Farewell Silverlink, MML, GNER and VXC

[Bonnie Prince Charlie]

Well if TS will fund more units then maybe AXC would

 

[me123]

The service could potentially benifit a successful Commonwealth bid if we win tomorrow, but the money seems to be going elsewhere at this moment in time. GARL, A-B and Alloa are all major projects that need money. Although the latter is nearing a conclusion now, the others have quite a bit to go.

 

[martyn29]

going to York on the 24th of November cant wait!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UL5lz-jE32E heres my tribute

 

[adambro]

Said Goodbye to MML and Silverlink today:

http://jst.fotopic.net/c1403508.html

Central and VXC on Friday.

Wow, nice photo: http://jst.fotopic.net/p46484678.html

What camera? Did you use an ND filter for this shot?

 

[First ScotRail]

New EMT website now online:
www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk

 

[Gizmogle]

Anyone doing any bashing? Here's my mega insane plan if anyone wants to join me for the last day tomorrow...

Arr|Dep
xxxx|0629 Buxton
0718|0733 Stockport
0803|0834 Stoke-on-Trent
0928|0934 Derby
1004|1009 Leicester
1109|1130 Birmingham New Street
1223|1245 Milton Keynes Central
1249|1257 Bletchley
1339|1349 Bedford
1431|1450 Bletchley
1544|xxxx London Euston
xxxx|1625 London St Pancras
2003|2015 Leeds
2247|xxxx London Kings Cross
xxxx|2345 London Waterloo
0012|0040 Woking
0113|xxxx Ash Vale

 

[Mushroom]

EMT 135's: http://cw-railpic.fpic.co.uk/c1404946.html

 

[1D53]

Wow, nice photo: http://jst.fotopic.net/p46484678.html

What camera? Did you use an ND filter for this shot?

My Normal Powershot A620, no filter or anything. 2.5secs at AV 7 ish, 50 iso, normal white balance and no flash!

CT and VXC today - CT up to their usual pathetic standard it must be said - will update http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15288 in a minute. All in all I wont miss them for one damn second!

 

[Jim]

The first batch of photographs from my trip yesterday are now in my Franchise Farewell collection at:
http://ronstruttsrailwaypics.fotopic.net/c1401814.html
Nice photos there, good to seethat the end of the franchise de-branding still atracts some fun :http://ronstruttsrailwaypics.fotopic.net/p46411465.html

 

[ChrisCooper]

Anyone got the unit allocations for the new TOCs yet? Will be interesting to see how exactly the CT fleet will be split. I presume there will be some moving around saturday and sunday to make sure that all units are at the right place. Also, anyone know where the XC Turbostars will be based? Still Nottingham (as they are with CT), or will they move to Tysley along with LMs DMUs. Will also be interesting to see where the HSTs are based when the arrive (Derby?). Finally, are the Super Voyagers VWC are getting going to still be at Central Rivers, or will they move to a different depot?

 

[class 313]

Anyone got the unit allocations for the new TOCs yet? Will be interesting to see how exactly the CT fleet will be split. I presume there will be some moving around saturday and sunday to make sure that all units are at the right place. Also, anyone know where the XC Turbostars will be based? Still Nottingham (as they are with CT), or will they move to Tysley along with LMs DMUs. Will also be interesting to see where the HSTs are based when the arrive (Derby?). Finally, are the Super Voyagers VWC are getting going to still be at Central Rivers, or will they move to a different depot?

I think the HST's are gunna be kept at Derby and NH still.

 

[Max]

Not a great last day for VXC. Several long delays and cancellations going northbound tonight. Last VXC Brum-Edinburgh will arrive exactly an hour late

 

[me123]

A sad way to see a good franchise go.

 

[87015]

Yes VXC certainly going out in their usual fashion, a complete shambles Best I saw was a nortbound 2hr20 late and stuck at Leeds awaiting the next farce to clear as York had collapsed...

My last CT train also managed to 20 minutes Derby-Brum and then X-City RRS, good riddance to them both.

 

[Max]

To be fair, today was a complete disaster down the ECML and in Yorkshire. Signalling failures, failed GNER train (1630 off KX). Doncaster was mental at about 20:30 - must have been about 6 Northbound GNERs/Virgins within about 15 minutes!

 

[Techniquest]

Bloody hell, not good. Maybe that was part of the reason why the Leeds - Exeter yesterday afternoon (due through Bristol Parkway at 1927) was so late. 1927 due off, eventually left just before 2007! To add insult to injury, I needed it for haulage too. If it hadn't been so late, maybe I'd have done it.

I did like the little touches Newport added to the end of CT last night. On the screen on platform 2 that summarises where everything is going to/from, under the 2050 Cardiff Central - Birmingham New Street run it had in capital light blue letters "FAREWELL CENTRALS!!!" on the screen. On the LCD screen on platform 3, the scrolling display read "Calling at: Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa and Birmingham New St. THIS IS THE FINAL CENTRAL TRAINS DEPARTURE FRON NEWPORT.....". Got photos of both screens. Bit emotional I was if I'm quite honest.

Got back to Hereford and saw off 170508 for the last time as a Central Trains unit as it arrived on the 2059 from Birmingham and as it left on the 2245 back to Worcester Shrub Hill. Don't mind admitting I saluted that one, 170105 (at Newport) and 221108 (at Bristol Parkway).

Now we've got the joys of London Midland and Arriva Cross-Country down this way. Can't escape Arriva on XC now!

Farewell Virgin CrossCountry, Central Trains, Midland Mainline, GNER and Silverlink.

 

[me123]

Can't escape Arriva on XC now!

I'm willing to give them a chance, even though they snubbed Glasgow almost completely :mad:. I can only hope that they bring back a service for the Commonwealth Games.

As you say, it is the end of an era, but maybe the start of a better one also.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Bristol Temple Meads
Arr
19:06 19:01 Virgin Trains
Terminates here
Dep
_ _

From Live Departure Boards; obviously yet to be upadated

 

[Ascot]

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Bristol Temple Meads
Arr
19:06 19:01 Virgin Trains
Terminates here
Dep
_ _

From Live Departure Boards; obviously yet to be upadated

Not quite, if it goes via WCML it's still VT service as such. Around Dec time it will fully transfer over to VT on the WCML. Just Live Dep have jumped the gun a bit and got all the old timetable services going via Wigan to VT. AFAIK anyway.

 

[Tom]

Any train running via the WCML to Scotland is being advertised as VT all the way through but is being operated by VT in co-operation with Arriva XC.

 

[W14Fishbourne]

Any train running via the WCML to Scotland is being advertised as VT all the way through but is being operated by VT in co-operation with Arriva XC.

I think you'll find that the operator of the first leg gets credited as the operator throughout. So Southbound trains will be VT while Northbound trains will be XC.

 

[me123]

Yup, WCML and reversing at Edinburgh. And LDBs have been updated, with BHM showing services by XC and LM. I win the dunce hat

 

[Tom]

I think you'll find that the operator of the first leg gets credited as the operator throughout. So Southbound trains will be VT while Northbound trains will be XC.

The 0947 off Bomo this morning was advertised as VT... 1147 was XC

 

[First ScotRail]

Any train leaving Glasgow via WCML was advertised as the Virgin Voyager service whereas the trains going via ECML were just blank however were announced by the station announcer...after a pause as virgin trains!