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Virgin Trains East Coast launch day
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ModernRailways
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I do wonder if a passenger went and got the wrong train, what would be said. Arguably a 'Virgin Trains only' ticket means any Virgin train, including Virgin Trains East Coast. Would someone be given a chance to pay up, get a UPFN or just get their details taken for passing on to the relevant revenue department to have it go further?
That looks spectacularly stupid! Surprised that's not been picked up by the media.
Virgin really does need to re-name the WCML operation as Virgin Trains West Coast, so it can then clearly state that West Coast tickets aren't valid on East Coast and vice versa where applicable.
How long until we get the first post on here from someone that got caught out with a ticket for Virgin Trains and was silly enough to use it on a Virgin branded train elsewhere?
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Suraggu
Member
We have been told something completely different. The only reciprocal agreement we have been told the exec team are looking at is between VTEC and VTWC
I find all this chat about Virgin launch intriguing. What is it about this name that produces the similar exchanges that i see in the computer sphere about Apple and Microsoft?
I've just bought a computer with Windows 8.1 and it has been a pain. It's always like this with a new computer whoever has his name on it.
Same with trains and planes. I am only interested in swift comfortable journeys and I don't care whose name is on it (er, as long as it isn't Ryanair).
I've just bought a computer with Windows 8.1 and it has been a pain. It's always like this with a new computer whoever has his name on it.
Same with trains and planes. I am only interested in swift comfortable journeys and I don't care whose name is on it (er, as long as it isn't Ryanair).
I think a new code on the lines of "VTWC" has been dreamt up recently - some tickets I had for the West Coast were still "VT Only" when printed in Jan though
It did look like they were going to be renamed to Virgin Trains West Coast and their name changed on National Rail but then it was changed back. Some publicity I've seen that said that has also reverted. I believe the station PIS have been changed from "Virgin Pendolino" to "Virgin Trains". I wonder if they decided to revert the name back when they realised displays be calling it "Virgin Trains WC" - not exactly the reputation you want to keep for your Super Voyagers.
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Perhaps it would have made more sense for VTEC to have been Virgin Trains East allowing the existing operation to be Virgin Trains West. VTE and VTW. Surely those are harmless and what does 'coast' add anyway?
Yes Virgin Trains WC wouldn't work.
Maybe it should have been Virgin East Coast Trains and Virgin West Coast Trains, or just Virgin East Coast and Virgin West Coast when written, with Virgin Trains just being the 'catch all' name. VECT and VWCT, or VEC and VWC...
It's a bit of a mess.
(Like your sig by the way!)
tractakid
Member
Travelcards from Milton Keynes to Z1-6 have been routed VTWC trains only for a few weeks now.
The whole VTEC being called Virgin but being 90% Stagecoach is really messing with me.
Why are the percentage shares between the East and West Coast partnerships between Virgin and Stagecoach so different?
The whole VTEC being called Virgin but being 90% Stagecoach is really messing with me.
Why are the percentage shares between the East and West Coast partnerships between Virgin and Stagecoach so different?
theironroad
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Would have been a lot easier if the east coast route was left where it was. As east coast, in public hands.
Which would be fine if Virgin Trains was referred to as VTWC in any publicity or on PIS. I can see sections general public getting confused.
Why would you expect it to be the same. The two companies happen to be owned in different proportions by the same parent companies.
Virgin Atlantic was 49% Singapore Airlines, now its Delta who own that share... Virgin America and Virgin Australia are different again (In Virgin Australia's case, Virgin Australia International, and Virgin Australia Domestic have different ownership).
Virgin Media just leases the Virgin name, it's actually owned by Liberty Global.
More than anything "Virgin" are a brand company. Give Branson enough cash, he'll let you brand anything "Virgin".
lincolnshire
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Virgin Condoms then , will he be pleased to have them under his name? answer yes I would guess as long as its netting him money.
If East Coast had gone to anther franchise we would have had no confusion or if the government had stuck with the decision that First had won the West Coast again there would have been no problem, such is life.
If East Coast had gone to anther franchise we would have had no confusion or if the government had stuck with the decision that First had won the West Coast again there would have been no problem, such is life.
Last time he sold condoms he didn't brand them as Virgin for very long.
http://www.mates.co.uk/mates-expert/history/
dk1
Veteran Member
1E01 had a damn good run today. Edinburgh-Kings Cross in a very respectable 3h57.
al.currie93
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tractakid
Member
I'm just wondering why, unlike the West Coast, Virgin were happy to be the minority in ownership.
Or, putting the question differently, if Virgin are only interested in branding, why do they own 51% of the West Coast when 10% would do?
Geezertronic
Established Member
Best post on here! Thank you!
Why is that the best post? Can you or the OP provide valid reasons why or is this just another wild assumption with no facts to back it up?
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Suraggu
Member
You hit the nail on the head, it was the fiasco of the WCML tendering in 2012 which caused Virgin to start looking at their involvement within the UK rail industry.
dk1
Veteran Member
Very good, downhill on an up train.Why not, he had Virgin Brides....
As I mentioned earlier, at one point he did have Virgin Condoms, before they were fairly quickly renamed Mates.
misterredmist
Member
My guess is they didn't want the exposure of the repayments to HMG having seen what had happened with GNER & NEEC , and may be Stagecoach had more ready cash to boot ?
As somebody who has traveled the WCML between Euston and Mcr many times, I was always happy with Virgin's service and thought they'd be ideal operators of the ECML......we'll see
thealexweb
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Hopefully at some point, somone somewhere in Scotland will manage to get a photo of a fully branded VTEC set next to a VTWC set
Edinburgh Waverley platform's 8 and 9 is the best bet for that. I saw a 390 and HST next to to each other today, the HST having the simple Virgin badge.
CallySleeper
Established Member
Not the best place for camera angles though. Not if you want a 'head on'.
During the week
9S60 is due in from Euston at 16:22 on platform eight and
1E23 leaves for Kings Cross at 1630 from platform nine.
Eight and nine are used for a few East Coast services but most of the others are at the opposite hours to the West Coast service.
With the mornings being lighter now Glasgow Central might be easier to get a picture of the two of them together rather than Edinburgh. IIRC the East Coast set is usually on either P1 or P2 a good twenty to thirty minutes before the 0630 to Euston departs from the adjacent platform.
It's a while since I've been in central at that time but that certainly used to be the case.
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