What is your favourite 150 seat layout?

[Failed Unit]

I see a lot of comments about how unpleasant the 150s are compared to the 156.

I was thinking is this the seating or the train?

150s basically have had 3 types of seating in their life.

3+2 facing which still exists on some northern sets.
3+2 unidirectional which was fitted to the 150/2 and later the centro 150/1. The down side is if you sit by a window 2 people must move. On the facing you can get out.
2+2 which is my personal favourite and was fitted first of all on 150002 (when it was converted to a 154)

Could the 150 be more tolerable if it was refurbished to a higher standard such as the 455 (south west) or 317/6

I think the seating layout is the problem rather than the train.

 

[PHILIPE]

2 + 2 in South West applies to TFW as well

 

[Mills444]

2+2 tables i.e ATW and GWR.
Makes it quite a nice train!

 

[Failed Unit]

Yes. I always liked the 154 when it showed up. Many trains get criticised as uncomfortable but most of the times it can be fixed with a decent seating layout. One last refurbishment before retiring? (Although considering they are already nearly 35 years old maybe not)

 

[D2007wsm]

The GWR 150/2 ex Wessex trains 2x2 layout is fine, much better than the 3x2 layout on the GWR 150/0s and 150/2s inherited from Northern. The Chapman seats are much better than the Ashbournes for a start.

The only issue with the 2x2 layout is the new single seats installed with the PRM mods opposite the toilet. These are definitely for the vertically challenged as are those of the first row either side of the gangway in the adjacent carriage.

Don’t see the 150s much any more, we usually mainly get Turbos and Mini HSTs with the odd 158 and IET.

 

[hexagon789]

I must be weird, but I liked the original layout ScotRail's 150s had when we still had them. Reminds me of the 318s and 314s which for shorter trips I had no issues with.

I would not have liked to do an Edinburgh-Dundee semi-fast on one though, even if there was a trolley service!

 

[387star]

The 2 plus 2 most GWR units have is superb with full size tables. That's as good as they can get.

The original seating is appalling

 

[PHILIPE]

The 2 plus 2 most GWR units have is superb with full size tables. That's as good as they can get.

The original seating is appalling

And with TFW. Many of them use to be in one fleet with Wales and Borders.

 

[317666]

If I'm not mistaken, the 150/1s also featured unidirectional 3+2 seating as built. The 3+2 facing layout was introduced by First North Western when they refurbished the units, but they kept the original layout on the /2s (and one coach of 150144) for some reason.

EDIT: Just looked it up, I'm wrong! I would be interested to know why one coach of 150144 had its layout changed to match the /2s though.

 

[Kurolus Rex]

Yes. I always liked the 154 when it showed up. Many trains get criticised as uncomfortable but most of the times it can be fixed with a decent seating layout. One last refurbishment before retiring? (Although considering they are already nearly 35 years old maybe not)

I would agree. Whilst Pacers don't have the nicest ride in the world, they would be pretty tollerable if they had comfier seats and a less dense 2 + 2 configuation. That woukd of course reduce capacity though, which i hear probably wouldn't be a good idea!

 

[Failed Unit]

If I'm not mistaken, the 150/1s also featured unidirectional 3+2 seating as built. The 3+2 facing layout was introduced by First North Western when they refurbished the units, but they kept the original layout on the /2s (and one coach of 150144) for some reason.

EDIT: Just looked it up, I'm wrong! I would be interested to know why one coach of 150144 had its layout changed to match the /2s though.

Test bed for the centro layout. 150101 - 132.

 

[coradiafan2000]

My own preference for 2+2 simply stems from the fact that all the 150s in my area (TfW and GWR ones) have that seating arrangement. I treat any train with 3+2 seating with suspicion, simply because I'm not used to it.

 

[bramling]

I see a lot of comments about how unpleasant the 150s are compared to the 156.

I was thinking is this the seating or the train?

150s basically have had 3 types of seating in their life.

3+2 facing which still exists on some northern sets.
3+2 unidirectional which was fitted to the 150/2 and later the centro 150/1. The down side is if you sit by a window 2 people must move. On the facing you can get out.
2+2 which is my personal favourite and was fitted first of all on 150002 (when it was converted to a 154)

Could the 150 be more tolerable if it was refurbished to a higher standard such as the 455 (south west) or 317/6

I think the seating layout is the problem rather than the train.

What I dislike with 150s is the way it’s very hard to find a seat which faces forwards and has a decent window view, there’s only a small handful of such seats on the train on those units with an airline layout - all the more so if the toilet vehicle is leading.

Quite happy with either the 3+2 facing layout found on Northern, or the 2+2 facing on GWR, although the only slight issue with the latter is that the unit as a whole has a rather low seating capacity.

It’s largely thanks to the poor layout of the airline seated 150s that on balance I’d prefer a Pacer.

 

[coradiafan2000]

What I dislike with 150s is the way it’s very hard to find a seat which faces forwards and has a decent window view, there’s only a small handful of such seats on the train on those units with an airline layout - all the more so if the toilet vehicle is leading.

Quite happy with either the 3+2 facing layout found on Northern, or the 2+2 facing on GWR, although the only slight issue with the latter is that the unit as a whole has a rather low seating capacity.

It’s largely thanks to the poor layout of the airline seated 150s that on balance I’d prefer a Pacer.

I've never found that to be an issue, at least not to the extent of a Voyager or 80x.

 

[satisnek]

I tend to prefer the original 3+2 facing layout, even though it didn't offer optimum seating density. From my observations (my commuting days!) banks of 3 'airline style' seats don't work - with the exception of e.g. a close group of three schoolkids, the centre seats tended to remain unoccupied. This fact appeared to have been recognised when the 350/2s were built.

One problem with the early 150 seats was that they fell to bits! They comprised headrest, back and seat and I recall that they had to be assembled in that order, which was a right pain when the headrest had fallen off!

 

[Bletchleyite]

The GWR 2+2 refurbishment is the best 150 interior I have seen - not just the seating, the whole package and how nice they are being kept. Reasonably low density and comfortable and a number of seats with a good window view rather than none at all in the original 150/1 layout.

The Welsh refurb is almost as good (probably the same layout, I've never paid enough attention to check) but like everything else Arriva allowed them to go to rack and ruin and they are very scruffy.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What I dislike with 150s is the way it’s very hard to find a seat which faces forwards and has a decent window view, there’s only a small handful of such seats on the train on those units with an airline layout - all the more so if the toilet vehicle is leading.

Not sure I agree. The original airline layout suffers from a lack of legroom, but does have a number of seats with a good window view. The original facing layout has no (0) seats properly aligned to windows at all, a bit like the PEP EMU (507 etc) layout it basically copied.

 

[Rhydgaled]

I would agree. Whilst Pacers don't have the nicest ride in the world, they would be pretty tollerable if they had comfier seats and a less dense 2 + 2 configuation. That woukd of course reduce capacity though, which i hear probably wouldn't be a good idea!

I think the ATW/TfW Pacers have the same seats as their 150s and 153s, which I find comfier than the various Fainsa products on new trains. They are 2+2 configuration as well, but still high-density meaning no room for legs. On continuously welded rail the only big issues I have with the Welsh Pacers are legroom and lack of capacity due to short vehicles.

What I dislike with 150s is the way it’s very hard to find a seat which faces forwards and has a decent window view, there’s only a small handful of such seats on the train.

I have a similar issue with 150s, with the further complication that the airline seating is uncomfortable for me due to the lack of legroom. The few tables (again it's the Welsh units I'm talking about here) are 'aligned' so that the seats on one side of the table have no view out of the window. That means if the wrong end of the unit is leading (not sure which, or whether the other table(s) have the view seats facing the other way) I would have to face backwards in order to see out of the window.

The GWR 2+2 refurbishment is the best 150 interior I have seen - not just the seating, the whole package and how nice they are being kept. Reasonably low density and comfortable and a number of seats with a good window view rather than none at all in the original 150/1 layout.

The Welsh refurb is almost as good (probably the same layout, I've never paid enough attention to check) but like everything else Arriva allowed them to go to rack and ruin and they are very scruffy.

I'm not sure if the GWR refurb is the same on all units, but I've seen at least one with a table that appears fully aligned to the window, so different to (and better than) the Welsh units.

 

[DarloRich]

2+2 tables i.e ATW and GWR.
Makes it quite a nice train!

this one. Very smart.

Although on some Northern routes: any i can get a seat on!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm not sure if the GWR refurb is the same on all units, but I've seen at least one with a table that appears fully aligned to the window, so different to (and better than) the Welsh units.

Yes, and seemingly more legroom. I think they have avoided adding an extra row, so each 2-window section has 6 rows of seats. Whereas the Welsh ones added an extra row 150/2 style. This may be due to the location of various bits of above-floor kit, though.

 

[D2007wsm]

I would agree. Whilst Pacers don't have the nicest ride in the world, they would be pretty tollerable if they had comfier seats and a less dense 2 + 2 configuation. That woukd of course reduce capacity though, which i hear probably wouldn't be a good idea!

Even though I have not been on one for a while, the GWR 143s layout is fine with 2x2 Chapmans throughout introduced by Wessex Trains.

The GWR 2+2 refurbishment is the best 150 interior I have seen - not just the seating, the whole package and how nice they are being kept. Reasonably low density and comfortable and a number of seats with a good window view rather than none at all in the original 150/1 layout.

The Welsh refurb is almost as good (probably the same layout, I've never paid enough attention to check) but like everything else Arriva allowed them to go to rack and ruin and they are very scruffy.

I think the ATW/TfW Pacers have the same seats as their 150s and 153s, which I find comfier than the various Fainsa products on new trains. They are 2+2 configuration as well, but still high-density meaning no room for legs. On continuously welded rail the only big issues I have with the Welsh Pacers are legroom and lack of capacity due to short vehicles.

I have a similar issue with 150s, with the further complication that the airline seating is uncomfortable for me due to the lack of legroom. The few tables (again it's the Welsh units I'm talking about here) are 'aligned' so that the seats on one side of the table have no view out of the window. That means if the wrong end of the unit is leading (not sure which, or whether the other table(s) have the view seats facing the other way) I would have to face backwards in order to see out of the window.

I'm not sure if the GWR refurb is the same on all units, but I've seen at least one with a table that appears fully aligned to the window, so different to (and better than) the Welsh units.

The GWR refurb from Dynamic Lines only involved changing the colour scheme and moving of seats in the area around the toilet. Originally the GWR and TFW 150/2s had the same layout as they were refurbed by Wessex Trains and Wales & Borders respectively into that layout from the original. The only major difference bar livery was the colour scheme, Wessex going for grey and pink, whereas Wales & Borders went for ted and green.

 

[LMS 4F]

I had a ride, only about 20 minutes, on a GWR 2x2 seating 150/2 on Saturday for the first time. Without a doubt the best seating arrangement I have ever experienced on a 150 and I have ridden on them from time to time ever since they were new. The overall condition was also excellent, so much better than the Northern example I was on two weeks ago.