I think they may have originally been second class. With the Mk1 stock, the LMR, ER and SCR had even second class compartments with three a side provision, with raisable armrests where theoretically if the train was full you were meant to do so and sit four a side. However the seat reservation tabs were only three a side. On the WR and SR second class was four a side with no armrests and reservation tabs four a side. If stock was transferred to the WR/SR the armrests were "sewn up".
After the end of steam locomotives on the SR they did away with steam heat stock, so the steam heat Warship-hauled Exeter services in the late 60s/early 70s had stock provided by the WR. When these locos were withdrawn and replaced by electric heat Class 33, additional ETH-capable stock was needed which the WR and SR did not have available. Most of the later build 1960s Mk1 dual heat stock had been deployed on the LMR AC lines from Euston, the only major ETH operation at the time, and as they were replaced by Mk 2 stock they were sent to the Waterloo-Exeter line, and the aforementioned sewing up took place. If they had been left as they were an extra coach would have been required, and the Class 33 performance was very marginal. As it was, their electric heat was invariably turned off by the driver in the winter when ascending Honiton bank and the other notable climbs on this line. It got turned back on going down the other side.
Yes it was the case that on much of BR both first and second class compartments were thus three a side. It was just the latter were about 6" narrower, one more compartment per coach.
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