Rye is a fantastic historic town and well worth a visit. At one time it was a port but is now a few miles inland. If you visit make sure you go into the Mermaid Pub.
yes he makes me chuckle sometimes,especially when he checks out the toilet and you get a glimpse of him in the mirror and he does a wave at you,i sometimes feel like waving back lol.
But there ARE 240 Volt 3-Pin power sockets in the luxurious First Class seating area on New Southern Railways Class 170 Turbostar Diesel trains which operate over the Marshlink line from Ashford to Eastbourne. And the best thing about First Class on the Marshlink line is that it's not actually First Class at all! Although not a lot of people seem to know this! Off-duty train crew like to relax in the "Not First Class" seating area when travelling "on the cushions" to or from their home depots which is why they take great care not to advertise the fact that these trains have been declassified for many years!
Another line slated for closure in the 60s and 70s, but after local protests, retained, then largely singled and run down. Improved a lot in recent decades, though, with these quite decent trains. Something of a contrast between these and the 40 year old dilapidated relics that ran this service 20 years back. Memories of sitting on one revving up for departure to Ashford on the Hastings bay platform one morning, a bang, then piles of black smoke with urgent announcements to leave the train and platform immediately. Fire brigade called...
I remember travelling from Hastings to Rye in a Class 205 "Thumper" DEMU back in the Summer of '97. The 600 hp English Electric engines in these units were normally very reliable, although the low power-to-weight ratio was not conducive to rapid acceleration away from station stops. When climbing the steep hill out of Hastings (I believe that it's banked in part at 1:47) the vibration in the motor coach was so bad that it ejected the coffee from my cup!
TIP FOR FUTURE TRAVEL: The Marshlink Service is Standard Class only, but the trains offer excellent First Class accommodation at front & rear (when a 4-car unit) and the First Class is declassified, so anyone can use it, but few do! Worth remembering.
The declassified First Class compartments in Southern Railway's Marshlink trains is actually the most luxurious to be found anywhere on their network .... and you don't even need a First Class ticket to use it! A crazy waste of potential revenue on a line which often gets very busy in the Summer!
I would suggest adding a little bit of footage of the city that you depart from and a little bit from your destination too (like a mini city tour of both cities, just a 2-3 minute addition that's it, not a long walking tour). I would personally enjoy seeing it.
Lovely to hear your sweet voice. And Yes, Rye is a town well worth visiting - find the parish church and relish the obstacle course to get onto the roof of the tower!
Easy enough to find the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Rye ...... keep climbing uphill when you leave the railway station until you run out of hill! The Water Tower beside the Church, built in 1730 at the highest point in town to supply the locals with fresh drinking water, is an amazing relic from the past!
Great video Dylan! I've always wanted to travel on this line! It looks very scenic! Congratulations on your sponsor! Am looking forward to your next video :-)
I think it would be worth electrifying and redoubling the Marshlink Line then connecting it to HS1 to allow for faster journey times to London from Hastings and services could even extend to Eastbourne.
Yes, Rye is really worth a visit. Nice old town. And from Hastings you can take a train directly to London. On that line there is Battle, also worth a visit and the place where the battle of Hastings took place.
"Traver further?" I'll thank you right now for feeding my pedantry! Joking aside, I wonder if the effective re-nationalisation of UK railways will affect the Trainpal business model?
I thought it will be a 2 car and I just remembered the Southern Turbostar goes to Brighton but now it terminate at Eastbourne via Hastings at least it was a 4 car turbo which is good.
Southern had to withdraw the service to Eastbourne instead of Brighton because the journey time was too long for the rolling stock and with only 2 carriages it got very congested
Congrats on your sponsorship, Dylan! Lovely scenery on the route. Definitely disappointing that neither the water nor the dryer worked in the lavatory. I am curious what feedback you will get on Rye. Never been there. Thanks for the video, as always. Stay safe, Dylan, and see you on Friday!
I can confirm Rye is indeed a pleasant small town although like anywhere in sure it must have its downsides. As for the toilet on the train, I travel 5 days a week with Trans Pennine Express on their class 185 trains and experience similar problems with water and hand dryers, usually only (the water problem for some strange reason only affects the smaller toilet. Sometimes I think it depends whether the train is accelerating or slowing down. As for the hand dryer if you can manage to find the sensor AND keep your hands still they will work....
@@DylansTravelReports - The ancient hilltop town of Rye was sacked and burned so many times by French tourists during the Middle Ages that it had to be protected by high stone walls and gatehouses, some of which can still be seen. The famous Mermaid Inn, where the notorious "Hawkhurst Gang" of smugglers met up during the 18th century, is worth a visit. The television presenter Michael Portillo stayed there during one of his "Great British Railway Journeys" along the south coast. The Ypres Tower (now the town's museum) and adjacent Gun Garden are well worth a visit. Oh, and pay £3 to climb to the top of the squat tower of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin to enjoy a panoramic 360 degree view across the pancake-flat sheep pastures of Romney Marsh!
Southern is getting rid of most of their Class 171's Turbostar's as they are coming off-lease (or something like that). They'll be converted into Class 170's and they'll be transferred to East Midlands. No idea what they mean to replace them with.
That is rather curious because I suspect the uckfield to oxted branch and the line from Ashford would probably cost too much in their eyes to electrify when they're served by 1 train each way an hour Knowing southern however it will not be an upgrade and they'll make sure to have the non leg room iron board seats to squeeze more passengers I would regularly if travelling from london bridge to east Croydon purposely time to get the uckfield service due to how much more comfy the seats were compared to the rest of their fleet
Yes, Dylan - go to Rye, though make sure you spend some time in Hastings' Old Town too. - And Eastbourne - and if you're a walker, consider the Seven Sisters between Beachy Head and Newhaven... it's a lovely part of the world. Only, when I went there, catering outlets were a bit thin on the ground in Rye, so maybe take a picnic..
Thanks, Dylan! I really like these recent trains that take you to regional locations. Generally, they are comfortable and fast for the duration of the journey. You are very well informed about the stations, about all that, and I love it! Exciting as always. Thank you very much !
Just found this video. Rye is absolutely worth a visit. Beautiful old town and it's history and a cinque port is amazing. I used to read Malcolm Saville Lone Pine adventures as a kid and some were set in Rye.
Nice to hear your chirpy voice in this clip, Dylan. The interior of the Class 171 appears a lot lighter and airey compared with what we Victorians have to endure with our V/locity sets (darker/more sombre colour). That said, I was appalled at the toilet compartment you reviewed. Aside from the lack of water and the previous occupant's unflushed paper, the grubbiness of the joinery stood out like a sore thumb. That compartment is in sore need of a deep clean and paint refresh. Hope you didn't catch any lurgies off it. Congratulations on the sponsorship. Given the variety of trains you have reviewed, it would be great if one or more of the train operators offered you one. Keep up the good work and, yes, it would be great to hear more of your comments rather than have them confined to captions. Cheers from Michael downunder.
They usually use a 2 car unit on this route. Heaven knows why, they get so overcrowded! Every year, we go on holiday near Rye, so this line always reminds me of holidays. Good video, and congrats on getting a sponsor!
Pleasant short trip, and, just out of curiosity, do you actually pass a report to the train line operator, so they can improve the service, according with the few inconsistencies that you may find in your trips? Just wondering. Good video thanks for the ride..!!
Excellent video! On that line First Class isn’t in operation so you could’ve sat in first class seating at each end of unit with your standard class ticket
@@DylansTravelReports - Always check with the public timetable before you undertake a rail journey in Great Britain. If there isn't a "1" at the head of the column for the train that you are using, it means that it is Standard Class only and you can sit in accommodation labelled "First Class" at no extra charge and without the risk of a Penalty Fare. It's surprising how many long-distance rail services have been declassified on the quiet, without the Train Operating Company going out of their way to let passengers know. Edinburgh to Dundee, for example, or Waterloo to Windsor! The irony is that the most luxurious seating areas on any Southern Railway train are the declassified First Class compartments on the Turbostar Marshlink diesel trains which ply between Ashford and Eastbourne!
I used to take this regularly to visit my grandfather in Bexhill once the Javelis started; it was easier than going via Victoria because of not needing to cross London from King's Cross. Also, the Victoria trains split at Haywards Heath and Eastbourne, so you have a 1/3 chance of getting to Bexhill unless you know what you're doing!
Well as they have been earmarked to be offloaded already to EMR they'll hopefully get a refurb then, frustratingly Southern who also run the 377 in Sussex have announced they are refurbishing their 377s which are similar age and newer than these trains, but because of their uncertain future southern have no interest in spending any money on them
I enjoyed your ride, and agree with all your comments. The Southern DMUs do suffer from misbehaving passengers, hence the floppy tray tables, and well worn and poor toilet facilities. Rye is a truly splendid small town, and is one of the Cinque Ports. Well worth a visit !
Thanks Dylan, I enjoy the fact that even when equipment on the train is not up to par that your still fair . Thanks for the videos and please stay safe.😷
Been a few years since travelled that route. Usually only a 2 car turbostar which gets very overcrowded sometimes. Also extra stops appear added. Was always non stop from Bexhill to Eastbourne. Does the service still run through to Brighton? I'm guessing you had a connection at Hamden Park towards Lewes. There is no good reason to alight there otherwise! Unless you live there of course. Can confirm Rye is absolutely worth a visit. Gets very busy with tourists in 'normal' Summers.
Southern Railway stopped running through services between Brighton and Ashford, using two-car Turbostar units, about five years ago. Nowadays they just run between Eastbourne and Ashford, which is less convenient if you are travelling from (say) Southampton to Canterbury!
@@KempSimonIt's about five years since I've been away from the area. I 'thought' I read a while back they now terminate at Eastbourne. For anyone travelling from Brighton or further west, the option of a fast direct link to Ashford international is gone. Anyone travelling from the east at Asford now has a stopper and the inconvenience of changing at Hamden Park. (If I've read the planner correct?)
@@RebelRebelious When the electric train which I've travelled on from Brighton is pulling into Eastbourne Station, the hourly Diesel train to Ashford is departing from another. Meaning that I've got to wait 59 minutes for the next Marshlink service, so I cross the road to the "London and County" Wetherspoon pub, buy a pint of Real Ale and use the free Wi-Fi internet access to check my e-mails.
Great video and you couldn't have picked a better day weather wise but what a damned rackety train!!! Beats transport for Wales' rackety old bone shakers hands down !
Enjoyable short trip. I have to agree that this is certainly not the time to have no running water so people can wash their hands. It is a commuter train from what I can tell and they do get heavy use.
Looking on the bright side, as the coffee bar was closed, there was longer for the standard Dylan seat tour at the start of each video. I've never seen so many train toilets since I started watching this channel.
I’m in Littlehampton, and one thing that I dislike about Southern trains are how grubby they are. I think apart from the newer 377’s (377/6 & 377/7) the seats and the internals need some TLC, though I believe they are starting to be refurbished including seat-side plug sockets. I did the Dylan toilet test the other day on a 377 and fortunately (unlike your unfortunate experience) the soap, water and dryer worked in the toilet. Great video as always and congratulations on the sponsorship. I’ll check that out. 👍
Local-ish here :D. Rye is 100% worth a visit. I have also found 171 loos to often have faults of some variety. As a common note with Southern, i have always found their trains tend to be less clear and less well equipt then most other operators. Its a shame, as we have some lovely lines down here. Glad you went to Hampden Park. A station i used to use daily until a year or 2 ago. It is also home to one of the busiest Level Crossings in the UK. Great video Dylan! Thanks a lot!
The Hampden Park shuffle is really a huge frustration, having done it a fair few times with luggage and only an average between 1 and 4 mins before the next train service to London or Brighton on the opposite platform I can say I've missed as many as I've caught why they can't timetable the services to match in Eastbourne with no bridge to cross I really don't know
Romney Marsh is a huge, almost uninhabited, expanse of pancake-flat sheep pasture looking totally out of place on England's south coast. Most of the human inhabitants were wiped out by the devastating sea surges of the late 12th Century, or else perished in the terrible Malaria epidemics of the late 17th Century. The reason why the Marshlink line from Ashford to Hastings survived four closure attempts by British Rail during the 1960's and the 1970's is that there are hardly any roads across the Great Marsh!
The Journey from Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street if you fancy doing it is little under 1 hour 30 minutes. Features stunning Scenery being Coast, Mountains and Countryside. It's a fantastic Journey and you pass Kinghorn Castle Ruins. You ride alongside the Motorway but it's fantastic truly, I think you'd like it as you are a Man of Scenery.
Its funny how Southern put low density seating in the turbostars ... and I'm amazed to see that it's still there! They put something similar (but flatter / less sculpted) in the first 20 class 377 electrostars, and then it was all down hill from there - high density hell - and many of those those are on much longer journeys esp. the arun valley / west coastway runs. I do not miss that commute - the slam door 4-CIGs were actually much more comfortable except for heating/ventilation. Southern and its successors just DGAF about anything except Brighton and East Croydon traffic.
That was a short but scenic ride! Very nice. I agree with other viewers’ comments that shutting down depot vending machines is nonsensical. The contents of the machines are individually packaged and resumably safe to consume, so where’s the logic in not letting people make purchases? If the concern is that hands are touching the selection buttons and the bin where purchases are deposited, then the trains would have to be shut down as well, since passengers are touching all kinds of control buttons and surfaces while on board. The authorities should give people some credit for carrying hand sanitizers and using them.
The ride would be even more scenic had Network Rail not allowed trees and bushes to grow by the lineside, completely obscuring what would otherwise be panoramic views across the pancake-flat (and almost uninhabited) sheep pastures of Romney Marsh.
When you are able to get to the USA again, I'd like you to ride Metro North between NYC, and New Haven, Connecticut. That Southern commuter train looks positively luxurious by comparison. NYC to New Haven round trip (return as you call it) is about $30. At rush time you are lucky to have a seat. Distance is about 80 miles, and takes about an hour and 45 minutes. Try to avoid the toilet if possible!!
Nice train ride and nice scenery of countryside and no water or soap for washing hands hopefully that will be fix. No food service for awhile during pandemic this is not surprising because Amtrak in usa no food service
The fares structure for long distance rail journeys along the south coast of England is crazy. I live in Emsworth - a pretty fishing village on the Hampshire/Sussex border - and if I want to spend a day in Weymouth, it's actually much cheaper to buy a Day Return from Worthing! In the other direction, when I'm travelling to Canterbury, a rail travel ticket (routed "Via Barnham") from Emsworth to Ramsgate is cheaper than one from Emsworth to Canterbury. You can start, break and terminate a rail journey made with a Day Return ticket at any station along the line of route.
@@DylansTravelReports - But you can make considerable savings on the cost of walk-on rail travel in south-east England with either a Network Railcard for £30 or a Gold Railcard for £180 (or thereabouts), whether you are travelling alone or as part of a group of up to four adults and four children.
I get this train atleast once a week. Before the pandemic it was standing room only for many of the trips and hence the interiors aren't in great condition. There is a campaign for extra carriages to be added but given the dual nature of the line this would involve further investment by Southern/Govia and the government. I would recommend a trip to Eastbourne next time to see the lovely Victorian station and canope that's currently being refurbished. It's odd to see you on my usual route but I'm glad you had a nice day for it.
Oh yes - Rye is well worth a visit. As you well know, southern stock gets abuse and a daily hammering, for generally short journeys, hence it all looks a tad knackered and tired.
I thought they operated 170's on here, well when I went on the Marshlink in 2015, it was a 170, always assumed the 171 was for the Uckfield Line exclusively... Btw that's a pleasant journey! Great video!
there is pretty much no difference between 170's and 171's. 171's were originally classed as 170's, but were reclassified to 171's not long after Southern took hold of them in the mid-2000's when a couple of minor things on them were changed. Alas, Southern's entire Turbostar fleet has been classed as 171's, not 170's, for around 15 years
171s are just 170s but with the BSI couplers replaced with Dellner couplers so they can emergency join to 377s, and this was first done in April 2004 I think. In fact I'm currently in the last stage of getting permission to upload photos I found of 170724 and 170725 in February 2004 to Wikimedia for the 170 Wikipedia article.
I’m guessing it would be too difficult/expensive/not worth the trouble to electrify the line here? I hope you alerted the guard to the broken sink and dryer... that toilet should have been taken out of service... unless the other toilet was having the same issues, then the whole train needed to be taken out of service considering what’s going on.
British Rail was planning to electrify the Marshlink line from Ashford to Ore at 750 Volts DC Third Rail (and apparently even bought the equipment needed for the job) but the money ran out before the conductors and substations could be installed.. Leaving this line and the one serving Uckfield as isolated pockets of Diesel operation in an otherwise fully-electric network. The Health and Safety Executive doesn't much like ground level live conductors ("Electricity at Work Regulations") so if the Marshlink line ever goes on the juice it will have to be with very expensive 25kV OLE and dual-voltage, dual-current trains!
@@KempSimon Not necessarily. The government bans 'new' bits of third rail electrification, but not the extension of it, so the Marshlink Line likely would be electrified with the third rail, as it would be nonsensical to electrify it with OHE. As for the Uckfield line, that's a different story, but it would probably get third rail as well. Of course, neither line will get electrified, because they can't see to pull their fingers out of their arses and get it done!
Oh.....back in the day it was uncomfortable seats on the old Caley Sleeper. Now it's all deluxe cabins, International air travel & lucrative sponsorship deals 😉👍 Ryanair counts as International Air travel!
Rye - Eastbourne was my old stamping ground during my teens. Winchelsea is worth a visit too. You didn't mention the two long tunnels either side of St Leonards Warrior Square which feels like an underground trip. Hastings has been scrubbed up from when I lived there. There is positive talk about redoubling and electrifying the Marshlink line with overhead line and running a Javelin style service to London which would replace those Turbostars. Whether there is the political will is moot. I'll give it another 50 years...
Another good video although it did make me jump a little when the sponsorship came on as there is no or little talking in the videos. A suggestion for a video (when coronavirus lockdown has stopped), is to take a journey from Llandudno to Conwy - the scenery of the coast is beautiful and the Conwy railway bridge is very different. You could also then travel onwards to Anglesy crossing the Menai Straits. Just a suggestion. Stay safe on your travels.
You should come and explore some of the railways in East Anglia at some point! Lots of weird places are served by those networks. Maybe you could do a video where you go to sheringham then take the north Norfolk steam railway to Holt? It'd be cool to get a review on a steam Railway.
I think marshlink services are declassified so you could have got a free 1st class trip. Keep up the good work. 👍 Edit: Rye is definitely worth a visit next time you are in the area.
@@RebelRebelious - That's not true about the declassified First Class accommodation on Southern Railway's Turbostar trains which operate on the Marshlink line between Ashford and Eastbourne, The seats in the so-called "First Class" seating area are wide, comfortable and capable of reclining. You also get a large table to work on and a 240 Volt power socket.
If that was your voice in the sponsor announcement then its the first time ive heard it - now to go with the hand and face we get a voice, but congrats on your sponsorship hope you get a few more
Book cheap TRAIN and COACH tickets on the Trainpal app. Download:
www.mytrainpal.com/web-pages/campaign-dylan
Good voice-over work on the ad portion - first few sentences I was thinking "Did he hire someone?" Well done.
Clicked and downloaded Dylan, love your reporting:)
I already used this app before lol
Ooh, a sponsor! Your moving up in the world!
I heard TrainPal is a sick app :P
Rye is a fantastic historic town and well worth a visit. At one time it was a port but is now a few miles inland. If you visit make sure you go into the Mermaid Pub.
Congratulations on the sponsorship!
Thanks 😁
Dylan your demonstration of the lack of a power socket got a chuckle out of me! Another fun video, thanks!
yes he makes me chuckle sometimes,especially when he checks out the toilet and you get a glimpse of him in the mirror and he does a wave at you,i sometimes feel like waving back lol.
But there ARE 240 Volt 3-Pin power sockets in the luxurious First Class seating area on New Southern Railways Class 170 Turbostar Diesel trains which operate over the Marshlink line from Ashford to Eastbourne. And the best thing about First Class on the Marshlink line is that it's not actually First Class at all! Although not a lot of people seem to know this! Off-duty train crew like to relax in the "Not First Class" seating area when travelling "on the cushions" to or from their home depots which is why they take great care not to advertise the fact that these trains have been declassified for many years!
Another line slated for closure in the 60s and 70s, but after local protests, retained, then largely singled and run down. Improved a lot in recent decades, though, with these quite decent trains. Something of a contrast between these and the 40 year old dilapidated relics that ran this service 20 years back. Memories of sitting on one revving up for departure to Ashford on the Hastings bay platform one morning, a bang, then piles of black smoke with urgent announcements to leave the train and platform immediately. Fire brigade called...
I remember travelling from Hastings to Rye in a Class 205 "Thumper" DEMU back in the Summer of '97. The 600 hp English Electric engines in these units were normally very reliable, although the low power-to-weight ratio was not conducive to rapid acceleration away from station stops. When climbing the steep hill out of Hastings (I believe that it's banked in part at 1:47) the vibration in the motor coach was so bad that it ejected the coffee from my cup!
TIP FOR FUTURE TRAVEL: The Marshlink Service is Standard Class only, but the trains offer excellent First Class accommodation at front & rear (when a 4-car unit) and the First Class is declassified, so anyone can use it, but few do! Worth remembering.
The declassified First Class compartments in Southern Railway's Marshlink trains is actually the most luxurious to be found anywhere on their network .... and you don't even need a First Class ticket to use it! A crazy waste of potential revenue on a line which often gets very busy in the Summer!
@@KempSimon Hear Hear - totally agree.
I would suggest adding a little bit of footage of the city that you depart from and a little bit from your destination too (like a mini city tour of both cities, just a 2-3 minute addition that's it, not a long walking tour).
I would personally enjoy seeing it.
Me too. I need to see scenery right now during the lockdown.
I agree. Many subscribers like myself are on another continent and don't really know the smaller cities and towns.
Lovely to hear your sweet voice.
And Yes, Rye is a town well worth visiting - find the parish church and relish the obstacle course to get onto the roof of the tower!
Easy enough to find the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Rye ...... keep climbing uphill when you leave the railway station until you run out of hill! The Water Tower beside the Church, built in 1730 at the highest point in town to supply the locals with fresh drinking water, is an amazing relic from the past!
Great video Dylan! I've always wanted to travel on this line! It looks very scenic! Congratulations on your sponsor! Am looking forward to your next video :-)
Thanks 😁
The Ashford to Hastings "Marshlink" line is VERY scenic ... if you happen to like sheep!
I think it would be worth electrifying and redoubling the Marshlink Line then connecting it to HS1 to allow for faster journey times to London from Hastings and services could even extend to Eastbourne.
Yes, Rye is really worth a visit. Nice old town. And from Hastings you can take a train directly to London. On that line there is Battle, also worth a visit and the place where the battle of Hastings took place.
Thanks for the info 😁
Try the preston to colne line one day,it's a bone shaker lol.
It surely can't be anywhere near as bad as Brading to Sandown on the Isle of Wight!
"Traver further?" I'll thank you right now for feeding my pedantry! Joking aside, I wonder if the effective re-nationalisation of UK railways will affect the Trainpal business model?
Thanks for the parting shot of the train; I almost missed the engine which was pushing !!
Rye is a lovely town and so is the nearby camber sands which is an amazing large beach
I thought it will be a 2 car and I just remembered the Southern Turbostar goes to Brighton but now it terminate at Eastbourne via Hastings at least it was a 4 car turbo which is good.
Southern had to withdraw the service to Eastbourne instead of Brighton because the journey time was too long for the rolling stock and with only 2 carriages it got very congested
Congrats on your sponsorship, Dylan!
Lovely scenery on the route. Definitely disappointing that neither the water nor the dryer worked in the lavatory. I am curious what feedback you will get on Rye. Never been there.
Thanks for the video, as always. Stay safe, Dylan, and see you on Friday!
I can confirm Rye is indeed a pleasant small town although like anywhere in sure it must have its downsides. As for the toilet on the train, I travel 5 days a week with Trans Pennine Express on their class 185 trains and experience similar problems with water and hand dryers, usually only (the water problem for some strange reason only affects the smaller toilet. Sometimes I think it depends whether the train is accelerating or slowing down. As for the hand dryer if you can manage to find the sensor AND keep your hands still they will work....
Thanks! Feedback on Rye seems good! See you Friday!
@@DylansTravelReports - The ancient hilltop town of Rye was sacked and burned so many times by French tourists during the Middle Ages that it had to be protected by high stone walls and gatehouses, some of which can still be seen. The famous Mermaid Inn, where the notorious "Hawkhurst Gang" of smugglers met up during the 18th century, is worth a visit. The television presenter Michael Portillo stayed there during one of his "Great British Railway Journeys" along the south coast. The Ypres Tower (now the town's museum) and adjacent Gun Garden are well worth a visit. Oh, and pay £3 to climb to the top of the squat tower of the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin to enjoy a panoramic 360 degree view across the pancake-flat sheep pastures of Romney Marsh!
Rye is a lovely place a pain in the ass with its road also the battle of hastings took place in Battle
Southern is getting rid of most of their Class 171's Turbostar's as they are coming off-lease (or something like that). They'll be converted into Class 170's and they'll be transferred to East Midlands. No idea what they mean to replace them with.
That is rather curious because I suspect the uckfield to oxted branch and the line from Ashford would probably cost too much in their eyes to electrify when they're served by 1 train each way an hour
Knowing southern however it will not be an upgrade and they'll make sure to have the non leg room iron board seats to squeeze more passengers
I would regularly if travelling from london bridge to east Croydon purposely time to get the uckfield service due to how much more comfy the seats were compared to the rest of their fleet
Maybe they will replace them by diesel version of class 700/707/717 lol
The Stadler FLIRT being used by GA would be ideal.
@@stevecooksley I'm not sure that 745/755 can run with diesel. I think they're only electric.
@@trainsdu4940 The 755 is a bi-modal diesel and is used on the Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth lines.
Yes, Dylan - go to Rye, though make sure you spend some time in Hastings' Old Town too. - And Eastbourne - and if you're a walker, consider the Seven Sisters between Beachy Head and Newhaven... it's a lovely part of the world. Only, when I went there, catering outlets were a bit thin on the ground in Rye, so maybe take a picnic..
Sounds like a plan!
Thanks, Dylan! I really like these recent trains that take you to regional locations. Generally, they are comfortable and fast for the duration of the journey. You are very well informed about the stations, about all that, and I love it! Exciting as always. Thank you very much !
Glad you enjoyed 😁
Discovered your channel by accident a few weeks back. Thoroughly enjoying your travelogues (and your laid back approach) :-)
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying the content 😁
Just found this video. Rye is absolutely worth a visit. Beautiful old town and it's history and a cinque port is amazing. I used to read Malcolm Saville Lone Pine adventures as a kid and some were set in Rye.
Yes go and visit Rye! a beautiful little town and very old , cobble streets and loads of history.
And the model village (if it's open at the moment)
Nice to hear your chirpy voice in this clip, Dylan. The interior of the Class 171 appears a lot lighter and airey
compared with what we Victorians have to endure with our V/locity sets (darker/more sombre colour). That said, I was appalled at the toilet compartment you reviewed. Aside from the lack of water and the previous occupant's unflushed paper, the grubbiness of the joinery stood out like a sore thumb. That compartment is in sore need of a deep clean and paint refresh. Hope you didn't catch any lurgies off it. Congratulations on the sponsorship. Given the variety of trains you have reviewed, it would be great if one or more of the train operators offered you one. Keep up the good work and, yes, it would be great to hear more of your comments rather than have them confined to captions. Cheers from Michael downunder.
They usually use a 2 car unit on this route. Heaven knows why, they get so overcrowded! Every year, we go on holiday near Rye, so this line always reminds me of holidays. Good video, and congrats on getting a sponsor!
Thanks!
Pleasant short trip, and, just out of curiosity, do you actually pass a report to the train line operator, so they can improve the service, according with the few inconsistencies that you may find in your trips? Just wondering. Good video thanks for the ride..!!
No I don't although I do know of cases where the company has happened to see the video.
@@DylansTravelReports Alright cool, hopefully they fix the few issues that you encounter in your reviews.
@@DylansTravelReports Hey maybe I said it before, but you are doing a great job man..! Congratulations, I enjoy the rides quite a lot..!!
Excellent video! On that line First Class isn’t in operation so you could’ve sat in first class seating at each end of unit with your standard class ticket
Thanks!
@@DylansTravelReports - Always check with the public timetable before you undertake a rail journey in Great Britain. If there isn't a "1" at the head of the column for the train that you are using, it means that it is Standard Class only and you can sit in accommodation labelled "First Class" at no extra charge and without the risk of a Penalty Fare. It's surprising how many long-distance rail services have been declassified on the quiet, without the Train Operating Company going out of their way to let passengers know. Edinburgh to Dundee, for example, or Waterloo to Windsor! The irony is that the most luxurious seating areas on any Southern Railway train are the declassified First Class compartments on the Turbostar Marshlink diesel trains which ply between Ashford and Eastbourne!
I used to take this regularly to visit my grandfather in Bexhill once the Javelis started; it was easier than going via Victoria because of not needing to cross London from King's Cross. Also, the Victoria trains split at Haywards Heath and Eastbourne, so you have a 1/3 chance of getting to Bexhill unless you know what you're doing!
Congratulations for getting a sponsor. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much 😀
I miss the TPE turbostars at greenfield
have to say this, Dylan, looks like that train could really use some refurbishment right now!!
Well as they have been earmarked to be offloaded already to EMR they'll hopefully get a refurb then, frustratingly Southern who also run the 377 in Sussex have announced they are refurbishing their 377s which are similar age and newer than these trains, but because of their uncertain future southern have no interest in spending any money on them
@@grahamcutress47 well, Anyone who buys them could turn them into a nice home or something..
I enjoyed your ride, and agree with all your comments. The Southern DMUs do suffer from misbehaving passengers, hence the floppy tray tables, and well worn and poor toilet facilities. Rye is a truly splendid small town, and is one of the Cinque Ports. Well worth a visit !
Thanks Dylan, I enjoy the fact that even when equipment on the train is not up to par that your still fair . Thanks for the videos and please stay safe.😷
Glad you enjoyed 😁
Great video as always Dylan - congrats on the sponsor. I grew up with Southern turbostars so this is certainly a trip down memory lane!
Thanks 😁
Enjoyed the video, yes Rye is worth a visit, as is Battle. Lots of history, Rye very quaint.
Been a few years since travelled that route. Usually only a 2 car turbostar which gets very overcrowded sometimes. Also extra stops appear added. Was always non stop from Bexhill to Eastbourne. Does the service still run through to Brighton? I'm guessing you had a connection at Hamden Park towards Lewes. There is no good reason to alight there otherwise! Unless you live there of course.
Can confirm Rye is absolutely worth a visit. Gets very busy with tourists in 'normal' Summers.
Southern Railway stopped running through services between Brighton and Ashford, using two-car Turbostar units, about five years ago. Nowadays they just run between Eastbourne and Ashford, which is less convenient if you are travelling from (say) Southampton to Canterbury!
@@KempSimonIt's about five years since I've been away from the area. I 'thought' I read a while back they now terminate at Eastbourne. For anyone travelling from Brighton or further west, the option of a fast direct link to Ashford international is gone. Anyone travelling from the east at Asford now has a stopper and the inconvenience of changing at Hamden Park. (If I've read the planner correct?)
@@RebelRebelious When the electric train which I've travelled on from Brighton is pulling into Eastbourne Station, the hourly Diesel train to Ashford is departing from another. Meaning that I've got to wait 59 minutes for the next Marshlink service, so I cross the road to the "London and County" Wetherspoon pub, buy a pint of Real Ale and use the free Wi-Fi internet access to check my e-mails.
Great video and you couldn't have picked a better day weather wise but what a damned rackety train!!! Beats transport for Wales' rackety old bone shakers hands down !
Enjoyable short trip. I have to agree that this is certainly not the time to have no running water so people can wash their hands. It is a commuter train from what I can tell and they do get heavy use.
Looking on the bright side, as the coffee bar was closed, there was longer for the standard Dylan seat tour at the start of each video. I've never seen so many train toilets since I started watching this channel.
Me neither! 😂
It's great! 😂😂😂
The South Eastern area is always the last to get updated rolling stock. We had slam-door trains well after every other area had been updated.
Nice vid, I'll definitely consider trainpal next time I come over to europe hopefully sometime soon
I’m in Littlehampton, and one thing that I dislike about Southern trains are how grubby they are. I think apart from the newer 377’s (377/6 & 377/7) the seats and the internals need some TLC, though I believe they are starting to be refurbished including seat-side plug sockets. I did the Dylan toilet test the other day on a 377 and fortunately (unlike your unfortunate experience) the soap, water and dryer worked in the toilet.
Great video as always and congratulations on the sponsorship. I’ll check that out. 👍
Thanks! Yes, Southern do have quite a lot of problems although they seem much better than a few years ago.
I agree this train needs to be upgraded.
@@Tina-qp7py Or just properly maintained?
I’ve been in Hastings before, it’s such a nice town
Local-ish here :D. Rye is 100% worth a visit. I have also found 171 loos to often have faults of some variety. As a common note with Southern, i have always found their trains tend to be less clear and less well equipt then most other operators. Its a shame, as we have some lovely lines down here. Glad you went to Hampden Park. A station i used to use daily until a year or 2 ago. It is also home to one of the busiest Level Crossings in the UK. Great video Dylan! Thanks a lot!
The Hampden Park shuffle is really a huge frustration, having done it a fair few times
with luggage and only an average between 1 and 4 mins before the next train service to London or Brighton on the opposite platform I can say I've missed as many as I've caught why they can't timetable the services to match in Eastbourne with no bridge to cross I really don't know
Its a horrible crossing when you live in the Vilage
I loved the video. Can't wait to see the next one.
Thanks!
I love using turbostars, they are fun to ride on and sound nice, due to Covid 19 southern are running 4 car variants, usually it is the 2 car variants
hey how ya goin nice little train sceenery looks very much like the Aussie country cheers mate
Romney Marsh is a huge, almost uninhabited, expanse of pancake-flat sheep pasture looking totally out of place on England's south coast. Most of the human inhabitants were wiped out by the devastating sea surges of the late 12th Century, or else perished in the terrible Malaria epidemics of the late 17th Century. The reason why the Marshlink line from Ashford to Hastings survived four closure attempts by British Rail during the 1960's and the 1970's is that there are hardly any roads across the Great Marsh!
Wonderful Compilation
Thanks!
The Journey from Dundee to Glasgow Queen Street if you fancy doing it is little under 1 hour 30 minutes. Features stunning Scenery being Coast, Mountains and Countryside. It's a fantastic Journey and you pass Kinghorn Castle Ruins. You ride alongside the Motorway but it's fantastic truly, I think you'd like it as you are a Man of Scenery.
Its funny how Southern put low density seating in the turbostars ... and I'm amazed to see that it's still there! They put something similar (but flatter / less sculpted) in the first 20 class 377 electrostars, and then it was all down hill from there - high density hell - and many of those those are on much longer journeys esp. the arun valley / west coastway runs. I do not miss that commute - the slam door 4-CIGs were actually much more comfortable except for heating/ventilation. Southern and its successors just DGAF about anything except Brighton and East Croydon traffic.
I really need to see one of these before they go!
Damn! All those beach houses CRAMMED TOGETHER! If one caught on fire 🔥 they would all burn down!!!
So awesome for your sponsorship👏.
Nice voice👍...it’s yours, right😂
As always, thank you for sharing😊
Yes that is my voice 😁
Enjoyed the trip. No Train Pal in the U.S.
That's what I was wondering. The USA is way behind in train travel.
That was a short but scenic ride! Very nice. I agree with other viewers’ comments that shutting down depot vending machines is nonsensical. The contents of the machines are individually packaged and resumably safe to consume, so where’s the logic in not letting people make purchases? If the concern is that hands are touching the selection buttons and the bin where purchases are deposited, then the trains would have to be shut down as well, since passengers are touching all kinds of control buttons and surfaces while on board. The authorities should give people some credit for carrying hand sanitizers and using them.
The ride would be even more scenic had Network Rail not allowed trees and bushes to grow by the lineside, completely obscuring what would otherwise be panoramic views across the pancake-flat (and almost uninhabited) sheep pastures of Romney Marsh.
When you are able to get to the USA again, I'd like you to ride Metro North between NYC, and New Haven, Connecticut. That Southern commuter train looks positively luxurious by comparison. NYC to New Haven round trip (return as you call it) is about $30. At rush time you are lucky to have a seat. Distance is about 80 miles, and takes about an hour and 45 minutes. Try to avoid the toilet if possible!!
our shops etc are open in germany! so you can buy your drink here i guess
Lol should have stocked up while I was there 😅
Nice train ride and nice scenery of countryside and no water or soap for washing hands hopefully that will be fix. No food service for awhile during pandemic this is not surprising because Amtrak in usa no food service
Southern don't usually do food service but it's a shame when there's noting to buy at stations either.
This make it difficult for customers no food service on southern or stations
The fares structure for long distance rail journeys along the south coast of England is crazy. I live in Emsworth - a pretty fishing village on the Hampshire/Sussex border - and if I want to spend a day in Weymouth, it's actually much cheaper to buy a Day Return from Worthing! In the other direction, when I'm travelling to Canterbury, a rail travel ticket (routed "Via Barnham") from Emsworth to Ramsgate is cheaper than one from Emsworth to Canterbury. You can start, break and terminate a rail journey made with a Day Return ticket at any station along the line of route.
Yeah rail travel in the south is very expensive compared to those in the north.
@@DylansTravelReports - But you can make considerable savings on the cost of walk-on rail travel in south-east England with either a Network Railcard for £30 or a Gold Railcard for £180 (or thereabouts), whether you are travelling alone or as part of a group of up to four adults and four children.
I get this train atleast once a week. Before the pandemic it was standing room only for many of the trips and hence the interiors aren't in great condition. There is a campaign for extra carriages to be added but given the dual nature of the line this would involve further investment by Southern/Govia and the government. I would recommend a trip to Eastbourne next time to see the lovely Victorian station and canope that's currently being refurbished. It's odd to see you on my usual route but I'm glad you had a nice day for it.
Ah yes, Eastbourne's a nice station (as are most on the south coast.)
I’m glad your channel is being bigger bigger 🙌🏼
Thanks!
Rye. Go there. It's beautiful!
Great video!
Thanks!
You were lucky Dylan before lockdown these were 2 coach units and usually really full but now they are 4 coach units and not as full
Voice intro! Yes! Also would love to see a Chiltern main line vid!
Have a Chiltern loco hauled filmed and should be released in the next couple of months.
@@DylansTravelReports oooo I’m excited
Great video on the southern turbostar can I ask will you be doing more local or commuter lines once restrictions ease? This one was rather scenic
Thanks! Perhaps I can.
@@DylansTravelReports oh ok that's good
Your destination place remembered me about name of Football Stadium in Scotland maybe (?).
Yes, there is a football stadium in Glasgow also called Hampden Park.
I saw almost all your trip, I am from India
congrats on trainpal sponsor!
Thanks!
Oh yes - Rye is well worth a visit. As you well know, southern stock gets abuse and a daily hammering, for generally short journeys, hence it all looks a tad knackered and tired.
Rye as in Tilling? The fictitious town where E. F. Benson set his "Mapp and Lucia" novels, duly made into a BBC Television series?
You should always travel with food, snacks and drinks.
It's never a bad trip when you do 😅
I thought they operated 170's on here, well when I went on the Marshlink in 2015, it was a 170, always assumed the 171 was for the Uckfield Line exclusively... Btw that's a pleasant journey! Great video!
Very rare to see a 171 on the route. When I lived in the area several years back, I think I saw a 171 maybe twice in five years.
there is pretty much no difference between 170's and 171's. 171's were originally classed as 170's, but were reclassified to 171's not long after Southern took hold of them in the mid-2000's when a couple of minor things on them were changed. Alas, Southern's entire Turbostar fleet has been classed as 171's, not 170's, for around 15 years
171s are just 170s but with the BSI couplers replaced with Dellner couplers so they can emergency join to 377s, and this was first done in April 2004 I think. In fact I'm currently in the last stage of getting permission to upload photos I found of 170724 and 170725 in February 2004 to Wikimedia for the 170 Wikipedia article.
This train washroom not work properly love you Dylan sir more video upload
I’m guessing it would be too difficult/expensive/not worth the trouble to electrify the line here?
I hope you alerted the guard to the broken sink and dryer... that toilet should have been taken out of service... unless the other toilet was having the same issues, then the whole train needed to be taken out of service considering what’s going on.
British Rail was planning to electrify the Marshlink line from Ashford to Ore at 750 Volts DC Third Rail (and apparently even bought the equipment needed for the job) but the money ran out before the conductors and substations could be installed.. Leaving this line and the one serving Uckfield as isolated pockets of Diesel operation in an otherwise fully-electric network. The Health and Safety Executive doesn't much like ground level live conductors ("Electricity at Work Regulations") so if the Marshlink line ever goes on the juice it will have to be with very expensive 25kV OLE and dual-voltage, dual-current trains!
@@KempSimon Not necessarily. The government bans 'new' bits of third rail electrification, but not the extension of it, so the Marshlink Line likely would be electrified with the third rail, as it would be nonsensical to electrify it with OHE. As for the Uckfield line, that's a different story, but it would probably get third rail as well. Of course, neither line will get electrified, because they can't see to pull their fingers out of their arses and get it done!
Hi Dylan Excellent video as always
Thanks!
Congratulations for getting a sponsorship, about time💕
Thank you!
The train was passing by pastures with what kind of animals? Cows or sheep? Can you take a close up of any animals while you're on the train?
Romney Marsh is famous for its Sheep.
hey, what happened to the 2nd biker on the street.
Must be an old Unit by the way it sounds.
Awesome
Oh.....back in the day it was uncomfortable seats on the old Caley Sleeper. Now it's all deluxe cabins, International air travel & lucrative sponsorship deals 😉👍
Ryanair counts as International Air travel!
The seats on the old Caley Sleeper were class 😅
Rye - Eastbourne was my old stamping ground during my teens. Winchelsea is worth a visit too. You didn't mention the two long tunnels either side of St Leonards Warrior Square which feels like an underground trip. Hastings has been scrubbed up from when I lived there. There is positive talk about redoubling and electrifying the Marshlink line with overhead line and running a Javelin style service to London which would replace those Turbostars. Whether there is the political will is moot. I'll give it another 50 years...
I use this train to pop down to rye market as the ashford market is rubbish
I been to rye station
Another good video although it did make me jump a little when the sponsorship came on as there is no or little talking in the videos. A suggestion for a video (when coronavirus lockdown has stopped), is to take a journey from Llandudno to Conwy - the scenery of the coast is beautiful and the Conwy railway bridge is very different. You could also then travel onwards to Anglesy crossing the Menai Straits. Just a suggestion. Stay safe on your travels.
Sounds nice! I was supposed to be in Wales a couple of weeks ago but gave it a miss due to all the lockdowns there.
You should come and explore some of the railways in East Anglia at some point! Lots of weird places are served by those networks. Maybe you could do a video where you go to sheringham then take the north Norfolk steam railway to Holt? It'd be cool to get a review on a steam Railway.
Sounds cool!
I Iove this
Would you review Indian trains 😝😝
Waiting for the time you forget yourself Dylan and begin using the loo but I suppose you’d edit it out and deprive us of a laugh 🤣
I think marshlink services are declassified so you could have got a free 1st class trip. Keep up the good work. 👍
Edit: Rye is definitely worth a visit next time you are in the area.
Thanks! I'll bear that one in mind.
Whilst true, the only difference between 1st & 2nd on southern is a white cloth on the headrest on the former. The seats are identical.
@@RebelRebelious yeah its not great but a free peice of cloth is a free peice of cloth
@@RebelRebelious - That's not true about the declassified First Class accommodation on Southern Railway's Turbostar trains which operate on the Marshlink line between Ashford and Eastbourne, The seats in the so-called "First Class" seating area are wide, comfortable and capable of reclining. You also get a large table to work on and a 240 Volt power socket.
@@RebelRebelious ur definitely not thinking of a Southern 171 there
Hey..you can become an ambassador of marklin model trains and get their sponsorship as well for your tours..Cheers
I really like the train but sometimes it may not be as comfortable as a express but was your ride worth it?
Yes, I'd say it was worth it.
Thank you for the video.
The darkness made an interesting song about southern trains a few years ago.
A class 331 or 195 review at any point in the future???
I'm hoping to at some point.
Boa viagem ai Dylans lindo trein gostei show bom
Obrigado! (Practicing my Portuguese)
Southern Class 171
Tip for a long scenic trip: Rye to Skye 😀😉
That would be some journey!
If that was your voice in the sponsor announcement then its the first time ive heard it - now to go with the hand and face we get a voice, but congrats on your sponsorship hope you get a few more
Yes, that was my voice 😁
It's the second time I've heard it haha