The Class 222 Meridian: EMR’s Underrated Workhorse!
An underrated and soon to be retired gem!
Date of Travel: May 2023
Class of Travel: Standard Class (2nd Class)
Rolling Stock: Class 222 Meridian
Type of Service: Express Passenger
Operator: East Midlands Railway
Train Number: 1C62
Origin: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom (England)
Destination: London St Pancras International, United Kingdom (England)
Cost of ticket: £13.70 ($17.35, €15.90)
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44 Comments
Wished u got Syston in the vid
Why mention football. Totally irrelevant and unnecessary. That spoiled an otherwise brilliant video.
06:12 i miss the tfw 170’s, i’ve probably been on that set
I agree that both the toilet and the coffee were substandard. But for me that would have been made up for by the sunny day and absolutely beautiful. green English countryside with the train tracks practically lined with bushes full of white flowers. Does anyone know what those were?
I live in Sheffield but if I'm traveling down to London I will normally go via Doncaster and the WCML as it tends to be cheaper and not take much longer.
The 222s are nice trains though, the onboard atmosphere is just fabulous. They suffer from the same issue as all the voyagers though in that they're not really long enough for the routes they're on and could really use a good refresh.
I'm really hoping that when EMR gets their new trains that the 222s will head to XC to boost capacity there.
0:58 a guy just squared up to the camera with his head 😂
Sadly you did not mention the Brush factory at Loughborough which built BR class 31 and 47 diesel locos. The works is right by the station. And, by the way, Leicester is where one of the most important scientific discoveries of modern times was made. DNA testing, sometimes called Genetic Fingerprinting. This testing is of world wide importance in determining criminal cases and other disputes.
So many British grains look very worn out these days with faded fabrics that look greasy and everything looking slightly grimy and unappealing. It boggles my mind how this is the case with our extortionate ticket prices.
Another enjoyable video, Dylan. I would have been interested to see what you made of the buffet and whether the coffee was any better from there. I do hope the opportunity is taken to use the surplus 222s to bolster the CrossCountry fleet, but that might be too sensible and generous for the DfT to stomach!
Sheffield in Derbyshire? eh?! Some people need to give their heads a wobble
06:30 one of my favourite touches about these sets is the sign indicating where standard ends and first class begins – it's in the shape of a scythe! Presumably to reflect Sheffield's history in blade production.
I love your videos and the easy way you present them. Only one question. You say those on the middle and top tier of your patron will get credit at the end of your videos. I have never seen any.
Class 222 Meridians are very nice and the seats are very comfortable. But they are to be replaced by the Class 810 Aurora which will be in service from next year. Sheffield has always been in South Yorkshire. Chesterfield could of been in South Yorkshire but apparently it’s in north Derbyshire.
i honestly thought Sheffield was Derbyshire till a few weeks ago. when I learnt it was actually in Yorkshire
I traveled aboard this train many times. It's usually filthy both inside and outside, and also seats are not comfortable at all! The foam inside is worn and you can feel metal rod just under your knees, so your legs get numb after 30 minutes.
Thanks Dylan very enjoyable video 👍
I travelled in First Class on one of these 222s at the beginning of July from Nottingham to Leicester and return. A comfortable seat with plenty of leg room, nice and quiet and with attentive on-board staff. Worth the upgrade if one's budget allows.
The main issue I have with the Meridians is that they were introduced by Stagecoach when the route became 'East Midlands Trains' and steadily replaced the HSTs which in their 'Midland Mainline' guise were wonderfully classy and spacious. Add in the stripping back of the customer service by Stagecoach, the massively reduced capacity and the end of the free tea and coffee. The route has never been as good since. I'm looking forward to the replacements arriving asap and the Meridians smell being long gone.
Dylan, I would love to see your review of the Stadler FLIRT trains on the Great Eastern.
Great trip. Older seats always comfortable to be honest. Hope this electrified line is completed and you can enjoyed the EMU.
Have good day good tip going to London
I love train new train in uk and going holiday
I went to Sheffield in April 2022 and to Glasgow back in March this year and Glasgow subway 🚇 went to Keswick then Blackpool on trams we got day tickets we got were at 12noon then we have lunch we went up tower then on trams then tram back into Blackpool then to get tearful then to Cewe to train 🚂 south then back to edinburgh home 🏡
Good show! Pass the popcorn.
EMR operate 170s and 180s on the Londons services too
I noticed that all your videos show half full train cars. I've been riding trains all over England and Scotland, and nearly all that were full and beyond. My Monday morning train from York to London found some of us sitting or standing in the areas between cars. I found myself at the unenviable place of sitting in front of the loo, which seemed to be in constant use during our two hour trip to King's Cross.
You say your train is coming in from London. Does it turn at Sheffield and head back to London?
Yes,ive always liked them,and in fact they have got better with age,especially with the newish external livery,some of the 4 coach variants have been given a full coat of the purple paint which looks a bit like the maroon of the LMS on a dull day,rather appropriate for the Midlands.I was a bit shocked when i first got on one,having bieng used to the low wide chunky seats of the HST carraiges,the tall one piece off white plastic mould of the the rear of the seats felt like it was blocking the view of the windows but of course during the pandemic it came into its own to shield each customer from the person in front.
The red upholstery has not faired well in terms of staining,with headrests gaining a black edge but they have never frayed and always feel comfortable,not cramped like the XC Voyager seats and leg room.Ride quality pulling out of a station was never going to be as smooth as the HST with its engine at one end,but 40mph through to 90mph it starts to come alive,especially on the gradient between Dronfield and Chesterfield.Has been a problem with the conductors announcements either cutting out or just not bieng loud enough so maybe a few issues,but they have never spilt my milk or suffered breakdowns,or felt too cold or too hot.Overall,8 our of 10 for me.
I have always disliked the purple livery of EMR trains , they should have gone for something that echoed the Midland Pullman units on the 222's
If memory serves the 13th Doctor said Sheffield was South Yorkshire.
I ❤️trains
I feel the MML is such an underrated line, a bit overlooked unlike its more glamorous siblings in the ECML and WCMl.
Good to see the line will be fully electrified all the way up to Sheffield. Got the feeling the northern section is going to be utilised as a makeshift for hs2 when that eventually gets complete.
Anyway us Brits do love a high speed diesel in the meantime and we run them well 👍h
I love the sound of a diesel. As long as it's not too loud.
The Meridian certainly appears comfortable and sounds pleasantly quiet. I only travelled that route once, decades ago, on a HST service up from St. Pancras as far as Derby — en route to Matlock.
As someone who gets these trains a lot i can confirm these are not underrated, they are awful
Hey man, have you ever thought about visiting the Tyne and Wear metro? Might make an interesting video for you, on a stretch of line to Sunderland it shares some route with network rail services!!
This brought back fond memories of my brief Meridian experiences back in September 2018. I was fortunate to have a First Class Britrail Pass and scored a single seat properly aligned with the windows on both my trips. The only downside to my experiences was the circuitous route my trips took due to the major reconstruction at Derby at that time.🙂🙂🙂
Sheffield has never been part of Derbyshire!
OMG, this trip means so much to me ❤ Every time I jump in a train from/to Sheffield it's like the first time, lovely memories ❤
8:12 What was a Greater Anglia train doing in Derby?
I really hate it when a train gets cancelled. To be honest I actually quiet like the class 222 meridian, it's got a nice peaceful engine, I don't like the voyager smell very much and, they could maybe give that unit a deep clean. I hope you enjoyed yore journey, see you next Friday.
The seats on these trains are the worst. People talk crap about the azuma trains but the seats on the 222 are far worse. The bases have all collapsed and you can feel the frames digging into your legs. Absolutely god awful and I hate them
The seats on these trains are the worst. People talk crap about the azuma trains but the seats on the 222 are far worse. The bases have all collapsed and you can feel the frames digging into your legs. Absolutely god awful and I hate them
How on earth did you get that ticket so cheap (let alone the railcard) I’m in derby and that would cost me over £100