This train is mainly used on longer distance services so it features InterCity type seating.
The above images show First class left and Standard class right.
On-train refreshment facilities are looked at on the
On-train Refreshment Facilities, Double-Deck Trains, & Taking Bicycles On Trains page.
Until November 2005 some routes in southern England still used the older 'slam door' trains that were first built in the early 1960's. Nowadays only a couple of such trains remain - for "heritage" reasons, and for use on a "community railway" service for which new trains were not deemed to be financially viable. Despite their demise the trains are included here because they offered some passenger - enticing features which could / should have been included on their replacements.
These trains operated on two different types of service - express and outer suburban.
The express trains offered passenger accommodation similar to what in the early 1960's was standard for InterCity trains. Despite being of an "old" design many people regard(ed) the seating configuration designs of that era to represent the pinnacle in train seating design - this being is mostly 'open' seating (with seats correctly matched to train windows) but also with some compartment seating and two or three sets of single doors spaced along the carriage sides (one each at both ends and on some carriages one in the middle as well).
The outer suburban trains were also used for high capacity commuting into London as well as 'inter-urban' services and featured high-density fully upholstered seating which oftentimes was more comfortable than on more modern trains. Usually the seating bays were arranged around a hand-operated door - this arrangement provided a significantly higher seating capacity than is possible with modern "sliding door" trains and facilitated faster boarding / alighting at station stops (providing alighting passengers remembered to close the doors after getting off - otherwise the train would be delayed whilst the guard did it) but especially in winter could be rather draughty from badly fitting door seals.
Unlike most modern trains these trains offered passengers a choice between open seating and the traditional compartment (with side corridor walkway). The compartments featured heating and lighting controls which passengers could adjust to suit their preferences as well as luggage racks plus a lower-able window & either door glass blinds or curtains so that passengers inside the compartment could enjoy some privacy from those walking by (both unfortunately removed by the time these photographs were taken).
Right - Standard class with no armrests and 4 aside seating.
With journey times of up to an hour London Underground's Metropolitan line (just) qualifies as a medium distance service. The trains however are a compromise because they provide both 'outer suburban' services on the outer reaches of the line and 'urban' services over part of the heavily trafficked inner Circle line. For this reason they feature three sets of doors per carriage.
Originally these trains operated at speeds of up to 70mph (112 km/h) but due to their advanced age - they date from the early 1960's - and / or poor track conditions they are now restricted to just 60mph (approx 96km/h). At 9'8" (approx 2.95m) these are Britains' widest trains.
When these trains were introduced some regular passengers were less than happy because of the significantly fewer seats per train compared with the locomotive hauled (and multiple-unit) 'slam door' trains they replaced (for instance: the 'slam door' trains on the Watford service seated 600 passengers whilst these trains seat just 448 passengers); now there is concern that there will soon be a further 32% reduction in seating capacity (down to 304 passengers) when these trains are replaced with narrower 'one size fits all' trains designed for all the London Underground subsurface lines. The new trains are being designed for crush load conditions on the Circle Line and not longer distance 45-60 minute journeys on the Metropolitan Line where passengers feel that having to stand as if in 'cattle' class (especially when paying what effectively are premium rate fares) is just totally unacceptable. The transport operators claim that to provide similar seating capacities to the old trains they will increase the service frequency, however as there are times when the system is already operating at full capacity it is very doubtful whether this will be possible. As the mainline railways have already learnt (the hard way) trying to run a system at full capacity leads to congestion, not higher capacity. (Operation Princess, on Virgin CrossCountry, which was solved by service reductions, with the resulting passenger disbenefits leading to some severe overcrowding and some 'would be' passengers switching back to the roads). The new trains are expected to enter service beginning in 2009.
Examples from European trains.
Some examples from European trains which operate on regional express services linking smaller towns and cities, on routes not served by full InterCity services.
In 2003 the Spanish introduced some regional trains which feature a clever combination of longitudinal and bay seating, being designed for both rush hour crush loads and to meet off-peak passengers' desires for a seat. Note the tv displays.
Seen at the 2003 UITP exhibition in Madrid, Spain.
Also qualifying as a 'medium' distance train are the light rail vehicles (trams) of the German city of Karlsruhe. In fact there are two different types of tram which are relevant to this page - one operates over a former steam railway line that was electrified and integrated in the town's urban tramway system and the others are dual-voltage trams which outside the urban area operates regional 'all stations' services over routes shared with mainline trains, whilst in town they share the pre-existing (and, in some places, newly constructed) tramlines to operate through city streets also used by the general road traffic and through pedestrian-only shopping zones.
Technically these tramcars are for 'standard' class passengers only, however their internal ambiance is more reminiscent of first class! They feature very comfortable 2+1 seating, window curtains and (in the centre section) panoramic windows which give passengers a grandstand view of the surrounding countryside.
At one time some of the services provided by this still-expanding network were listed for closure / abandonment; yet once it was realised that replacing ordinary local train with tramcars such as these resulted in increases of passenger numbers of as much as 500% a solution which both increased ridership and reduced operating costs became evident.
Maybe there is a lesson here for us in Britain too?
There are many people who see many advantages in using modern trains of a lighter weight (or mass) on quieter, sometimes rural lines which have a national or local strategic value but are not necessarily profitable. The advantages of light rail vehicles (or those as seen below) are that their lower weight reduces wear & tear on the tracks, thereby reducing maintenance costs, and making the services cheaper to operate.
In some instances the local communities are a short distance from the stations which claim to serve them and especially with 'street compatible' vehicles it would even be possible to bring the services right into the town centre by installing short deviations away from the existing railway and through the urban streets. Experience in the Karlsruhe area has shown this to be a very popular - and successful - solution. Elsewhere in Germany a similar philosophy is being followed too, in some cases with local diesel trains or twin system trams which are electric in town and diesel - electric when travelling over non-electrified rail lines.
It is important however that on routes also used by freight trains everything is done on the basis of continued access by the freight trains - passenger vehicles such as those in Karlsruhe or on the Tyne & Metro were designed to be suitable for use on tracks shared with non-passenger trains. The concept of using light rail vehicles to replace mainline trains for in this way is looked at in greater detail on the Track & Route Sharing and the Investment, Disinvestment & Future Solutions pages.
