XC services Nottingham - Bournemouth

[P156KWJ]

Seems that the XC timetable from December has included Nottingham in to the main XC network instead of the more local Nottingham - Birmingham shuttles. From what I can see, 2 trains per day in each direction (exc. Sundays) will benifit from a Bournemouth and Bristol Temple Meads service. Will these be voyagers, or are they training the route to current 170 drivers from the ex Central pool, or training drivers on the Derby - Nottingham from ex Virgin pool with voyagers? Haven't seen any on route learners like I have with Northern 158s to Leeds... anyone know?

 

[1D53]

They will be Voyagers. Crews will probably be routelearning on the existing services.

 

[Mojo]

From the CrossCountry timetable consultation document

Service extensions
One train a day will be extended from Birmingham New Street to
form a direct Nottingham to Bournemouth service. This will call at
Birmingham International, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford,
Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport Parkway,
Southampton Central, Brockenhurst and Bournemouth.
Rolling stock
The Nottingham to Bournemouth service will be formed of a Voyager.
Turbostars will operate all other services on this route.

 

[Techniquest]

*Flails, bellows and makes that random platform noise only heart-of-wessex and I knows of*

Voyagers to Nottingham, hmm I've got more excuse to go there now then

 

[Bayum]

So, turbostars will be running to Bristol then?

 

[devon_metro]

So, turbostars will be running to Bristol then?

No

 

[Techniquest]

Oh thank you merciful God...

 

[me123]

So, you're telling me that Turbostars are worse than Voyagers??? Each to their own, I suppose...

 

[Techniquest]

The lot we have down here, yes.

FSR 170s are vastly superior to the piles of junk they call 170s down here.

Can you imagine being packed onto a 2-car 170/5 from Birmingham to Bristol? 4-car 220s are usually very full on that leg, how a 2-car 170 would cope I don't know!

Besides, I am the forum's resident Voyager basher...

 

[me123]

Fair enough; The FSR 170s are bloody fantastic, and I'm a bit biased against Voyagers at the moment considering my last one was absolutely revolting (toilet issues...)

 

[voyagerdude220]

Besides, I am the forum's resident Voyager basher...

Oh are you??

 

[LTJ87]

Good see Nottingham (which is the unwelcome guest at a wedding as far as services to major cities other than London are concerned) joining the main Crosscountry network. Pity this service departs at 6.37 in the morning!

 

[P156KWJ]

XC refurbed 170s are very nice inside - just don't see the point in 1st class :???:

 

[1D53]

Don't forget your hourly service to Leeds from December too!

 

[Techniquest]

Fair enough; The FSR 170s are bloody fantastic, and I'm a bit biased against Voyagers at the moment considering my last one was absolutely revolting (toilet issues...)

Might seem a touch random, but was it 220012? I had it a couple of times this autumn and is one of the few Voyagers I travelled on where the lavatory smelt clean and fresh on both occasions (distanced by about a week these two runs were).

It wasn't nice to get another one that smelt next time, although it is still an unusual occurance for me

170430 when I had her in 2006 was a pretty nice 170, nice and quiet it were too (wouldn't expect the 203x GLC - ABD to be very busy mind!), enjoyed a nice and comfortable journey that went by quite quickly (I was a bit surprised to find us on the Perth approaches, hadn't expected to be there for a good 10 minutes on!). Yet to have a bad 170/4, my most recent trips on them in October 2007 I didn't really get to sit down and were short hops anyway, but I didn't have any complaints.

Whereas I tend to dread getting a 170/5 or 170/6. 170/3s I totally depised in their SWT condition, I hope TPX have improved them. The 170/2s I did in August were alright, but nothing to comment on really. Used to like getting 170/1s for the declassified First Class.

The XC refurbished 170s look alright and are the best out of the lot down this way I'd say.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Oh are you??

Forgot you were on here...

Got to ask though, do you keep records of what 220s and 221s you've had in a moves book and the mileage accumulated on them?

 

[222001]

I think the Voyager smell problem has improved since last year. Some still stink though. Meridians always seem to smell ok, I think they have air fresheners in them.

One early morning service from Nottingham isn't really going to be great is it. Don't think it will be used that much.

 

[Techniquest]

Depends doesn't it. If you're going from Nottingham to the South Coast, you'd want to leave early anyway as it takes a while. If you happen to notice a direct train, most people would go for it to save changing all over the shop.

222s do seem to have an air freshener in them, was rather overpowering when I did a 222 earlier this year.

 

[P156KWJ]

Don't forget your hourly service to Leeds from December too!

yeah - will that be 158s or the current bag of mixed units currently on Leeds trains (142s, 144s, 150s, anything!!)

 

[me123]

Might seem a touch random, but was it 220012? I had it a couple of times this autumn and is one of the few Voyagers I travelled on where the lavatory smelt clean and fresh on both occasions (distanced by about a week these two runs were).

It wasn't nice to get another one that smelt next time, although it is still an unusual occurance for me

No, it was a Virgin Voyager 221xxx (didn't get the number). It is unusual for me to get the smells to be honest; only had it once on a Glasgow-Penzance train beforehand and it wasn't that bad.

The toilet smell may have been due to a fault/ill passenger though, as all toilets were locked out of use on that service.

 

[Techniquest]

Oh right, bleedin' awful when that happens. Especially if you've had a few drinks...!

 

[me123]

I spoke to the TM and she gave me 30p for the toilets at GLC

 

[Techniquest]

Really?!

And when did they go up to 30p?

 

[P156KWJ]

every sodding NR managed station is 30p, well, Manchester P, Charing X, Victoria are, but St Pancras isn't...

 

[me123]

Quite recently. Bloody rip-off IMO.

 

[Techniquest]

Glad I've not been caught short at an NR station then!

I thought 20p was bad enough for toilets that still were awful, 30p is a rip-off!

 

[P156KWJ]

when I was smaller I used to be able to get away with not paying at BHM, the barriers are hardly secure, even other passengers just turn the exit turnstile backwards so that they can fit through

 

[me123]

I've just read the latest instalment of the "Meet The Managers" comedy sessions from First Scotrail:

Q. Why is there a 30p charge to use the facilities at Glasgow Central Station?
A. This charge covers the cost of cleaning and general upkeep. Glasgow Central Station is managed by Network Rail and this matter should be raised with them if further information is required.

Now, I don't disagree with the fact that the toilets need to be cleaned (and, to be fair, any time I've used them they've been spotless!), but this is a different story to what it says at the entrances to the toilets (the money apparently goes towards maintaining "your" railway). Whichever story's true, the fact remains that 30p is a lot considering the price of train fares across the country.

I think they should therefore allow free access to passengers with a valid rail ticket for that day and charge to anyone else to use the toilets.

 

[1D53]

yeah - will that be 158s or the current bag of mixed units currently on Leeds trains (142s, 144s, 150s, anything!!)

Should be all 158's. Should is your key word here.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Forgot you were on here...

Got to ask though, do you keep records of what 220s and 221s you've had in a moves book and the mileage accumulated on them?

Nah, i just record which ones i've been on, maybe a little note if i've been a particularly good/bad/memorable experience, e.g. 221113 "Sir Walter Raleigh" is the Super Voyager which i got a free FC weekday trip on between Bristol and Preston a good few years ago, when the TM didn't charge me for the upgrade, whilst i held a SC AP single, costing me somewhere in the region of pennies (That trip started my strong preference to travel FC from there on)

 

[Max]

but St Pancras isn't...

That's because St Pancras isn't managed by NR