🇬🇧Riding the British First Class High-Speed Train from Scotland to England | AZUMA
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- LNER AZUMA Edinburgh →London King's X
◆I'm a Japanese train enthusiast and stayed in Europe for about a month this summer.
This time I got to visit many European countries and ride their unique trains.
1st country: Switzerland
2nd:?????
3rd:France
4th:UK
Europe in 2022
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Thank you for the relaxing video 😊🙏
Romans 10 9 Bible, Google.
D
Did you get a meal on the train or just a sandwich from a trolley? If that's the case it's hardly 1st class, certainly not in the same league as European 1st class rail.
1st class in 2022 looks like standard class from the early 1990s just without the hot food and comfortable seats.
Funny video. Love the potter trick, and the train whom looks like a sneaker..😊
I hope you had a good time in Scotland. Next time you're here please check out the trains going to Oban, Fort William and Mallaig, the trains themselves are nothing special and they're very old, but the journey is stunning. There is the Jacobite steam train though, which does the route from Fort William to Mallaig (though you have to book it way in advance because it goes over the Glenfinnan viaduct (as seen in Harry Potter)). Scotrail also has some Hitachi-built trains - the class 385 - which began running in 2017. The only true high speed trains in the UK right now are in the South of England - they're pretty nice but very expensive compared to the normal "slow" trains down there. It's a real shame you missed out on the proper meal due to the strikes. I did the Glasgow - London train first class a few times when the previous operator ran the train and the food and service were excellent throughout.
Hi I'm Gen James McConville from Quincy, Massachusetts, I'm here to seek for a friendship hope you don't mind ?🌷🥀🌸
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7:41 you have to slide the seat in front of you while you click the recline button for the recline to actually work. That’s the weird way to recline you seat in Europe 😅
It's like a workout for your bum!
Haha, I see that.
As someone from Edinburgh, how did you like it (and Scotland)? If I'd known you were coming here I would have helped with local knowledge and accommodation (and given you a guided tour). You should really reach out to your fans in future trips. There are many people around the world who really appreciate your vids and want to help your channel.
Regarding your journey, I'm so sorry you didn't do it pre-covid. First class East Coast mainline then meant you got hot meals on real plates. Small portions, but decent quality, and great service. No extra cost, including wine, spirits, beer, etc. It felt like a 'higher class' experience. Now, I just don't understand how they can justify the much higher prices. I would have advised travelling regular class and getting your food from the M&S at Waverley.
I'm sure that you have so many destinations in mind, but I really hope you visit my country of Scotland again. Maybe you would consider The Jacobite next time (the Harry Potter train)? And the National Railway Museum in England is definitely a 'Mecca' for anyone interested in trains. Just don't visit their cafe; it's obscenely expensive. :)
Both National Railway Museums - York and Shildon. Shildon and Darlington will be the focus of the 200th anniversary of the S&D.
Glad you were able to sample LNER on what is considered the UK's best mainline. Only several Azuma units may have been made in Japan. Almost all the units come from Hitachi's new factory in the Northeast of the UK.
Wow i missed the previous video so didn't expect you to be in the UK where i'm from! I've been watching and enjoying your videos for years! イギリスへようこそ！悪い電車体験でごめんなさい ^^'
Was so great to see you pulling into my home station of Newcastle!! As someone who has been on the excellent trains of Japan before, I'm kind of embarrassed about the state of our railways, but I hope you had a nice time anyway!
If you think that's bad, you definitely don't want to travel on regional rail here in Australia 😆
@@MrLaprius Yeah but at least Australian Cities (Perth, Melbourne, Sydney) have better rail Travel than Cities in the uk (apart from London of course)
@@BLACKSTA361 True, even though it's a bit of a shambles ATM Sydney trains are pretty good, as are Brisbane's (except when a pigeon flies into something and shuts down the whole network 🤣)
By the looks of it, your seat was actually stuck mid-way between reclining and straight. You'd need to pull yourself forwards or backwards to get it into the position you want! Usually, you should press the button and then slide into the recline position, it's not like in some countries where it's moved automatically.
Ahh London; the sights, the smells, the sou- 13:49 ... ... never mind 😆
Lol, someone was having a bad day
Great Vlog !! Scotland 🏴 is Beautiful County. Country of Castles 🏰
Finally, a video that combines my favourite things: trains and origami!
Wow... enjoy your tuna sub and chips................ in 1st class. Thanks, 7 dollar Subway combo.
Thanks for another good video Kuga-san! I'm not a train enthusiast but seeing your content got me fascinated by how seriously countries around the world treat train travel, as opposed to my home in Australia where it's only seen as a budget option for low income or elderly travellers. Regional train travel is a depressing affair with the exception of luxury rail travel like the Ghan. Even that concept of a first class lounge which has appeared in a couple of recent videos, I'd never even considered that could ever be a thing, certainly not here. I love seeing how much other nations especially Japan respect and innovate rail travel please keep up the amazing work! Arigatou goziamasu!
Platform 9 3/4 is hard to miss! 😃😃😃
LNER really does have competition with Lumo. Except LNER has expanded to other destinations in Scotland and in Northeast England and East Coast. Whilst Lumo only does direct service from London to Edinburgh with less stops except stopping at Newcastle and Morpeth in Northumberland.
"I'm English, and as such I crave disappointment."
-comedian Bill Bailey explains the national mindset that leads to things like "tuna crunch roll"
Great trip. Finally you try this train. Looks like the recliner seat is manual, not electric, so it need a bit of human power (based from few comments in this video). And yes railway strike make some service is bit reduced.
My fav Japanese travel vlogger on youtube. You go the extra mile & travel outside of Japan. There are so many Japan travel channels now & thye all do same thing, is getting repetitive & boring to be honest so this is a refreshing change & much more interesting. I have seen Japan 5 times over now, is nice to see a foreign tourist's experience of travelling in the west :) Bravo Kuga!
The origami part was beautiful! It would've been nice if the train crew kept it and displayed somewhere on the train
I was waiting for the other 9999 cranes to be made 😆
"As the self-proclaimed Ambassador of the solo travel Community...", that's is funny 🙂👍👍!
Just to add, if you want to find the highest ground speed, do the measurement in the section between Grantham (birthplace of Margaret Thatcher) and Peterborough, which has a long straight section of rail across the Fen. That said, there was a railway strike at the time and it was late at night (around 22:30 I would guess) when the train travelled through that section, so temporary speed restrictions may have been in place.
The Flying Scotsman only stops at York and Newcastle (upon Tyne), so it cuts out a lot of the acceleration, deceleration and dwell times at stations which your train was subjected to. That said, the track was not originally designed for high speed trains, so it is still much slower than shinkansen or TGV.
Such a joy of seeing Edinburgh at the start of the video and of course Edinburgh Waverley itself.
I was actually there in Edinburgh on the same day, checking out the fringe festival and trainspotting as well.
Day and night difference between japanese bullet train and this one. Man how well the bullet train service is maintained kudos
I hope you enjoyed your time in the UK, it's been a difficult year for rail travel with many disruptions and strikes. I hope you weren't delayed much.
Thank you for your concern! We had a wonderful time in the UK despite the challenges that rail travel has faced this year. Thankfully, our journey wasn't severely delayed, and we were able to make the most of our time there. Your kind wishes are much appreciated! ❤
I greatly appreciate your channel. The pandemic has negatively affected so many economies changing the travel experience for everyone. (Plenty of youtube videos showing the decline in the First Class airline experience.) Nevertheless, I do appreciate you trying out other rails to share with those of us who don't have the means or the health to travel. Happy to plan for a future trip given all the rail travel examples you've shared with us. Maybe I will check this out a year or two from now in the hopes there's a solid recovery in the future for all of us. Thank you for this video although you didn't have the experience advertised. Cheers!
As a British person who has travelled to Japan many times, I am very interested to know what you thought of this "First Class" service. Even a basic non-reserved seat on the shinkansen is much better, isn't it?
Worth noting that the seating on these trains was specified by the DfT and not by VTEC (the previous operator responsible for the Azuma name) or current operator the state incumbent LNER.
Bloody embrassing is what this "first class" is, considering UK's exorbitant train fare compared to the rest of the world.....
@@SMCITW Oh no... no no no... Your first class in the UK is a private suite on a Luftansa First class versus US "First class" travel :(
I don’t think anyone else can compare to japan when it comes to train travel. They really outshine all others.
It really isn't, Japanese Shinkansen usually have 2+3 across in their second class seating, though it's comfier than the ironing boards on the IETs
Had no idea they put that much thought into the "Azuma" name. Learned something today :)
VTEC coined the Azuma name and was responsible for its livery. State incumbent LNER never changed it (for now).
I did this Azusa train when I was back in the UK. It was surprisingly ok but I am more excited to travel on the Japanese trains when I go there soon. Although they aren’t as pet friendly as the UK trains with me having to stay in a carrier. So at least that’s one advantage Uk trains have over Japanese ones ☺️
I took the Azuma earlier this year. While it looks cool from the outside and has a decent legroom, the seats are hard which makes it uncomfortable for long periods of time. Nevertheless the London-Edinburgh route has quite some nice views and is enjoyable despite the tough seats.
The accent in Edinburgh is "neutral" as compared to Glasgow and the highlands. Not quite the textbook Scottish English that you'd expect 😅
Thanks Kuga, it's always lovely to watch your videos x
Thank you, tehRexy!🤝
The kanji for east (東) is normally pronounced "higashi" in 訓読み. I can only think of the word 東屋 where it is pronounced "azuma".
Yes I’m getting this to Scotland aswell in May!
I love that you tried to get into Platform 9 3/4. ❤️
After a long time of watching you on Japanese trains it's very strange to see a video of yours in stations I know so well.
After the British invented the railway we never bothered developing it any further. The 70's Bullet train in the York railway musuem has better seating than first class does today.
Hitachi's UK factory is next to Heighington an obscure station on the local line from Darlington to Bishop Auckland. Obscure, but historically very important. The local line is part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and Heighington is the place where the Locomotion was unloaded after its journey by road from Newcastle (which had a locomotive factory but no public railways) and put on the rails. 2025 is the 200th anniversary of the opening of the S&D and there will be some big celebrations.
Super amazing! I've been watching your videos from beginning to end. Thanks so much for the experience! :)
You went to Edinburgh in *August*????? Wow that is brave. If can get to York, you should go. It's got pretty much everything. Vikings. Normans. Angry Kings named Henry. Museums. Funky little shops. You can climb the Yorkminster (bring your inhaler). But someone will have to help you find Fish and Chips, because I never was able to find anything worthwhile in all of England. I was intrigued to see the English call their sandwich a "sub". That's one of the yankee words.
Edinburgh, one of my favorite cities in the world.
I am so embarrassed and I don’t even live in UK - our trains in 🇨🇦 aren’t any better - did I say I was soooo embarrassed 🫤 if that was first class am afraid to ask what economy was like 😳 do hope the rest of your time was better spent 🙏
LNER used to be an absolutely wonderful train service... I travelled a lot between Newcastle and London a the end of the 1990's and into the 2000's and the days when it had exclusively 225 rolling stock, china plated full food service an onboard chefs were they heyday of the lines most recent revival. Now, it is as mediocre as the rest of the UK network... I will be honest, I have never set foot on a Azuma train, not had the need to, but they don't fill me with the interest or excitement that rail travel used to have.
Sad that the seat controls didn't work. Maintenance isn't as efficient in the UK as it is in Japan. I've not have any chance to go in 1st class in the Azuma trains yet, but it still looks pretty good. Shame the last time I could have taken it, the rail workers were on strike.
If you're ever back in the UK, would be good to set some time aside for places like York, Manchester, and other such places. Glad you at least got to see Edinburgh, it's pretty nice up there 👍 Central London can get boring pretty quick, so it's good to get the chance to see other places.
This first-class experience is only a shadow of what it was only 20 years ago. Then there was a full 3-course dinner available with waiter service. How sad.
And holders of cheap Standard Class tickets were welcomed into the First Class Restaurant Car!
It was a different era, that's for sure. It's really sad to see how degraded it has become now.
What a wonderful trip. UK often gets a bad rep of bad weather, but it's not always so.
Thanks. The "cookie" in the lounge, is the famous Scottish shortbread (never called "cookies")
if I know you am at England I buy you a cuppa and food! keep up the good work matie
I hope you enjoyed your time here in Edinburgh and saw the city at its best. I’ve been to te railway museum in York and its absolutely brilliant. It has a small section of a Shinkansen.
Hi I'm Gen James McConville from Quincy, Massachusetts, I'm here to seek for a friendship hope you don't mind ?🥀🥀
I'm sure I'm hardly the first to say or think this, but 'grasslands' made me chuckle. Kuga, we just call those fields :)
Thanks for taking us along Kuga. God Bless.
Thank u for sharing😍 Another useful content besides European rail offer video😌 Hope everyone enjoy their travel to Europe 🚂
Wow that's like travelling from Melbourne to Albury in Australia!
Please go on the Class 395 between London to Dover Priory via Ashford then come back up on the 375 train to London Bridge via the mainline
That was fun ride from Scotland to England and to be able to enjoy countrysides of Scotland and England. It's a bummer that your chair recliner didn't work. But still it was a fun ride to watch.
Indeed, railway travelling gives a sense of the changing landscape and scenery. I'll be travelling by rail next time too, and my friend even told me there are discounts on the app now.
The BR Class 800 "Azuma" is a close cousin of the JR Kyushu Class 885 "Sonic" which I would often ride from Beppu to Hakata. The Sonic has a nicer wooden interior though!
York's Railway Museum is fantastic. They have a 1960s Shinkansen. It's so big!
That sounds so great. I'd love to visit as well. I am planning to travel by rail for my next trip and my friend even told me that there are discounts on apps now.
York train museum has an old Shinkansen coach, original series I think. My son, age 3, ran in and immediately ripped off the little headrest cloth from one of the seats. I was so embarrassed!
I've traveled a few times with LNER, both class 80x and Class 91+Mk4. Amazing experiences with plenty of free food and drinks aboard with super friendly staff. By far my most loved long distance experience in Europe, comparing to classics as TGV, Thalys, Eurostar, ICE and regular long Intercities in style of SNCF, SNCB, NS, SBB and DB.
Built in Japan .. NOT maintained like in Japan = big disappointment. Sad comparison but true. Long journey stuck in ome upright position. Thanks for the ride I share your pain. Bushyboy Oz.
Almost all the LNER fleet was manufactured at Hitachi's new plant in the Northeast.
The seats in First Class DO recline but manually rather than automatically.
Haha, a beautiful train running on an ancient track. Four hours to go 332 miles / 534 kms so not so fast. It takes 7 hours 40 mins to drive
No reclining seat?! Thank you for enduring reality for us to enjoy fantasy!
Hi I'm Gen James McConville from Quincy, Massachusetts, I'm here to seek for a friendship hope you don't mind 🥀🌷
Thank you Kuga for bringing us along!! I love your channel and channel? Would you ever consider traveling in the US? 😊😊
Nice video. I learned something new, Azuma means East in Japanese. Thank you! :)
Hitachi is Japanese but I think these trains were also made in Newton Aycliffe, England.
Sorry you didn't get to get off at York
There is the National Railway Museum
there is also the National Miniature Railway Museum
Plus 2000 years of history too,
Romans, Saxons, Vikings etc.
Looks like you had a lot of fun.
Amazing scenery
Shame that it was too dark to see the greatest Norman building in the entire world - Durham Cathedral - next door to what used to be the Bishop's Palace but since 1832 has been a Hall of Residence for University students!
I only took the train from the station in London to Heathrow, but it was fun. I love riding on trains.
You came to Edinburgh, nice!
Psst, the column they used in the movies is elsewhere in the station (between 4 and 5) But they finally moved Platforms 9 and 10 next to each other and 9 3/4 is a photo spot.
York has some great Roman ruins, and there are some Viking remains there too.
This was a very cool video. That seat not reclining 😮
The seats DO recline. You lift your body weight off the cushion and slide the seat manually to the desired position. It's not motorised, you have to move the seat forwards or backwards yourself.
oh my god I love those cookies, I got them in a WEEbox which is a subscription box of random stuff from Scotland. I started to drool on my computer. What a cool trip you have had! Thanks for sharing it with us all.
after watching a lot of Kuga's videos traveling in Japan, it's really noticeable how much lower the level of cleanliness and just.. crispness is on everything, like the used glass that's still there and the crap on the floor, and they don't even have a robotic AI digital reclining seat with NASA influence or a multi-system automatic bidet
I love the costal part of the journey
I love the inland part of the journey. The bit where you look down on Durham Castle and Durham Cathedral from above!
Thanks for the trip. Enjoyed seeing your napkin origami art!
You actually get food on trains outside of Japan!
Great video as usual. I fear your enjoyable travel on japanese trains has soured you on other countries. Which I get seeing your amazing japanese train voyage videos.
I did the same journey on LNER in 2nd Class recently. The seats are fine for 2 or 3 hours but are bad for longer journeys. I had to keep walking about to avoid circulation problems.
I loved your paper crane.😊 I've tried to do that, but didn't succeed. 😢
It was nice you witnessed azuma Hitachi it can does also run from.here aberdeen dundee Edinburgh etc too London I hope you had many nice memories I agreee LNER very striking lovley ivery
Thank you for sharin
The seat recline isn’t automatic, press the recline button and use your body to slide back and forward. It’s a little more basic than an airline 1st seat.
The food service is normally much better, but striking staff have caused disappointment.
i travelled with u all along my frend from Belgium
It's a shame you didn't have time to get to the National Railway Museum in York. I've been there twice and would go again given the chance. During my trip to Japan in 2007, my wife and I managed to get to several rail museums (plus the Seikan Tunnel Museum and the tunnel tour, because you could still get to Tappi-Kaitei station).
Travelling by train is indeed a different experience. I've heard there are cheaper ways to get train tickets.
Excellent video
Great vlog.
Thank you for the origami crane
How can British railways dare to name high speed train a train whose speed hardly reaches 200 km per hour ? It is sheer cheat, all the more the shape of the train is cheekily disguised under a TGV shape.
The front of this train reminds me of Engine Speedor from Go-Onger. But I love these videos so much! Arigato!
You unfortunately missed the Original Bullet Train donated to the National Railway Museum at York. There is a video on TH-cam featuring it’s journey from Nippon to England and other information on the internet. Again you use American English!. Cookie is American. Biscuit is English.
The seats on the Azusa are heavily criticised here for being hard and uncomfortable and the units themselves were temporarily withdrawn because of metal fatigue cracks. Pity that the strikes meant you were denied one of the best dining facilities because I’ve observed that you like your food!. 👍🏻🏴❤️
Sink is American. Washbasin is English!
@@DaveSuperThomas I'm going to need time to let that sink in.
Sink is where I either wash dishes or else where I wash clothes.
Nine and three quarters!
OMG YOU'RE IN ENGLAND?!?!?! I'M IN ENGLAND!!! THIS IS SOOOOOO COOL!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
You are such a good looking man and I love your videos keep it up
Hi I'm Gen James McConville from Quincy, Massachusetts, I'm here to seek for a friendship hope you don't mind🥀💑🌷
Great video as always. This is technically not a high speed line though. The only one that exists in the UK is the one between London and the SE Coast that the Eurostar and Southeastern uses. Southeastern's units are also Hitachi (nicknamed the Javelin).
I love your video it is very interesting how each country dose. I will continue to watch your videos . I really like your napkin puppet it was very cute.
This seems like a disguised advertisement for the Hitachi Train Company to me!!?
A shame your schedule couldn't fit in the National Railway Museum at York. It's a very fine museum. You would even have found there one of the very early Shinkasen trains.