Virgin's new "11-car" Pendolino's (and associated Platform Extensions)

[MidnightFlyer]

Pretty sure nearly every seat on a 185 has a window (there might be one or two that don't across the entire train) it's the reason why the windows on 185s are funny shapes it's to make the seats on the inside line up with the windows.

Further, the pillars between windows on 220s/221s/390s are about three times thicker than they are on any other class I can think of!

 

[All Line Rover]

Further, the pillars between windows on 220s/221s/390s are about three times thicker than they are on any other class I can think of!

It doesn't matter how thick the pillars are - some good design would do much good! Why else do the 221s have more window seats than the 390s? (Super Voyager's aren't too bad - more than 90% of seats have a view - but Pendolino's are just ridiculous!)

If you did a complete redesign of the coach layout, you could have more window seats by...

• Adding/removing tables
• Placing 2 of the seats on tables of 4 next to a pillar - you can still see out of the window (an example of this design is seats 33+34 in Coach E on Super Voyager's, and even seats 13+14+15 in Coach K on Pendolino's)
• Positioning luggage racks next to pillars

If Virgin (or Alstom) ever had a job of "coach designer", I would apply for it straight away!

 

[MCR247]

Are you not listening?!

Need for a seat > Need for window seats :roll:

 

[Lampshade]

With engineering witchcraft it should be possible to build a continuous window along the length of the coach on future classes, therefore eliminating the window pillar problem.

 

[MCR247]

But then if one part smashes...

 

[WatcherZero]

Withcraft indeed, to remove the window as a structural element you would have to islolate it by having internal support columns and a lintel, huge weight penalty.