Pendolino Refresh

[LNW-GW Joint]

I found myself on board 390 042 today, one of the reconfigured 9-car Pendolinos.
I didn't have time to explore fully, but the old First Class coach G is now Standard Class coach F (ie the sequence goes E-F-H).
There is also a new PIS system, with rather more cheery announcements than previously.
A female voice now welcomes you aboard and calls out the stops, while a male voice warns you to take everything with you when leaving the train.
I was sat in coach B and didn't notice anything else new.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A female voice now welcomes you aboard and calls out the stops, while a male voice warns you to take everything with you when leaving the train.

Do you mean the seductive sounding "Welcome to this Virgin Train..." woman? That's not new, it's just that some guards prefer to do manual announcements so it isn't always used.

No new seat covers or anything?

 

[matt]

Do you mean the seductive sounding "Welcome to this Virgin Train..." woman? That's not new, it's just that some guards prefer to do manual announcements so it isn't always used.
?

They have changed the voice on the auto announcements on some of the Pendolinos now.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Do you mean the seductive sounding "Welcome to this Virgin Train..." woman? That's not new, it's just that some guards prefer to do manual announcements so it isn't always used.
No new seat covers or anything?

No, they are definitely new (auto) announcers using different scripts.
Unlike the old announcements, they are not cut off at the end.
Couldn't say about the seat covers.
I guess the new coach F will be unreserved like they are on the 11-car sets.

 

[ag51ruk]

No, they are definitely new (auto) announcers using different scripts.
Unlike the old announcements, they are not cut off at the end.
Couldn't say about the seat covers.
I guess the new coach F will be unreserved like they are on the 11-car sets.

The new announcements have been around for a few months but not on every train - the refurbished sets are getting them at the same time as the other work. The first class coaches on the refurbd sets don't have new seat covers, although coach F is all new of course - and is being left unreserved at the moment.

 

[playboy81]

Can anyone provide any photos of the refresh. Have they used the opportunity to update carpets and seat covers or are they like for like replacements?

 

[ag51ruk]

Can anyone provide any photos of the refresh. Have they used the opportunity to update carpets and seat covers or are they like for like replacements?

There is a photo of the first converted coach on their website

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/about...eats-for-virgin-trains-pendolino-fleet-412131

They are identical to the rest of the train

 

[playboy81]

There is a photo of the first converted coach on their website

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/about...eats-for-virgin-trains-pendolino-fleet-412131

They are identical to the rest of the train

The "major interior refresh and a deep clean" which the website refers to I assume means that all the interior walls and seat mouldings have been given a fresh lick of paint and new carpets and seat covers applied albeit in identical colour and design.

I would have thought they'd have used the opportunity to create new colour schemes in first and standard. It is nearly 15 years old now after all.

 

[FQ]

I hate the new announcements. In fact I prefer the old ones!

I traveled on 390050 yesterday from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street and couldn't find coach G. Instead I sat in coach F. The seat covers (mainly the blue ones) have a slightly different design but other than that they are the same as the rest of the Scum class seating.

 

[Galvanize]

I hate the new announcements. In fact I prefer the old ones!

I traveled on 390050 yesterday from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street and couldn't find coach G. Instead I sat in coach F. The seat covers (mainly the blue ones) have a slightly different design but other than that they are the same as the rest of the Scum class seating.

Just sounds a little bit cheesey and rather patronising, the new style of auto announcements which I heard for the very first time a couple of weeks back!! At least the new "Jingle" is slightly better than the loud "BIIIING BOOOOONG."
"Welcome onboard Virgin Trains!!!!! Today we're travelling to...Glasgow Central!! Calling at....Warrington Bank Quay....Wigan North Western.." etc.

Personally I prefer it when the TM makes all the announcements.

 

[Aldaniti]

Just sounds a little bit cheesey and rather patronising, the new style of auto announcements which I heard for the very first time a couple of weeks back!! At least the new "Jingle" is slightly better than the loud "BIIIING BOOOOONG."
"Welcome onboard Virgin Trains!!!!! Today we're travelling to...Glasgow Central!! Calling at....Warrington Bank Quay....Wigan North Western.." etc.

Personally I prefer it when the TM makes all the announcements.

Travelling with Virgin Trains becomes more and more like the Ryanair experience as each day goes by. We'll have the 'another on time arrival' bong soon and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Guards were selling scratchcards soon. Only the other day, on a rare but enforced trip, I was startled to be accosted by charity chuggers who are now lining the subway at Wigan North Western, as if our town centres are not littered with enough of these beggars. Oh for the days of the Lancashire Pullman, the white tablecloths, the freshly made toast with Tiptree preserves, the peace and quiet of Silver Standard and the gentleman's cologne in the lavatories.

 

[jon0844]

More and more councils appear to be banning chuggers on public streets, and as a consequence I'm sure I've now seen chuggers on Network Rail property (with ID badges). Perhaps the charities, or their agencies, are now paying to go to train stations, and sooner or later shopping centres, airports and coming to your own home (oh, wait, they are already knocking on private homes!).

Is this a recent thing? At one station in London earlier in the year, there were people quite clearly standing beyond station property and never venturing on to it - now they're probably not allowed off station property!

(Oh wait, this is off topic too!)

 

[physics34]

how i long for the space and comfort of a mark 3 coach

 

[Aldaniti]

Is this a recent thing?

I'm not sure, but I was very surprised that Virgin Trains have clearly given them permission to set up a stand in a small and confined area of the subway. From what I could see, passengers exiting the station were not overly impressed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whenever a chugger on a station gets in my way I always register a formal complaint. Would actually like to see them banned completely, tbh, they prey on the vulnerable.

 

[swt_passenger]

Whenever a chugger on a station gets in my way I always register a formal complaint. Would actually like to see them banned completely, tbh, they prey on the vulnerable.

How about ringing the BTP and telling them the concourse is overrun with beggars?

That's occurred to me a few times at Reading, where the BTP office isn't far from their normal chugging position slap bang in the middle of the old concourse...

 

[Starmill]

Do you mean the seductive sounding "Welcome to this Virgin Train..." woman? That's not new, it's just that some guards prefer to do manual announcements so it isn't always used.

No new seat covers or anything?

Ooh Neil ! Did you find her 'seductive' ? :P

Also btw can confirm new 'actually dries your hands' drier in the loo actually does dry your hands. I was shocked!
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They have changed the voice on the auto announcements on some of the Pendolinos now.

If anything, the new woman is more emphatic than the old one! I just cannot get excited like she does about our arrival at Crewe
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I hate the new announcements. In fact I prefer the old ones!

"Welcome toooo... Sandwell And DUDLEY! (YAAY!!)"

Just one more thing, I thought 'Chuggers' was a term used to the annoying but nonetheless entirely legitimate charity representative types one finds at stations (whose being there usually is by arrangement through the appropriate channels)? You don't call the BTP on them... or do you mean something else?

 

[sprinterguy]

I would have thought they'd have used the opportunity to create new colour schemes in first and standard. It is nearly 15 years old now after all.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it? I wouldn't say that the Virgin Trains interior looks dated at all.
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how i long for the space and comfort of a mark 3 coach

Though not the extended journey times.

 

[jon0844]

If the chuggers have permission then you certainly can't call BTP, but I do wish some of their methods could be policed. I've stood outside Finsbury Park station and witnesses two chuggers that were effectively blocking the path for people to use, and specifically targeting young females with 'hey gorgeous' style comments.

If it was an ordinary member of the public, I could imagine them being in some trouble for the way they prevented people going about their business.

But, that said, a lot of people blocked and surrounded by these individuals didn't seem too concerned. And their techniques didn't work in all the time I was waiting there (as in nobody stopped and certainly nobody signed up to any payment plan).

 

[Minilad]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it? I wouldn't say that the Virgin Trains interior looks dated at all.
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Though not the extended journey times.

Not everyone wants speed.
I would happily take a bit longer journey time if it meant more comfort. One of the reasons I never use VT into London. Chiltern easily the better option for me.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Not heard the new announcements yet, but if the new chime is that short, plesent and quite melodick 2 tone chord sequence then Iv heard it on a day the TM has been manual announcing. Have they replaced the hand dryers entirely then?

 

[Starmill]

Not heard the new announcements yet, but if the new chime is that short, plesent and quite melodick 2 tone chord sequence then Iv heard it on a day the TM has been manual announcing. Have they replaced the hand dryers entirely then?

Yes and yes The toilet apparently also has a 'forgot to flush' feature whereby if you exit without flushing it will do it automatically. Not sure how this works in practice and despite the appeal there are some obvious problems with trying it!

 

[jon0844]

Does it have a forgot to wash feature, where it chucks water on people leaving who don't wash their hands?

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the chuggers have permission then you certainly can't call BTP, but I do wish some of their methods could be policed. I've stood outside Finsbury Park station and witnesses two chuggers that were effectively blocking the path for people to use, and specifically targeting young females with 'hey gorgeous' style comments.

On one recent occasion they were blocking passenger flow at Slough, I tweeted FGW and they said they'd sort, and later on they had been moved back so they were not in the way.

But as I said I find the practice deplorable and would love legislation to ban signing people up for direct debits in person in that kind of manner. I'd be totally happy with waving a bucket, leafletting, explaining about and promoting their charity etc, but guilt-tripping people into donating sums they often can't afford by direct debit is an awful practice.
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Not everyone wants speed.
I would happily take a bit longer journey time if it meant more comfort. One of the reasons I never use VT into London. Chiltern easily the better option for me.

The Pretendolino only used to lose 2 minutes between Euston and MKC on Pendolino timings. If you instead used a modern high-acceleration 110mph EMU like a Class 444, you'd probably lose nothing at all.

If more stock was needed for the WCML, 11-car Class 444 style 110mph units might well on that basis be a good choice for the Birmingham services - cheaper than Pendolinos and more seating capacity.
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Does it have a forgot to wash feature, where it chucks water on people leaving who don't wash their hands?

Has anyone else noticed that the newer Southern Electrostars won't let you not use soap (well, you can just drop it in the sink), as the buttons for water and air don't become available until you've pressed the soap one?
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Not heard the new announcements yet, but if the new chime is that short, plesent and quite melodick 2 tone chord sequence then Iv heard it on a day the TM has been manual announcing. Have they replaced the hand dryers entirely then?

Good if they've replaced the ear-splitting bing-bong with something more like the Mk3 "strum".

 

[jon0844]

I always have concerns about getting soap and the finding there's no water. I've noticed some trains now have hand sanitiser pumps as what appears to be a backup.

 

[Starmill]

The Pretendolino only used to lose 2 minutes between Euston and MKC on Pendolino timings. If you instead used a modern high-acceleration 110mph EMU like a Class 444, you'd probably lose nothing at all.

It's a bit difficult to separate the issues of performance and pathing, but it seems the current 350 '110' timings are quite capable of doing MKC - EUS in 35 minutes, which only a handful of Pendolinos in the day beat.

Has anyone else noticed that the newer Southern Electrostars won't let you not use soap (well, you can just drop it in the sink), as the buttons for water and air don't become available until you've pressed the soap one?
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Yes! It's a little strange the idea that people are influencing you like that... And if it does run out of water that's a nightmare, because you can't check prior to pressing the soap! *Cue walking though the train looking for the other toilet pressing the door buttons with your elbow because your hands are covered in soap*

 

[Blindtraveler]

I didnt realise the newer electrostars had button opperated controlls, I would say this is an improvement.

 

[furnessvale]

Do you mean the seductive sounding "Welcome to this Virgin Train..." woman? That's not new, it's just that some guards prefer to do manual announcements so it isn't always used.

No new seat covers or anything?

Bogs that don't smell would be a good start.

 

[PR1Berske]

There are two aspects of the Virgin on-board announcements I'd like improved (I travelled to and from Euston this weekend)

The words "calling at" are reduced to, at best, "cllgt". The destination is never announced at the end of the station roll-call. I kind of understand why (This train is for Glasgow Central, the final stop before there is Carlisle, there's no reason to say Glasgow Central twice). It just feels as though the final stop is left hanging unsaid. ".... Penrith... Carlisle....."........*waits for Glasgow*

 

[Envoy]

I didnt realise the newer electrostars had button opperated controlls, I would say this is an improvement.

Surely, people should not be pressing buttons with their contaminated fingers? What I would like to see is that you hold your hands under a beam that automatically fires the soap dispenser and then continues with water before finally blowing dry. (I actually came across such a public toilet in a remote village).