From this:
To this:
My ticket collector, no sorry my “Revenue protection” official from First Great Western explained to me the various improvements to the “New style High speed” refurbished carriages.
- less space for luggage
- more seats (she said the same leg room, though I am not so sure)
- less tables (two tables per carriage)
- power sockets
- High backed “airline” (not reclining) seats
Still no wireless Internet and my tiny laptop just fits on the table. I don’t like the electric colours that replaced the familiar green decor. On the train up to Paddington several of the toilets weren’t working. They’ve tried to modernise some things with electric flushes instead of hand flushes, and I suspect that was the problem.
Evidently they have not changed the seating arrangements in First class. However you do have to cope with the dull new colour scheme. 10GBP weekend upgrades are so worth it. During the week it costs like 100GBP+!
End of an era. 