Many of the gripes about Voyagers are down to the poor design that has led to an incredibly inefficient use of the available interior space. With more carriages, this would be less of a big deal, as it is only with space being at such a premium in a short four or five carriage train that the need to make best use of all the available space is such an issue. If the trains were longer it would simply be easier to overlook some of these shortcomings, rather than these trademarks of poor design being eradicated altogether.
Looking from the outside, there is very little of each carriage bodyside that is taken up by windows compared to many other train designs which shows both how short the passenger saloons are in relation to the carriage length, and how wide the window pillars are, which is the reason why the seats not lining up with the windows is such a maligned point. Yes, the seats dont always line up with the windows on the likes of 170s, but the window pillars are narrower, and the design of seat is less substantial, so it causes less of an obstruction. So much space is taken up by the vast toilets: A four coach train doesnt need three large disabled toilets when space for passengers and seating is at such a premium, and when some of that space beyond the seated area of the passenger saloon could have been used for increased luggage space. The space available in a 170 is made much better use of than that available in a Voyager is. The overhead racks are also much narrower than they could be.
It is definitely true that some of these shortcomings wouldnt be such a big deal if the Voyagers were a proper length. However there are still a number of problems that remain even if it were the case (Smelly toilets, lack of luggage provision and lack of sound insulation from the engine bay). The much preferable atmosphere aboard a Meridian brought about by all the improvements made from the lessons learnt from experience with the Voyagers is testimony to this. Even if this difference in opinion were only down to the suitability of the Meridians for the shorter distance journeys they make on the MML, that still goes to show that the Voyagers really arent cut out for the longer distance nature of journeys on the Crosscountry network.
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Out of interest do we really need an entire First Class carriage on some XC Voyager workings. In effect the train is only 3 carriages if it is a Voyager!
Is there any way the interior could be improved and are there any suggestions. How well is the new luggage space being used now it is fully advertised and has it made a big difference? The last time I was on a Voyager it seemed no better than pre works with luggage spilling over everywhere and the usual complaints about train length and luggage space whilst I was being hit by the guard's ticket machine as he walked up and down!
The additional large area of luggage space is only of any use if you can get to it. I suspect that the vast majority of passengers are not aware of the existence of this feature, and even if they are, they are unlikely to know where on the platform to stand for the relevant carriage to pull up alongside them. On the busiest services, the guard/train manager has made regular announcements informing passengers of the location of the luggage storage area. However, these announcements are useless if it is completely impossible for passengers with large luggage to move through the train due to it being completely rammed. Even if a train is reasonably quiet, a passenger with large, bulky and/or heavy items of luggage may not be inclined to go to the effort of hauling their gear down the narrow aisles of two carriages to the luggage area if they board the train in the wrong place.
