VTWC Coach K single seats

[Huntergreed]

Is there any other single seats in first ?

Only one other at the very south end of Coach H against the wall

Seems quite an appealing seat by the looks of it, nice placement and good window view according to the plan!

 

[Mag_seven]

Only one other at the very south end of Coach H against the wall

No that is not correct - as well as the aforementioned (Seat 2 ) there is another single seat in Coach H next to the bottled water container (Number 24). There are also similar single seats on an 11 car in Coach G (also numbered 2 and 24). Coach J also has a single seat next to the bottled water container (Number 14).

 

[Huntergreed]

Apologies, these must have escaped from my memory

Quite shocking when you consider that I use First on these trains at least twice a month!

 

[Silver Cobra]

Coach K is better northbound .Felt pretty cramped southbound in one of the single k seats .

Is there any other single seats in first ?

For the Pendolinos, seat 14 in coach J and seats 2 and 24 in coach G/H are individual seats. Seat 14 in J and 24 in G/H face southbound, while seat 2 in G/H faces northbound.

**EDIT: Just spotted that Mag seven also posted this information. I've included the direction these seats face so you know which to aim for depending on direction of travel.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, they had a set of seats that could be cordoned off. Not hogging as you so beautifully put it. It's not rocket science that everyone should be looked after on a train, passengers and staff. Seems like some on here want staff to 'know their place' and doff their hat and say 'please Sir, may I sit here?' and hope Sir Bufton Tufton doesn't object to the presence of peasants.

The staff are there to serve the passengers. Cap doffing is not necessary, but blocking passenger seats *when not sitting in them* which passengers want in contravention of company policy is not on. (I have asked VT if this is policy and they have said no, it is not).

 

[ValleyLines142]

I believe the Coach C seats are meant to be kept empty for special assistance, I expect the reason they allowed it in this case is that there was nobody booked at that point.

OTOH, I did put it to Virgin about the Coach K seats and they confirmed that staff blocking them is not policy. Which suggests they have a management issue. I think they should stop it by making Coach K reservable and moving unreserved seats to part of another coach.

They are available to select on all VT services though. If that is the case, the seating plan online should state these seats are not reservable.

 

[rebmcr]

[C01 and C02] are available to select on all VT services though. If that is the case, the seating plan online should state these seats are not reservable.

In the past they were, but not any longer when I've looked recently.

 

[route101]

For the Pendolinos, seat 14 in coach J and seats 2 and 24 in coach G/H are individual seats. Seat 14 in J and 24 in G/H face southbound, while seat 2 in G/H faces northbound.

**EDIT: Just spotted that Mag seven also posted this information. I've included the direction these seats face so you know which to aim for depending on direction of travel.

Cheers for the info !

 

[Polarbear]

I'm currently sat in coach K on a Glasgow-London journey, and have been its sole paying customer the whole journey! Chatting to one of the conductors earlier, it was mentioned that the seats in coach K are to become reservable in the near future.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm currently sat in coach K on a Glasgow-London journey, and have been its sole paying customer the whole journey! Chatting to one of the conductors earlier, it was mentioned that the seats in coach K are to become reservable in the near future.

Well, I hope the staff enjoy which one I'm going to be picking (and insisting on occupying, with a complaint if there is any attempt to prevent it) if they do.

If, at a company level, VT decide to mark it "reserved staff" (which would be one way to solve the problem!) I will of course respect that.

 

[Polarbear]

Well, I hope the staff enjoy which one I'm going to be picking (and insisting on occupying, with a complaint if there is any attempt to prevent it) if they do.

If, at a company level, VT decide to mark it "reserved staff" (which would be one way to solve the problem!) I will of course respect that.

Oh I agree fully. To be fair to the crews on my train today though, there's been none of that at all. They've all been really professional & other than a bit of singing from the first crew (which was actually pretty good), ive had no problems.

 

[Bletchleyite]

FWIW I wouldn't be being "pig headed" over it if it wasn't my favourite seat on the train (like its Standard counterpart at the other end, Coach A Seat 45, which if there is any chance of it is *mine* ).

 

[Polarbear]

Reminds me of a story someone told me about an ALR they were on many moons ago.

Chap on said ALR was travelling Bristol-Paddington on a weekday peak service. In the single seat at the far end of the TGS. Another bloke gets on at Chippenham, walks up to said seat & declares it as his.

"Have you a reservation" the first bloke says.

"No, but I commute every day and I always sit in this seat" says Chippenham Charlie.

Reply - "Well as you haven't got a reserved seat, it's not yours"

Chippenham Charlie: "but I always sit there"

First chap: "Not today - goodbye!"

 

[47271]

I'm currently sat in coach K on a Glasgow-London journey, and have been its sole paying customer the whole journey! Chatting to one of the conductors earlier, it was mentioned that the seats in coach K are to become reservable in the near future.

You can already get reservations in K, I've been put there quite a few times. I've only actually experienced it once, the noise from the kitchen was terrible so I've never been back.

 

[MKB]

I've been told by on-board crew that coach K will be reservable from some time in September but excluding the back row. Currently, you can't select it but you might get allocated it when the other first-class coaches are full.

 

[driver_m]

Well, I hope the staff enjoy which one I'm going to be picking (and insisting on occupying, with a complaint if there is any attempt to prevent it) if they do.

If, at a company level, VT decide to mark it "reserved staff" (which would be one way to solve the problem!) I will of course respect that.

Would that be one of seats 1-10?

 

[boxy321]

I'm currently sat in coach K on a Glasgow-London journey, and have been its sole paying customer the whole journey! Chatting to one of the conductors earlier, it was mentioned that the seats in coach K are to become reservable in the near future.

Hmmmmm... Going the way the of XC then. I use K every evening to get home as I don't need to worry about reservations, as do plenty of other season ticket commuters. It's peaceful, not full of London-bound loudmouths usually, and most importantly, no teenagers or kids. This will all end.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would that be one of seats 1-10?

3 specifically, or failing that 6, 9 or 12.

 

[driver_m]

3 specifically, or failing that 6, 9 or 12.

Looks like you'll be going for 12 then. 1-10 unreservable.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looks like you'll be going for 12 then. 1-10 unreservable.

The problem continues, then...

 

[221129]

Meanwhile I am travelling to work with first class to myself. Bliss.

 

[ScouserGirl]

When I've been in coach k on VTWC before the staff always sit at the very back and I have heard a delightful conversation over who has slept with who, surely they shouldn't attempt to sit there on a busy train...

 

[jon0844]

I have heard a delightful conversation over who has slept with who

Surely not Virgin staff then?

 

[Huntergreed]

I have heard a delightful conversation over who has slept with who, surely they shouldn't attempt to sit there on a busy train...

That's not too bad - I've seen two members of staff passionately flirting in the back seats and I've heard a couple of arguments when it's busy (the staff don't seem to care much about the passengers overhearing all of this in the Coach at all)

 

[CentralTrainer]

Just on the 2310 from Birmingham New Street down to Euston.

Two young ladies get on in Coach C and sit down in the two single seats facing each other (01 and 02).

About 10 minutes into the journey - I observe one of the Catering Staff (as it's by the Shop portion of the train) - march up to the table and demand to know where the two girls are going to.

They say "Coventry" and the bloke flounces off.

We get to Coventry - and the two girls get off. Literally 10 seconds later - two of the Virgin On Board staff descend like vultures and seat themselves at the table to prevent any paying passengers availing of them.

We were then subjected to 5 minutes of loud conversation that certainly wasn't of a professional manner from the two staff.

Then as the two staff get up to resume working - one of them reaches down under the seats - pulls out one of the folding plastic crates they use to store stock in - proudly slams it down on the table (no doubt as a deterrent for any passengers who want to use those seats) and walks off with a big smile on his face.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just had a reply back from Virgin:

Thank you for your email, which we received on 27th July.

Firstly, I am sorry that we have taken so long to get back to you. At the moment we’re dealing with a particularly large amount of correspondence due to a sustained period of disruption across the network. This obviously does not detract from the fact you have been waiting so long for a reply and I apologise for any further frustration this has caused. Thank you for your patience.

I am most disappointed to learn of the behaviour of staff members on your train. Seats are there for our customers, C01 and C02 being no exception and we certainly do not consider it acceptable for our people to behave in the manner you describe. We are currently focussing on re-briefing all our teams to ensure that they are aware of the impact of such behaviour on the customer.

We want our customers to enjoy a comfortable and relaxing journey with a high standard of service and it is a matter of great concern to us when this does not happen. Please be assured that your comments will be forwarded to the management responsible for On Board Customer Service strategy in order that they form part of this re-briefing process. Please accept my sincere apologies for the difficulties this caused you during your journey.

Thank you for taking the time to write to us. We value your comments and we welcome the opportunity this gives us to understand what our customers require from our service.
Yours sincerely

Victoria Selwyn
Senior Customer Resolutions Advisor

 

[rebmcr]

Just had a reply back from Virgin:

I thought C01 & C02 are now permanently reserved for passengers needing assistance?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I thought C01 & C02 are now permanently reserved for passengers needing assistance?

I thought they were as well, but they are not reserved for staff nor is any other passenger seat on the train.

Presumably they take the de-facto status of any reserved seat - anyone can sit there provided they move if the reserver turns up.

 

[All Line Rover]

I've been told by on-board crew that coach K will be reservable from some time in September but excluding the back row. Currently, you can't select it but you might get allocated it when the other first-class coaches are full.

According to this post* it's the back three rows. So this debacle will continue on.

According to the same post, the six reserved Traveller seats (four in J, two in H) are also being removed - in fact, they have already been removed (Traveller members having received no notification of this), so even VTWC's most regular passengers travelling on 1st Anytime tickets will have to scramble for seats from time to time on 9-car Pendolinios, choosing only from seats in the three back rows in Coach K (hopefully without insults from the catering crew).

*https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/vtwc-changing-non-reserved-carriages.155024/#post-3143401

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

According to this post* it's the back three rows. So this debacle will continue on.

According to the same post, the six reserved Traveller seats (four in J, two in H) are also being removed - in fact, they have already been removed (Traveller members having received no notification of this), so even VTWC's most regular passengers travelling on 1st Anytime tickets will have to scramble for seats from time to time on 9-car Pendolinios, choosing only from seats in the three back rows in Coach K (hopefully without insults from the catering crew).

*https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/vtwc-changing-non-reserved-carriages.155024/#post-3143401

If you get insults from the crew then instantly complain via email without fail.

I hate passengers disrespecting staff more than almost anything but vice versa is just as bad.

 

[185143]

I sat in C02 once (partly to wind the staff up as I know they like those seats) whilst travelling from Manchester to Stockport. There was a hand written notice on the table saying 'RESERVED FROM STOKE-BOOKED ASSISTANCE'

Upon departure, the TM grumpily invited me to move-which I politely declined as I was bailing in 5 minutes. (I did state this) I was then told I'd *have* to move as people were booked to sit there from Stoke.

I again politely declined and requested the TM actually listened to my reason for doing so (he seemed to totally ignore the fact that I wasn't going to London!)-to which his response was to shrug his shoulders and sit in his office for 5 minutes...