XC Double Voyager services

[M60lad]

Not to sure since the new timetable but I know Mon-Fri 21:27 Manchester Piccadilly-Birmingham Cross Country service is operated by a double voyager although the rear set is always locked out of use.

On Saturdays for some reason this doesnt happen as there's an extra 21:07 Manchester Piccadilly-Birmingham service

 

[IanPooleTrains]

And how many people do the full 14 hour journey?

Admittedly, probably not many

We just have to face that overcrowding is a general part of running a company

ATW think a two car Adelante Coradia is going to suffice from Holyhead to Cardiff/Maesteg and vice versa
XC think that a four car Voyager or a two car turbostar is suffice on long distance journeys from Scotland to the south and either Nottingham to Cardiff or Birmingham to Stansted respectively
LM think a two car turbo is suffice during PEAK hours on The Chase Line
FCC...........we'll not go there

And so on and so forth.................

It's just common place and all you can do about it is put up with it

 

[Bristol Rover]

I once had an Advance First ticket from Bristol Temple Meads to London ('FGW only'), the route of which required me to take a local stopper from Temple Meads to Parkway, then the HST from Parkway to Bristol.

The stopper was 15 minutes late, to the extent that I would miss my Parkway connection if I waited for it. An XC double voyager was there on the platform and would get me there in time, so I explained the circumstance to the XC guard and she kindly allowed me to board. However, I got on in the front set, and a different guard came to check the tickets - when I explained to him that although my ticket wasn't valid, his colleague had permitted me to travel, he said "it's only valid for that part of the train".

So I think I can lay claim to having the only ticket in the world that's valid in one half of a train, and not the other! Prize jobsworth.

 

[tbtc]

Admittedly, probably not many

We just have to face that overcrowding is a general part of running a company

ATW think a two car Adelante Coradia is going to suffice from Holyhead to Cardiff/Maesteg and vice versa
XC think that a four car Voyager or a two car turbostar is suffice on long distance journeys from Scotland to the south and either Nottingham to Cardiff or Birmingham to Stansted respectively
LM think a two car turbo is suffice during PEAK hours on The Chase Line
FCC...........we'll not go there

And so on and so forth.................

It's just common place and all you can do about it is put up with it

...because there's all those hundreds of units sitting around gathering dust which could be used?

In most cases, the TOCs are using the stock they were dumped with.

Your poor two car 100mph modern Turbo is still a big improvement on the Pacers which are used on other branchlines.

Plus, you're making the old mistake of assuming that there is big demand on these services to travel from one end to the other (e.g. Holyhead to Maesteg)!

 

[Lampshade]

The stopper was 15 minutes late, to the extent that I would miss my Parkway connection if I waited for it. An XC double voyager was there on the platform and would get me there in time, so I explained the circumstance to the XC guard and she kindly allowed me to board. However, I got on in the front set, and a different guard came to check the tickets - when I explained to him that although my ticket wasn't valid, his colleague had permitted me to travel, he said "it's only valid for that part of the train".

So I think I can lay claim to having the only ticket in the world that's valid in one half of a train, and not the other! Prize jobsworth.

I believe &Connections Advance tickets can't be used on some XC services because they're reservable. It could be that the other portion of the train was completely unreserved.

 

[swt_passenger]

its a bit strange that the HST's dont work this route as it would suit it so much better than a 220/221.

It's too great a distance to get far enough back up north at a useful time of day in an out and back diagram. They reckon the highest capacity requirement is not balanced over the whole route, but is southbound through New St in the morning, and northbound through New St in the evening - so on weekdays that's exactly how the four HSTs are used.

 

[tbtc]

It's too great a distance to get far enough back up north at a useful time of day in an out and back diagram. They reckon the highest capacity requirement is not balanced over the whole route, but is southbound through New St in the morning, and northbound through New St in the evening - so on weekdays that's exactly how the four HSTs are used.

To be fair to XC, its a horrible franchise to try to diagram units over. An HST is ideal for the peak flows into/out of Birmingham, but then its hundreds of miles away at other times when it might be needed for other busy times in the "core".

The "via Leeds" route does seem to be horribly busy, so I can understand why the HSTs are used there, but then its not as if there are many quiet services (until you reach the far ends of any XC route)!

 

[Minilad]

If you see a double set with one locked out it is usually because of either short platforms somewhere or staffing. Voyager do not have SDO so if the train is too long then the back set needs to be locked out.

 

[TEW]

There is the ability to lock the very rear carriage out though isn't there.

 

[Minilad]

Yes there is

 

[Busterfridge]

07:03 birmingham - edinburgh is a dual voyager, picture shows it in newcastle

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Your poor two car 100mph modern Turbo is still a big improvement on the Pacers which are used on other branchlines.

They're not, they're s--t!

And the 172s are even worse!

I would much rather take up another option on our line to get rid of those horrible turbostars!

 

[blackettstreet]

ha ha ha that's a joke x country barely have enough trains to run their lines

rather encouraging to see a full-length XC HST this morning heading south out of newcastle, though maybe things are on the up

 

[IanPooleTrains]

rather encouraging to see a full-length XC HST this morning heading south out of newcastle, though maybe things are on the up

Not a chance because I bet the next one you see will be a four car Voyager

 

[TUC]

So they can delay the train in every station while people switch sets? In an organised world the platform staff would actually do there jobs and marshall the people to right point on the platform so they board the right part of the train! The train will be booked a good few minutes at the station it seperates, that is the reason it is announced just before that station as they will have the time to switch sets without causing a delay!

I can see why they do it in terms of operational reasons but I can equally see from a customer viewpoint that they may, for example, see their elderly mum onto a train, not arranging any assistance because from their viewpoint its a straight journey from Birmingham to Edinburgh, only for said mum to have to change carriages at Newcastle and carry lots of luggage and perhaps get confused along the way.

Operationally convienient to not announce it in advance but not great for the customer.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

I had the pleasure of a 4 car 220+ 4 car 221 whilst Reading festival happened good job I bailed at Leamington on the return (to get a bus to COV!)

 

[Boppawombat]

I've heard more are four car than two car now?

That's news to me. I use them almost every day Mon to Fri between Stockport and Liverpool and I have seldom seen them as 4 car.

Maybe it's a mirage!

 

[MCR247]

Only what I've heard. Probably about 18th hand info now

 

[TheBigD]

0743, 0952, 1752, 1952 & 2137 ex Lime Street SX are booked 4 car, and 0640, 1445 and 1645 ex Nottingham.

Short formations are pretty frequennt though.

More will be 4 car when stock starts getting cascaded when the 172's are delivered and into service.

 

[Turbocharger]

I live in Leeds and use a lot of XC Voyager doubles there going to Plymouth via BNS. Also travel a lot to Wolves and from there to Manchester I use a double XC Voyager. Always wondered why they double them up. Pain in the butt if you want to walk through when it's busy.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I live in Leeds and use a lot of XC Voyager doubles there going to Plymouth via BNS.

Since when have XC served Barnes?

It's BHM

 

[MCR247]

. Always wondered why they double them up. Pain in the butt if you want to walk through when it's busy.

I actually LOL'D

 

[Turbocharger]

Since when have XC served Barnes?

It's BHM

Sorry yes BHM I stand corrected. Damn I though newbies had a few freebies for mistakes lol

Cheers
Dave
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I actually LOL'D

That's funny because the crew don't lol when you try to explain you want to walk through the engine cars

 

[bb21]

0743, 0952, 1752, 1952 & 2137 ex Lime Street SX are booked 4 car, and 0640, 1445 and 1645 ex Nottingham.

Short formations are pretty frequennt though.

More will be 4 car when stock starts getting cascaded when the 172's are delivered and into service.

My record says that 1545 ex-NOT also runs as double-158s.