Additional Virgin non-Pendolino trains

[bengolding]

I've got a First Anytime single from Birmingham International to Euston on Mon 27 July. When I collected my ticket earlier, I noticed that my First Class reservation for the 18:20 service was in coach E (Pendolino First is in coaches G-K).

I queried this and was told that Virgin are bringing in some of their older trains to cover Pendolinos that are out of service. Apparently, Virgin have refurbished a number of these trains. Virgin already have one of these trains on the West Midlands route (the 07:43/11:43/15:43 Euston-Birmingham), but that diagram is non-reservable.

So, can anybody confirm if my train is indeed one of the older Virgin Trains? Coach E corresponds to First Class on the Voyager but I was told it was a definitely not one of these.

Also, if anybody can post the diagram for these additional older trains, that would be great.

 

[devon_metro]

It must be a Voyager. No loco hauled rakes only have 4 standard carriages.

 

[Daniel]

....or the Class 90 + Mk3's which have been running around with Virgin, currently going through refurbishment....?

 

[MCR247]

No, as first class still wouldnt be Coach E would it

 

[matt]

The mark 3 set does the diagram you posted 0743 from Euston etc. Coach E on the mark 3 set is the fifth standard mark 3 assuming coach A is at the front non-London end.

 

[kyrano]

I've got a First Anytime single from Birmingham International to Euston on Mon 27 July. When I collected my ticket earlier, I noticed that my First Class reservation for the 18:20 service was in coach E (Pendolino First is in coaches G-K).

I queried this and was told that Virgin are bringing in some of their older trains to cover Pendolinos that are out of service. Apparently, Virgin have refurbished a number of these trains. Virgin already have one of these trains on the West Midlands route (the 07:43/11:43/15:43 Euston-Birmingham), but that diagram is non-reservable.

So, can anybody confirm if my train is indeed one of the older Virgin Trains? Coach E corresponds to First Class on the Voyager but I was told it was a definitely not one of these.

Also, if anybody can post the diagram for these additional older trains, that would be great.

the 15.43 Euston B.N.S was 90028 last saturday , it works the 09.50 B.N.S Euston.

 

[KingboyD]

On Tuesday next week Im going Man Picc 11:55 to Euston, then Euston 20:40 to Man picc, is there any chance of these 2 trains being loco hauled??

 

[matt]

On Tuesday next week Im going Man Picc 11:55 to Euston, then Euston 20:40 to Man picc, is there any chance of these 2 trains being loco hauled??

No. The mark 3 set only runs between Birmingham and Euston

 

[The Planner]

Rumours of some of the Pendos doing Brum - Glasgow and Voyagers replacing them on the Euston runs, not permanently though.

 

[Fincra5]

Its a Voyager. Not loco hauled. http://virgintrains.elviscommunications.net/temp/pdf/seating-plan.pdf

 

[rail-britain]

The diagrams for the loco hauled set are non-reservable
During my First Class 14 day ALR I tried to make a few reservations for it, but the staff were confused by it as they found they could reserve other Birmingham - Euston services without any problems (probably not aware of the situation)

Ironically, the day I do go on it, and it was swapped at the last minute with a Class 390! *Which ironically, failed itself at Coventry!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Rumours of some of the Pendos doing Brum - Glasgow and Voyagers replacing them on the Euston runs, not permanently though.

Maybe this is in regard to the additional 1S54 08:43 London Euston to Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham N St (10:20) and 1S77 13:43 London Euston to Glasgow Central via Birmingham N St (15:20) which are both only running M-F between 27/07/09 & 31/07/09?

I'm assuming that they are both Pendolino's, as the reservations mirror that of a Pendo, but can't say if it definately is.

 

[The Planner]

Thats them, in conjunction with the Edinburgh festival I think ??.

 

[MCR247]

How can they be if its July :?

 

[voyagerdude220]

A quick look on the web confirms that the Edinburgh festival runs 14/08/09- 06/09/09 IIRC, so i don't understand what the Pendolino's would be doing in just over a week from now in conjunction with this?

Maybe the Pendolino's need some work doing, now that the VHF timetable has been running for a bit, hence the altering of diagrams, like the 08:43 Euston to Birmingham going onwards to Edinburgh, vice 221, etc?

 

[The Planner]

Im sure it was to do with short term increase in passengers. Could be wrong, probably am !!

 

[bengolding]

So if the 17:45 Wolverhampton-Euston is indeed a Voyager on 27 July, then I suppose the 14:00 Glasgow-Birmingham may be extended to Euston to cover this service.

As Voyagers have no wifi, I'll probably end up getting a Pendolino instead. Having used the 18:10 from New St a few times, one coach in First Class will definitely be fun seeing as 4 First coaches are usually well patronised.

 

[MCR247]

What do you mean
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It could be 2x Voyagers

 

[rail-britain]

1S54 08:43 London Euston to Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham N St (10:20) and 1S77 13:43 London Euston to Glasgow Central via Birmingham N St (15:20) which are both only running M-F between 27/07/09 & 31/07/09

I've not seen details anywhere else
Not so much additional services, but amendments to existing ones
I can understand why they want to release Class 221 units (some are desperate need of attention)

However, if the Class 390 runs to Edinburgh, it would then operate back to BNS, and it only releases one Class 221 unit
Equally, it's the same with the Glasgow service

This suggests that the LHCS will operate between Euston and Birmingham, releasing a Class 390 set (as it does at the moment), which in turn releases a Class 221 for maintenance

 

[mathmo]

I wouldn't be surprised to see extra Pendolinos north of Birmingham: the routes to the Lake District and northwards are often very well patronised at the start of the school summer holidays, and this might ease overcrowding somewhat compared to a Voyager!

 

[djw1981]

sigh

The festival in Edinburgh is actually serveral all at the same time. The fringe is what most people mean by the festival though.

Jazz festival 31/July - 9/Aug
Art festival 5/Aug - 5/Sept
Fringe festival 7/Aug-31/Aug
Mela 7/Aug-9/Aug
Military Tattoo 7/Aug - 29/Aug
International festival (opera, classical music, etc) 14/Aug-6/SAept (fireworks on 6th
Book festival 15/Aig-31/Aug)

But next weekend 25/26 July is http://www.clangathering.org/ the Highland Gmaes and the heart of homecoming 2009 the scopttish exec campaign to get people from Scotland to come back and see the country now - to bring tourist cash, vistors and also possibly more inward investment to Scotland.

 

[rail-britain]

I am wondering if they are using loadings from 2008
Using Class 390 instead of Class 221, certainly increases capacity
Equally, declassifying Coach G almost doubles the Standard capacity

The end of July is probably the highest demand for leisure travel, but I would say more so at weekends...
You have the end of the Scottish school holidays plus the start of the English school holidays

In the past VT declassified Coach G on most services, I've not seen any of this year (except where the air con in Standard has failed)

 

[Ticket Man]

Ive been told that the double voyager that is used on the 14:30 lancaster during the week is soon to be replaced by a 390 in an effort to reduce overcrowding, probably been swapped with a birmingham set

 

[Broken Viking]

Ahh...I bought myself a Virgin advance ticket yesterday for the sole reason that it would allow me to travel on board a Pendo running non-stop between Watford and Stoke.

The service I'm booked on is 1H26 on the 29th Sep leaving Euston at 13:00 (One of the VHF Manchester services) and I've been allocated a seat in coach C. Does anyone know if this will still be a Pendo or not?

 

[MCR247]

Coach C cant telll anything really, as they both have Coach Cs IIRC

 

[rail-britain]

1H26 on the 29th Sep leaving Euston at 13:00

I'd be 99.9% sure it would be a Class 390

 

[Intercity 125]

They basically need the 390's to cover for the extra capacity expected this summer on the Birmingham - Scots route.

These will be run with 390's
10:20 Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh
10:52 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street
14:52 Edinburgh to Birmingham New Street
06:17 Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh

With these services being replaced with 5 car 221's

06:20 Rugby to London Euston
09:50 Birmingham New Street to London Euston
10:30 Birmingham New Street to London Euston
13:30 Birmingham New Street to London Euston
17:45 Wolverhampton to London Euston
08:03 London Euston to Birmingham New Street
11:43 London Euston to Birmingham New Street
13:43 London Euston to Birmingham New Street
15:23 London Euston to Wolverhampton
20:03 London Euston to Wolverhampton

Hope this helps...

 

[martyn29]

anyone know when the new dvt and coaches will be out

 

[Pumbaa]

17:45 Wolverhampton to London Euston

With the 1810 peak time off BHM becoming a 221? That's very clever Virgin, very clever indeed.

 

[bengolding]

I used the 1810 on a weekday last week and it was pretty busy in First with all 4 coaches well occupied after Coventry. The 5 car Voyager will be fun, especially on Fridays!

Does anyone know what diagram the Virgin loco set will change to on the Euston-Birmingham route?