Avanti 221s - why relettering/renumbering?

[Bletchleyite]

I've booked onto a 221 for a journey this weekend, and in using the seat selector on Trainsplit I noticed that there has been a complete relettering of coaches and renumbering of seats (most coaches are numbered the opposite way round) since the Virgin-era seating plan I have was produced.

Does anyone know why this was done?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I wonder if it's been done to make it more similar to Pendolinos post-refurb? With the long-term withdrawal of Holyhead/Chester/Glasgow via Birmingham services, there is little need for them (Shrewsbury will manage without if Chester can), and they could be gearing up for an early transfer to XC? Avanti have a much reduced timetable that they've openly declared isn't improving anytime soon.

 

[swt_passenger]

I've booked onto a 221 for a journey this weekend, and in using the seat selector on Trainsplit I noticed that there has been a complete relettering of coaches and renumbering of seats (most coaches are numbered the opposite way round) since the Virgin-era seating plan I have was produced.

Does anyone know why this was done?

Wasn’t it done a while ago when Virgin made their 221s ABCDE, rather than ABCDF, with first moving from A to E? Was it done when they made coach D able to be set up as first or standard?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Wasn’t it done a while ago when Virgin made their 221s ABCDE, rather than ABCDF, with first moving from A to E? Was it done when they made coach D able to be set up as first or standard?

It could well have been, and I did remember them changing the coach letters at that point - but why reverse the seat numberings?

 

[swt_passenger]

It could well have been, and I did remember them changing the coach letters at that point - but why reverse the seat numberings?

I can’t think why, unless they still consider first class to be the nominal “front” of the train, and the seats count upwards away from the front in each coach. Alternatively, they just wanted to be different to XC…

 

[hexagon789]

It could well have been, and I did remember them changing the coach letters at that point - but why reverse the seat numberings?

The last VT seating plan i have saved has the 221s as A, B, C, D, E with First in E. For 10-cars the second unit is G, H, J, K, L with First in L.

The seat numberings start low at the First Class cab end and run to high at the Std Class cab end in each coach, if that makes sense.