Virgin Trains proposed offering three classes for the introduction of the Class 220/221s Voyagers and the Class 390 Pendolini on their West Coast and Cross Country franchises in the early 2000s. They were going to offer First Class (Club Class on Voyagers), Standard Class, and Virgin Value Class. There was talk that the latter would have been a dedicated carriage or carriages with 3+2 seating. Imagine playing sardines on a trip from Devon to Scotland!

Things got as far as the interior design stage before Virgin Trains' CEO Chris Green shelved the idea.

Here's a picture of the seats in the newest tram-trains on the service from Vienna to Baden-bei-Wien, a run of about an hour. Yes, that is carefully-moulded plywood. And yes, they're comfortable. Though I wouldn't fancy a long run!

They had wooden seats back then didn't they? See, the IET's are better than the trains you remember in the past.

Yes, that is true. The GWR introduced third class tickets in 1840 to circumvent government rules about second class tickets.

At the time, the government had set a minimum price for second class tickets. This price was designed to make second class travel affordable for the middle classes, but it was still too expensive for many people.

The GWR decided to introduce third class tickets at a lower price than second class tickets. This was possible because third class carriages were fitted with fewer amenities than second class carriages. Third class passengers were not allowed to use the dining car or first-class carriages, and they were only allowed to travel in open carriages.

The introduction of third class tickets was a controversial move. Some people argued that it was unfair to offer a lower-quality service at a lower price. Others argued that it was a good thing that the GWR was making rail travel more affordable for people from all walks of life.

The introduction of third class tickets was a success. The GWR quickly became the most popular railway company in the UK, and it helped to make rail travel a more important part of British society.

In 1860, the government abolished the minimum price for second class tickets. This meant that the GWR could no longer use third class tickets to circumvent government rules. However, the GWR continued to offer third class tickets, and they remained the cheapest option for rail travel until the 1950s.

The Rise and Fall of the Second Class Passenger

These days we only have one numbered class of travel, first class, and what was originally known as third is now designated ‘standard.’ Yet, I was recently asked by someone about what happened to second class, given that the mere fact that we had first and third must denote that at some point we had a second.

Most people still refer to first and second IME, though a significant number use "steerage" or "cattle class" for the less expensive one.

Back in the good old days of three classes, second class was little used and only a small minority of trains had second class.
Many services had only first class and third class.

Third-class rail travel was abolished on domestic trains in Britain in 1956, and renamed second class before later being branded standard class.