'Narrow' South West Trains' seats criticised

[yorksrob]

What confuses me (as a Scot living in Northern England) is why so many lines in the old "Southern" region seem to get be getting stock less suited to their needs

From my memories of travelling in Kent over many years I don't recall there ever being a particularly strict seperation between high and low density stock outside of the suburbs. The VEP's for example could end up on fast services to the Kent Coast quite often. (Not a bad thing IMO as I liked them). I suspect that this may have just been because CEP-CEP-VEP could could seat more passengers than CEP-CEP-CEP.

 

[Hydro]

From my memories of travelling in Kent over many years I don't recall there ever being a particularly strict seperation between high and low density stock outside of the suburbs. The VEP's for example could end up on fast services to the Kent Coast quite often. (Not a bad thing IMO as I liked them). I suspect that this may have just been because CEP-CEP-VEP could could seat more passengers than CEP-CEP-CEP.

I used to commute along the Kent Coast, and it was quite an even mix of CEP's and VEP's. Only occasionally would the likes of a CIG put in an appearance.

 

[yorksrob]

I used to commute along the Kent Coast, and it was quite an even mix of CEP's and VEP's. Only occasionally would the likes of a CIG put in an appearance.

I don't know if you commuted in the early 90's but did you ever get any HAP's ? I used to see them around occasionally but only rarely outside of the Burbs.

 

[Hydro]

No, it was the mid 90's when I started taking notice of the railway, and mid-late when I started regularly using the line. I don't ever recall any HAP's (or any similar stock, save sandites and route learners, modified EPB's I think). I was fairly confined to the small area between Dover and Ramsgate at the time though. That section of line was really rather bland in terms of what was about (CEP's and VEP's), but I'd have them all back in a heartbeat if I could.

The good thing about the VEP's was the 3+2 seating weren't individual seats, rather a long "bench" and a short "bench" on their respective sides. You could get 3 normal people, 4 school kids or 2 fatties on a "3" person seat, without sitting on an annoying join between the individual seats. The door layout was unsurpassed for disgorging vast quantities of people very fast.

 

[yorksrob]

No, it was the mid 90's when I started taking notice of the railway, and mid-late when I started regularly using the line. I don't ever recall any HAP's (or any similar stock, save sandites and route learners, modified EPB's I think). I was fairly confined to the small area between Dover and Ramsgate at the time though. That section of line was really rather bland in terms of what was about (CEP's and VEP's), but I'd have them all back in a heartbeat if I could..

Well, I know that feeling

The good thing about the VEP's was the 3+2 seating weren't individual seats, rather a long "bench" and a short "bench" on their respective sides. You could get 3 normal people, 4 school kids or 2 fatties on a "3" person seat, without sitting on an annoying join between the individual seats. The door layout was unsurpassed for disgorging vast quantities of people very fast.

Indeed, high density stock could/can be a real bonus on a busy rather than a full train as you can have a nice big gap between you and the person next to you.

 

[tempests1]

I quite agree, least they got brand new trains unlike other areas of the UK which equally need extra trains.

As to the distance covered by them, I don't see any MP on the Peterborough route for example complaining about the 321s or 317s which has 3+2 seating.

Some people don't know when they've got it good,

Fair do's but how old were the slam door EMU's they replaced?
I was sad to see them go, but not to the average commuter