Justin Smith
Member
Since there are a number of websites giving data on airline seat pitch I think it's about time the seat legroom on British railways rolling stock (coaches, carriages, EMUs and DMUs) was put on the internet. It may even discourage the inexorable and pernicious reduction in legroom on most British rolling stock.....
THE DATA BELOW IS NOT THE SEAT PITCH, it's the distance from the rear of the seat (parallel with the seat cushion) to the point on the rear of the seat in front at the height where one's knees would normally be (see linked graphic at bottom). The info is only for airline type seating, and from the surface of the rear cushion, not pressing it right in !
Note, a few seat spacings are variable (some more than others.....) but the figures still give a meaningful idea of how cramped, or not, you're likely to be. Personally I'm unhappy with less than 28" (of legroom that is), but even that isn't exactly roomy, 29" or more is OK.
I was surprised at how much difference one inch can make.
(Haven't I heard that before somewhere ?)
Class 142 (railbus) Northern Rail (Bench type seats)
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 144 (railbus) Northern Rail (High backed Richmond seats)
Standard = 26" (poor) / Priority = 32" / First = N/A
Class 150 Northern Rail and Arriva Wales (refurbished)
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 153 Northern Rail (both unrefurbished and refurbished)
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 156 Northern Rail
Standard = 26 to 28" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 158 Northern Rail (non refurbished)
Standard = 25 to 26" (very poor) / Priority = 32" / First = N/A
Class 158 East Midland Trains (refurbished)
Standard = 27 to 29" / Priority = 31"+ / First = N/A
Class 170 Trans Pennine
Standard = 27 to 28" / Priority = 31" / First = ?
Class 175 Arriva Trains Wales
Standard = 30 to 31" (good) / Priority = 34" (good) / First = N/A
Class 180 Hull Trains
Standard = 34" (excellent) / Priority = 35" (excellent) / First = 34"+
Class 185 Trans Pennine Express
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = 33" / First = 34"
Class 220/221 Voyager Cross Country Trains
Standard = 28" / Priority = 33" / First = 36"
Class 222 Meridian East Midland Trains
Standard = 29+" / Priority = 31+" / First = 36+"
Class 333 Northern Rail
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 373 Eurostar
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = ? / First = ?
Class 390 Pendolino Virgin Trains
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = 31+" / First = 35 to 36"
HST Cross Country Trains
Standard = 26 to 27" * (very poor) / Priority = 31+" / First = ?
HST East Coast Trains
Standard = 27" * (poor) / Priority = ? / First = 36"
HST East Midland Trains
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = ? / First = 38+"
IC225 (electric) Mk4 coach East Coast Trains (Mallard refurbished)
Standard = 27" * (poor) / Priority = 32" / First = 37"
* The above figures are so poor (for a long distance Inter City train) I have rechecked them 2 or 3 times and, incredibly, they really are only 27", or less..........
THE DATA BELOW IS NOT THE SEAT PITCH, it's the distance from the rear of the seat (parallel with the seat cushion) to the point on the rear of the seat in front at the height where one's knees would normally be (see linked graphic at bottom). The info is only for airline type seating, and from the surface of the rear cushion, not pressing it right in !
Note, a few seat spacings are variable (some more than others.....) but the figures still give a meaningful idea of how cramped, or not, you're likely to be. Personally I'm unhappy with less than 28" (of legroom that is), but even that isn't exactly roomy, 29" or more is OK.
I was surprised at how much difference one inch can make.
(Haven't I heard that before somewhere ?)
Class 142 (railbus) Northern Rail (Bench type seats)
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 144 (railbus) Northern Rail (High backed Richmond seats)
Standard = 26" (poor) / Priority = 32" / First = N/A
Class 150 Northern Rail and Arriva Wales (refurbished)
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 153 Northern Rail (both unrefurbished and refurbished)
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 156 Northern Rail
Standard = 26 to 28" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 158 Northern Rail (non refurbished)
Standard = 25 to 26" (very poor) / Priority = 32" / First = N/A
Class 158 East Midland Trains (refurbished)
Standard = 27 to 29" / Priority = 31"+ / First = N/A
Class 170 Trans Pennine
Standard = 27 to 28" / Priority = 31" / First = ?
Class 175 Arriva Trains Wales
Standard = 30 to 31" (good) / Priority = 34" (good) / First = N/A
Class 180 Hull Trains
Standard = 34" (excellent) / Priority = 35" (excellent) / First = 34"+
Class 185 Trans Pennine Express
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = 33" / First = 34"
Class 220/221 Voyager Cross Country Trains
Standard = 28" / Priority = 33" / First = 36"
Class 222 Meridian East Midland Trains
Standard = 29+" / Priority = 31+" / First = 36+"
Class 333 Northern Rail
Standard = 26 to 27" (poor) / Priority = ? / First = N/A
Class 373 Eurostar
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = ? / First = ?
Class 390 Pendolino Virgin Trains
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = 31+" / First = 35 to 36"
HST Cross Country Trains
Standard = 26 to 27" * (very poor) / Priority = 31+" / First = ?
HST East Coast Trains
Standard = 27" * (poor) / Priority = ? / First = 36"
HST East Midland Trains
Standard = 29 to 30" / Priority = ? / First = 38+"
IC225 (electric) Mk4 coach East Coast Trains (Mallard refurbished)
Standard = 27" * (poor) / Priority = 32" / First = 37"
* The above figures are so poor (for a long distance Inter City train) I have rechecked them 2 or 3 times and, incredibly, they really are only 27", or less..........
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