Wrexham and Shropshire refurbished stock

[williamn]

Found this video update on their refurbished stock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixrYwMkTHII

 

[Royston Vasey]

Found this video update on their refurbished stock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixrYwMkTHII

Cheers Williamn... pretty understated paintwork, though quite nice. I wonder if they're the final seat covers, they're very grey! Though that looked like a mock up in a small part of one coach rather than the finished article, so perhaps it's just for demonstration.

Interesting to see Mallard first class seats but IC70 standard seats.

It's got a feel of the railtour operator having fun on the main line doesn't it though... making a video like that for youtube!!

 

[Proud Salopian]

Any idea when the first refurbished stock will actually be in use?

I'll be travelling with WSMR to and from London in mid-August... and highly doubt it will be the new stock!

 

[fgwrich]

not bad - though i think i like the livery more than the interior...personally i just find grey & white a little to dark and dull / monacrome...ie the seats are grey, the interior panneling is grey...the tables are white, the window frames are white...its just abit tooooo black & white for me...introduce a light ish blue {olympia} like FGW's interior and maybe ill change my mind over it but at the moment...mmmmmmmmmm

glad to see more progres on it though...afterall, its been quite a long time in the making...just a pity about the grey....

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

WOW, they look really well done,

 

[The Planner]

Shame they are a year late.

 

[williamn]

Yes looks like a really classy refurb, not sure why its taken so long though...

 

[poshbakerloo]

They are looking very very VERY nice now!

 

[merlodlliw]

Good afternoon.

This is film is similar to the show put on by Andy Hamilton when he spoke to SCRUA
at Wrexham in April.

Then it was all slide about the new stock, with a few more areas covered.

Andy said the reason for the delay was, The Company in Stoke now Axiom rail underestimated the work to be done, had major problems, got itself a new Production Manager and been bought out By DB engineering, one hears they have some DB staff in Stoke now.

The latest we hear in Wrexham is, new stock is due in August, it will be a complete train set of carriages not just one here and there etc.

The slide show was more advanced than the film on UTube.

 

[rail-britain]

I conducted my Journey Review in July 2009 and have been advised by WSR to wait until the end of August when they will contact me again so that they can confirm their refurbished stock is fully operational, before booking my second Journey Review (to compare before and after)

 

[bengley]

That looks really nice. It's a shame about the locomotives they use, they look horrible.

 

[poshbakerloo]

I wouldn't mind take a train with them sometime...but I think it would cost a bit tho...

 

[TDK]

I wouldn't mind take a train with them sometime...but I think it would cost a bit tho...

I don't think it is as expensive as some folks think, best to check their website at www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk all their fare structures can be found on there.

 

[First class]

Late August 2009 according to WSMR website, well a bit of reading between the lines:

Wireless Internet (WiFi)

Available from late August 2009

Watch this space for confirmation!

Our new trains are coming soon and, when they arrive, you’ll have access to Wireless Internet (WiFi) wherever you’re sitting in the train. There will also be power sockets available throughout the train so you can charge your laptop or mobile phone.

 

[Proud Salopian]

I wouldn't mind take a train with them sometime...but I think it would cost a bit tho...

WSMR are not expensive at all! Check out their advance singles. Shrewsbury-London for £6.60 if you book a month in advance for example.

 

[bengley]

WSMR are not expensive at all! Check out their advance singles. Shrewsbury-London for £6.60 if you book a month in advance for example.

That's odd because a child ticket return to Shrewsbury booked a month in advance costs £20.00.

 

[merlodlliw]

That's odd because a child ticket return to Shrewsbury booked a month in advance costs £20.00.

where did you get this W/S price from?

 

[krus_aragon]

That's odd because a child ticket return to Shrewsbury booked a month in advance costs £20.00.

That would be a child's open return ticket. That is, the kind of ticket you could buy on the day, but bought a month beforehand.

Assuming you're looking at WSMR's online booking pages, at the top you have the option to "choose one return", or if you scroll down there's "two singles". This is where you see anytime and advance fares side by side. Advance fares for travel on the 1st of September include £5 and £9 each way for children at the moment.

 

[williamn]

Any more news on them given its now mid August?!

 

[87031]

they may not be as quick as Vomiters or Pendolinos but they are "PROPER" trains now refitted to a high standard. Hats off to Wrexham and Shropshire...be interesting too see if there are any changes on there services in December, somebody seems to think there will be a new evening service from Marylbone that dosent get into Wrexham as late

 

[The Planner]

There is an evening service planned, but Im not 100% on whether it was offered for Dec 09. Id hardly call them re-fitted to a high standard, they are just bog standard MkIIIs, and these "proper" trains with all the associated bells and whistles service cost a fortune to run.

 

[yorksrob]

There is an evening service planned, but Im not 100% on whether it was offered for Dec 09. Id hardly call them re-fitted to a high standard, they are just bog standard MkIIIs, and these "proper" trains with all the associated bells and whistles service cost a fortune to run.

yeah but we love em

 

[87031]

There is an evening service planned, but Im not 100% on whether it was offered for Dec 09. Id hardly call them re-fitted to a high standard, they are just bog standard MkIIIs, and these "proper" trains with all the associated bells and whistles service cost a fortune to run.

The restaurant car has a high spec kitchen so the grub must be good and as for the refit it walks all over a pendo or vomiter. There not cheap to run but i think you have to admire wrexham and shropshire for there commitment to bringing people a bit of style and decent service despite the longer journey time.

 

[The Planner]

How long can they keep going though without turning over a big enough profit for DB not to pull the plug ??

 

[williamn]

How do you know they're not already turning a profit?

My guess is that they will wait for the refurbished stock to arrive and then do a big marketing push - and see how it goes after that. They cant compete on speed, but can compete on comfort, service and price, and will be hugely helped with delivering that offer by the new stock.

 

[poshbakerloo]

The new trains do look very very very nice! They have put some real effort into it!

 

[Daimler]

The new trains do look very very very nice! They have put some real effort into it!

Hmm? Have you seen one? I wasn't aware any had been completed!

 

[merlodlliw]

this is part of an e message sent out to SCRUA members, and mentions the refurbished stock, and yes the new stock as been seen by staff.

the WSMR cafe at Wrexham General is now open on Sundays.

Some Arriva VDL buses on the Route 1 Wrexham to Chester are now advertising WSMR trains to London on the rear panel. I wonder if Cardiff knows?

Delivery of the first set of refurbished Mark 3 coaches for WSMR now said to be due early September. A set has been inspected by staff who report a quality job at Stoke on Trent.

67010 now in W&S livery is said to be due to be named Charles Darwin but is proving temperamental and won't be named until it is sorted.

One of the current "clever" adverts by WSMR says Wrexham for Chicago. This caused one person to ask if this was a low cost flight from John Lennon airport.

George Jones
Wrexham

 

[Proud Salopian]

Travelled on WSMR yesterday Shrewsbury-London-Shrewsbury... the 08:07 from Shrewsbury was packed (people without reservations standing between Telford and Tame Bridge!) and the evening train back from Marylebone was about 2/3rds full. So it is a popular service!

Any chance of having longer trains? There does, for starters, seem to be a need for more seats on the Saturday 08:07 service!

 

[Aictos]

Sounds good news about the refurbished coaches - can't wait to see it in action even if it does mean another trip on them!