Virgin diagrams - Pendolino or Voyager?

[J-L-G]

Hi, I'm new round here so hopefully I'm posting in the right place!
I live in Rugby and commute to Birmingham via the Virgin service - I hold a 1st class season ticket (there is a discounted "Virgin only" one).

On the way home, I usually get the 1850 from BHM and this is invariably a Pendolino (9 or 11 car versions) - this is very comfortable as there is usually plenty of seating in 1st. However, twice this week (28/10 & 29/10), the Pendolino has been replaced with a 5 car Voyager, with the commensurate reduction in 1st class seating.

Where can I find out if this is solely a temporary change to the usual set or a more permanent shift in the diagrammed sets?

When Virgin are running the Pendolino, it truly is a dream commute - tea/coffee, peace & quiet, WiFi, comfortable seats, access to the lounge at BHM and... a G&T on the way home! Less so on the Voyager as less space, so I sincerely hope that normal service will be resumed asap!

 

[MCR247]

It was posted in another thread that (I'll try and find it when I get back to my PC) that virgin have had some problems this week with 221s appearing instead of 390s.
I assume it's to do with this as I can't see them making permanent changes in the middle of a timetable?

 

[Mikey C]

I was on a Voyager coming back from Birmingham to London yesterday evening. Everyone just about managed to fit in the 5 cars, the guard suggested waiting for the next train, but knowing that Spurs fans would soon be coming back from Villa Park, I wasn't sure that would be an improvement!

 

[hibtastic]

Sorry for the random question but is the 06:52 Edinburgh to London Euston service always made up of a Voyager (or two Voyagers joined together) rather than a Pendolino?

Thanks

 

[CallySleeper]

2 voyagers coupled together.

 

[najaB]

2 voyagers coupled together.

Do you know if it's a Voyager because the route from Polmadie is around the Sub, or does it come around the Sub because it's a Voyager?

 

[CallySleeper]

Do you know if it's a Voyager because the route from Polmadie is around the Sub, or does it come around the Sub because it's a Voyager?

Good question, wouldn't be able to say for sure. However, interestingly of the 4 daily ECS (2xam 2xpm) only one of the evening ECS is a 390 to Polmadie via Carstairs. The remaining three are all 221 which run round the sub, and on some days also run via Falkirk G. So when you take the need for retaining diversion route knowledge into account, I'm not convinced that 221s are booked on three of these four trains out of coincidence!

 

[hibtastic]

2 voyagers coupled together.

Thanks - I used it before Christmas and they only had one Voyager on it rather than the standard two. This was because the second unit "wasn't ready to leave the depot on time". It was a bit of a squeeze. They did couple it up to another unit at Wolverhampton mind you.

I am on it again on Tuesday next week and was hoping to try out the Pendolino but nevermind.