SWR Class 158/159

[SouthEastBuses]

Not been on a SWR 158/159 so I'd thought I'd ask the following question:

Do SWR Class 158/159s have USB charging and plugs onboard?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Not been on a SWR 158/159 so I'd thought I'd ask the following question:

Do SWR Class 158/159s have USB charging and plugs onboard?

In First Class only, which is a disgrace.
S-T

 

[SouthEastBuses]

In First Class only, which is a disgrace.

Disgrace indeed then, considering the class 444s have plug sockets in standard class!

 

[43096]

In First Class only, which is a disgrace.

Hyperbole alert!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Disgrace indeed then, considering the class 444s have plug sockets in standard class!

The 450s do too, and 458501-530 do at the end of the driving carriages as a result of first declassification.
S-T

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Dec 2022 ==

Hyperbole alert!

Not really... journeys on that route can last up to three or four hours. I cannot think of many trains that run services of that length that have no plug sockets whatsoever in standard class, other than CrossCountry's 170s, which I also condemn for the same reasons.

 

[Kite159]

Would be wonderful if they could be retrofitted, similar style to GWR/TfW Rail [3 pin socket + 2x USB sockets]. The stickers saying "coming soon" are just annoying when they have been up since First took over.

 

[fgwrich]

Hyperbole alert!

Indeed. Plug sockets would be a welcome feature, but the rest of the interior is smart and presentable (though the SWT timewarp in a 159/1 the other night was even more welcome). Contrast that to the Turbo I had leaving Bristol last week - Plug sockets were fitted (though not working) while the rest of the interior was frankly appalling.

It has to be remembered that such additional feature was likely to be included in the now postponed (or cancelled) refurbishment, which would have also involved the re-seating of the units too.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Indeed. Plug sockets would be a welcome feature, but the rest of the interior is smart and presentable (though the SWT timewarp in a 159/1 the other night was even more welcome). Contrast that to the Turbo I had leaving Bristol last week - Plug sockets were fitted (though not working) while the rest of the interior was frankly appalling.

It has to be remembered that such additional feature was likely to be included in the now postponed (or cancelled) refurbishment, which would have also involved the re-seating of the units too.

That's arguably worse than not having them at all, as at least you know what to expect.

I, like you, prefer the SWT red on the 159s, but the 159/1s were fitted with harder memory foam seats so the trick is to get on 159003 or 159007

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

In First Class only, which is a disgrace.
S-T

Bit like on the CrossCountry 170's then. Is this on the refurbished 15x trains then?

 

[D365]

That's arguably worse than not having them at all, as at least you know what to expect.

Sometimes the breakers are tripped out. Safe sockets are better than unsafe sockets that toast your devices...

 

[RailWonderer]

The refurbished class 450s and 444s even have wireless charging in the first class area.

Bit like on the CrossCountry 170's then. Is this on the refurbished 15x trains then?

Back in the 2000s plug sockets were a luxury because only business travellers needed to use their laptops. No smart phones or tablet computers back then. Don’t expect XC to get funding for any overhaul of those 170s either.

 

[swt_passenger]

The refurbished class 450s and 444s even have wireless charging in the first class area.

Back in the 2000s plug sockets were a luxury because only business travellers needed to use their laptops. No smart phones or tablet computers back then. Don’t expect XC to get funding for any overhaul of those 170s either.

The 158/159 first class spec did include the same as 444/450 according to the franchise agreement. Although I think in the past people queried if 158/9 had any spare power for sockets throughout the train…

 

[fgwrich]

The refurbished class 450s and 444s even have wireless charging in the first class area.

They do, but let me tell you it is absolutely rubbish. Nice idea, but the voltage is so low it's not really worth bothering with.

 

[TEW]

They do, but let me tell you it is absolutely rubbish. Nice idea, but the voltage is so low it's not really worth bothering with.

And the top of the tables is such a slippery material devices often just slide straight off the charging pad.

 

[fgwrich]

And the top of the tables is such a slippery material devices often just slide straight off the charging pad.

Indeed. I did Alton to Woking in a 450 back in the summer. It managed 3%. Using my Apple charger and plugging it in achieves a far more reliable, and faster result. Another area to be wary of when trying these tables are Worting Junction and Micheldever.

 

[RPI]

Bit like on the CrossCountry 170's then. Is this on the refurbished 15x trains then?

The GWR ones? Yes, the whole DMU fleet has sockets and USB ports.

 

[Towers]

SWR's 158/9s are surely now one of the best fleets out there?

The seats are fantastically comfortable, they have one of the very few remaining 'proper' First Class offerings (in terms of comfort, if not catering), and if it's an SWT-spec interior they're a beautifully welcoming place to be. As is standard for 158/9 the ride is superb, admittedly the A/C has its issues as per all of the class, but SWT ensured that theirs were amongst the least problematic examples.

Truly a superior train to travel on, and a comforting reminder of when we used to have decent rolling stock on the network! They just need the power points installing now!