refurb voyager

[whole diary]

[Btline]

I will be travelling on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) next week, and will report back.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

I will be travelling on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) next week, and will report back.

you may get lucky and get one of there hst's

[Btline]

No, I am going North in the morning and South in the afternoon.

The HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) do the opposite, and as they are based in the North, I'll be very lucky if I get one.

I have picked a seat with a good view on the old layout. So fingers crossed it is not a refurb Voyager!
 

[devon_metro]

No, I am going North in the morning and South in the afternoon.

The HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) do the opposite, and as they are based in the North, I'll be very lucky if I get one.

I have picked a seat with a good view on the old layout. So fingers crossed it is not a refurb Voyager!
 

Don't get me started on the stupid timings of the HSTs!!

[Zoe]

Don't get me started on the stupid timings of the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)!!

They do at least allow 8 HST journeys to pass through Birmingham each day, this would be not be the case if some had to start at the South West.  This is however of does not benefit like myself that are going north from the South West in all cases.  How Virgin were ever allowed to get away with ordering 4 coach underfloor engine DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) that were clearly not up to the job of running an intercity service from Plymouth to Edinburgh, I don't know.

[Btline]

And (sorry for saying it again) did Virgin really need those 5 Voyagers from XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))?

If Chester could have its off peak service reduced to 2 hourly, there could be more double Voyagers.

[thetrout]

Why Didn't Virgin Hire and Refurb LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock), using their 57's to haul it..? Then we would have more voyagers. Alternatively why don't XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Hire LHCS and some 67's and give it a similar refurb to the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)? IMO^▸ (in my opinion) it would be quite popular

[Zoe]

Why Didn't Virgin Hire and Refurb LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock), using their 57's to haul it..?

If they are going to use LHCS, they may as well use an electric loco rather than running a diesel under the wires on a completely electrified route.

[thetrout]

Why Didn't Virgin Hire and Refurb LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock), using their 57's to haul it..?

If they are going to use LHCS, they may as well use an electric loco rather than running a diesel under the wires on a completely electrified route.

This is true, but using their 57's would be cheaper because they are already paying for them, Also they can operate to places where the overhead wires don't go e.g. Holyhead

[Btline]

Exactly, XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) need the Voyagers a lot more than VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises)!

The gov should recognise this.

Hopefully, the Pendolino order will enable some Voyagers to be transferred across.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

better plan give virgin all the voyagers and we could have pendelino drags with 57's down south hehe 

[willc]

There is a very good reason why Virgin need Super Voyagers, because they need 125mph tilting stock to operate on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) with the new high-frequency timetable.

I know they are planning to use a set of Mk3s for a Friday-only relief to Preston but at the moment Cargo-D can't supply the stock as W&S^▸ (Wrexham and Shropshire (Open Access Operator)) still hasn't got its own Mk3s in service and it isn't going to leave Euston until 18.46 in order to path it at 110mph non-tilt amid after the main peak rush.

There aren't enough trains to go around full stop, as we know full well in FGW^▸ (First Great Western) land. And I wait to see what cunning plan they have for the summer once the Adelantes have gone - silly me, that would be a grubby Turbo to Oxford and the Cotswolds, wouldn't it? Another lousy day for HST^▸ (High Speed Train) availability, with 180s on the 15.51 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to Worcester, 15.48 Cheltenham and 17.51 Worcester (booked duty)  The Worcester pair were on Oxford/Cotswold services all day.

[bemmy]

And (sorry for saying it again) did Virgin really need those 5 Voyagers from XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))?

If Chester could have its off peak service reduced to 2 hourly, there could be more double Voyagers.

What, you mean take trains away to give to a service that doesn't even serve London? How absurd! All those silly people who can't squeeze on a Voyager at Birmingham should simply travel to London instead! 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

all London routes should be taken off the franchise scheme and given to private companys to invest and make money on them but they need strict regulation see what happens when toc's see all there profits things would finally improve!

[Zoe]

all London routes should be taken off the franchise scheme and given to private companys to invest and make money on them but they need strict regulation see what happens when toc's see all there profits things would finally improve!

No, all routes should in public ownership and not run for the benefit of shareholders.  If you have a private company running them, profit will always come before service.