Rail travel Edinburgh to Manchester - advice please

parkside_stroller

I want to travel from Edinburgh to Manchester by train. It seems that the cheapest fare on the dates I want is using First Transpennine. It also seems to be 30 minutes quicker than using East Coast to York and then Transpennine to travel from there to Manchester.
I have read that TransPennine is less comfortable - I have been on EastCoast and they are ok. I am thinking of possibly travelling first class rather than second on TransPennine if 2nd class is cramped, busy and uncomfortable. Does anyone have any experience they can share of travelling in last year between the places I mentioned?
Thoughts on value and comfort of 1st class v 2nd class would be appreciated.

jamesbrownontheroad

I'm a reasonably seasoned rail traveler, living in Glasgow and traveling down to various places in England every month or two.

This is not the first time I've heard people refer to TransPennine Express as being less comfortable than their competitors (namely East Coast or Virgin Trains). This is basically because TPE use a type of train that isn't really designed for long distance intercity travel: it's more of a regional design with high-backed but quite firm seats. After the last round of train franchise changes, TPE replaced Virgin on the Manchester / Edinburgh and Manchester / Glasgow services. Virgin used to use their four and five carriage diesel-electric Voyager trains, TPE now use their three carriage diesel 185 class trains.

A geeky comparo, with photos:

TransPennine Express class 185

Virgin Voyager

And for comparison, the 'old fashioned' (i.e. British Rail era) intercity carriages used on electric East Coast services:

East Coast Mk. 4

Of the three, East Coast trains are much more comfortable. They've been refurbished in last five years, with denser and more upright seating, but they're generally more comfy. Both Virgin Voyagers and TPE 185 class trains are fixed units of self-propelled carriages with diesel engines slung under each coach. This means, compared to the older locomotive-hauled East Coast trains, passengers feel and hear much more engine through the floor and the seats. I don't particularly like either of them, but ultimately a direct train is often much more convenient than an indirect one. The TPE trains have bigger windows and feel a bit more open than others.