Train Seat Guide

[LOL The Irony]

What is that 'extension' on the gangway end of the furthest two seats?

The toilet.

 

[superalbs]

What is that 'extension' on the gangway end of the furthest two seats?

Perching point, much like the ones in 378s, for example:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6181/6134487436_486722c651_b.jpg

 

[camjkerman]

Virgin Standard Class Seats:
View attachment 52703
(not my image)

Found in: 220, 221 & 390's

Pros: Not half bad, okay padding & aren't as bad as they look.

Cons: Not as comfortable over long distances (God help anyone on Euston - Glasgow), legroom is a little tight, too narrow & bad footroom.

MY RATING: 5/10

5/10 seems a bit generous. I’ve used pendolinos a couple of times from MKC to Euston (35mins) and both times I’ve been so glad to get off you have NO IDEA. I think that the Pendo seats look better than they actually are, not had any problems with legroom though, it’s in the sweet spot for me where it’s cosy but not chlostrophobic (but I’m like 5’4”). Both times I’ve used 390s I’ve used a GA Mk3 set straight afterwards, oh IC70s are simply heavenly, shame they’re only used on 2hr journeys max. Class 390 seats are, and I will say this with confidence, many leagues below the compins in 375s, and I’m including the later ones with less padding, which I get all the time for the hour journey into London way to often. There’s just something about the 390 seats, I think I’ve pinned it down, but I’m not sure, and it’s that the contouring on the lower back is way too extreme and bites in to the most sensitive part of my (already hypersensitive) back, and no other seat does that.

 

[cactustwirly]

5/10 seems a bit generous. I’ve used pendolinos a couple of times from MKC to Euston (35mins) and both times I’ve been so glad to get off you have NO IDEA. I think that the Pendo seats look better than they actually are, not had any problems with legroom though, it’s in the sweet spot for me where it’s cosy but not chlostrophobic (but I’m like 5’4”). Both times I’ve used 390s I’ve used a GA Mk3 set straight afterwards, oh IC70s are simply heavenly, shame they’re only used on 2hr journeys max. Class 390 seats are, and I will say this with confidence, many leagues below the compins in 375s, and I’m including the later ones with less padding, which I get all the time for the hour journey into London way to often. There’s just something about the 390 seats, I think I’ve pinned it down, but I’m not sure, and it’s that the contouring on the lower back is way too extreme and bites in to the most sensitive part of my (already hypersensitive) back, and no other seat does that.

Whereas the Pendolino seats aren't the best, they're more preferable to GA IC70s! The legroom isn't very good, the GWR HSTs have more legroom even though they have a denser layout?

 

[Boothby97]

Evening all,

Right I'm trying to work out what the seating that is fitted to some Northern 158s (including the 158/9s) and the GWR 158s (maybe also the SWR ones). Its the high back seating (original maybe). In a couple of places I've found it referred to as Richmond seating but I'm more familiar with Richmond being more rounded/thinner (but I realise that seating types can vary). It's this seating https://www.flickr.com/photos/sboot...iW-HoNo9B-VEEr2Y-VkcZAm-VkcZ8h-T21gBy-LQRwhi/

If anyone could please identify which seating this, it would be much appreciated

Many thanks,
Sam.

 

[class387]

Evening all,

Right I'm trying to work out what the seating that is fitted to some Northern 158s (including the 158/9s) and the GWR 158s (maybe also the SWR ones). Its the high back seating (original maybe). In a couple of places I've found it referred to as Richmond seating but I'm more familiar with Richmond being more rounded/thinner (but I realise that seating types can vary). It's this seating https://www.flickr.com/photos/sboot...iW-HoNo9B-VEEr2Y-VkcZAm-VkcZ8h-T21gBy-LQRwhi/

If anyone could please identify which seating this, it would be much appreciated

Many thanks,
Sam.

These are the original seats so are probably a BR design. Don't know the name though.

 

[DanielTheEMid]

Here are some Sophia seats.

 

[DanielTheEMid]

View attachment 51482 Does anyone know which type of seats are used in the GA refurbished 321s, I haven’t seen them anywhere else.

Those seats are being used on the Northen Class 158, 195 and 331.

 

[DanielTheEMid]

Class 333 is Fainsa.

No it is not, it is the Compin ones that look like the 377 seats.

 

[superalbs]

No it is not, it is the Compin ones that look like the 377 seats.

Nope.

 

[SWRtrain_fan]

What are the seats in SWR class 158 and 159 trains called?

 

[JonathanH]

I'm not sure what the name for them is but they're only used on Networkers, Turbos and 323s, which would suggest that it is a British Rail design of some sort, probably a follow on to the Ashbourne design.

The seats in Networkers and Turbos were made by a company called R. G. Manufacturing Limited which was a casualty (ie went bust) of the 1000-day hiatus in train orders between 365s and 168s in the mid 1990s.

Their accounts in 1996 tell a tale of some woe about the lack of train orders.

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/...OThhZGlxemtjeA/document?format=pdf&download=0

Between 1991 and 1995 they supplied a very large number of train seats for 97 Turbos and 231 Networkers. The original first class seats in 159s before the Primarius seats were fitted looked like they were the same.

I assume that somewhere there a load of spare seat parts displaced from the refit of Chiltern 165s and the 465/9s which has enabled 365s to be updated at the last refurbishment - certainly the seats displaced by luggage racks in 166s found their way into 165/1s when part of the first class was downgraded.

 

[DanielTheEMid]

View attachment 51482 Does anyone know which type of seats are used in the GA refurbished 321s, I haven’t seen them anywhere else.

They are quantum seats. They are also used on Northern's refurbished 158 and the new 195 trains rolling out to the network.
Class 230 units are also using them.

 

[class387]

They are quantum seats. They are also used on Northern's refurbished 158 and the new 195 trains rolling out to the network.

Northern is using Fainsa. So far, the only other use of the (superior) Quantum seat will be on Vivarail 230s.

 

[DanielTheEMid]

No Northern are really using them cause they are wider and they have more padding

 

[superalbs]

No Northern are really using them cause they are wider and they have more padding

No, Northern are using Fainsa.

 

[class387]

No Northern are really using them cause they are wider and they have more padding

Quantum is no wider than Fainsa. Fainsa seats can be made with deeper, contoured cushions and armrests, but it's still the same seat.

 

[Doomotron]

A little off-topic, but were Compins seats also in Wessex Trains Class 158s?

 

[JonathanH]

A little off-topic, but were Compins seats also in Wessex Trains Class 158s?

Yes, fitted to 158747-158751 (only, I think or did 158745/46 get them too?) when they received a refurbishment on transfer from Virgin CrossCountry. Later replaced by Richmond seats secondhand from Scottish 158s when the FGW refurbishment was undertaken after 2006.

 

[superalbs]

A little off-topic, but were Compins seats also in Wessex Trains Class 158s?

Yes, at least one unit received such an interior.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Did anyone ever get a picture of them?

 

[LOL The Irony]

Never mind, I found one.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:158751_V_INTERIOR.JPG

 

[JonathanH]

Did anyone ever get a picture of them?

Seemingly so https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/8508850134. A big shame this was taken out in favour of Richmond seats and more recently the original 158-type seats.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Seemingly so https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/8508850134. A big shame this was taken out in favour of Richmond seats and more recently the original 158-type seats.

I must agree.

 

[387gwr]

Is the class 332 mystery seating fixed yet?

 

[DanielTheEMid]

The Azuma seats are very hard

 

[greyman42]

I recently did the Carlisle to Leeds on a refurbished 158 with the new seats. They are terrible considering the duration of the journey. The old seats were considerably comfier.

 

[Doomotron]

I recently went on a Javelin and the seat base is a lot softer than before, I think they might have changed the cushions in them.

 

[Ayman Ilham]

I recently did the Carlisle to Leeds on a refurbished 158 with the new seats. They are terrible considering the duration of the journey. The old seats were considerably comfier.

Probably the biggest downgrade in train refurbishment history if you ask me!

The Azuma seats are very hard

I recently tried them and while admittedly they are a bit firm, they're actually not as bad as many people say they are but that's probably cos I haven't been on it for long enough (Newport to Cardiff Central is pretty short) - at least the legroom is generous!

What sort of seats do the 170s have by the way? I really love them!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Probably the biggest downgrade in train refurbishment history if you ask me!

Yes and no. The replacement of the existing very thick backed seats with thin backed ones in the same layout means that there is about 2" (or a bit more than that) more legroom, which means I can fit in an airline seat and don't have to play kneesie at a table. To me, therefore, it's a total winner.