Old 747 config

I remember a trip from LGW to Orlando back in around 2000 or 2001 travelling in PE that was in the front section of the lower deck on the 747.

Is this likely to have been when VS had 747-200's or were some 744's configured that way too?

Yes this was on the old classics, which are sadly all gone now. At one time a couple of the 744s had economy on the whole of the lower deck to operate the MCOs.