Class 377 reading lights and first class

[387star]

Are class 377 reading lights well used I wonder?

Not aware of people even knowing they exist

Also I noticed recently the first class of 377/4s have a glass overhead luggage rack whereas standard is the plastic hole type version which I thought was interesting

On the /4s the armrests are actually slimmer than standard or am I imagining it ? The headrests do look wider though. Otherwise basically the same seat?

Finally is it possible to fit power sockets throughout the train or would this be problematic?

 

[swt class 450]

Are class 377 reading lights well used I wonder?

Not aware of people even knowing they exist

Also I noticed recently the first class of 377/4s have a glass overhead luggage rack whereas standard is the plastic hole type version which I thought was interesting

On the /4s the armrests are actually slimmer than standard or am I imagining it ? The headrests do look wider though. Otherwise basically the same seat?

Finally is it possible to fit power sockets throughout the train or would this be problematic?

I highly doubt that the reading lights are well used. There is always plenty of light on the train anyway so i cant really see why these are needed.

Yes the armrests on the 377/4 and 377/5 are indeed a different and much thinner style compared to the 377/1 and 377/2 and 377/3 trains. The seats are also a slightly different type.

Yes it should be possible to fit plug sockets throughout the entire train. I personally cant see anything that would make this difficult.

Here is an overview of the features of the Electrostar trains.

375/3 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/6 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/7 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/8 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/9 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/1 - No 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/2 - No 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/3 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/4 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/5 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/6 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
377/7 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
379/0 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
387/1 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
387/2 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
387/3 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.

The other Electrostar trains - 357s / 376s / 378s - dont have any 1st class seating or plug sockets.

 

[physics34]

You are right about the armrests in the first class of the /4s.

They used to have a different seat cover pattern too until the refreshing a couple of years ago.

I can't see installing plug sockets everywhere being a problem as they are in the /6s and /7s, just expensive and time consuming.

May get them during their mid life refurbishment which I guess is 5-10 years away.

 

[Bushy]

On SE 375s passengers would switch the reading lights on during winter months. Once on they would tend to be left on.

 

[AM9]

I can't see installing plug sockets everywhere being a problem as they are in the /6s and /7s, just expensive and time consuming.

May get them during their mid life refurbishment which I guess is 5-10 years away.

The list above just reveals that only the 'Aventra based' Electrostars have passenger power outlets throughout/ That would seem to indicate that the major changes between those and the older Electrostar designs included specific provision for protected auxiliary supplies. Adding such a facility to what would be 25+ year old trains could be quite expensive and may involve rearranging some of the electrical equipment on these older designs.
Just because the space used for the actual sockets on the later stock seems to be there doesn't mean much, - it's a lot more than 'a few wires and sockets'.

 

[Bishopstone]

When commuting regularly, I used the reading lights in 377/1s as the primary lighting in this sub-class (and 377/3) was dimmer than the 377/4s.

I have a feeling the lighting situation was standardised during the last refurbishment, but I might be wrong.

 

[physics34]

The list above just reveals that only the 'Aventra based' Electrostars have passenger power outlets throughout/ That would seem to indicate that the major changes between those and the older Electrostar designs included specific provision for protected auxiliary supplies. Adding such a facility to what would be 25+ year old trains could be quite expensive and may involve rearranging some of the electrical equipment on these older designs.
Just because the space used for the actual sockets on the later stock seems to be there doesn't mean much, - it's a lot more than 'a few wires and sockets'.

It depends what you mean by major. Assuming the fittings will be stripped out during refurbishment it may not be a big issue. Are plug sockets a necessity though? A debate that'll go.on and on.

 

[class387]

I highly doubt that the reading lights are well used. There is always plenty of light on the train anyway so i cant really see why these are needed.

Yes the armrests on the 377/4 and 377/5 are indeed a different and much thinner style compared to the 377/1 and 377/2 and 377/3 trains. The seats are also a slightly different type.

Yes it should be possible to fit plug sockets throughout the entire train. I personally cant see anything that would make this difficult.

Here is an overview of the features of the Electrostar trains.

375/3 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/6 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/7 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/8 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
375/9 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/1 - No 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/2 - No 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/3 - No 1st class door. No 1st class tables. No 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/4 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/5 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. No std class plug sockets.
377/6 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
377/7 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
379/0 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
387/1 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
387/2 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.
387/3 - Has 1st class door. Has 1st class tables. Has 1st class plug sockets. Has std class plug sockets.

The other Electrostar trains - 357s / 376s / 378s - dont have any 1st class seating or plug sockets.

It's strange how the 375s (minus the /9s) have tables throughout, other than in 1st Class!

Could you also include whether the class has Standard Class tables for comparison?

 

[387star]

What is more strange is the 377/3s till recently had tables throughout standard class.... but none in first then

 

[physics34]

What is more strange is the 377/3s till recently had tables throughout standard class.... but none in first then

on that note, where did the 377/3 small tables come from, because they used to have the large tables in standard? The small tables didnt seem new so they must have done a swap somewhere.

 

[387star]

I used to think all 377s with blue heater covers had dark blue side panels with all grey heater cover examples having light boue side panels but I am sure I was on an early /1 with all 2+2 seating which had light blue panels?

The stanchions and seat grabs vary too!

 

[AM9]

It depends what you mean by major. Assuming the fittings will be stripped out during refurbishment it may not be a big issue. Are plug sockets a necessity though? A debate that'll go.on and on.

What I ment was that the train may not have protected auxiliary supplies powerful enough to cover more than the equivalent of first class seats. Depending on how many seats might be requested, considerable wiring infrastructure may be needed, i.e. not just the side panels, but higher-power bus lines with additional circuit protection, and that could involve a major rewire and additional inverters hanging off the bus.
I do agree with you that however important power outlets are regarded by some, come a mid-life refurb, they may be consigned to the 'not worth the money' bin.

 

[physics34]

What I ment was that the train may not have protected auxiliary supplies powerful enough to cover more than the equivalent of first class seats. Depending on how many seats might be requested, considerable wiring infrastructure may be needed, i.e. not just the side panels, but higher-power bus lines with additional circuit protection, and that could involve a major rewire and additional inverters hanging off the bus.
I do agree with you that however important power outlets are regarded by some, come a mid-life refurb, they may be consigned to the 'not worth the money' bin.

true, but if plug sockets are becoming the standard for semi-fast travel then investment could be made. It would be good for money to be spent for a "high end" refurb, including the non-essential but nice to have plug sockets, better first class etc etc but the way things are going i doubt that.

I did criticise the lack of plug sockets in 700s, basically, because this makes them a downgrade on class 387s..... which although "intrim" they were touted as "new trains for thameslink"., Overall though, i cant see them as essentials on mid-distance stock, but i do on "intercity" services. Iwould much prefer the money spent on better seating.

 

[MrB]

Those plastic overhead luggage racks with holes are not pleasant on a rainy day.

 

[Deepgreen]

To answer part of the OP's question - I see people using the overhead lights in first quite often, and much more so in winter (fairly obviously)