I was on an LNER azuma this weekend on the Aberdeen to London route and have to say I was shocked at how the already inadequate standard class seating has deteriorated. On my reserved seat, the scrap of foam on the seat base had sunken to being totally flat and there were screw heads sticking up through it. Thankfully I found another seat on the very busy train but even this one was quite worn with the foam pad again almost flat leaving me sitting against hard plastic.
These are trains which cover an almost 7 hour route, and replaced mk3 carriages with soft well padded sprung seats. The seats were inadequate for the route when new and obviously more suited to very short commuter routes. The train was also almost full leaving Aberdeen with standing room only after Dundee So use of the route is high.
Question is - given the very poor state of the already inadequate standard class seating after just 4-4.5 years on the route (which many passengers face 5-6-7 hours on) are LNER planning to renew this or address the issue? According to staff it’s a very common complaint these days. Perhaps also the smaller dual power fleet of azumas are suffering more as they’re utilised on the longer heavy used services too.
These are trains which cover an almost 7 hour route, and replaced mk3 carriages with soft well padded sprung seats. The seats were inadequate for the route when new and obviously more suited to very short commuter routes. The train was also almost full leaving Aberdeen with standing room only after Dundee So use of the route is high.
Question is - given the very poor state of the already inadequate standard class seating after just 4-4.5 years on the route (which many passengers face 5-6-7 hours on) are LNER planning to renew this or address the issue? According to staff it’s a very common complaint these days. Perhaps also the smaller dual power fleet of azumas are suffering more as they’re utilised on the longer heavy used services too.
