Virgin Friday LHCS (now M-F)

[Pumbaa]

Same as last week.

 

[Geezertronic]

Is this Loco Hauled set still running this week then? What is it's times off London and Brum this week please if anyone could let me know it would be appreciated!

Last week it was usually arriving into Birmingham International at around 1pm which I assume makes it the 11:43am from London Euston to Birmingham New Street arriving in BNS at 1:08pm so I guess you can work out the services from there?

 

[Benn88]

Excellent, I think I shall give it a go this week, possibly Friday.

Thanks.

 

[37401]

Second diagram is correct:

0743 EUS BHM

0930 BHM - EUS

1143 EUS - BHM

1330 BHM - EUS

1543 EUS - BHM

1730 BHM – EUS

according to Snapper on wnxx who's gen came direct from Virgin I believe

Just a quick edit on this for those who do not yet know, last time I bashed it these were not the times so I beleve they have changed, now for the new set

0703 EUS BHM

0850 BHM - EUS

1043 EUS - BHM

1230 BHM - EUS

1443 EUS - BHM

1630 BHM – EUS

 

[Flamboyant Train]

It's 0703 not 0643 off Euston and defo 1443 and 1630 return, don't know about the rest.

Also Friday just gone, and then this Friday, 1P05 will be the Cargo-D rake!

 

[matt]

Has the new set been out this week?

 

[2030720310]

Has the new set been out this week?

Not sure about this week specifically but it has entered service. Haven't seen it personally (would like to though) but I've seen pictures of it.

 

[37401]

It's 0703 not 0643 off Euston and defo 1443 and 1630 return, don't know about the rest.

Also Friday just gone, and then this Friday, 1P05 will be the Cargo-D rake!

ahh good, yeah I can confirm the rest having bashed it last week,ahh cool something to annoy my mate with he wants to see the new set and he keeps getting the cargo-D

 

[The Planner]

Has the new set been out this week?

Was on the 1630 off New St today and I expect it will be out for a little while yet

 

[Philip Elliott]

0703 EUS BHM

0830 BHM - EUS

1043 EUS - BHM

1230 BHM - EUS

1443 EUS - BHM

1630 BHM – EUS

It is the 08.50 BHM to Euston

 

[37401]

It is the 08.50 BHM to Euston

ta, I only bashed the set from 1230 so ta for the GEN

 

[BlythPower]

I've seen it sticking firmly to:
0703 EUS BHM
0850 BHM - EUS
1043 EUS - BHM
1230 BHM - EUS
1443 EUS - BHM
1630 BHM – EUS
on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week - with 90029 providing power.

 

[37401]

I've seen it sticking firmly to:
0703 EUS BHM
0850 BHM - EUS
1043 EUS - BHM
1230 BHM - EUS
1443 EUS - BHM
1630 BHM – EUS
on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week - with 90029 providing power.

yup works those diagrams MON-THUR

note: the 1230 1B44 BHM-EUS is currently 16 down and has been getting later and later anyone know why?

NOTE: the rtn 90 service was cancelled

 

[The Planner]

TRUST says TASS problems.

 

[bengolding]

So will the 07:03 and the rest of the above diagram be a Pendolino tomorrow? Damn... what diagram is the Voyager meant to be on as I definitely do not want to be on that out or back due to:

1) Only 1 First coach so can get pretty corwded
2) Breakfast offering - the pre-prepared bacon roll really does taste like cardboard
3) No wi-fi
4) I find mobile signal coverage on the Voyagers is shambolic!

Out of interest, why doesn't the loco-hauled train run on Fridays?

 

[matt]

It does. At the moment there are two sets out on Friday with the cargo-d set being on the evening run to Preston.

 

[bengolding]

Do you happen to know what diagrams these 2 loco-hauled sets will work tomorrow on the Euston-Birmingham route, at all?

 

[matt]

If the refurb set is out it will work the diagram above starting with the 07:03 London to Birmingham. The cargo-d set should work the Fridays only 18:46 Euston to Preston.

 

[bengolding]

Great, thanks for that. I'll definitely get the 07:03 tomorrow then and will post a follow-up after my journey. Do you happen to know what the loco-hauled diagram is on Saturday at all, as I may be returning to Euston then.

 

[matt]

The 17:43 Euston to Birmingham has been loco hauled the past Saturdays. Whether it is this Saturday i've idea (but I hope it is as I havn't photographed the new set yet and there is a nice forcast for saturday )

 

[The Planner]

Nicked from the closed thread...

These where the diagram posted on the site this week....it just go's to show how far people are prepeared to go to avoid Voyagers and nasty Pendolinos. The new set looks great imagine if that idiot Branson had kept more of the rolling stock we could of had more loco hauled choice than whats around at the moment. He was just sop obsessed with trying to shave a few minutes of journey times here and there to try and compete with the airlines. I think theres just no comparison between a Mk3 and a Pendolino...people want comfort as well as speed in a journey. First Great Western chose the refurb option instead of being obsessed by new trains and there now one of the best for timekeeping and all the refurb stock is excellent on the HSTs. The West Coast has been ruined by Branson no good printing a timetable if the trains cant keep to it.

So it was nothing to do with the Dft and SLC2, and Branson decided everything then ?? your comment is nonsense. Ive travelled on several of the LHCS services and they are nowhere near full, people will travel on whats there, simple as.

LHCS do not keep to a Pendolino path and will on average lose 5-6 minutes due to their 110mph top speed and it causes problems. As for FGW, their timekeeping is due to the fact the running times in several places have been amended and the timetable tweaked, nothing to do with their rolling stock. The VHF timetable works, and has been proven to over the last 9 months, the timetable can't forsee massive infrastructure failures and other issues. How a 20 minute frequency, 72 minute journey at its quickest, from Birmingham to Euston can be seen as a step backwards is beyond me.

Once the pranged Pendos are back in working order the LHCS will stop.

[/rant]

 

[87015]

The VHF timetable might "work", but its screwed over a lot of non-London journeys and local passengers, but I don't suppose that matters? You don't need three trains an hour to Manchester and Birmingham off peak as they are half empty, the Chester runs with about one coach load of people, just using the paths so there are no 100/110mph paths anyone else might like to use if there wasn't any protection.

On topic, it didn't take long for a First liveried skoda to get on the set, 90019 on it today.

 

[bengolding]

A friend travelled on a Super Voyager from Euston to Crewe the other day (destination Chester), and couldn't help but notice how empty the train was. Milton Keynes is pick-up only. I think Virgin made a mistake here by not stopping the hourly xx:10 from Euston at Nuneaton.

 

[87031]

Nicked from the closed thread...



So it was nothing to do with the Dft and SLC2, and Branson decided everything then ?? your comment is nonsense. Ive travelled on several of the LHCS services and they are nowhere near full, people will travel on whats there, simple as.

LHCS do not keep to a Pendolino path and will on average lose 5-6 minutes due to their 110mph top speed and it causes problems. As for FGW, their timekeeping is due to the fact the running times in several places have been amended and the timetable tweaked, nothing to do with their rolling stock. The VHF timetable works, and has been proven to over the last 9 months, the timetable can't forsee massive infrastructure failures and other issues. How a 20 minute frequency, 72 minute journey at its quickest, from Birmingham to Euston can be seen as a step backwards is beyond me.

Once the pranged Pendos are back in working order the LHCS will stop.

[/rant]

I didnt actually say that FGW timekeeping was down to the rolling stock its down to the fact that there timetable isnt unrealistic like Virgin. Obviously Skodas cannot keep to Pendolino times i appreciate that im just saying if Virgin put a HF timetable out and the infastructures wrong then more fool them. It's like polishing a turd really. If you sat the LHCS are empty then it proves theres no need for HF service in the day....and it's not just on Birmingham route either, why run half empty trains if there where not so many digrams then Virgin wouldnt need the LHC set. Quality not Quantity FGW and ECML seem to have the right balance

 

[The Planner]

Why isnt the timetable realistic ?? If there no outside influences, there is no delay caused by it and it works. The press, Dft and Virgin would have been down like a ton of bricks if it didnt. There is no delay attributed to it at all.

You also seem to think the timetable is all down to Virgin, it isnt, it HAD to be brought in as the Dft specced it. It also isnt their fault if infrastrucure and other problems cause them delay, that was NR ballsing up.

Virgin also wouldnt need the LHCS if all the Pendos were in working order. You are also mistaken if you dont think FGW would run more trains if they could, the capacity out to Reading is what stops them doing that.

 

[alex57601]

Nicked from the closed thread...



So it was nothing to do with the Dft and SLC2, and Branson decided everything then ?? your comment is nonsense. Ive travelled on several of the LHCS services and they are nowhere near full, people will travel on whats there, simple as.

LHCS do not keep to a Pendolino path and will on average lose 5-6 minutes due to their 110mph top speed and it causes problems. As for FGW, their timekeeping is due to the fact the running times in several places have been amended and the timetable tweaked, nothing to do with their rolling stock. The VHF timetable works, and has been proven to over the last 9 months, the timetable can't forsee massive infrastructure failures and other issues. How a 20 minute frequency, 72 minute journey at its quickest, from Birmingham to Euston can be seen as a step backwards is beyond me.

Once the pranged Pendos are back in working order the LHCS will stop.

[/rant]

Well said that man!

People are far too often too quick to jump on the 'blame Virgin' bandwagon, but at the end of the day the timetable specification was out of their hands, as is the infrastructure failing. If the timetable really was bad they would've abandoned it by now.

Yes there were farces, but it's only natural for new timetables to have teething troubles, and it's how you deal with it that matters. Virgin dealt with it well. London Midland had a terrible first few weeks in December/January with planned cancellations in advance, traincrew out of position, stock shortages, and the first Saturday of the timetabled revealed very little service on their Birmingham-Liverpool route.

Also, people may think that the Birmimgham and Manchester trains are 'empty' due to a service every 20mins, but have you thought to check the First Class end? The Manchester route in particular has been successful in attracting more passengers from the airlines.

Face it, locos + stock are gone. Pendo's are here to stay.

 

[Geezertronic]

They are going to lengthen a number of Pendolino's to 11 cars and order 4 new sets, one would assume to compliment the existing fleet. They wouldn't do this if they ran around empty, even off-peak.

And bear in mind that Virgin lost a Pendolino set in the Grayrigg accident and I understand the refurbed loco hauled set was a kind of replacement for that too.

Face it, locos + stock are gone. Pendo's are here to stay.

I would say that sets are here to stay rather than specifying Pendo's myself

 

[matt]

Both sets were out today with the cargo-d set do an afternoon run to Birmingham. Anyone know why both sets were out today?

 

[Bayum]

Both sets were out today with the cargo-d set do an afternoon run to Birmingham. Anyone know why both sets were out today?

Could be just for extra demand with it being summer holidays possibly??

Not likely to be the case... But, ya know!

 

[matt]

It was running instead of a Pendolino not in addition to one. I don't think there is that much difference in capacity between the mark 3 set and a pendolino.