New seat cushions for GWR...

[nerosrmc@gmail]

Do we know if this is actually going to make it to any of their trains?

 

[matt]

Reopened for an update from @superalbs

 

[superalbs]

According to a post on Facebook, it seems 166205 has been refitted with new cushions. The poster did not give a positive review!

The 166s old first class seats have been upgraded but no padding at all this is 166205
(image of bay of four in First Class)
(image of 166205 at Starcross)

 

[The exile]

What I also find odd about it, is that the FC area of the 166s isn’t exactly in use as FC anymore. And it’s not exactly used much, except for the Gatwick services, on the 3 car 165s either.

It's an area where you can consistently replace all seats without that meaning too many. It may also indicate that stocks are running low. As a regular user, I'm on tenterhooks to discover what they'll be like.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The old 1st class seats were very comfortable. It seems that no sign of comfort is allowed these days.

 

[185143]

I'm on 166205 now.

They're not units I'm particularly familiar with, so can't immediately mentally compare them to the old seats, but they're making ironing boards feel well padded. Dreadful.

As an aside, 166205 is currently about to head down to Plymouth. Is that rare?

 

[Ashley Hill]

As an aside, 166205 is currently about to head down to Plymouth. Is that rare?

In normal service yes. Nobody West of Exeter signs them so when they do appear its generally an out and back trip during disruption.

 

[Russel]

It's the 800s that need new seat cushions, not the Turbos.

 

[superalbs]

I'm on 166205 now.

They're not units I'm particularly familiar with, so can't immediately mentally compare them to the old seats, but they're making ironing boards feel well padded. Dreadful.

As an aside, 166205 is currently about to head down to Plymouth. Is that rare?

Sigh, so they've taken a comfortable seat and made it worse. We literally cannot have nice things.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2026 ==

It's the 800s that need new seat cushions, not the Turbos.

Well apparently these cushions are awful anyway, so we're not missing out on anything.

 

[Russel]

Well apparently these cushions are awful anyway, so we're not missing out on anything.

Most seats are hard though when new, they need time to be broken in so to speak.

And to be fair, I'd rather a hard cushion that a hard metal bar.

 

[185143]

Most seats are hard though when new, they need time to be broken in so to speak.

And to be fair, I'd rather a hard cushion that a hard metal bar.

I remember being in pain after my first Mk5 seated Sleeper trip when they were very new, and vowed to never do it again.

They're not great now. But they're 1000 times better than that was!

 

[Kite159]

I think there is a 158 going around with similar sounding rock hard seat cushions, maybe 158762. I recall having it to Truro back in December when having a HST farewell and the seat was like a hard memory foam mattress.

 

[Russel]

I remember being in pain after my first Mk5 seated Sleeper trip when they were very new, and vowed to never do it again.

They're not great now. But they're 1000 times better than that was!

I keep considering this, but I like my sleep too much!