perhaps they will have separate coaches for arriving and departing passengers like MUC and FRA and so there is no need for the train to wait at the end of each run with a tape of "please wait, security checks" playing.

:D

By the way, I generally walk to/from the satellite buildings in LHR so it's not a big deal for me.
And, if I'm not wrong, the FIDS would display "Go to B gates" or "Go to C gates" at least 1h30min before scheduled departure time.
Also, if you're a LHR expert, you would know how to learn your departure gate before the FIDS post it.

FIDS at LHR shows the exact B and C gates at 70 minutes before travel, it can be a bit less on some shorthauls but that's usually due to a last minute change of plan. FIDS (or rather IDAHO) will show "will depart from B / C" as soon as the aircraft concerned is docked at the relevant terminal, which in the case of longhaul can be a few hours before departure, 2 - 3 hours is fairly typical.

Tunnels almost romantic
 

Used the tunnels to exercise from A to C for fun and back at a jogging clip...received an odd stare from the other person walking and no stare from the couple making out near the elevators at B gate.

If only.

My empathy for all those BA passengers traveling with young kids who weren't allowed to travel with strollers for gate-delivery/airside-use at LHR.

The train was packed yesterday. I thought that it was a very show. We arrived just a the thing arrived. I was even less impressed at Gate B42 where you walk all down a long jetway then downstairs into the rain and round the corner to get on a bus. The bus then literall went no more than 100 meters so that we could clamber up into the aircraft. Why can’t they move aircraft onto a jetway? There seemed to plenty available. So underwhelmed !

I arrived at T5C at just after 6am yesterday. It was running, but seemed to be waiting a lot longer than usual. Didn't seem much busier though?

So my wife went today through T5 and they told her she needs a reservation for the train? ...?

Lengthy waits from C gates this morning.

Walkway took me 6m12secs, and I'm no athlete!

M

FIDS?

Flight Information Display System, that's a global term for the screen with all the flights on it, the gates and status of boarding. T5's own version (which is relatively sophisticated) is known as IDAHO, though that is actually the flight database that holds and processes the relevant information.

More acronyms...just what FT needs :D

M

There’s is a jetway on B42, I imagine it must be broken? But they tend to use non jetway gates if the aircraft has a long layover and would be towed later or is done for the day.

You are quite correct. The aircraft had come in the day before from Beijing and might even have gone into a hanger overnight. Indeed we walked down the jetway of B42 and there was another 787 parked there. We had to clamber down step and walk around te corner to get in this wretched bus.

it gives such a bad impression.

Must be some other train. The transit train between terminals 5A, 5B and 5C is just a light shuttle - no tickets, no reservations, and very few seats. (When it's running of course)