Best and Worst First Class

[hexagon789]

The worst no longer exists in my opinion, those left that are poor are mostly suburban/commuter operations where I for one don't really expect a huge improvement over std

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whilst the IET first class isn't as good as what came before it, I think it's pretty good myself, and will happily fork out to travel in it.

I have tried it and I won't. It's not the actual seat, it's the way the table supports get in the way of my knees.

 

[nlogax]

Given my inability to sleep on trains, the Avanti first class seat I'm currently sitting in is the best bearing in mind the snooze I've just had.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Best: Class 390 - very comfortable, cosy atmosphere and a fantastic food service. GWR HSTs were also really nice.

Worst: Any of the Electrostars where you're just paying for a bit of cloth behind your head!

 

[stj]

Mk3b WCML in the 80s with proper food.

 

[TXMISTA]

I’m a big fan of the first class on SWR’s 158/159s. I’d also argue that it’s great value compared to other offerings if you book your ticket far enough in advance. I once paid £10 for first class on the Bristol - Waterloo direct service pre-COVID.

I think the GWR IET first class is a big downgrade from the HSTs. I’m sure that’s already been mentioned many times though!

 

[Parallel]

For me the best first class is/was:

GWR HSTs - Felt very proper and what first class should be with large, reclining seats and a classy ambience.
FGW HSTs/180s - Also of a good standard with comfortable seats. I remember the seats in the 180s reclining back quite far too!
SWT 159s - In the reclined position, I find the seats so supportive and comfortable
ATW ‘Premier’ - A bit old school but the seats are comfortable, the food is delicious and included (usually reasonably priced fares too.)
LNER HST/225 - Also quite good as food is included.

The worst is just any suburban service with fake first class (basically just standard class with a ‘1’ on the headrest, if they can even be bothered to do that.)

 

[southern442]

To be fair to some electrostars, I want to make a sympathy case for 377/4s and /5s, where the first class is in a sectioned off compartment (with a door), and the legroom is a little more generous. It's quite a nice ambience in those little areas especially when you are the only one in there. The headrest on the seats is also bigger, not that it makes a whole lot of difference mind you.

Also worth noting that 375/9s are 2+3 throughout, so their first class section is a bit of an upgrade. I'll make no excuses for the rest of them thogh, particularly the GatEx 387s, especially after how luxurious the 460 first class was, and (whilst nowhere near the same standard) the refurbished 442s had a first class section that wasn't too bad either. To charge the same (possibly higher now?) fares for a 2+2 ironing board is totally ridiculous, and the sooner the service is gotten rid of the better!

 

[yorksrob]

Best ever EMT mk 3 - whizzing across the country in a very comfortable armchair, and plush mk1 compartments.

 

[Thunderer]

Im going to judge it on long journey, as comfort for me with a back condition is most important when you are sitting in a seat for an hour or more. At the moment the most comfortable 1st class seat for me is the SWT 159 on the Waterloo-Exeter route closely matched with XC HST 1st Class. I find the class 800/802 1st class seats uncomfortable after about an hour into the journey. Couple that with the sparse decor and surroundings and I have to say the 800/802 is the worst 1st Class experience for long journeys.

Best ever EMT mk 3 - whizzing across the country in a very comfortable armchair, and plush mk1 compartments.

BR MK1 and Mk2 1st Class compartments were the business. Proper First Class comfort for long journeys.

I’m a big fan of the first class on SWR’s 158/159s. I’d also argue that it’s great value compared to other offerings if you book your ticket far enough in advance. I once paid £10 for first class on the Bristol - Waterloo direct service pre-COVID.

I think the GWR IET first class is a big downgrade from the HSTs. I’m sure that’s already been mentioned many times though!

I totally agree.

 

[yorksrob]

Im going to judge it on long journey, as comfort for me with a back condition is most important when you are sitting in a seat for an hour or more. At the moment the most comfortable 1st class seat for me is the SWT 159 on the Waterloo-Exeter route closely matched with XC HST 1st Class. I find the class 800/802 1st class seats uncomfortable after about an hour into the journey. Couple that with the sparse decor and surroundings and I have to say the 800/802 is the worst 1st Class experience for long journeys.


BR MK1 and Mk2 1st Class compartments were the business. Proper First Class comfort for long journeys.

In all my years growing up on the Southern, it's a shame I didn't have the funds to fork out for first. Irony is, I probably could do now, but what would be the point !

 

[Bletchleyite]

To be fair I don't overly object to there being an area, like SWR's, with more legroom, 2+2 seats of a nicer design than Standard and perhaps a bit of leather detailing. I just object to it being called "First Class". If it was called "Premium Standard", "Business Class" or something like that I wouldn't have a problem with it, though I would also be unlikely to partake because the 1 side is the only reason I ever do.

Interestingly Indian Railways has quite specific definitions of their classes, which means they have a lot of them! But at least it means you know what you'll get.

 

[antharro]

I find the class 800/802 1st class seats uncomfortable after about an hour into the journey. Couple that with the sparse decor and surroundings and I have to say the 800/802 is the worst 1st Class experience for long journeys.

With a back issue, I'm surprised you last an hour on the IEP. Paddington to Reading is long enough for me, thank you!

Agree on the SWR 159 also.

 

[scotlass]

Worst are LNER Azumas. The single seats don't all line up with windows due to them squeezing at least an extra row in. Seats are also like concrete.

 

[DustyBin]

Interestingly Indian Railways has quite specific definitions of their classes, which means they have a lot of them! But at least it means you know what you'll get.

Does it include “roof class”?

 

[ChilternTurbo]

My favourites are Avanti/Virgin 390s and LNER Mk.4s. I'm glad the latter are being retained for Leeds/York services as the IET replacements are such a crushing disappointment when it comes to comfort and interior ambience. I think First Group did a good job on the HSTs in first class in the mid noughties with the blue/grey leather seats but the later GWR refurbishment was classy and very nicely done. The Heathrow Express 'Business First' on the refurbished Class 332s looked very nice but I never fancied paying around £4 a minute to sit there!
Worst for me was on a Scotrail Class 158 in First Group days. I'd paid quite a bit extra for first class as a treat for a journey from Aberdeen to Inverness. The first class section was called 'Business Class' and looked pretty much identical to the rest of the train. It didn't help that the train was de-classified shortly after departure as the train was packed.

 

[davetheguard]

First Great Western's GWR First Class wins my top spot: it was like a completely different train, let alone class, when compared to the austere Standard. They managed to create an interior that looked elegantly expensive with its sober colours and stitched leather seating details, looked distinctly 'train' rather than 'plane' with its winged chairs, didn't have a heavy corporate brand over it (apart from small purple spots in the carpet), and which had innovative details like adaptive lighting. I miss it greatly, and Scotland is lucky to have the use of those carriages now.

I certainly found it well worth paying the weekend first upgrade on those Great Western HST's especially when Didcot to Paddington was just £5! I did it regularly.

From what I've seen of the DfT-designed first in GWR 800s & 802s, I'll probably not be bothering again!

 

[Aictos]

To be fair to some electrostars, I want to make a sympathy case for 377/4s and /5s, where the first class is in a sectioned off compartment (with a door), and the legroom is a little more generous. It's quite a nice ambience in those little areas especially when you are the only one in there. The headrest on the seats is also bigger, not that it makes a whole lot of difference mind you.

Also worth noting that 375/9s are 2+3 throughout, so their first class section is a bit of an upgrade. I'll make no excuses for the rest of them thogh, particularly the GatEx 387s, especially after how luxurious the 460 first class was, and (whilst nowhere near the same standard) the refurbished 442s had a first class section that wasn't too bad either. To charge the same (possibly higher now?) fares for a 2+2 ironing board is totally ridiculous, and the sooner the service is gotten rid of the better!

My gripe with 1st Class on the 377s (Class 377/6s and Class 377/7s) and the 387s is the location of where 1st Class is as a typical interior has a small section of Standard Class then the 1st Class compartment then the rest of the train is Standard Class which is a lazy and inefficient method of placing 1st Class.

What the ROSCO should have done as owner of the fleets is ensured that 1st Class was located immediately behind one of the driver cabs with the rest of the train being Standard Class which is the layout that the Class 377/3s, 377/4s were delivered as.

As 1st Class would then be in the same position on the train though the entire Class 377/387 fleets.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Worst: Class 185- ambience is ruined by people traipsing through to get to the toilet all the time.

I've always found the small First Class section on 185 units to be quite comfy, particularly when used on Anglo Scottish journeys from Edinburgh to Preston/Manchester.

Do, however, agree your comment about the constant procession of passengers shuffling through to use the lavvy.

Worst: Southern Electrostar, same as Standard with antimacassars, not even a partition.

Useful though to get a seat during rush hour, and a certain 'schadenfreude' when plain clothes revenue protection staff come through the train chinging passengers not in possession of appropriate FC tickets.

 

[Wolfie]

Does it include “roof class”?

That and overhead electrification is truly scary...

 

[DustyBin]

That and overhead electrification is truly scary...

Just a bit!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Worst are LNER Azumas. The single seats don't all line up with windows due to them squeezing at least an extra row in. Seats are also like concrete.

Losing that one seat would improve things no end.

 

[yorksrob]

Losing that one seat would improve things no end.

Now would certainly be the time to make these small "quick win" adjustments. They've already done it with regard to the end seats/luggage racks.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

I certainly found it well worth paying the weekend first upgrade on those Great Western HST's especially when Didcot to Paddington was just £5! I did it regularly.

From what I've seen of the DfT-designed first in GWR 800s & 802s, I'll probably not be bothering again!

I still use first class on GWR if the price is right but wouldn't bother for a journey that's under an hour. I'd love to see the 800 and 802s get a 'mallard' style refurbishment when the time comes. It probably won't happen as I suspect the downgrading of first class is a slippery slope to it being done away with completely

 

[Journeyman]

Now would certainly be the time to make these small "quick win" adjustments. They've already done it with regard to the end seats/luggage racks.

There's a lot of contractual issues with doing stuff like that, as the lease agreements are insanely complicated. It affects the electronic reservations as well, which might be tricky.

 

[Prestige15]

Best: GWR HST, VTEC HST/MK4, 222 and Heathrow Express (In terms of style)

Worst: Class 8XX and 387's

 

[yorksrob]

There's a lot of contractual issues with doing stuff like that, as the lease agreements are insanely complicated. It affects the electronic reservations as well, which might be tricky.

I suppose that's one of the issues with having the trains owned separately. Still - I suppose the fact that they've done it with the end seats, shows that it can be done !

 

[Journeyman]

I suppose that's one of the issues with having the trains owned separately. Still - I suppose the fact that they've done it with the end seats, shows that it can be done !

It certainly could be. I guess it depends on the cost/benefit equation.

 

[Thunderer]

With a back issue, I'm surprised you last an hour on the IEP. Paddington to Reading is long enough for me, thank you!

Agree on the SWR 159 also.

Yes you are quite right. 20 mins is more than enough in these seats

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I would willingly do London to Inverness on LNER Azuma first. The real sham to me is 745.