"Recliner" wrote in message
...

Yes, I'm talking about the unloved class 458 fleet. I'd not travelled in
them before, so I felt I should give them a try
while they're still in service. I found that they're surprisingly
comfortable — I wonder if Ian Walmsley managed to
sneak comfortable seats in when the 458s and 460s were being refurbished
to become the 458/5s?


I commuted on the 460s for a while when they were new. The seating was their
only redeeming feature. Otherwise the interior lighting was very harsh, the
announcements and door chimes stupidly loud, and the air-conditioning
extremely noisy. At least the journey only lasted 30 minutes if you were
lucky.

I think the 458s were essentially the same train with another stupid cab
end - the original end doors had to be locked OOU when units ran in
multiple - and nasty high-density seating.

I also used the latest version of the 458s fairly frequently for a while
and, as far as I could tell, the 460 seating was retained when the cars were
incorporated into the fleet so maybe you were just lucky.

--
DAS

D A Stocks wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message
...

Yes, I'm talking about the unloved class 458 fleet. I'd not travelled in
them before, so I felt I should give them a try
while they're still in service. I found that they're surprisingly
comfortable — I wonder if Ian Walmsley managed to
sneak comfortable seats in when the 458s and 460s were being refurbished
to become the 458/5s?


I commuted on the 460s for a while when they were new. The seating was their
only redeeming feature. Otherwise the interior lighting was very harsh, the
announcements and door chimes stupidly loud, and the air-conditioning
extremely noisy. At least the journey only lasted 30 minutes if you were
lucky.

I think the 458s were essentially the same train with another stupid cab
end - the original end doors had to be locked OOU when units ran in
multiple - and nasty high-density seating.

I also used the latest version of the 458s fairly frequently for a while
and, as far as I could tell, the 460 seating was retained when the cars were
incorporated into the fleet so maybe you were just lucky.


Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I need to try them again, picking a
carriage with different seating?

Talking about GatEx trains, the current 387/2s have horrible, upright, hard
seats, like most modern trains.

Recliner wrote:
D A Stocks wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message
...

Yes, I'm talking about the unloved class 458 fleet. I'd not travelled in
them before, so I felt I should give them a try
while they're still in service. I found that they're surprisingly
comfortable — I wonder if Ian Walmsley managed to
sneak comfortable seats in when the 458s and 460s were being refurbished
to become the 458/5s?


I commuted on the 460s for a while when they were new. The seating was their
only redeeming feature. Otherwise the interior lighting was very harsh, the
announcements and door chimes stupidly loud, and the air-conditioning
extremely noisy. At least the journey only lasted 30 minutes if you were
lucky.

I think the 458s were essentially the same train with another stupid cab
end - the original end doors had to be locked OOU when units ran in
multiple - and nasty high-density seating.

I also used the latest version of the 458s fairly frequently for a while
and, as far as I could tell, the 460 seating was retained when the cars were
incorporated into the fleet so maybe you were just lucky.


Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I need to try them again, picking a
carriage with different seating?


Some sets are mostly 458 with one ex-460 vehicle; IIRC some are entirely
ex-460? You can tell the difference by the glazing; separately framed
windows on the 458s, ribbon glazing on the ex 460 vehicles.


Anna Noyd-Dryver

"Recliner" wrote in message
...
D A Stocks wrote:
"Recliner" wrote in message
...


I also used the latest version of the 458s fairly frequently for a while
and, as far as I could tell, the 460 seating was retained when the cars
were
incorporated into the fleet so maybe you were just lucky.


Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I need to try them again, picking a
carriage with different seating?

The ex. 460 cars also have different glazing, so they're fairly recognisable
from the outside. It's possible some/all of the ex-460 cars may have been
refitted since I was using them around 4-5 years ago.

Talking about GatEx trains, the current 387/2s have horrible, upright,
hard
seats, like most modern trains.
Yes, but the trains are otherwise fairly civilised: there is adequate
legroom, power sockets and wifi unlike, e.g. the class 700s as built. I find
these seats - with the legroom - are acceptable for a one hour journey,
which is about as long as it gets on the Brighton Line.

--
DAS