Arriva CrossCountry

[VTDan]

I don't kno0w what anyone else thinks but sounds to me as if Arriva are going downhill already!

I've only just noticed Arriva will only be using half of the Super Voyager along with all of the 220 fleet. HSTs will not be brought into service until late 2008 early 2009 :roll:

Whereas Virgin currently use the whole of the fleet with 8 spare Voyagers.

I realise CrossCountry have claimed the 170s, however, they have a larger route network to cover. Also prices will be rising, but our pay won't be rising

Not looking forward to the 'takeover' I have to say...:???:

Intrigued to hear what everyone elses views are of this.

 

[Daniel]

Err, those other Super Voyagers are being taken by Virgin West Coast, forching Arriva Cross Country to source other trains, (HSTs), to replace them...

 

[VTDan]

Which is what I said. Only half of the fleet are staying with Virgin. Therefore Crosscountry will have less trains than Virgin did, also the majority will be smaller!

 

[Tom]

Yes - but you seem to put it in the way that it's Arriva's fault. The DfT force what and when can happen with all the new franchises - want new trains? Sorry can't have them!, etc, etc.

Quite silly, really.

 

[Daniel]

Arriva will only be using half of the Super Voyager along with all of the 220 fleet. HSTs will not be brought into service until late 2008 early 2009 :roll:

Whereas Virgin currently use the whole of the fleet with 8 spare Voyagers.

Sorry, but from the way that was typed it looked to me like you thought that Arriva were using less voyagers out of choice.

 

[devon_metro]

AXC arent working the same routes at Virmin do anyway. Some have been taken over by TPE

 

[Bonemaster]

Also some of the Super Voyagers heading for West Coast are currently used by West Coast anyway, and with several XC lines moving over to become VWC, the Voyager impact will be quiet minimal with the big impact becoming flexibility, and the requirement for 2 sets of spare units at once

 

[theblackwatch]

I realise CrossCountry have claimed the 170s, however, they have a larger route network to cover. Also prices will be rising, but our pay won't be rising

The Voyager network is substantially smaller under Arriva than it was with Virgin. Cross Country are also losing the Birmingham-Scotland route via the WCML. It is this route that most of the Super Voyagers will be used on with VWC (who are taking over this route, and some units from XC) - so in effect, the units will be used on the same services as before, although no longer running through to destinations south of Brum.

 

[VTDan]

I do realise Virgin have kept some of the routes, however CrossCountry they say Voyagers will be longer and there will be more frequent services around and abouts. I dont believe this will become a reality losing around 22 of the Super Voyagers and not gaining the 43s until 2008/9.

I liked Virgin in a funny sorta way

 

[djw1981]

This decision was also taken before the franchising of XC started, so even if Virgin had won, they would have had to go back to HST and fewer Voyagers.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I do realise Virgin have kept some of the routes, however CrossCountry they say Voyagers will be longer and there will be more frequent services around and abouts. I dont believe this will become a reality losing around 22 of the Super Voyagers and not gaining the 43s until 2008/9.

I liked Virgin in a funny sorta way

Did the funny sort of way connect in any way to payday? I used to like my employers except when I got paid ( so little). Whereas some friends only like their employer when they see how much they get paid...

 

[First ScotRail]

I liked Virgin in a funny sorta way

1 word perks lol
AXC have also apparently asked VT if staff can keep their uniforms for the 1st few weeks of the new franchise...unsurprisingly vt said no.

 

[VTDan]

This decision was also taken before the franchising of XC started, so even if Virgin had won, they would have had to go back to HST and fewer Voyagers.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Did the funny sort of way connect in any way to payday? I used to like my employers except when I got paid ( so little). Whereas some friends only like their employer when they see how much they get paid...

haha you gottit!! Apart from I like them in a funny sorta way opposite to you, if you get me?

I've never liked Arriva anyway. I used to live out in Ashington (Northumbria) had to get the X33 Arriva service into Newcastle everyday. I dont recall it ever running to time...or ever having the heating switched off. Geez those were days I'd rather be looking back on.

Also they couldn't run Arriva Northern Trains I dont think that lasted long either did it!

 

[W14Fishbourne]

1 word perks lol
AXC have also apparently asked VT if staff can keep their uniforms for the 1st few weeks of the new franchise...unsurprisingly vt said no.

Oh dear! Presumably new uniforms won't be ready in time. Looks like XC staff are going to have a pretty cool time of it, running trains in their underwear! Not the right time of year for that.

 

[djw1981]

They might just pay everyone a one off £100 M&S voucher and tell you to buy 3 white shirt, 3 pairs of black trousers, and wear your normal black shoes and then order 1000 M&S aqua ties....

 

[VTDan]

Sounds more realistic. I'd prefer the idea of them in their underwear though. Well SOME of them in their underwear....

 

[First ScotRail]

They might just pay everyone a one off £100 M&S voucher and tell you to buy 3 white shirt, 3 pairs of black trousers, and wear your normal black shoes and then order 1000 M&S aqua ties....

It would be cerise they want to stay away from the aqua gives them a bad name...god only knows why lol!

 

[djw1981]

Surely cerise makes them look like he effeminate half of Firstgroup...

 

[Jim]

They might just pay everyone a one off £100 M&S voucher and tell you to buy 3 white shirt, 3 pairs of black trousers, and wear your normal black shoes and then order 1000 M&S aqua ties....

Which probabally costs more than that in M&S!

 

[djw1981]

Try primark then, but expect to have to buy a new uniform every shift..

 

[VTDan]

How about Asda's 'George' Collection. Should be alreet shirts are like £1 And NO I dont shop there, I get my shirts etc from that nice 'suits you' place Send em all there.

Anyway as a fallback theres always eBay, <<< Never fails to satisfy!

 

[djw1981]

I wonder if Arriva were actually hoping to have a big launch in January with new timetables, and having allowed time for train painting etc, and relogo-ing of products and staff liveries, so that they are not trying to sort staff uniforms and similiar teething problems in the run up to Christmas when the railway is at its businest.

 

[332 > 444]

Try primark then, but expect to have to buy a new uniform every shift..

My Primark stuff lasts much longer than a day. Shouldnt Arriva been designing their uniform from day, like when they won the franchise, they had a website ready. They couldve had it in production by now?

I can believe Arriva bus services can be so bad outside London bar the Country services under contract to TfL.

 

[jd]

If their performance with ATW is anything to go by, they'll terminate all trains short of New St...

 

[VTDan]

I bet their trams in Norway or Sweden or wherever they are, are no better. Yeah their bus services really are a tragedy. The state of ATW is nothing to write home about either.

 

[332 > 444]

Id say live and let live, prehaps the management they will bring in will know what they are doing to make journeys seamless as possible.

Or i could be wrong, very wrong.

 

[Mojo]

Surely whoever operates it will be just as bad as it's all just run on behalf of DfT anyway.

 

[andel]

I did hear Arriva asked Virgin if they could keep the uniforms...

 

[VTDan]

I did hear Arriva asked Virgin if they could keep the uniforms...

'First ScotRail' had already pointed that out....Unless you were agreeing with them in a way?

 

[me123]

Well, Arriva aren't exactly off to a good start, but I like to give them a chance to start running the franchise before berating them. I'm sure they'll do a decent job, as they are following a decent franchise. Surely they can't be that bad...

 

[VTDan]

Something i'll look forward to aswell. My gut feeling is that they're going to really fook it up! But....
....
.... Only Time Will Tell.....