From The Mirror

Given a totally free choice, I’d go for a compartment every time. Mk 1’s, with seats you could sink into - remember when train seats were comfortable? If someone joined you, you could spark up an interesting conversation, or keep yourself to yourself if you preferred. Happy days…

My preference is for somewhere I can keep an eye on the bike (Brompton). Rear seat on Voyagers large luggage area where you can tuck the bike behind. Sliding the bike under a table is problematical, as you end up effectively taking two seats, which is not immediately obvious to others wanting the space. On IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) usually stand in the bike space.

On a mainline service, preferred seat is with a proper table, not a collapsing tray affixed to the seat in front.
Aligned with a window for the view. Ideally not on an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) as the seats are hard.

On the preserved WSR, a table is less important though still nice to have. My usual seat is one of the corner ones, that USED to have a table, but this has been removed. Most coaches have 16 such seats, the former table seats at each corner of the coach.
On a WSR DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), I go for the former first class area which has better seats, now used for second class.

Most WSR trains are second class only, but I select first or Pullman when available as is sometimes the case for special events.

As I have done before, can I put the case against Mk1 compartment stock, having been stuck with such stock most mornings during my first 2 and a half years' commuting in the early/mid 1980s?

You start the experience with a sliding door that often did not slide particularly well, set in an unnecessary internal partition wall that took up space and added to the weight of the vehicle. If it was busy, it would look and feel full with 6 occupants (3 a side) when it was meant to seat 8 (4 a side). Much as I don't favour 5 across because getting into that middle seat of 3 on the 3 side is seldom easy or pleasant, it was worse trying to get into the last of 4 on one side of a Mk1 compartment.

Yes you could sink into the seats, but often made unwelcome contact with the springs inside, and if they were not a good condition there was a lumpy experience to be had.

Moving onto the heating, there was the rotary heater control which enabled you to choose between roast or freeze. If some else had chosen roast, and you were close enough to try opening the sliding ventilator in the top of the window, it would resist all attempts to move until you reached the point of overcoming the friction, when it would shoot open well beyond the marks on the frame indicating where (in theory) you could open to without causing a draught.  But if you were stuck in that draught, or sensitive to those who had selected the "roast" option on the heater control, they would absolutely refuse to budge back into the "no draught" zone however hard you pushed them.

The ride was often poor, with hunting from side to side frequent. To cap it all, they were inefficient, with only 64  seats (nominal - actually more like 48 - see above!) in a (by the standards of the time) long wheelbase coach.

The only good thing was the fenestration (if you were lucky enough to be on the window rather than the corridor side, of course, the latter being hopeless). But at least the windows were of good size and aligned (necessarily) with the seating.

Only fit for short trips on heritage railways in my view!

If this was 40 years ago, I would be voting for an open Mk 2 anytime, please.  And I found conversations easier to start and acquaintances easier to make as a Turbo commuter when I resumed rail commuting in the 2000s - but this might have been "fellow sufferer" syndrome!

 

If I am travelling alone, it depends on the purpose of the trip. If it is just a means of getting from A to B, I'll just sit wherever I can. If it is a leisure trip, I will look for a window seat facing forward and do not worry whether the seat is at a table or not.

I recall a trip to London many moons ago with my wife and daughter when I managed to get cheap 1st Class Advances in both directions between Pinhoe and Waterloo. No such thing as specified seats, so we just sat at the first available table on boarding at Waterloo. A short while after boarding, with the 1st Class section relatively sparcely populated, a 'City Gent type' boarded and approached us. "Excuse me, but this is my seat. I always sit here." Incredulous at the comment, I said there were plenty of other seats and these seats were not reserved, but he would have none of it. Thankfully, another passenger stepped in and just asked him to sit in another seat. With a grunt, he did so!  

If possible I generally choose a Window 'Airline' seat when travelling alone and with SWTSMBO^▸ (She Who Thinks She Must Be Obeyed) we always try and get a Window / Aisle 'Airline' combo. Except when travelling LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) 1st Class where the single seats are favoured.

Travelling north from Oxford in the late 70's on a cross-country train usually with a class 50 on the front. First class tended to be towards the front which is where I headed with my bike as there was always a BSK^▸ (Brake Standard Corridor (carriage)) at the very front with some isolated, and often completely empty, standard class compartments whilst the rest of the train could be packed solid in standard. Change at Birmingham New Street where I got to know the subterranean ramps and passageways for the BRUTEs^▸ (British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment) and postals. Could often make a connection there on the bike that would be missed by those on foot via the stairs. Ramps all gone now, last time I looked, but what a dingy miserable place it still is today.