Best and worst seats

[Prestige15]

Which do you think has the most comfortable seats and the most uncomfortable seats around today?

You can name a number of them of you'r best and worse list and 1st class seats is included if you wish.

Mine are,

Best:
Class 460
Class 377 (earlier models)
Class 158/159, The one with the super thick coushy ones, not sure what seat they are called
MK1, Class 310/312 etc EMU
MK4/ VTEC/XC MK3


Worse:
Class 387's/700
Pacers with bus style seats
Any train with Chapman seats
Class 313/315
Class 455 (Southern)

 

[387star]

Surely 376 for worst seats

 

[bramling]

Which do you think has the most comfortable seats and the most uncomfortable seats around today?

For me, best:

IC70
Networker
Class 317
Chapman
Class 222 both first and standard
Pacer original
Class 156 original
Class 158 original
Class 375 and 377 Connex interior spec versions
Most Turbostars
Also can't help mentioning CIG (especially phase 1), VEP, EPB, class 205 and 207 which IMO rate among the best.

Worst:
Class 387 plus the 377 versions with ironing board seats
Class 700
Merseyrail class 142
Chiltern 165

 

[Railsigns]

Which do you think has the most comfortable seats and the most uncomfortable seats around today?

You can name a number of them of you'r [?????] best and worse list and 1st class seats is included if you wish.

Mine are,

Best:
Class 460
Class 377 (earlier models)
Class 158/159, The one with the super thick coushy ones, not sure what seat they are called
MK1, Class 310/312 etc EMU
MK4/ VTEC/XC MK3


Worse:
Class 387's/700
Pacers with bus style seats
Any train with Chapman seats
Class 313/315
Class 455 (Southern)

Surely 'worse' is everything that didn't make it into the 'best' list? Or maybe you meant to write worst.

 

[sk688]

I like the facing seats on met line trains

I also like the 387/377(2013 batch) ironing board seats

350/1 and 350/3 seats are good

The seats in the old first class area on Chiltern 165s

Also chiltern main line 168s and mk3s are amazing

I don't like :

350-2 seats
317/319/321 original seats

313 Low back Seats

 

[Lrd]

Most comfortable for me is the Class 444 and the 458s.

Worst for me is anything with fixed armrests, especially against the window.

I like how everyone says Pacers with bus style seating, I've not seen a bus with bench seating in a very long time!

 

[sk688]

Most comfortable for me is the Class 444 and the 458s.

Worst for me is anything with fixed armrests, especially against the window.

I like how everyone says Pacers with bus style seating, I've not seen a bus with bench seating in a very long time!

Isn't the Boris bus bench seating?

 

[Strathclyder]

Best:
SPT/First Scotrail Class 156
Class 158
Class 170
Class 303
Class 318 (after the 2005-07 refurbishment)
Class 320
Class 334
GNER Mk4

Worst:
Class 314
Class 380

 

[Timrud]

GWR refurbished Mk3 First Class are the best seats I've used

 

[maniacmartin]

Best:
LU Piccadilly line

Worst:
Middle seat in a Southern 455 (3+2)

 

[Spartacus]

Best, any original seats in a Mk3: I'm sure the great ride comes partly through the amount of 'suspension' in the seats!

Worst, Ex-Merseyrail 142: I'm 5'6" and it's a tight squeeze at the knees, as well as being tough on the posterior! Them being 3+2 is a waste of time as most people have to turn sideways in them.

 

[RichardKing]

BEST
The 442s, both first and standard class. Also, as other people have mentioned, the earlier batch of 377s, specifically 101-119; don't get me wrong, the 2+2 seating in units 120-139 is also comfortable (compared to the later 377s), but I find the first 19 units slightly comfier.

WORST
Again, as other people have mentioned, the ironing-board seating in the 377s/387s is really quite uncomfortable.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

I really like the leather seats in first class on Virgin East Coast, very comfortable indeed. I even like the rather 'boy racer' red inserts… I also loved the first class compartment seating on old Southern Region EMUs. Proper fold down armrests and your own reading light.

Least favourite for me are the loco hauled Chiltern Mk.3 stock (Business Zone excepted) as I find them far too low and the fixed armrest is very obstructive. Those ghastly Networker jobbies (also found on 165s, 319s etc.) are pretty grim too.

 

[Parallel]

Favourites:
Padded original class 158 seats
Class 175/180 seats

Pretty bad:
Seating on 153s with no leg room
Voyagers



Whoever designed these needs to be shot:
Ex Merseytravel pacer seating

 

[dk1]

For me, best:

IC70
Networker
Class 317
Chapman
Class 222 both first and standard
Pacer original
Class 156 original
Class 158 original
Class 375 and 377 Connex interior spec versions
Most Turbostars
Also can't help mentioning CIG (especially phase 1), VEP, EPB, class 205 and 207 which IMO rate among the best.

Worst:
Class 387 plus the 377 versions with ironing board seats
Class 700
Merseyrail class 142
Chiltern 165

156 original??? They collapsed in the middle of the base mate. Truly awful & had to be modified.

 

[47271]

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=142950

Didn't we go through all this a couple of days ago?

 

[SprinterMan]

Best: Arriva Trains Wales Class 158
Worst: Northern Class 142 (Merseyrail refurb)

 

[TBirdFrank]

I know this is supposed to be current but for those of us with a memory the railway has simply gone downhill overall.

Compartment stock which could provide sociable daytime and a comfortable sleeper arrangement has never been improved on

MkIIIs as delivered were fine but Branson ruined them.

Everything else nowadays is rock hard ****e!

 

[47513 Severn]

MkIIIs as delivered were fine but Branson ruined them.

How did Branson ruin them? Apart from the exterior livery and a minor internal 'refresh' Virgin trains did very little to the Mark III stock prior to the introduction of the Pendolinos. The seats and their layout were the same as in BR days.

I've never been a fan of compartment stock. They're great if you're travelling as a group of six or can get one to yourself when travelling alone but otherwise useless. No tables of any kind, sat face to face in close quarters with strangers and a narrow corridor that is impassable if a single person is stood in it. No thanks, give me an open salon with airline seats any day!

 

[dk1]

How did Branson ruin them? Apart from the exterior livery and a minor internal 'refresh' Virgin trains did very little to the Mark III stock prior to the introduction of the Pendolinos. The seats and their layout were the same as in BR days.

Exactly what I was thinking. Was just seat covers/carpets that changed & looked very smart indeed.

 

[Wivenswold]

"Best" for me means "Can easily nod off in comfort" so....

Best: Class 321. Short legs so low height of seat bottoms is not an issue.
Worst: Class 360. Hard, too upright and angled so that you just can't get comfy.