XC 220s/221s

[The Snap]

Hey all,

Was down at Piccadilly on Thursday and noticed a few Voyagers were in. All were still fully branded in Virgin livery/markings...
However, my mate said he had seen a picture of a Voyager last week in Virgin colours but all Virgin logos etc had been removed...any truth in that?

Will AXC be re-livering their stock or just un-logoing them?

Also, are Manchester Piccadilly to Reading/Gatwick Airport/Southampton/Bournemouth services going to AXC or West Coast? I'm very confused on which VXC routes are going to which TOC...hock:

Cheers,

 

[Tom]

Virgin are de-logoifying them, and there is already a Voyager in Arriva XC livery apparently hidden in Muddy Waters...

Glasgow - Birmingham is going to WC.

Go on the AXC site, there is a timetable consultation document showing the net work from next December.

 

[matt]

Lots of the voaygers have been debranded prior to re-liverying.

http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/ams/routes/routes/ Those are the new crosscountry routes

 

[andylloyd]

on Monday there is a voyager running to Newcastle in the new scheme. Apparently it will then run to Bristol Temple Meads.
This may change on the day tho.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Turbostar]

What is happening to the current state of the onboard shops? Are they keeping them open & running them until units pass through for refurbishment, or have they closed them permanently?

Mart

Edit: Can anyone confirm if the shops are staying or going? Have just looked at CrossCrountry website, & under 'Your Journey', 'Shop and Catering', it mentions about the on-board shop, yet I thought they wasn't keeping the onboard shops. Very confused.

Mart

 

[First ScotRail]

I would think they will keep the shops until the Voyagers get their re-fit

 

[Gizmogle]

Some Voyagers have been debranded. Badges, nameplates and Virgin vinyls all off.
But there's still loads running around in full VXC branding. Also, some guards seem to accidentally announce as "VXC service".

Not heard any "Arriva Cross Country" announcements yet though. Are they just going by Cross Country?

 

[andylloyd]

i think so yes

 

[Tom]

It's CrossCountry, officially. Although I'm going to call it Arriva's CrossCountry.

 

[The Snap]

Went down to Picc yesterday - all Voyagers had their triangle nose Virgin logo things, Virgin exterior vinyls and Virgin seat branding removed. Quite strange really...

I found it quite amusing when an East Midlands Trains service from Liverpool bound for Norwich arrived, and turned out to be 1588xx in fully SWT colours, complete with SWT branding...

 

[Aureol]

I saw the 'new' Voyager at Derby today....sadly only caught a quick glimpse of it though as I was on the 170 heading to Nottingham.

Also travelled on a Voyager today that still had nameplates....

 

[westcoaster]

pic of the new plum livery, vile and evil my thought's
http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/AboutCrossCountry/News.aspx

 

[First ScotRail]

I like it apart from all of the logos. 1 for each coach would be enough

 

[JonG]

pic of the new plum livery, vile and evil my thought's
http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/AboutCrossCountry/News.aspx

The new liveried voyager is, I believe, 220017.

According to a list that was published in the 100th issue of Railway Herald back in September, the voyager fleets after the franchise change would (provisionally) be as follows:

All 220's will transfter to Arriva XC.

221101 to 221113 will stay with Virgin WC.
221114 to 221118 will be on hire to Arriva XC till December 2008.
221119 to 221141 will transfer to Arriva XC.
221142 to 221144 will stay with Virgin WC.

The 5 voyagers on hire until Dec 2008, are as cover until XC's HSTs enter traffic.

 

[Gizmogle]

Are you kidding me? That is vile! It'd look pretty nice if it was black, rather than that nasty shade of purple. Definately too many logos though.

 

[5872]

Went down to Picc yesterday - all Voyagers had their triangle nose Virgin logo things, Virgin exterior vinyls and Virgin seat branding removed. Quite strange really...

I found it quite amusing when an East Midlands Trains service from Liverpool bound for Norwich arrived, and turned out to be 1588xx in fully SWT colours, complete with SWT branding...

Thats probably why they went up north saturday.... I know the reason now, want the numbers?.

 

[thefab444]

As far as I recall, the numbers are 158883 and 158890.

You can have them for a bit, but not too long.

 

[me123]

I like it, but it could be much better. The logos are too numerous for one thing. I'm only slightly disapointed.

 

[Callufrax]

Not crazy about the pink doors.

 

[First ScotRail]

I really like it apart from the logos everywhere

 

[Wayfarer Sam]

One of the SWT 158s was on the Derby to Matlock service this evening. Does anyone have any idea if the xc 220 will be on the same diagram tomorrow? I saw it speed through my home town at 1756 looking very nice.

 

[Ascot]

Seen the Voyager at Brum today but only a quick shot as i was pulling out.

The new uniforms look ok i guess, ties are a bit feminine.

 

[Mintona]

One of the SWT 158s was on the Derby to Matlock service this evening. Does anyone have any idea if the xc 220 will be on the same diagram tomorrow? I saw it speed through my home town at 1756 looking very nice.

Very unlikely, it had its Weston-super-Mare cancelled at Bristol Temple Meads tonight, as 1V70 (GLC-PLY) had failed, and it worked that on to Plymouth, so likely do Plymouth-Edinburgh-Plymouth or something tomorrow.
I'm trying to guess where it will be on Wednesday!

 

[andylloyd]

its anyones guess by the sounds of it then.

Kind Regards

Andy

 

[Turbostar]

You sure that Voyager is not part of the Royal train fleet, it looks like a new version of the Royal livery lol!

Mart

 

[Mojo]

It's CrossCountry, officially. Although I'm going to call it Arriva's CrossCountry.

That was blatantly stolen from ClubARRIVA :-P

Heard from someone who was speaking to a Train Manager on Sunday who said the uniforms were only temporary as they were "standard stock" (ie: not custom made for the company). He said they all liked them except girls in the shop with white blouses as they got food on them or something!

Don't know what's actually going on with uniforms though, most staff I've seen have the "new" uniforms, but the other day I saw First Class host in full Virgin uniform, and also a train manager with Virgin but with a CrossCountry overcoat. Also saw a driver with a Virgin overcoat, but that might just be their own choice - you can still see some FGW train staff with Wessex backpacks as many prefer them to the FGW issued bags!

 

[CTRL_1]

I've seen a few voyagers in old red and silver Virgin scheme, no virgin logos but with Cross Country stickers at the beginning and ending of each coach..looks weird!

 

[andylloyd]

there are still plenty of voyagers running on XC with virgin decals on them.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Mojo]

Haven't seen any stickers on XC trains yet, despite commuting on them daily and seeing many more at other stations! Only real changes I've seen are uniforms and plain brown bags avaliable from the shop. Interestingly enough, though, there still seems to be loads of Virgin stickers on the trains staying at XC. I always thought these had to be removed, like when FGW took over, Wessex Trains was removed with a black marker pen. Many still survive to this day!

 

[matt]

Only a few stickered Voyagers so far compared to quite a few stickered Turbostars mainly because the Voyagers will get re-liveried first