Virgin unveil their refurbished Mk 3 rake

[90019]

Can I just ask how many HST's Virgin still have...if they still have any electric units (apart from Pendolino's)

None of either AFAIK, not sure about how many sets of Mk3s.

 

[rail-britain]

Virgin currently have two sets of Mark 3 coaches
One is on hire from C-Rail; a mix of blue/grey and old unbranded VT livery
The other is on hire from Porterbrook (new VT livery)

I am not aware of Virgin ever having any EMUs...?!

 

[fgwrich]

Sorry...just came back to the forum after a short breack...

Have to admit..i do think the Virgin Livery does supprisingly suit the Mk3's - If Only VT did this rather than the Voyagers...

As for the bodyside dents - thats partly down to all the useage the Mk3's have had over the years - 30 odd years - and its mostly more notisable on the FGW ones becasue, for once, they have been stripped back down to bare metal and been repainted - afterall, with Vinyl, you would get a far smother bodyside so looking at the VT Mk3's, they do look as if theyve been fully repainted...


Still...if only they did this to there HST rakes and not orderd those Voyagers....

 

[metrocammel]

Sucks that Virgin's backup MK3's are higher standard than NXEA's front line ones.

Oh come on, NXEAs aren't that bad. The only difference between the two is the Virgin backup has power points. As I've said before, even the Pendolino's don't have that many power sockets.

 

[F Great Eastern]

And better tables? And Brighter Interiors. And less repanelling inside. Looks like they replaced all the panels where they put the plugs in.

I know what you are saying there are similarties for sure, especially the green parts I see, but at the end of the day all MK3's that are refurbed should have a minimum of plug sockets.

 

[poshbakerloo]

OMG!!! I hate the doors, They should just be in red, and the roof in dark grey

 

[fgwrich]

And better tables? And Brighter Interiors. And less repanelling inside. Looks like they replaced all the panels where they put the plugs in.

I know what you are saying there are similarties for sure, especially the green parts I see, but at the end of the day all MK3's that are refurbed should have a minimum of plug sockets.

actually...for some reason...i have to agree with F great Eastern...Have been on a ONE mk3 set and internally...they really are actually quite poor - and even when some of my non railway friends have been on them, theyve even asked when they are to be refurbished... and why did nat ex put those horrible hard back seats in the end of there Mk3s?

Still, i do think Virgin have actually done quite a smart job internally and externally in there Mk3's...

 

[F Great Eastern]

Some pictures of NXEA, just to be fair.

MK3 First class
http://drd2006.fotopic.net/p34330075.html (Urefurbed)
http://connersgallery.fotopic.net/p52992937.html (Refurbed)

Mk3 standard class:
http://drd2006.fotopic.net/p34330074.html (Unrefurbed)
http://rollingstock.fotopic.net/p55120944.html (refurbed)

Oh and Airline seats here:
http://rollingstock.fotopic.net/p42846540.html

Does anyone else think that the First Class MK3's look better unrefurbed? The NXEA refurbed MK3'sstandard class remind me of Virgin MK2s a little.
http://drd2006.fotopic.net/p26041235.html

 

[richa2002]

What's the obsession with being blinded whilst in a train? I much prefer the muted lighting of the past so you can relax more.

 

[devon_metro]

What's the obsession with being blinded whilst in a train? I much prefer the muted lighting of the past so you can relax more.

You mean the half exposed tubes?

Very nasty on the eyes IMO.

 

[Aictos]

I am not aware of Virgin ever having any EMUs...?!

I think you will find the Class 390s are classed as EMUs,

 

[richa2002]

I'm not talking about anything specific. Just general brightness of lighting.

 

[Ben]

DDA Complience?

 

[asylumxl]

Night vision gear cost the DfT too much?

 

[rail-britain]

I think you will find the Class 390s are classed as EMUs

Apart from the Class 390s then, which EMU?

 

[Jordy]

Two threads have been merged

 

[The Snap]

Some pictures of NXEA, just to be fair.

MK3 First class
http://drd2006.fotopic.net/p34330075.html (Urefurbed)
http://connersgallery.fotopic.net/p52992937.html (Refurbed)

Mk3 standard class:
http://drd2006.fotopic.net/p34330074.html (Unrefurbed)
http://rollingstock.fotopic.net/p55120944.html (refurbed)

Oh and Airline seats here:
http://rollingstock.fotopic.net/p42846540.html

Does anyone else think that the First Class MK3's look better unrefurbed? The NXEA refurbed MK3'sstandard class remind me of Virgin MK2s a little.
http://drd2006.fotopic.net/p26041235.html

I agree, unrefurb Mk3 first class is far superior!

 

[MCR247]

Just found out, that on this pic http://www.paulbigland.fotopic.net/p59294244.html its actually where 2 windows have been plated over, as its an ex FO

 

[45378]

As a late comer to this correspondence forgive me if this has occurred to others.

In an ideal world the doors would be power-operated. However in the real world - given central locking or whatever it's called, why can't we now have fixed droplights (if that's not a contradiction in terms) and an internal handle? At a stroke you remove the howling gale in the vestibules and give the a/c a fighting chance, and also produce a door opening mechanism that makes sense to anyone from outwith the British Isles.

Now all I need is a clever work-around on retention toilets....

Rgds

45378

 

[devon_metro]

However, an internal door is likely to be abused and this would mean doors are on the latch which is very dangerous.

 

[F Great Eastern]

As a late comer to this correspondence forgive me if this has occurred to others.

In an ideal world the doors would be power-operated. However in the real world - given central locking or whatever it's called, why can't we now have fixed droplights (if that's not a contradiction in terms) and an internal handle? At a stroke you remove the howling gale in the vestibules and give the a/c a fighting chance, and also produce a door opening mechanism that makes sense to anyone from outwith the British Isles.

I took someone from another country on a MK3 a few weeks ago and they couldn't believe how you opened the doors!!!

 

[williamn]

Just found out, that on this pic http://www.paulbigland.fotopic.net/p59294244.html its actually where 2 windows have been plated over, as its an ex FO

I thought that there were lots of spare MK3 buffets though?

 

[theblackwatch]

I thought that there were lots of spare MK3 buffets though?

There weren't when this vehicle was converted in the 1980s to enable a load of old Mk. 1 catering cars to be withdrawn!

 

[43021HST]

Dont Like the Livery. Much Prefered the older livery

 

[fgwrich]

There weren't when this vehicle was converted in the 1980s to enable a load of old Mk. 1 catering cars to be withdrawn!

I thought that there were lots of spare MK3 buffets though?

That and most if not all of the stored Mk3 Buffets around now are ex HST buffets, not the loco hauled RFM's that this is...

 

[poshbakerloo]

The only issue I had with the MK3s was the small toilets...

 

[ChrisEJ1993]

I think these look awesome!

 

[EWS 58038]

Looks stunning. Good job.

 

[metrocammel]

The only issue I had with the MK3s was the small toilets...

Not if you go in one of the disabled toilets. The toilets in a mk3 are no smaller than any non-disabled toilets in 'modern trains'.