XC Voyager Refurbishment

[tfw756rider]

It's an air vent.

Oh OK, thanks. Strangest looking air vent I've ever seen!

125mph is 201kph. It wasn't too long ago that on this very forum people were outraged that the 80x fleet is limited to 200kph and called it "the end of 125mph running"

Ah, I stand corrected. Yes I remember that thread, RIP 125mph and how dare they limit them to 124mph (as if they could tell the 1mph difference).

 

[M60lad]

I would have thought as part of the refurbishment that they would have had modern TV information screens fitted like what was fitted to the Pendalino's during their refurbishment unless this is due at a later date as quite a number of TOCs have them fitted now.

 

[-Colly405-]

Your choice but you're judging the refurb on photos rather than first hand experience.

This to me looks perfectly acceptable, the interior looks smart and the seats are the same used on the refurbished 170s which are comfortable enough.

I highly doubt National Express or any of the internal UK flight routes will see any increase in passenger numbers over this.

Exactly.
Your average passenger really won't care what the livery is, and it is very subjective to decide a seat is uncomfy just by it's looks (I've not yet seen any posts from anyone who has actually sat on the new Voyager seats). I'll reserve my judgement until I've sat in one myself, knowing how marmite the old seats were (I found them fine, even for Bristol - Leeds or Edinburgh journeys)!

 

[dk1]

Not that there have been any decent exterior photos yet of course, just ones that only really show one driving vehicle for some reason.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2026 ==

I think that’s because the centre cars are yet to be done as still in the original livery.

 

[GoneSouth]

How are those grab handles blocking the trolley? They don’t look to be any more obtrusive than the fold down stems, or are those a problem too?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2026 ==

Have they done anything with the seat reservation screens, can’t really tell from the photos

 

[Lanley]

I think that’s because the centre cars are yet to be done as still in the original livery.

The centre cars have been repainted in a grey colour as per the renders which can be seen in the picture on the Alstom press release if you zoom in

Source: https://www.alstom.com/press-releas...rst-refurbished-crosscountry-voyager-train-uk

 

[scottie]

Would have been nice if they took the opportunity to make the cab side numbers bigger or put last 3 digits on the front end for viewing more easier.

 

[357]

(as if they could tell the 1mph difference).

The speedometer both in the cab and the feed to the onboard computer is only accurate to +/- 2mph anyway! (Subject to calibration)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Something which is conspicuously absent (which I tend to expect in new/redesigned interiors these days): modern LCD displays for live information.

The voyagers do actually manage quite good use of the available space on the scrolling dot matrix displays, but you can be waiting quite a while for a particular piece of information to come up, and there are certain things it can't do that would be useful e.g. show a station departure board on approach to a major interchange.

They also really could have done with replacing the reservation system, costly though it might be, because it's so incredibly unreliable. There wasn't the same imperative on Pendolinos as it usually works.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2026 ==

I would have thought as part of the refurbishment that they would have had modern TV information screens fitted like what was fitted to the Pendalino's during their refurbishment unless this is due at a later date as quite a number of TOCs have them fitted now.

That is indeed a surprising omission.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2026 ==

Have they done anything with the seat reservation screens, can’t really tell from the photos

In my understanding no.

 

[fgwrich]

The centre cars have been repainted in a grey colour as per the renders which can be seen in the picture on the Alstom press release if you zoom in

Source: https://www.alstom.com/press-releas...rst-refurbished-crosscountry-voyager-train-uk

Picture from Stewart Cumming. Unsure which ex Avanti unit that is to the right.

 

[sabanda]

The Avanti unit is 102. Somebody from Alstom suggested it was next in line for refurb, as unlikely as that feels.

 

[The_Train]

Really excited to read another thread with endless opinions on seat comfort…

I don't see how there can be so much discussion about seats. If they are of the "modern" designs, they will be uncomfortable, irrelevant of who designs them.

The centre cars have been repainted in a grey colour as per the renders which can be seen in the picture on the Alstom press release if you zoom in

Source: https://www.alstom.com/press-releas...rst-refurbished-crosscountry-voyager-train-uk

It's such a shame that the grey colour doesn't start after the doors on the driving cars, nearest the middle carriages, so it feels like the livery flows through the train. It actually just looks like 2 different colour schemes now, a bit like how it looks when they do special liveries but just stick them on the first carriage.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Avanti unit is 102. Somebody from Alstom suggested it was next in line for refurb, as unlikely as that feels.

I'm sure I read somewhere that they were going to prioritise the Avanti ones as they aren't XC spec (e.g. they have the disused shop instead of the extra luggage space). Can't remember where though. Shame in a way as they're in the best condition.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Feb 2026 ==

I don't see how there can be so much discussion about seats. If they are of the "modern" designs, they will be uncomfortable, irrelevant of who designs them.

It's such a shame that the grey colour doesn't start after the doors on the driving cars, nearest the middle carriages, so it feels like the livery flows through the train. It actually just looks like 2 different colour schemes now, a bit like how it looks when they do special liveries but just stick them on the first carriage.

There is supposed to be a "device" that joins them but it's missing. I do wonder if it's a bit of a rush job so there's still snagging to do - I noticed on one of the photos that the seats have clearly been installed quickly as they aren't all at the same angle, one of the photos shows the top of the armrests and the grab handles being all over the place. I guess that takes a bit of time with the LEAN as it's mounted to a horizontal pole, you can mount it at any angle and at any distance from the sidewall.

 

[driverd]

They also really could have done with replacing the reservation system, costly though it might be, because it's so incredibly unreliable. There wasn't the same imperative on Pendolinos as it usually works.

I think this may be down to the individual TM/Drivers on your route and how they set them up, I travel on these atleast twice a week and can't remember the last time they weren't working. In my experience, they're probably up there with the most reliable systems in use on the network.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think this may be down to the individual TM/Drivers on your route and how they set them up, I travel on these atleast twice a week and can't remember the last time they weren't working. In my experience, they're probably up there with the most reliable systems in use on the network.

I've pulled this out to another thread as I think it deserves delving into a bit:

Voyager reservation system reliability and related factors

They also really could have done with replacing the reservation system, costly though it might be, because it's so incredibly unreliable. There wasn't the same imperative on Pendolinos as it usually works. I think this may be down to the individual TM/Drivers on your route and how they set...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[CR165022]

The Avanti unit is 102. Somebody from Alstom suggested it was next in line for refurb, as unlikely as that feels.

Unlikely given it's one of the ones XC weren't given. And also given the Avanti ones only just had a refurb.

 

[Bumpkin]

The Scotsman newspaper have uploaded a video to their socials which include an image of the seats in the airline configuration showing the legroom and distance the flip down table extends.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Scotsman newspaper have uploaded a video to their socials which include an image of the seats in the airline configuration showing the legroom and distance the flip down table extends.

That looks tight, given that the LEAN has quite a short base and the seats are raked quite steeply backwards (remember that taller people also have longer lower legs so their knees sit higher than short people). Not as bad as the original Class 158 but not far off.

Plus, the muppets have put the sockets right in the way of one possible location for a taller person's knee. About the most stupid place to put them I've seen yet.

Looks to me like whoever designed it was a short, slight woman*, same as anything specced by Transport UK. They certainly have no understanding at all of the proportions or anatomy of taller, larger men, and nor does anyone at Fisa who thought a central niche was a solution to legroom issues or that a long table was workable in a tight seat pitch.

* This might actually be true. On the Alstom post on Facebook, there was someone quite senior, though I forget her role, who posted about being proud of her part in it...

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I don't see how there can be so much discussion about seats. If they are of the "modern" designs, they will be uncomfortable, irrelevant of who designs them.

That's just... not the case...

The Scotsman newspaper have uploaded a video to their socials which include an image of the seats in the airline configuration showing the legroom and distance the flip down table extends.

I'm hoping they'll give laptop users an easier time, as the current seats don't allow you to open your laptop up properly. It means for my regular three hour commutes on CrossCountry I have to book a table seat and compromise on legroom.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm hoping they'll give laptop users an easier time, as the current seats don't allow you to open your laptop up properly. It means for my regular three hour commutes on CrossCountry I have to book a table seat and compromise on legroom.

I seem to recall you saying you were fairly skinny, so I think the deeper tables will work for you? Personally when I work on my laptop on the train I tend to have it on my lap rather than on the table, though, unless at a seat with a proper table. The seat back table tends to put it too high up for comfort.

Having said that, the seats are quite raked back, which may make opening the laptop fully on even the larger table impractical.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I just hope that XC look after the units rather than run them into the ground.

Indeed, XC gets a bad enough rap as it is!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I seem to recall you saying you were fairly skinny, so I think the deeper tables will work for you? Personally when I work on my laptop on the train I tend to have it on my lap rather than on the table, though, unless at a seat with a proper table. The seat back table tends to put it too high up for comfort.

Having said that, the seats are quite raked back, which may make opening the laptop fully on even the larger table impractical.

I'm a stick, yes.
I can't concentrate with my Mac on my lap, it needs to be on a hard surface. The Sophia and the new Pendolino seat both have great pull downs (and helpful extendables) for this. The Antolin is too small.

Shame, as I often book Coach C Seat 09, as I find it has some of the best legroom of any standard class DMU seats nationwide. But then I can't use the computer!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Shame, as I often book Coach C Seat 09, as I find it has some of the best legroom of any standard class DMU seats nationwide. But then I can't use the computer!

I assume that's a priority seat? They're usually pretty generous on Voyagers (and are the only place I fit at all).

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I assume that's a priority seat? They're usually pretty generous on Voyagers (and are the only place I fit at all).

Yes.

 

[FGWHST43009]

I'm a stick, yes.
I can't concentrate with my Mac on my lap, it needs to be on a hard surface. The Sophia and the new Pendolino seat both have great pull downs (and helpful extendables) for this. The Antolin is too small.

Shame, as I often book Coach C Seat 09, as I find it has some of the best legroom of any standard class DMU seats nationwide. But then I can't use the computer!

Having used XC several times for long journeys I've noted the best seats and try to book them whenever I travel. Coach D seat 52 is a table seat with a great window view, which I had from Cardiff Central to Newcastle. Quite a few others going from Cardiff to stations beyond Derby as well. Coach C seat 4 is another of my favourites. For me a good window view makes a long journey more bearable.

 

[802020]

Picture from Stewart Cumming. Unsure which ex Avanti unit that is to the right.

Absolutely terrible. Really hope they come out and say that it’s unfinished. Is there one person in here that thinks the whole 4 car livery together looks good?

A part of me does wonder if there is a reason behind cars 2 and 3 getting no publicity at all until I saw that picture. Hidden on the news articles and photographer’s pictures and hidden in the event yesterday

 

[ValentaFan1974]

Unlikely given it's one of the ones XC weren't given. And also given the Avanti ones only just had a refurb.

From what I gather, the ex-Avanti units 107-117 will go in for refurb last. There was also an unconfirmed rumour that units 101-106 were coming over to XC in May as well - so maybe these ones are being refurbished early as they’ve been rotting away in sidings for god-knows how long? Might explain 102’s presence there?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

From what I gather, the ex-Avanti units 107-117 will go in for refurb last. There was also an unconfirmed rumour that units 101-106 were coming over to XC in May as well - so maybe these ones are being refurbished early as they’ve been rotting away in sidings for god-knows how long? Might explain 102’s presence there?

Ooh, where's that rumour come from?

 

[py_megapixel]

Absolutely terrible. Really hope they come out and say that it’s unfinished. Is there one person in here that thinks the whole 4 car livery together looks good?

A part of me does wonder if there is a reason behind cars 2 and 3 getting no publicity at all until I saw that picture. Hidden on the news articles and photographer’s pictures and hidden in the event yesterday

I think the red base with the big X logo looks quite good. I don't understand why they didn't simply use that design on all cars. The logo does a good job of filling in the large blank section of bodyside behind the cab, and it would do the same on the intermediate cars where the large vestibules are.

It would be further improved by using the grey for the doors instead of the blue/turquoise colour, which I think clashes a bit with the red.

As it is, those big dark grey expanses of bodyside will look really grim, especially in environments which can already feel a bit dingy. Such as, perhaps, a station where all the platforms are built underground. Good job they don't serve any of those then (!!!)

 

[WelshBluebird]

I'm really not sure what some people expected based on the replies. You were never going to get a whole new train out of a class that is 25 years old but was poor when brand new anyway, especially one that in the ideal world would have quite a limited lifespan left. And even more especially that they can't solve the main problem which is purely about capacity and the number of units need to alleviate overcrowding.

If I was travelling from Edinburgh to Bristol again I (and no doubt many other travellers) would opt to fly now instead of taking the train as its often cheaper, far quicker and by the look of those new seats (even 1st class looks anything but a premium seat/ambience) far more comfortable

Ill be honest im not sure I agree, and that is as someone who did that journey by rail a few months ago and will be doing it by plane in a couple of weeks. The rail journey was absolutely fine (caveat of as long as you have a seat reservation and they are actually in place). Certainly much more comfortable than the middle seat of a full easyjet flight and no need to faff about getting to the airport. The journey length is defo a consideration though, and is why I am flying in a couple of weeks (the train would require me finishing work early whilst flying let's me have a full day in the office).