XC Voyager Refurbishment

[LittleRedTrain]

I’ve heard the livery referred to as “Chapel Roan” before - I presume they are designers?

Is that because when it comes to getting a seat on a Voyager.. Good Luck, Babe!

 

[GoneSouth]

I just think the whole thing looks ridiculous with the end cars different colour to the middle cars. Even when we had that with the HSTs there was a transition that made it work.

This is just lazy. I’d like to see a Voyager in full BR blue or Swallow.

 

[SuperS16v]

Out on a test run today - photos credit to Adam Leary on the Facebook group

 

[Russel]

I’ve heard the livery referred to as “Chapel Roan” before - I presume they are designers?

Seen the 170 livery referred to as that, but never got the reference.

Out on a test run today - photos credit to Adam Leary on the Facebook group

I can see why people commented on the height of the yellow 1st class line earlier in this thread, I know the lighting in the photo isn't great but I didn't actually spot it until after noticing the 1's between the windows.

 

[fgwrich]

Out on a test run today - photos credit to Adam Leary on the Facebook group

Video of it at Sheffield here (not my video):

 

[Class15]

Is that because when it comes to getting a seat on a Voyager.. Good Luck, Babe!

And when they overheat and fail… they’re hot to not go!

 

[99009]

So that's 220033 completed with 220027 next for completion at Derby Litchurch Lane and 220023 is also now there.

Does anyone know if 220028 is also at Derby Litchurch Lane? No sightings of it on Trainlogger since 23rd December.

 

[Bornin1980s]

That’s quite a useful walkthrough. Provides a slightly better feel of the insides than the static pictures.

Very amusingly, though, it looks like they haven’t quite got rid of all the redundant at-seat entertainment points! At 6:17 in the video, at the bottom left of the picture, isn’t that still one of the entertainment units in situ? Presumably the one which would have served the wheelchair space in that area?

The panel also appears to contain some sort of disabled alarm call system. I guess any modifications to that panel would have involved more paperwork.

I’d have travelled in the bag if that were the case and their 3+2 seating idea had been implemented, it would probably have been more comfortable!

Just imagine if that 3+2 has gone ahead, we’d be paying the same astronomical prices we are today but with a far more uncomfortable journey. To get your 2+2 we all use today would have cost even more. Ouch

I’ve travelled on a 3+2 class 321 from King’s Cross to Wakefield and it’s an experience I wouldn’t want to repeat!

It's worse than that. The 321s are slightly wider than the Voyagers, and don't have a tilt profile. 3+2 in a Voyager body would be an absolute nightmare!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That’s quite a useful walkthrough. Provides a slightly better feel of the insides than the static pictures.

It is. Sadly, at 7:18, it confirms my suspicion that with those extremely thick backed seats the Standard legroom is extremely poor, even if the "niche" does fit your hip width (which it won't with most larger males).

Thus, for me, anything else pales into insignificance to the fact that I will still only fit in the priority seats.

 

[SamCam]

I can only presume whoever said that was referring to pop singer Chappell Roan, who and I quote Wikipedia has a "camp and drag-queen influenced style". Make of that what you will

She is the singer of "Pink Pony Club", so presumably a reference to the colour choice of the livery...

 

[sabanda]

Presume this allocation is incorrect?

Realtime Trains | 1S51 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 1S51 1227 departure from Plymouth to Glasgow Central on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Presume this allocation is incorrect?

Realtime Trains | 1S51 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 1S51 1227 departure from Plymouth to Glasgow Central on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The inbound service lost quite a bit of time at Derby where the allocation shows the attachment, so it might be true.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Presume this allocation is incorrect?

Realtime Trains | 1S51 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow Central | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 1S51 1227 departure from Plymouth to Glasgow Central on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I can confirm that Trust is showing the same. Presumably the southbound working towards Plymouth will have been the very first passenger service for a Cross Country refurbished 220/221.

 

[sabanda]

Will have to try and find it next week on one of my usual Bournemouth runs!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Feb 2026 ==

RTT is now showing 1S51 as 012 and 013

 

[voyagerdude220]

Will have to try and find it next week on one of my usual Bournemouth runs!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Feb 2026 ==

RTT is now showing 1S51 as 012 and 013

How strange. Trust was showing 033 as being with 012 before.

 

[cakefiend]

She is the singer of "Pink Pony Club", so presumably a reference to the colour choice of the livery...

That makes a lot of sense. Maybe the designer was a fan.

 

[SuperS16v]

Will have to try and find it next week on one of my usual Bournemouth runs!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Feb 2026 ==

RTT is now showing 1S51 as 012 and 013

Can confirm it wasn’t the refurbished one as I saw it sat on Central Rivers all day yesterday.

 

[Masbroughlad]

Seeing lots of pics of the refurbished 170s and 220s/221s. Quick question, not sure if it belongs here?

Can a 170 work in multiple with a Voyager, or are the couplers not compatible?

Just wondered if they could work together. I've a feeling the answer will be no!!?

 

[43096]

Seeing lots of pics of the refurbished 170s and 220s/221s. Quick question, not sure if it belongs here?

Can a 170 work in multiple with a Voyager, or are the couplers not compatible?

Just wondered if they could work together. I've a feeling the answer will be no!!?

The answer is no, the couplers are completely different.

 

[LowLevel]

Seeing lots of pics of the refurbished 170s and 220s/221s. Quick question, not sure if it belongs here?

Can a 170 work in multiple with a Voyager, or are the couplers not compatible?

Just wondered if they could work together. I've a feeling the answer will be no!!?

No, apart from all the other issues they have a totally different coupler.

 

[Masbroughlad]

No, apart from all the other issues they have a totally different coupler.

I guessed as much. Thank you.

 

[dk1]

Rumours that testing with the catering trolley on the refurbished unit at Central Rivers has been successful.

 

[Laserbeam31]

The panel also appears to contain some sort of disabled alarm call system. I guess any modifications to that panel would have involved more paperwork.

Interestingly, I was on an ex-Avanti XC unit earlier today and took the opportunity to look at the panel in question in the equivalent coach. Seems like the Avanti refurb did leave the outline “shell” of the at-seat entertainment unit in that zone, but blanked off its buttons. So also still there, but at least not with redundant buttons like on the XC-refurbed unit!

 

[Bornin1980s]

Interestingly, I was on an ex-Avanti XC unit earlier today and took the opportunity to look at the panel in question in the equivalent coach. Seems like the Avanti refurb did leave the outline “shell” of the at-seat entertainment unit in that zone, but blanked off its buttons. So also still there, but at least not with redundant buttons like on the XC-refurbed unit!

To be honest, I was only guessing it's actual function. What is it?

 

[Steddenm]

To be honest, I was only guessing it's actual function. What is it?

It was a headphone jack and buttons allowing you to choose a number of pre-recorded radio stations or live BBC radio stations but was removed from use when the Voyagers and Pandolinos received WiFi instead. They don't work today and the Voyagers still have them in situ between the seats on unrefurbished stock.

 

[Archie810]

Video of it at Sheffield here (not my video):

Just noticed a very tiny detail, has the bulb in the main headlight been swapped for an LED one?, it looks whiter.

Actually no it doesn't look like it. strange the mirrors haven't been given a clean though.

 

[Laserbeam31]

Just noticed a very tiny detail, has the bulb in the main headlight been swapped for an LED one?, it looks whiter.

I wondered that, but I think it’s just an effect of the camera because of the contrast between the extremely warm (orange) sodium lamps on the platform and the more “normal warm white” of the halogen headlights and the interior train lighting. For some reason that seems to make the camera perceive the latter as cooler than it would be to the naked eye.

 

[davidrockyroad]

"Tomorrow is an exciting day which sees our first refurbished Voyager back out in service for our customers. (...) It's diagram XC414, 1E44 and 1M72"

~ XC internal communications

 

[ValentaFan1974]

220033 will enter service tomorrow on 1E44 and 1M72. (14:28 BHM-NCL and 18:33 NCL-BHM)….

 

[NEDdrv]

Just noticed a very tiny detail, has the bulb in the main headlight been swapped for an LED one?, it looks whiter.

Actually no it doesn't look like it. strange the mirrors haven't been given a clean though.

View attachment 198797

That’s the marker light, the headlight bulb still looks like a halogen if you blow the picture up.