EMR declassified first class

[mangyiscute]

Hi, so my friend recently sent me this picture, which is showing an old first class seat now marked as standard class on an EMR intercity service from Nottingham to London. The train in question is 222104.
I was just wondering when EMR changed some of the first class to be declassified, and also on how many trains have they done this?

 

[hexagon789]

Hi, so my friend recently sent me this picture, which is showing an old first class seat now marked as standard class on an EMR intercity service from Nottingham to London. The train in question is 222104.
I was just wondering when EMR changed some of the first class to be declassified, and also on how many trains have they done this?

When they adjusted from a 4, 5 and 7-car 222 fleet to predominantly 5s with a few 7s.

As the 7s had an excess of First Class vehicles, it meant that some of the 4s made up to 5 now had 2.5 First Class vehicles instead of 1.5, so part of the First Class seating was declassified.

 

[43074]

Hi, so my friend recently sent me this picture, which is showing an old first class seat now marked as standard class on an EMR intercity service from Nottingham to London. The train in question is 222104.
I was just wondering when EMR changed some of the first class to be declassified, and also on how many trains have they done this?

There are 4 units which have the declassified First Class sections - 222005, 006, 103 and 104.

 

[liamf656]

Some units have declassified sections as a result of the 4 cars becoming 5 car. More info here:

222 4-car sets to become 5-car by May 22

It is reported that 2 7-car sets are to be reduced to five car and the resulting 4 coaches will be inserted in 4-car sets to make them 5-car. It will be interesting to see if one of the coaches will be repainted into the unique livery of 222104 or whether that set will be repainted into the...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Llandudno]

When they adjusted from a 4, 5 and 7-car 222 fleet to predominantly 5s with a few 7s.

As the 7s had an excess of First Class vehicles, it meant that some of the 4s made up to 5 now had 2.5 First Class vehicles instead of 1.5, so part of the First Class seating was declassified.

In truth apart from a couple of peak hour trains most of the 5 car sets have a huge excess of first class seats, meanwhile in cattle class at certain times, especially at weekends, cattle class certainly describes the passenger experience…!

 

[hexagon789]

In truth apart from a couple of peak hour trains most of the 5 car sets have a huge excess of first class seats, meanwhile in cattle class at certain times, especially at weekends, cattle class certainly describes the passenger experience…!

It was worse when MML introduced them as 4-cars though surely? 50 First and only 126 Standard.

 

[Merle Haggard]

It was worse when MML introduced them as 4-cars though surely? 50 First and only 126 Standard.

Maybe worth pointing out that the MC coaches in 222101-4 as originally formed as 4 cars had less first and more standard seats than the 5 cars' MCs (basically, 2 window bays for 1st on the 222/1s). When 222103 and 4 received a MF from a 7 car these were placed next to the DMF. The 1st in the former MC was totally declassified as were the seats in the MF so as to correspond with the seating layout in the 5 car MC.
Although probably a first world type problem, the 1st in the 222/1's MC was of a lower standard than in the 222/0s without curtains or spot lights - possibly the MCs were MS with Hull Trains???
In the former 7 car sets the MF retained (next to the DMF) is similarly declassified st one end.
Declassification only consists of removing the 'FIRST' label from the window (sometimes a window the real first doesn't have this either) and altering the yellow band.
Possibly with hindsight detail you didn't mind not knowing

 

[hexagon789]

Maybe worth pointing out that the MC coaches in 222101-4 as originally formed as 4 cars had less first and more standard seats than the 5 cars' MCs (basically, 2 window bays for 1st on the 222/1s). When 222103 and 4 received a MF from a 7 car these were placed next to the DMF. The 1st in the former MC was totally declassified as were the seats in the MF so as to correspond with the seating layout in the 5 car MC.
Although probably a first world type problem, the 1st in the 222/1's MC was of a lower standard than in the 222/0s without curtains or spot lights - possibly the MCs were MS with Hull Trains???

The 2221xx had less First in the MCs than the former Midland Mainline 4-car sets because of their Hull Trains origins.

When introduced, they didn't have an MC - First Class was only in the DMF vehicles. Hull Trains subsequently had a small section of First Class added to the adjacent intermediate vehicle and they transferred to EMT like this.

The 5-cars under EMT were exactly as introduced under MM but obviously with the added MS vehicle. The MC was unchanged.

 

[43055]

In truth apart from a couple of peak hour trains most of the 5 car sets have a huge excess of first class seats, meanwhile in cattle class at certain times, especially at weekends, cattle class certainly describes the passenger experience…!

Being on 222104 on a 5 car peak service a few weeks back there was plenty of room. Probably down to it being Friday though.

Obviously there this will be standardized and have more capacity once the 810's arrive.

 

[Merle Haggard]

The 2221xx had less First in the MCs than the former Midland Mainline 4-car sets because of their Hull Trains origins.

When introduced, they didn't have an MC - First Class was only in the DMF vehicles. Hull Trains subsequently had a small section of First Class added to the adjacent intermediate vehicle and they transferred to EMT like this.

Thanks, I didn't know that. The partition between 1st and Standard in the 222/1s was exactly the same as in the indigenous MML ones, which misled me into thinking it was fitted after transfer to MML.

 

[hexagon789]

Thanks, I didn't know that. The partition between 1st and Standard in the 222/1s was exactly the same as in the indigenous MML ones, which misled me into thinking it was fitted after transfer to MML.

I originally thought this too, but later found confirmation that the changes were made by HT.

To illustrate further -

2005 - only a DMF:

First Hull Trains Class 222 No. 222101 at Doncaster in 2005

Now defunct livery, silver, gold and green! This unit now works for East Midlands Trains in blue, red, white and yellow.

flic.kr

(Barnsley Victor flickr)

2006 - DMF and MC:

First Hull Trains Class 222/1 - Peterborough

First Hull Trains Class 222/1 heads North through Peterborough on the 5th September 2006.

flic.kr

(David Burrell flickr)

There is actually a paragraph on the Wikipedia page for Hull Trains (under past fleet), stating that First Class capacity was increased in the HT 222s from 22 to 33 during 2006. The photos above seem to back this up, but the Wikipedia page does cite an article from Rail Express as a source.