Differences between GWR classes

[MichaelHopkins]

A bit of a niche question. A friend travelled on the 1303 Paddington to Plymouth on Thursday 13 August, and found it very uncomfortable. It was two five car units running together as 10 cars.
She returned on what was the 1020 Penzance to paddington on Monday 24 August, which was a 9 car unit. She found this considerably more comfortable.

I thought the interiors were the same, but clearly not.

Can anyone please confirm which units are which, please? Second question, is there any way of choosing your train in order to have some confidence of getting a 9 car unit?

 

[sh24]

What did she find more or less comfortable? Leg room, ac, window alignment, seat condition? In my experience there's no 5 car bad/9 car good rule but some seats are certainly better than others, and some seats are in better condition than others.

 

[MatthewE707]

According to RTT, the first train was a pair of 802s and the second train was a single 800. I would guess if there is a difference, it's probably this difference in class rather than number of carriages - both classes come in 5 and 9 car variants.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

A bit of a niche question. A friend travelled on the 1303 Paddington to Plymouth on Thursday 13 August, and found it very uncomfortable. It was two five car units running together as 10 cars.
She returned on what was the 1020 Penzance to paddington on Monday 24 August, which was a 9 car unit. She found this considerably more comfortable.

I thought the interiors were the same, but clearly not.

Can anyone please confirm which units are which, please? Second question, is there any way of choosing your train in order to have some confidence of getting a 9 car unit?

They all have identical interiors BUT --

Many of the five car trains have been in service a couple years longer than the nine car trains, and it's really noticeable that the poor quality seat cushions have worn away on the five car 800s, leaving you sitting on practically the metal bar under the cloth.

Now, it's starting to happen on the slightly newer five car Class 802s as well, which formed the 1303 Pad - Ply.

So it looks like she sat on a seat with worn down seat cushions on the way, and one which still had some padding on the way back.

It sounds like it wouldn't be very noticeable but it is incredibly uncomfortable sitting on the seats nowadays. The metal bar feels awful.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Wednesday at 19:54 ==

According to RTT, the first train was a pair of 802s and the second train was a single 800. I would guess if there is a difference, it's probably this difference in class rather than number of carriages - both classes come in 5 and 9 car variants.

It's absolutely not. GWR's 800s and 802s have completely identical interiors.

 

[DelW]

There have been several extensive threads about the very poor state of GWR's class 80x (IET) seats, but this recent one suggests that there may be hope of improvement:

'Upgraded' GWR IET seats

GWR have announced upgraded IET seats: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/luke-e-farley_great-to-see-mark-hopwood-cbe-joanna-grew-activity-7478482080428007424-lYbR Great to see Mark Hopwood CBE, Joanna Grew and Bryony Chetwode trying out our upgraded IET seats for comfort at our annual Community...

www.railforums.co.uk

GWR have announced upgraded IET seats:

 

[MichaelHopkins]

Thank you for the replies. Is it possible to identify which trains are diagrammed for the 9 car class 800s?

 

[DelW]

Thank you for the replies. Is it possible to identify which trains are diagrammed for the 9 car class 800s?

Real Time Trains shows actual units allocated on the day. I don't think there's a reliable source of allocations in advance, as units are always likely to be swapped, not only within classes but also between 1x9, 2x5 or even 1x5. Even allocations shown on the day can change at short notice, last year I travelled to Taunton on a train that had been shown as a Cardiff service until about 15 minutes before departure from Paddington.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Thank you for the replies. Is it possible to identify which trains are diagrammed for the 9 car class 800s?

Honestly there’s no difference though, it really is down to which seats have collapsed bases. Without a doubt, she sat on one with collapsed bases on the way (meaning she sat on the metal bar of the seat frame) and returned on one which still had padding.

 

[PP57601]

I find people with bad posture and seating habits complain mostly about IET seats.
Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with the many Plymouth - London journeys I’ve taken.

 

[Bletchleyite]

802s are least worst as they are newer. I also find the seats in the middle of the coach to be less badly collapsed than those at the ends.

 

[Towers]

I find people with bad posture and seating habits complain mostly about IET seats.
Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with the many Plymouth - London journeys I’ve taken.

I think it would be fair to say that the issues with seating on the early Hitachi fleets have been well and truly identified and they aren’t just a figment of people’s imaginations!

I thought however that the cushions/bases etc were being replaced now?

 

[iamraymond]

I find people with bad posture and seating habits complain mostly about IET seats.
Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with the many Plymouth - London journeys I’ve taken.

I agree, I have not long had a microdiscectomy and find they are very supportive. Soft chairs with cushion like "the good old BR days" people pine for, are dreadful for your spine and overall posture.

You should also be standing up to reset your spine regularly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I agree, I have not long had a microdiscectomy and find they are very supportive. Soft chairs with cushion like "the good old BR days" people pine for, are dreadful for your spine and overall posture.

You should also be standing up to reset your spine regularly.

I don't mind rock hard seats*, original ironing boards never bothered me and the very hard seats in the 730s are fine too, just not the stingy legroom. I do mind seats that have too *soft* a cushion so I end up being sat on the framework.

* I could fall asleep on a concrete slab and have done. As long as I'm lying down and it's dark and quiet.

 

[43096]

I agree, I have not long had a microdiscectomy and find they are very supportive. Soft chairs with cushion like "the good old BR days" people pine for, are dreadful for your spine and overall posture.

But are much more comfortable. Who wants to sit in one position constantly?