Originally Posted by
stut
Passenger comfort seems to be fairly low on the priority list these days.
Well yes for the government it certainly does seem fairly far down the list. I suspect someone at the Department for Transport who obviously doesn't use trains often was the decision maker on the new seating/carriage interiors. If that person responsible for
picking this design would like to explain the thought processes I would delighted to hear from them.
Unhelpfully the plug position located in between the seats means that whatever is being used/charged will have to be unplugged if the window passenger wants to get out. I'm guessing the designer of the seats either:
a) Doesn't use a mobile phone or laptop etc. and didn't consider the power cable would go from the seat to the table.
or
b) Designed it so that these awful looking seats can be replaced at the first opportunity GWR get to do so and then the power + USB points can be put back into the wall just above the table like they currently are.
If the person from DCA Design responsible for
designing these seats would like to come on here and explain things I would be grateful. The material/stitching for the seats apparently is not expected to stand up to serious use and a concern. Virgin Trains East Coast have had more say on the material (only and not the seats), they also had the ability to get a buffet/shop into their trains. GWR aren't in control so had no choice in the matter it was down to the DfT. The blinds are similar to the Voyager/Pendolino ones and for me I prefer curtains but I may be unique in this position. I've actually grown to really like the current GWR 1st carriages on the HST trains.
Having assumed that the train even in 1st would be cheaper than the alternatives I looked into to other modes of transport. The cost of a book of tickets (valid for one year) for the Oxford Tube is only £72 for 12 journeys which is just £6 each way
. Now for the cost of my onward journey from Oxford I worked out that the meter fare for a taxi would be about £45 each way (given current rates + assuming I can find a cab driver willing to do that) and that would be to/from the door. So the cost is only slightly higher than a 1st off peak and far cheaper than a 1st anytime fare.
Originally Posted by
stut
I'm dreading the new Thameslink trains we're due to have on the Great Northern.
Yeah they don't look great.