Article from BTNews 2 DECEMBER 2019
Azuma arrives on LNER East Coast
London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is celebrating the arrival of Azuma services on the East Coast route between Aberdeen and London King’s Cross, bringing fastest journey times down to less than 7hr.
Aberdeen is the latest destination in Scotland to benefit from the arrival of the Azuma. The new model, in special tartan livery, is replacing LNER’s diesel High Speed Trains (HSTs) which have served the Aberdeen route for about 40 years.
LNER’s Anglo-Scot routes will also soon benefit from the first major change to the nine-car Azumas, introducing additional luggage space in each carriage for larger items in place of some of the non-reservable seats.
Managing director David Horne said: “As one of our most popular routes, and Aberdeen being Scotland’s third largest city, we’re proud to be introducing our new Azuma trains connecting Aberdeen with Edinburgh and London.
“We’re also responding to customer feedback by increasing the space available for luggage onboard our longer distance services where customers typically travel with more luggage.”
LNER operates three services in both directions every day between Aberdeen and London King’s Cross. An additional fourth service also operates on weekdays in both directions between Aberdeen and Leeds.
(See also Avanti West Coast plans revealed in this issue).
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
Michael Imeson,
Oh...they sound like the planks which masquerade as seats on thameslink services to Luton and gatwick. If they are then my days of trsvellmg east coast main line are over!
Peter SMART, Laurencekirk
On the third day of the Azuma service to Aberdeen, the train arrived 9 minutes late into Waverley, had a door opening problem at Inverkeithing, but made it to Montrose just 1 minute late. First class seats narrow, hard and unyielding compared with the 125s' leather 'armchairs', fewer toilets than on the 125s, with luggage space taking space where a second toilet could be. Not really impressed apart from the accelerative capability of the Azuma.
Tom Buncle , Edinburgh
Azuma trains might have taken a small step forward in increasing luggage space slightly; but they’ve taken a big step back by introducing the most uncomfortable, allegedly ‘modern’ seats seen on this route in decades.........So much for progress.