugby. And thanks for watching too 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels You've given me the hunger to travel that whole route from Euston to Glasgow. You are right, Scotland is beautiful, and not too dissimilar from parts of Quebec where I live.
@@Videx19 haha. Makes the journey a bit longer if you have to start in Quebec !
@@JohnnyHooverTravels LOL. With the Class 86s pulling 12 blue and grey coaches, Rugby to Euston nonstop was 55 minutes. The Pendolino does it in 47 mins.
I'll be travelling from Canada to the UK in April and we've booked first class tickets from Euston to Glasgow (return) so I enjoyed watching your video to get an idea of what we can expect. Thank you. I hope that the loo will be closer on our trip though!
You are very welcome! Your journey may be even nicer as it is likely that you will be on one of the recently refurbished sets. Whilst they are ostensibly the same, the decor has been refreshed. Of course, what won't be different is the great views you will get, especially as you get further North. Have a lovely time in the UK and thanks so much for watching 👍
Oh and don't forget that your ticket allows you into 1st Class lounges. So if you have time to kill its always worth getting a coffee and a cake there before departure!
Enjoyed it, thanks. Dalzell is pronounced "Dee-yell" by the way.
Thanks! And yes, I have been told about the Dalzell gaff before. I shoulda known that!
Thank you so much for watching 👍
9:40 They’re the colours of the Lancashire rose.
Thanks for another great video Johnny, you’re quickly becoming one of my favourite travel channels! Appreciate your attention to detail and care/effort put into your videos.
Blimey that's high praise indeed. Thank you so much for saying so! I've only been at it for a year, so I've definitely room for improvement. Words like this spur me on to better things! Much appreciated indeed 👍
A nice touch with the waffle, looks like a nice service to be fair. Gorgeous scenery
Yes. It was a really good thing to do by the Avanti host and I thought it also made a good story because I just happened to record him serving the waffle to the lady too. I think I missed out on the waffle. I'll have to go Avanti again!
Thank you so much for watching and commenting - I really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for this fantastic video! Me and my spoiled dog are taking this journey in a few weeks so we both enjoyed watching it in preparation! 😂
Brilliant. I'm sure you will both have a lovely time. In my experience spoiled dogs get even more spoiled on trains as lots of people pass through the carriage and make a fuss of them!
As an ex immigrant from Eastern Europe I really miss those fast trains and beutiful train stations. Large part of my modest earnings was spend on train tickets and ales in pubs...
Funny, but a large part of my earnings has been spent on the same things! 😁. 🚅🍺
Thanks for another highly enjoyable and informative video, Johnny. Out of curiosity, what was your total fare from Exeter to Glasgow? I’m guessing the fare you quoted was from Euston to Glasgow Central
I got an advance 2nd class single (with railcard disc) for just £20.90 for Exeter-London. Not really worth 1st class on GWR as there really isn't any pampering and I can stand the 2nd class seats for that hop!
Thanks for the kind words
👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels I can certainly agree with the comfort (or lack of) on the IET sears in standard class; I’ve regularly had a numb bum when travelling between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington! Out of interest Johnny, do you prefer paper tickets on ticketing apps, or do you have no preference?
@@RoddyJenkins Apps every time for me tbh. Although I still print out stuff in case there's a problem with my phone.
@@JohnnyHooverTravels That mirrors my thoughts. The trip to London to pick up the East Coast is a commute. It lacks that sense of occasion you mentioned before. The real journey begins with LNER.
The demolition of the original Euston Station back in the 1960's was criminal
I'm not sure. It was a tricky one as so much had to be relocated to enable the changes that needed to be made for the modern era. 🤷🏻♂️
Anyway, even if we disagree, I'm very f
grateful that you watched the video. Thank you 👍
some bicuits and ascrambled egg on toast for double the prive? no thanks
Entirely your choice. I'm just showing you what you'd get! Thanks very much for watching and commenting 👍
Do you get access to the First Class Lounge if you order any First Class ticket (regardless of the company and destination)?
And would you still recommend getting tickets as far in advance as possible, with all the strikes going on?
First class lounges are run by the companies and therefore only first class tickets for that company are generally accepted. Always worth asking though!
And yes. Book in advance to get the best prices.
Thanks for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels You're welcome, and thank you for the answers!
Nice to see you back in the UK 😉I find both West and East CML pretty dreary until they reach northern England. Then you takes your choice of the edge of Lake District views versus the Northumbria coast. My vote just about goes to the latter if the weather is behaving. Nice trip report as ever.
Yes, that's why I've no preference really. They are both great once you get in the North, and the Southern sections are really for tucking into the 1st class freebies.
Thank you for watching and commenting. 👍
btw - I'm back in the High Tatras in Slovakia next week, but the following week I'll be on the ECML - just don't tell your friends cos it will spoil the surprise 😉
The Avanti West Coast Class 390 Pendolino are so fast and smooth. Plus Avanti West Coast are getting new Class 805 and Class 807 AT300s.
Which aren’t tilting trains but they are to replace the Class 221 Voyager from next year.
I'm hoping those new Class 80x will be an upgrade on the old Voyagers. I was on one out of Holyhead a couple of weeks ago and it had very noisy engines and general rattles. Time for a replacement.
Thanks for watching 👍
I will not travel on pendilino trains as they go too fast to enjoy the views and they scare me when they swerve into tunnels. They make me feel unsafe. Thanks for your interesting and informative video. Much appreciated 🙃👍👏
I'm Australian and had a Global Eurailpass in late 2022, and did this route with Avanti WC from Glasgow Queen St all the way to Euston. My train was also well patronised, even in 1st class. Service form staff was very good yet it gets a lot of criticism on Google and TA. Guess you can't please everyone.
A most enjoyable journey despite a backwards-facing seat.
Terrific video as you give potted histories. Can't say that the brutalist archictecture at Stafford appeals, but many other stations are beautiful.
I stayed at Preston: the colour scheme is typical Victorian in origin I reckon. I also visited Lancaster Castle - very good.
Thank you for such an informative comment. I'm pleased that you had an excellent journey too.
Many of the complaints about Avanti we have in the UK are around the service quality wrt cancellation of trains. I think there's a general agreement amongst the train fans I know that the route is beautiful and the onboard 1st class service is good WHEN it is actually there!
Thanks again for watching. Much appreciated 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels I am again visiting this year - more time in UK as I love it, but a reasonable whack in Europe. I will be covering a few lines I've not done before with a heavy emphasis on more heritage railways.
The only cancelled train I had in late 2022 was a TPE from Preston northbound, so I quickly went to Manchester Oxford Rd by another route IIRC. The ability to do this in rural Australia is mostly non existent.
My impression is leisure travelling is doing extremely well. Hopefully the RMT is finished with strikes, as per the week just gone's brief announcement.
I found track quality very good to excellent, even over crossovers and points. Hats off to Network Rail - I know it sometimes gets a bad rap: I was only a visitor, but unjustified in my view.
You have a very good style: not overbearing, with about the 'correct' dosages of information. You may not always think so but even if a video only receives 1500 views, many will be from elsewhere: not all from the UK.
@@edmundcarew7235 thank you for being so kind. Both about my work and the UK's railways. You are right that we maybe have more contempt as we are closer. I'd certainly recommend to anybody from outside the country to explore the UK with Interrail/Eurail. Towns, cities, beaches, mountains, castles and places of interest of all kinds are within easy reach of the network.
I wish you a very pleasant trip, next time you visit the UK and Europe. Feel free to browse my videos for ideas! 😀
you mention platform level at Euston is Grim. yes it is , an eyesore not a welcoming station such was the 1960's planners who tore down the iconic Doric arch (which i remember as a Boy) and up went the typical thing like stafford and Manchester Victoria. thank God for Glasgow Central, Liverpool Lime street, York etc etc.....even Darlington. beautiful stations should never be touched. apologies to Newcastle and any other fine stations not mentioned.
Yes, it is a real shame the platforms are so grim at Euston as I love the 1960s concourse. I'm going to stir a hornets nest, but I do not miss the Doric arch. Once the railway constructed a hotel in front of it, it lost all the point to its grandeur. The old prints of those two remaining gatehouses leading up to the arch at the end of a long carriage drive are wonderful. Once that drive was chopped off by the hotel, the whole thing was lost...
Thanks so much for watching and for the lovely comment. Whilst I may disagree about things around Euston I frankly love the old stations we have like Glasgow Central, Lime Street and York - as you say to name but a few. All of those (and more) are featured on the channel - so do take a look if you've not watched some of them yet!
Well,i'd say west over east-------looking at first class, Avanti seats have more padding than LNER and GREAT western[both of whom have the new class 800 which i think are rather'plasticky' and uncomfortable-------particularly standard which is torture!!
AND also the lighting is softer on AVANTI--------not the almost Hospital brightness of the two other carriers that i mentioned.
@@peterboulton137 Yes, I think all of those comments are valid. I do also worry about the 80x build quality. We will see how they are in another 5 years. I'm OK with them, as long as I'm in 1st class tbf
thank you so much for watching and commenting
👍
making this journey alone tomorrow and i have never before gotten a train 😅 watching in attempts to prepare myself for how it all works ! thank u 😸
Do report back in how it goes. I hope watching the video helped to reduce your anxiety a bit. I still watch youtube videos of journeys i am about to make too! 👍
Argh, Euston, not to my taste at all. Though I do agree about the 1st Class lounge, very nice. Thanks for sharing.
No problem. Each to their own as they say. I'm just a sucker for a bit of concrete, so that ceiling does it for me!
Pleased you enjoyed it once we left Euston 😉
How taste can change. When that station opened the late 1960s it was considered a "wonder" and the future of BR !
Excellent video again
I was surprised by which cities/ towns you were stopping at, why stopping at Workington, Wigan and Preston not fare between those places?
Would it be a better idea/ profit to let the train run via Manchester even if it would take longer time
You mention a railcard to get lower price- what kind of card is that?
Follower from Sweden
Other trains make stops at stations further south. Diverting through Manchester would not be helpful for passengers going to Glasgow from London and Manchester passengers can easily pick up the train at Warrington.
I have a "Senior Railcard" because I am over 60 yrs old. There is also a young person railcard which is for 16-25. Purchasing these gets you 1/3 off most rail fares. The cost is not high. As I recall my 3 year railcard cost about £74. 1 year costs £30.
Thank you so much for watching. Fondest wishes from Exeter, UK to Sweden 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels thanks for a quick answer
Also the infamous Trans Pennine Express run trains (most of the time!) from Manchester Airport to Glasgow and Edinburgh so it would be a duplication of the route.
I swear I was almost sensing the smell when you mentioned Glastonbury ...... and I have never been to Glastonbury !!!!
Dalyell, Dalzell and Dalziel, and variant spellings are all pronounced D-L. The name comes from the Estate and Parish which covered a great swathe of land around present day Motherwell.
Haha yes. Glastonbury toilets are indeed legendary even if you've never been!
And yes - as you say it is "D-L" - should'a know that... thanks for the gentle reminder ... and thanks for watching too 👍
Great video, very Informative. can I ask why the speedometer app you use is called ? Many thanks
Thank you that's very nice of you to say, and thanks for watching 👍
The app is simply called "Speedometer" on an iPhone
I used to travel to Euston quite frequently when I was in the MN. The last time was in 1965, steam was still in use. The platforms don’t look any “nicer”. Lol. 57 years in Oz. Another great vid. Cheers.
Blimey, you have been away a long time!
Thanks Jim 👍
Next year Im going from Pitlochry to York, across the Peninnes from York to Liverpool, then a week later from London to Glasgow so I will able to make my mind up to what I prefer. Also gives me chance to try 3 new operators 1st class. Brilliant video!
Sounds like I great trip. Don't forget whilst your are in Liverpool for the week, there is the Saveaway ticket in the city that lets you explore Merseyrail, the ferries and much more for a day for, I think, just £6.
Thank you for watching and for the kind comment 👍
I’m an Australian too. I was in that exact seat last September with my Britrail 1st class pass on my visit “home”. Food was ok with breakfast a full English. Then tea and sandwiches/crops etc. Euston is still ugly but I did use the lounge before boarding. Thought you talked too much at the start but then came to enjoy it. Ended up very informative. Subscribed. Cheers.
It is a real shame that the promise of Euston's lovely, brutal, concourse isn't matched by the platform level and the transition between the two. Have a look at my video if a ride from Seville Santa Justa station (to Cadiz) to see brutal done really well. That station has the size and majesty that Euston cannot match (sadly) ua-cam.com/video/-1lk-1trPx0/v-deo.html
Thank you for the kind comment and the honest feedback. It often does take a while on my videos before you actually step on the train, as I'm interested in the architecture of the stations, and then if I do some more voice to camera at the station (like in this vid) then you can be well into the video before we've even departed! I'm not sure what I can do about that, as I feel my style is to review the departure station and talk about the route just as much as it is to show the train and the journey - I suppose, in the end, it is down to the viewers to decide what they wish to watch and for the UA-cam algorithm to decide what to offer up!
I'm heartened to hear that you stuck with it and enjoyed it and subscribed! 👍
Cheers Johnny. I’m a Scot from near Glasgow and Grandad worked for BR for over years 50. I’m in radio here and spent two years in radio in Peterborough/Cambridge. Trains are my passion or hobby if that suits people. I’m back over in September as I was last year. I mostly did the Avanti WCML and then planned the LNER but HM died so my plans went pear shaped. Just keep doing what you do. I enjoy it as do there it seems. Mac.
Can I get some opinions on which route has the nicer views, between London to Edinburgh on the east coast vs. London to Glasgow on the west coast? Different UK cousins are telling me different things! TY
I honestly can only advise that if you are travelling between London and Scotland, then I would go on both. You are right that UK train fans have long debated whether east or west coast routes are best for scenery.
If it then comes down to the trains, then 1st class in both are comparable but 2nd class on the west coast wins over the east as their seats are more comfortable.
Whichever route you take, they are great. And imho, on both routes, sit on the east side of the train for the best views ie. sit on the right hand side if going north.
Hope that helps a little bit... thanks for watching 👍
Didn't know you could get scrambled eggs and toast, never saw that on the Virgin menus. What time did you leave Euston can I ask? In the old days breakfast would stop at 10.00am and you then got offered a bacon or sausage hot baguette!
I was on the 10:30 departure from Euston. As I'd already done Exeter to Paddington that morning, I was very pleased to get a "second breakfast". It really was a great 1st Class service. You're lucky to get a biscuit on GWR.
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
The red and white at Preston is the old virgin branding. I am amusing the green is pre-privatisation
I think the red/white/green in stations pre-dates Virgin. I saw it a lot recently in Wales. So I wonder if it is connected to the old London Midland &Scottish (LMS) back from the 1920s.
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Maybe, I mean most of the stations in Wales I have been too are either red from Transport for Wales or Pale Blue from the old Arriva branding. In my opinion, the red and white work together, but the green with it isn't really my thing. I am sure the branding people in the 1920s probably have different thoughts to branding people 100 years later in the 2020s. That might be why they have gone for this colour. Or I am dumb and know nothing about L M S.
It’s the red rose of Lancashire
Beautifully filmed and narrated, thank you, greetings from Glasgow!
Thank you so much! It was a great trip and I always enjoy trips to Scotland. I shall be returning again in October.
Thanks for watching 👍
I have been going to Glasgow and Edinburgh from Birmingham for about 10 years now. I will honestly say this video had a rare good run. Most times on the northern run we only got served once in 4.2 hours. That's not good for first class. The trains are themselves nice, but have been in serious need of refurbishment. There was a real lack of maintenance that was clearly visible. Even in first class you could tell the train hadnt been cleaned properly. Last trip up in first class we had to go through 4 cars to use the loo. Makes you wonder where they spend the money you had to pay.Then we get to the pricing. The prices have more than doubled for first class. Standard premium is not really worth it. Please can they bring back VIRGIN TRAINS.
I cannot argue with much your say. The service team were brilliant and if that's unusual then I was indeed lucky. But I do agree the un refurbished units really did pass their refurbish-by date for sure.
Thank you for the comprehensive thoughts 👍
This was a refurbished unit. My day of travel was 19-09-22. From Glasgow. Being held up at crewe for nearly an hour wasn't really Avanti's fault. But the units in question certainly had some issues and some weary staff.
Yep, two pubs outside. Much,(well a little bit!) cheaper! Pip Pip.
...and far better...
im taking that train to liverpool in a few months thanks for the video!
I hope you enjoy the journey!
Thank you for watching 👍
Doing this journey but down to Crewe from Glasgow for £8 on Tuesday! Seemed like a bargain!
That IS a bargain! Nice one 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels yeah! Strangely a 20 min journey into Cardiff is more expensive that Glasgow-Crewe lol
Jonny you should try the new avanti refub'd trains..
Indeed I should. It's on the list 👍
Great video. I got more useful information from this video than the 20+ other videos I've seen. Great narrative also 👏
Thank you. Lovely of you to be so kind.
And thanks too for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels everyone deserves credit for doing something that helps others 👍
I like that when they were dogs on board, I love dogs
I see them a lot on the train. People always say Hello. 🐕🦺
Greetings from Birmingham! But you didn’t go through Birmingham ❤️🩹😡
Haha, no! Not the route for this train. My very first video on the channel went through New Street, but I probably need to get back there soon to make more videos.
Thanks for watching 👍
Np!
The west coast with 390 any day East coast with a IET no thanks .
There is that. I'm ok with IET 1st class seats, but 390 probably edges it. Especially as they roll out more refurbished units.
Thanks for watching 👍
food not as good as the Gerald !! ( Cardiff Manc and back )
I completely agree. I have two videos extolling both the 1 st class on TfW Mk4 sets and their excellent food.
And thanks for watching too 👍
Another awesome video! Would you say Avanti or LNER is better?
Probably Avanti 1st is a little better. But LNER aint bad...
LNER. MOST DEFINITELY.
@@mickgladwish7554 when the nights are lighter I must do one of those up and back comparison videos doing both in a day!
@@JohnnyHooverTravelswent to Dundee on 14-9-22 . Was treated like royalty. Was only o board for about 90 mins . But it was so nice on an Azuma. Seats were a little too firm. But the ride was just fantastic. Dundee has LOW platforms.
Over £100 without a railcard discount for 400 mile journey. Definitely a rip off. You can drive there for half that cost and take passengers as well.
That is indeed an option. Although you would have to include either the cost of ownership and maintenance of the car or the cost to hire one on top of any fuel costs. And also include any food and drinks you would consume along the way as the railway provides these for free.
Also, if you travelling during a working day, you could get a lot more work done on the train...
Judging by the traffic on the M6, I suspect most people take your advice though tbh.
Thanks for watching 👍
Love the Glastonbury comment and love the style of your videos.
Thank you so much! 👍
Nice
Thanks. And thanks for watching 👍
What’s the app you used called at 5:50 to measure speed please?
apps.apple.com/app/id1445284873?at=1001lcYH&ct=tf
It's just called "Speedometer" on the iPhone.
Thanks for watching 👍
Such an interesting video! I've been at Glasgow Central recently, but unfortunately there were no avanti trains in that time.
Oh, I'm sorry you missed out on the Avanti trains.
Thank you so much for the kind words and for watching the video. It is much appreciated 👍
thank you what an amazing west cost journey
You are very welcome. Thank you for watching 👍
Excellent video!!!! Thank you
Very kind of you to say so. Thank you so much for watching 👍
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We must buy the ticket in advance via website or can we buy at the station?
I am planning to go to Crewe.
Buy as far in advance as possible otherwise it will be much more expensive!
Thanks for watching! 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels got it. Thank you. 🤗