Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Back on topic, if the seating layout of the Pendolinos isn't changing, why is it necessary to replace the seats at all? Seems like a colossal waste of money.
Increased comfort (allegedly) and legroom.
Back on topic, if the seating layout of the Pendolinos isn't changing, why is it necessary to replace the seats at all? Seems like a colossal waste of money.
Increased comfort (allegedly) and legroom.
A staff member the other day implied one first carriage was being removed the trains.
Although what would happen if the First class weekday full meal offering was unavailable due to machine breakdown or shortage of staff? Wouldn't there be some people expecting to be reimbursed down to the cheaper rate of the new middle ground class?A bit like Weekend First then, but during the week
... what it will involve is First Class seats being sold as the interim class but without service.
Plus the current interiors are pretty dated and a bit shabby. I'm sure there's quite a lot of broken fixtures and fittings.
Slightly OT but has there been any confirmation we are condemned to the Ironing Board atrocities in the Pendolino upgrade, or is there some hope of a seat designed outside a torture facility ? As someone who finds the current seating very comfortable in Pendolino 1st Class, I imagine those seats would be great news for British Airways domestic services.
Isn't comparison to european first class 2+2 seating in first a little unfair as the continental gauge is somewhat wider and hence carriage width / seating corridor greater than uk?
It isn't much different, surprisingly. A 26.4m RIC coach is 2.825m wide, while a Mk4 is 2.73m - 10cm per side doesn't gain you a lot. And sometimes the same seats are used as in the UK - for instance Railjet and PKP FLIRT Standard uses Grammer IC3000s, the same as ex-GWR HSTs. They tend just to go for a slightly wider aisle rather than making the seats bigger.
Only in countries with huge coach widths (e.g. India or China) do you get 2+2 First and 3+2 Standard with acceptable seat widths. Though to me this is less attractive than the UK as I like the 1 side.
Aren't the Pendolinos narrower than normal UK coaches, to accommodate the tilt? Or have I made that up?
It isn't much different, surprisingly. A 26.4m RIC coach is 2.825m wide, while a Mk4 is 2.73m - 10cm per side doesn't gain you a lot.
Certainly the PKP Flirts (and the Slovenian ones for that matter) feel much wider than UK stock. It's quite interesting how much wider the TPE Mk5 feel than a 185 if you travel on both in one journey.
Didn't BR have something called "Silver Service" once upon a time?
Will class 1.5 be an overflow for 1st? 9 coach pendolinos are full during peaks in both classes as it stands now - take the 1650 from New St to Euston for example. There is simply no room on these trains for any additional class whatsoever unless seats are fitted by the toilets or the driver, so it sounds like Weekend First under another name to me.
I suspect it will be quite carefully quota-controlled, and may only be available off-peak or shoulder-peak. It's interesting to see where passengers come from - existing First Class travellers who don't particularly want the catering "freebies" and are happy to save the money, or Standard Class travellers who want a better seat at a lower price?
Or if it simply has the current First Advances and First Off Peaks put into it, with Anytime only in "proper" First Class, which is how it was in the early days of privatisation. (Before privatisation there was only First Open and Weekend First, nothing else).
As long as the space used is currently first class I have no problem. If it reduces cattle class provision I am dead against it.
It seems blindingly obvious to me that it's a way of putting bums on otherwise-unoccupied first class seats, which actually does standard class passengers a favour, as it will free up space there.
Basically what Seatfrog is doing currently
Yeah, but I'd argue not very effectively, and Seatfrog offers the full first class product, with catering, which this new idea would not include. It seems to be making the process more predictable and more affordable.
Would say that my £24 Glasgow to Euston upgrade was pretty affordable!
Once you get to know the journeys it's pretty predictable what you will pay. 90% of upgrades are confirmed as soon as a submit my 'bid'
It seems blindingly obvious to me that it's a way of putting bums on otherwise-unoccupied first class seats, which actually does standard class passengers a favour, as it will free up space there.
Won't this cause a headache for the ticketing system having to have three classes of travel.
Won't this cause a headache for the ticketing system having to have three classes of travel.