National Express Levante 111 launched

[cambsy]

National Express has launched their new Levante 111 at Coach and Bus UK, with first prototype going to Edwards Coaches, have several new features which include, underfloor heating, under seat stowage with airline style bar to stop luggage moving, a removable toilet which can fit through back emergency exit, new leather seats, not Fainsa, and other stuff, it has been developed after consultation with passengers and drivers, supposed to be better to drive and better for passengers, they certainly have a striking new design, a lot different to now, hope try one soon.

 

[Flying Snail]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98620506@N05/37502052736/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/98620506@N05/36840123164/

Still not a good looking coach but a bit better.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It looks rather nice inside. Is the railway now getting a little behind in some ways?

 

[F Great Eastern]

The Original Fainsa Gala without the headrests on the side was the best coach seat there was when supplied with appropriate levels of padding.

Unfortunately very few of the National Express vehicles were supplied with this, most of them had the newer more lightweight one fitted with less padding on the same base.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Must admit I find the newer ones with the "wings" to be very nice indeed. I even managed some kip in one a few months ago, which is quite something for me - I can almost never sleep in a seat.

Unfortunately the NatEx service from MK is rarely suitable in terms of timings for journeys I do, otherwise I would be using it a lot more with this kind of coach being used (though I'd draw a line at overnight to Scotland unless there was 2+1 or a means of guaranteeing by payment a second seat). They really do seem to be going for the German-style quality approach - could it be an attempt to differentiate from Megabus and a means of staving off any threat from Flixbus?

 

[F Great Eastern]

The problem with the ones with wings is that they've got far less padding on the seat than the ones without the wings before them and on some of them you can actually feel the seat base through the bottom cushion on the far left and far right center part of the seat unless you sit completely in the middle. It's really noticeable on longer spins.

I think maybe they don't make the original GALA seat anymore though, since I haven't seen it on any new vehicles for the last few years, just the newer thinner version that has the wings and is more lightweight with less padding and an even more lightweight version released last year.

I could sit on seats in vehicles dating back from 2009 both on National Express and Aircoach when they used the original spec for hours and not be uncomfortable but anything over an hour and a half on the newer GALAs and I'm feeling a bit sore and stiff.

When I lived in Dublin I remember when the 2014 Panthers came in for Aircoach and people were moaning that the seating was nowhere near as good as the 2009 coaches they replaced, both were a Fainsa GALA, just 2014 had the newer version.

Front
Gala: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63434198@N07/14851143809/in/datetaken/
Gala 2: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63434198@N07/15934153726/in/datetaken/

Rear
Gala: https://www.flickr.com/photos/63434198@N07/15037515362/in/datetaken/
Gala 2: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60665...UfS-Z47tXd-bX7PYk-yzgRuv-opfisV-odxVVT-KC7Zuo

It makes the cheaper materials and less padding really obvious.

 

[F Great Eastern]

delete

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ah, I know the first type, Stagecoach have them on the X5s (and the old X5s used on the 99s). I must admit I prefer the latter, though I am known for liking hard seats like ironing boards.

Mind you...that colour scheme is yuk! The grey/black version on the NatEx coaches is much classier.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I generally like seats that are a little firm at times, such as the FGW MK3s which I think are the best intercity train seat on the network

The problem with the newer GALA with wings is you can feel the metal of the seat body through the center left and center right edges of the seat base unless you sit dead center and bolt upright unless you are skinny. The more restricted recline makes this worse as does the more restricted and tight seat belts.

The colour scheme on those ones are deliberate - Aircoach have a strong brand in Ireland based on distinctive blue and orange.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I generally like seats that are a little firm at times, such as the FGW MK3s which I think are the best intercity train seat on the network

I do agree with that, the Grammer InterCity seat is absolutely excellent and I'd love to see more of them. They are very comfortable and they *look* very comfortable as well - they make an interior look really premium, particularly in a dark colour.

(To son-of-LM - can we please, please, pretty please have them on the 350 refurbs? - yes, I know, not justified, but it'd be nice, though the existing seats are not bad and are a regional seat also by Grammer)

The problem with the newer GALA with wings is you can feel the metal of the seat body through the center left and center right edges of the seat base unless you sit dead center and bolt upright unless you are skinny. The more restricted recline makes this worse as does the more restricted and tight seat belts.

Yes, I have felt that, though it doesn't bother me that much. A slightly upgraded bottom cushion would fix. As for seat belts, I don't think I ever found one comfortable on a coach, they are simply mounted way too low down for a tall adult. There really needs to be some kind of bit sticking up on the seat to mount it, adjustably, just above shoulder height like a car.

The colour scheme on those ones are deliberate - Aircoach have a strong brand in Ireland based on distinctive blue and orange.

That may be so but it looks as nasty as the Ryanair yellow does. I'd go for a dark grey leather (assuming leather is wanted) with understated blue and/or orange piping.

As an example, easyJet are "the orange airline" but its application in the cabin is quite understated and looks quite good. Ryanair's excessive in your face (literally) yellow looks cheap and nasty.

 

[F Great Eastern]

(To son-of-LM - can we please, please, pretty please have them on the 350 refurbs?

Been on 360s hundreds if not thousands of time and always liked the seats, the best version of them is on the 360/2 that is in Heathrow Express Livery, has a softer finish and a little more padding.

Yes, I have felt that, though it doesn't bother me that much. A slightly upgraded bottom cushion would fix. As for seat belts, I don't think I ever found one comfortable on a coach, they are simply mounted way too low down for a tall adult. There really needs to be some kind of bit sticking up on the seat to mount it, adjustably, just above shoulder height like a car.

The second generation GALA comes in two padding options. The default and one which was added later which both NatEx and Aircoach switched to. The newer one is (a little) better, but you can still feel the seat base.

The original GALA lacked headrests but had some options with extra padding, as far as I'm aware Aircoach used the highest spec version whilst Stagecoach and National Express used the standard, all three operators went for top mounted seat-belts (see first photo above) as you described which returns (of sorts) in the BRAVA.

I'm not surprised that National Express went elsewhere, the MK3 GALA really takes the thin and light idea to silly levels http://www.compin.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/FICHE_TECHNIQUE_GALA.pdf

The BRAVA has some really nice features but having sat in one, suffers, like the GALA MK2, from being too thin with not enough padding in the two different versions I've sat in
http://www.compin.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FICHE_TECHNIQUE_BRAVA.pdf

That may be so but it looks as nasty as the Ryanair yellow does.

Aircoach have been using that colour scheme since 2003:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/63434198@N07/14941316389/in/datetaken/

I agree that the current version is too bright though, I don't mind the older ones but the bright blue and bright orange used on the MK2 Galas is too much.