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Post by taylor on Apr 6, 2022 16:37:20 GMT
Even if a bit ‘dog-eared’ (my wife says mongrels are the most intelligent!) the 1972 stock Bakerloo trains with their pop-art graffiti bearing exteriors and missing a couple of fluorescent tubes in several cars here and there, certainly have the most comfortable seats, several of which are the only transverse ones on the tube. Their upholstery is hard-wearing and looks as though it will outlast that on the S7 and S8 trains, which in several cars is looking decidedly shabby after ten years in service. Who chose and manufactured that moquette and how is its lack of durability being dealt with? Of course, where feet can reach seats, there is sometimes some extra wear, but that’s not consistent, as there are no transverse seats (sadly, sadly) on the Circle/District/H&C, and those trains are badly affected too. Changing from the Bakerloo to the Victoria at Oxford Circus brings home how darn hard some modern tube stock seats have become. Can we look forward to better cushions, or are spring interiors going to be for the exclusive use of Bakerloo posteriors?
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 7, 2022 22:47:39 GMT
Alas but passenger posterior comfort is so 'old school'
I assume that the older trains have better padded seats - but another possibility (albeit one that I really want to be wrong) is that older trains are allowed to have a softer grade of foam which is not allowed on newer trains.
The issue of seat comfort is an area where newer trains in general (LU and mainline) have less than adequate softness / comfort (second class?) whereas buses (especially those with higher spec) have much more comfortable seats (first class).
Maybe the reason for this situation is partly related to safety (stricter standards on trains) but it could also be that railway bean counters at the DfT simply want the cheapest seats possible / do not care about comfort whereas bus industry bean counters understand about passengers appreciating 'more comfortable' seats and see the extra cost as 'money well spent that will be recouped by attracting more passengers'
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Post by Chris L on Apr 8, 2022 11:58:40 GMT
The moquette nowadays is a much lower quality and made in Eastern Europe.
Probably not helped by many more people wearing denim.
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Post by t697 on Apr 8, 2022 17:06:14 GMT
The moquette nowadays is a much lower quality and made in Eastern Europe. Probably not helped by many more people wearing denim. I think the Bakerloo 72TS seat moquette was renewed much more recently than the S stocks were introduced, so should have the moquette less worn since S stock hasn't had a programmed renewal at all. I agree the current moquette is lighter grade and wears to threadbare faster than in former years. I wonder whether despite that it fares better on the softer underlying cushion stiffness of 72TS seats than on harder ones. |
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Post by Chris L on Apr 8, 2022 17:42:49 GMT
The moquette nowadays is a much lower quality and made in Eastern Europe. Probably not helped by many more people wearing denim. I think the Bakerloo 72TS seat moquette was renewed much more recently than the S stocks were introduced, so should have the moquette less worn since S stock hasn't had a programmed renewal at all. I agree the current moquette is lighter grade and wears to threadbare faster than in former years. I wonder whether despite that it fares better on the softer underlying cushion stiffness of 72TS seats than on harder ones. Almost certainly the seat springs on 72TS are covered in a fire retardant material under the moquette (which looks a better quality than the more recent batches). The combination results in less wear. |
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