XC services Nottingham - Bournemouth

[Techniquest]

Nah, i just record which ones i've been on, maybe a little note if i've been a particularly good/bad/memorable experience, e.g. 221113 "Sir Walter Raleigh" is the Super Voyager which i got a free FC weekday trip on between Bristol and Preston a good few years ago, when the TM didn't charge me for the upgrade, whilst i held a SC AP single, costing me somewhere in the region of pennies (That trip started my strong preference to travel FC from there on)

Then you ain't a proper Voyager basher...

Gotta have records of what you've had where and the mileage!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Then you ain't a proper Voyager basher...

Gotta have records of what you've had where and the mileage!

I take your point

 

[Techniquest]

Goody

Still nice to have a fellow Voyager enthusiast about the place. Two of us versus the world!

 

[Waverley125]

northern 158s? are we finally going to get a Nottingham service via Wakefield & Chesterfield?

 

[Techniquest]

In about 6 weeks, aye.

 

[222001]

Goody

Still nice to have a fellow Voyager enthusiast about the place. Two of us versus the world!

I too would call myself a Voyager enthusiast. But I prefer the Meridians though!

northern 158s? are we finally going to get a Nottingham service via Wakefield & Chesterfield?

From 14th December 2008 Yes!

 

[Techniquest]

I too would call myself a Voyager enthusiast. But I prefer the Meridians though!

Fair enough. It seems more and more people are coming out of hiding now. Maybe it's because the Voyagers are getting old...

 

[Bayum]

I've always said I liked Voyagers soooo, im not *out of hiding really*

 

[Scott]

It's weird yous are talking about Voyagers like this. I want to be a train driver when I leave school and i was looking at some train pics to see what train i'd want to drive, and out of all of them i was instantly attacted to the voyager. It can travel as fast as most trains, yet it looks like a fresh, modern metro.

Also the design of them is good. I especially think that the front of them looks nice :-P

They also stood out from other trains when i was waiting to catch the train home from york on a recent family holiday. of all the trains that were coming and going from the station, i thought "that train looks the best"

Also, even though i don't know a lot about train names (like what all the different classes look like) i could tell a voyager from a mile away :-P They're just completely unique.

 

[mrcheek]

It's weird yous are talking about Voyagers like this. I want to be a train driver when I leave school and i was looking at some train pics to see what train i'd want to drive, and out of all of them i was instantly attacted to the voyager. It can travel as fast as most trains, yet it looks like a fresh, modern metro.

Also the design of them is good. I especially think that the front of them looks nice :-P

They also stood out from other trains when i was waiting to catch the train home from york on a recent family holiday. of all the trains that were coming and going from the station, i thought "that train looks the best"

Also, even though i don't know a lot about train names (like what all the different classes look like) i could tell a voyager from a mile away :-P They're just completely unique.

being the driver is probably the decent place to be in a Voyager. a comfortable seat, and no stench from the toilet.

 

[Max]

I can imagine Voyagers are great to drive, but for the passengers the experience isn't quite as great ! I believe that the design of the HST is still more striking than the Voyagers, despite the fact that it is much older.

 

[Pumbaa]

Aye - I'd give an arm and maybe half a leg to be in a Voyager cab and so away from the stench of the loos! Air conditioned as well - suits me fine, and I bet you don't have to stand either!

 

[Scott]

Aye - I'd give an arm and maybe half a leg to be in a Voyager cab and so away from the stench of the loos! Air conditioned as well - suits me fine, and I bet you don't have to stand either!

I was looking on a site a few days ago and i can remember reading something along the lines of "whilst voyagers are good, passengers have complained that they don't have enough capacity as the HSTs that used to operate on these lines, so during peak times they become overcrowded and passengers have to stand. To counter this XC will be running longer voyager trains than normal during peak times." So if you usually use XC, you mightn't have to stand on their voyager trains anymore.

 

[devon_metro]

Define "peak times" on XC? Peak times is all day half terms, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays. Quite simply 4 car trains aren't suitable on anything half as long as they do!

 

[Scott]

Well at the end of the day they'll have to do something about it, because they're losing money if passengers can't buy tickets for trains because they're already overbooked.

 

[devon_metro]

Trains don't get "overbooked". They may sell out of advance ticket, but if you buy a ticket at the station, you can not be disallowed access to the train unless it is at a dangerous level.

 

[P156KWJ]

That's because St Pancras isn't managed by NR

isn't it? Cos I don't think it's managed by EMT, so do Eurostar maintain it?

 

[Pumbaa]

isn't it? Cos I don't think it's managed by EMT, so do Eurostar maintain it?

It's kinda wierd. Network Rail manage the sub-surface station bit, excluding the tube section, so Thameslink platforms basically. The high-level bits that aren't for Eurostar are managed by the British company in the Eurostar consortium (L&CR) and the Eurostar bit is managed by Eurostar itself.

Complicated much?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Well at the end of the day they'll have to do something about it, because they're losing money if passengers can't buy tickets for trains because they're already overbooked.

Passengers have been saying that for how many years?! Welcome to the British rail network Scott! Not enough money, not enough stock, services, investment, common sense and too much paperwork and bureaucracy.

CrossCountry can't make their Voyager trains longer really - unless they cut some services. Which would have just a bad effect as leaving their present trains half as long as they could be. Plus, Virgin want some of CrossCountrys Voyager trains, so some more will disappear because CrossCountry are reintroducing some HSTs. Complicated much?

Unfortunately, the demand for rail travel is largely inelastic (ie no matter what the price (and conditions) demand will stay roughly the same). So if CrossCountry doesn't make their trains longer, the passengers will just continue grumbling.

 

[me123]

Trains don't get "overbooked". They may sell out of advance ticket, but if you buy a ticket at the station, you can not be disallowed access to the train unless it is at a dangerous level.

They usually don't book every seat on a train anyway to allow passengers with walk-up fares the opportunity to find a seat. Virgin are one of the worst perpetrators for this, and most of the seats on some services are unreserved despite "no reservations being available". Public don't particularly like it...

But as you say, you don't need a reservation for anything other than the sleepers at the moment.

 

[Scott]

Plus, Virgin want some of CrossCountrys Voyager trains, so some more will disappear because CrossCountry are reintroducing some HSTs. Complicated much?

Isn't that a good thing? I think I read somewhere that the reason they're doing that is because of the Voyager's overcrowding (don't the HSTs have around double the capacity of Voyagers?).

 

[Bayum]

Yes, but the trains that the HST's takeover will then be able to double on some services wouldn't they.

E.g. Say the 09:40 Edinburgh - Plymouth was run by a Voyager, after Christmas it could be run by a HST, and that Voyager that has been replaced by the HST could say, be doubled up on another busier service. E.g. Piccadilly - Bournemouth, or Glasgow - Penzance

 

[87015]

Yes, but the trains that the HST's takeover will then be able to double on some services wouldn't they.

E.g. Say the 09:40 Edinburgh - Plymouth was run by a Voyager, after Christmas it could be run by a HST, and that Voyager that has been replaced by the HST could say, be doubled up on another busier service. E.g. Piccadilly - Bournemouth, or Glasgow - Penzance

Don't think so, as the Voyagers replaced are moving to West Coast. For use on trains incl Brum-Glasgow and Euston-Lancaster, which are obviously a much more sensible use of Voyagerjunk. Apparently :roll:

They also have about four weeks for four more rakes of refurb HST stock to appear, which may be pretty hopeful thinking.

 

[Scott]

Voyagerjunk

Voyagers aren't junk. IMO they're the best trains in england They just need to be made bigger for peak-time services. 1 extra carriage would be good enough TBH.

 

[P156KWJ]

well, each person to their own opinion but I think voyagers are too short, shoddy, plasticky and noisy. And a minor fault it may seems but I hate the fact the armrests are very narrow :mad:

 

[Scott]

Well if they were so bad, why would the main train companys such as virgin, XC and first use them? :-P

However i think that the TOCs where i live use "super voyagers". I have no idea what the difference if between regular and super voyagers, but maybe the super ones are much better? :-P

Also, are u a train driver Sulzer25? *saw your avatar*

 

[P156KWJ]

Well if they were so bad, why would the main train companys such as virgin, XC and first use them? :-P

However i think that the TOCs where i live use "super voyagers". I have no idea what the difference if between regular and super voyagers, but maybe the super ones are much better? :-P

Also, are u a train driver Sulzer25? *saw your avatar*

because Virgin ordered them with the intention of doubling up their services, but underestimated the capacity they'd need. And what else would XC use? They've been given the ones cascaded from VXC.

The super voyagers are 5 car and have tilt mode (although it is switched off!)

No I am not, but that is my ultimate aim. Wouldn't get very far in that train in question, as it's 89001

 

[Jordy]

Super Voyagers (221s) can tilt and are 5 cars rather than 4 (220s), however I think there is/was one or two 4 car 221s, just to confuse us!

EDIT: Sulzer25 beat me!

Each to their own but I don't like Voyagers, mainly for the underfloor engines, which vibrate too much and are too loud! The toilet smell can be pretty awful at times too. There are many other things I could go into, but most have already been mentioned! Give me loco hauled or a HST any day...

 

[Scott]

Maybe that's why the voyagers where i live are perfect - they're 5 car so they would probably never get overcrowded.

Maybe the tilt mode is a sign that the government have finally decided to re-do the whole of england's rail network creating lines like the ones the bullet trains use and the TOCs are getting ready for it. Afterall Virgin use both voyagers AND pendolinos

Also, wouldn't replacing voyagers with super voyagers get rid of the overcrowding problem?

 

[devon_metro]

You can't just build a new fleet of (rubbish) trains!

 

[Jordy]

Maybe that's why the voyagers where i live are perfect - they're 5 car so they would probably never get overcrowded.

Where do you live? Its very rare to get a non overcrowded (or at least busy) Voyager IMX!

Maybe the tilt mode is a sign that the government have finally decided to re-do the whole of england's rail network creating lines like the ones the bullet trains use and the TOCs are getting ready for it. Afterall Virgin use both voyagers AND pendolinos

Would be nice, but that is not the case.

Also, wouldn't replacing voyagers with super voyagers get rid of the overcrowding problem?

Not really, 5 cars is better than 4 but still not enough most of the time!