Problems with GN ‘387s’

I couldn’t agree more with Howard Johnston’s comments about the Great Northern Class 387s ( RAIL 838)

While the fleet might be technically superior to the ‘365s’ (and the now withdrawn ‘317s’ and ‘321s’), there is much to be desired about Govia Thameslink Railway’s handling of the introduction of the new fleet.

When the units transferred to GN, there was no apparent thought about the formations, as the First Class sections can be in different parts of each unit. On

some of the station displays there are occasional indications as to which carriage(s) contain(s) the First Class compartments, but my experience shows this is not always accurate.

Also, halfway within the positioning of the First Class seats, there is a set of external doors which then allow passengers to “spill over” into the First Class compartment when the carriages are full.

All of the seats within the ‘387s’ are minimalist compared with the ‘365s’, and finally I have witnessed the misuse of the First Class area in the manner described by Howard (predominately on the stopping services between Royston and Cambridge).

However, I feel there is worse to come when Class 700s are fully introduced onto the GN routes. My limited experience of that fleet to date shows that the seats are even more ‘wooden’ that the ‘387s’. On a recent trip from Brighton to St Pancras, I felt very uncomfortable at the end of the journey.

Please can we have our ‘365s’ back. Malcolm Newman, Letchworth