VXC - Portsmouth Services

[GNERman]

Afternoon all,

Undoubtedly a question that has occurred before, please link with any past threads there may be...

I know VXC used to operate to Portsmouth Harbour via Guildford and the PDL, but have seen photos/read reports of these being formed with 47, 158, HST and Vomiter.

My questions are:

- Were all of these stock utilised and on what services?

- What were the timings of the services, including stops from Guildford?

Thanks all...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The 4 VXC 158 sets were used on a 2 hourly Pomo - Blackpool service , along with some 22x sets - as Operation Princess foundered around 2002 , the services were withdrawn and partially replaced by a SWT Brighton - Reading hourly service.

 

[Martin_1981]

Virgin itroduced direct services to Portsmouth Harbour from Blackpool, Liverpool and Manchester in the May 1998 timetable change. There were 3 services in each direction which utilised class 158 units. From 1999, the Blackpool-Portsmouth train went over to HST operation for a while and then to class 47 + MK2's until 2001/2 when Voyagers were introduced. Following the introduction of Operation Princess in September 2002, services to Portsmouth continued for a short period, but were withdrawn in early 2003.

 

[thefab444]

The 4 VXC 158 sets were used on a 2 hourly Pomo - Blackpool service , along with some 22x sets - as Operation Princess foundered around 2002 , the services were withdrawn and partially replaced by a SWT Brighton - Reading hourly service.

The service to Portsmouth was way less than two hourly, and co-existed with SWT's Reading/Basingstoke - Brighton service which dates back to NSE days. Just FYI, the shortened version of Portsmouth is "Pompey", not "Pomo" which I assume you must be confusing with Bournemouth ("Bomo").

From the Summer 2001 timetable:
0606 Birmingham New Street - Portsmouth Harbour
1035 Portsmouth Harbour - Liverpool Lime Street

0805 Preston - Portsmouth & Southsea (started from Blackpool North but I don't have the time)
1440 Portsmouth & Southsea - Blackpool North

1135 Liverpool Lime Street - Portsmouth Harbour (158)
1735 Portsmouth Harbour - Preston (158)

Saturdays were similar although the morning pair of trains did not run (diverted to Paddington/Weymouth). Only one train on Sundays, formed of a pair of 158s. All trains called at Fratton, Havant, Haslemere and Guildford before Reading.

Not sure if any improvements came with Operation Princess, but if they did they were soon dropped.

 

[Eagle]

Just FYI, the shortened version of Portsmouth is "Pompey", not "Pomo" which I assume you must be confusing with Bournemouth ("Bomo").

FYI FYI, the shortened version of Bournemouth is "Bmth"; calling it "Bomo" marks you out as non-Dorset. :P

 

[thefab444]

Pah, only non-Dorset since 1974. And besides, strictly speaking Bournemouth isn't in Dorset anymore anyway.