TPE compulsory reservations

[Sussex Ben]

I’m looking at travelling on the 12:12 Edinburgh to Manchester Piccadilly next Monday, preferably 1st class. I have however been advised by TPE that 1st is fully booked, which is why I haven’t been able to create an itinerary for this train.

Will it be the case that it is genuinely fully booked, or do they hold a number of unreservable seats for people walking up on flexible tickets?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Coach D is unreserved standard. Don't know about first. But these trains do tend to be very busy so I'd suggest boarding promptly.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Good question! Today the equivalent 12:12 TPE service was operated by a 5 car Class 397 unit, which, I think, have 22 seats in First Class.

Once I had a (booked train only) First Class Advance ticket travelling down from Edinburgh Waverley to Manchester Oxford Road, and I boarded to find the smallish First Class section absolutely rammed, so the workaround solution for me was to sit fairly close nearby, albeit in Standard Class, where the hostess was able to come through to serve me with complimentary refreshments, this until Lockerbie, where a number of passengers in First Class then alighted, and so I was able to move back to my booked seat. Slightly disappointing, but not the end of the day!

 

[dodecahedron67]

I believe every seat in 1st class on a 397 is reservable and none are kept for walk-ups

 

[MrJeeves]

E21, E22 and E23 are unreserveable seats on a Class 397. I believe some or all of these are limited view seats.

E24, E25 and E26 are marked as priority/assistance seats and can only be reserved through passenger assist or the TOC directly, similar to the wheelchair space and matching companion seats.

 

[Bungle965]

I believe every seat in 1st class on a 397 is reservable and none are kept for walk-ups

Surely that's very problematic for the train crew, dealing with standing passengers in standard is bad enough!

 

[Sussex Ben]

Many thanks all.

Following a bit of digging last night, I’ve noted that it’s possible to book Edinburgh to Lancaster and Preston to Manchester, which only leaves a small gap in the middle. Might just chance it on that basis and move between seats if I can’t get one of the unreservable ones