I think this may well be the first time I have ever read these words in this order. Congratulations for introducing me to a genuinely new experience!
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Voyagers
- Thread starter 4SRKT
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I think this may well be the first time I have ever read these words in this order. Congratulations for introducing me to a genuinely new experience!
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There's nothing mad about wanting to go on a trip on a Voyager, they're great!
For those of you who don't know, I'm the one who did Aberdeen to Penzance on my ALR.
All Line Rover
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I'm not so sure about that!
I much prefer travelling between Birmingham and Bristol/Plymouth on an HST than on a Voyager, where I experience a feeling of travel sickness because of the constant rattling. 
Hydro
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As much as they are an improvement on Voyagers, I have started to avoid Meridians as well on STP-DBY jaunts. Grab a Nottingham HST, and change at East Midlands Parkway for the soon to follow Meridian. Benefits of this system, thus:
1) It's an HST for most of the journey
2) More chance of a seat on a Notts service
3) It's an HST for most of the journey
4) East Mids to Derby = 15 mins or so of overcrowding vice 1.5-2hrs if joined at STP.
5) It's an HST for most of the journey
6) Quieter journey
Oh, and for the most part, you're on an HST.
1) It's an HST for most of the journey
2) More chance of a seat on a Notts service
3) It's an HST for most of the journey
4) East Mids to Derby = 15 mins or so of overcrowding vice 1.5-2hrs if joined at STP.
5) It's an HST for most of the journey
6) Quieter journey
Oh, and for the most part, you're on an HST.
I'm not so sure about that!
Oh come on, you can't get travel sickness from a few vibrations from underfloor engines or constant rattling.
I agree with IanXC Voyager's aren't all that bad, sort out the smell and add a few extra carriages and all will be good.
The vestibules actually stink, I don't understand how they can be so bad. Other stock with retention tanks don't smell that bad.
I've never experienced that. I did feel a bit sick on a Pacer once (I was already ill!) from the bouncing.
where I experience a feeling of travel sickness because of the constant rattling.
I've never experienced that. I did feel a bit sick on a Pacer once (I was already ill!) from the bouncing.
Lampshade
Established Member
It's because the vents for the toilet tanks are next to the air conditioning inlets. Either that or the toilets are near the exhaust pipes so hot exhaust + toilet smell = hold your breath.
I think it's the toilet tank vents are next the AC inlets as that's been mentioned before on here. Seems to me a like a case of a designer trying to fit everything that was needed into a defined space without stopping to think about how everything is going to interact in the real world.
MCR247
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HSTs on the MML are terrible. Worst ride quality going!
I will agree that they are always empty!
route:oxford
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Essentially, should a pantograph car be added, the odour problem in the vestibules won't be such a problem under the wires.
Temple Meads
Established Member
They're not the best unit ever, and not a patch on a HST (unless it's a HST with a flat, as most of the ones I've been on recently have had :roll
, but there not as bad as people make out, the ride quality is fine, I don't have a problem with space, and I must have been lucky in regards to the smell as I'm not sure I've ever noticed that.
, but there not as bad as people make out, the ride quality is fine, I don't have a problem with space, and I must have been lucky in regards to the smell as I'm not sure I've ever noticed that.They're not the best unit ever, and not a patch on a HST (unless it's a HST with a flat, as most of the ones I've been on recently have had :roll
All I can say is try a packed full one and you might change your mind!
I like the large windows though.
tbtc
Veteran Member
Its frustrating that Nottingham gets them (considering the Sheffield/Derby services tend to be busier)
Lampshade
Established Member
And the acceleration is more of an issue on Nottingham services due to the more frequent stops south of Leicester.
But the best seats (currently) on the network.
All Line Rover
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Yes, you can!
"Rattle," "rattle," "rattle," "rattle," "brrr," "brrr," "brrr," "rattle," "rattle", "rattle," "rattle" all the way from Manchester to Plymouth - it drives you nuts! :roll:
I am not the type of person who frequently experiences travel sickness, but the seats (including First Class seats!) often rattle a lot on a Voyager, as well as your head when you try and lean it against a wall!
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tbtc
Veteran Member
Yes, you can!
"Rattle," "rattle," "rattle," "rattle," "brrr," "brrr," "brrr," "rattle," "rattle", "rattle," "rattle" all the way from Manchester to Plymouth - it drives you nuts!* :roll:
I am not the type of person who frequently experiences travel sickness, but the seats (including First Class seats!) often rattle a lot on a Voyager, as well as your head when you try and lean it against a wall!
I've honestly never known anyone get travel sickness from a train before
All Line Rover
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I know a number of people. Some find all modern trains claustrophobic because there are no open-able windows. Others find Pendolinos and Voyagers claustrophobic because of the limited number of windows. Claustrophobia is often the cause of travel sickness, or contributes significantly to it.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
im with 4SRKT here, wanting to go on a voyager is just wrong! This virgin set im currently on between CAR and EDB doesnt smell, but boy do it rattle!!
Pendolinos and Voyagers have the same traction control circuits don't they? for interoperability..
Maybe some of the less bashed-about carriages from the Grayrigg crash unit could be fitted into a voyager to extend it and add claustrophobia to the various medical problems a voyager is already allegedly capable of causing
jones_bangor
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They certainly do rattle or shake when they accelerate away from a station, raw power. I think they're great, prefer them to Pendolinos.
sprinterguy
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I have the misfortune of having little option but to travel on Voyagers, both XC and Virgin examples, quite frequently. I think the interiors are reasonably pleasing, and would be quite happy if say, in an alternate reality, Virgin XC had retained its' mark 2s but heavily refurbished them to feature the same interior design. Though I would like the luggage racks to be a bit bigger, even though they seem perfectly adequate for anything up to and including the smaller types of wheel-along suitcase. I'd be happier still if the Voyagers were refurbished to have the same interior as XCs' HSTs, with the far superior Primarius seating: The seats as fitted currently to the Voyagers are much too hard to enjoy a long distance journey with any degree of comfort, although Coach D on Virgins' sets does afford some extra padding and better legroom.
I can't fault their exceptional reliability though; it has to be there biggest redeeming feature IMO, just ahead of their impressive acceleration, being able to feel confident that you will arrive at your destination on time.
Beyond that, the Voyagers are simply woefully inadequate as Intercity trains: They're far too short, they were designed with inadequate luggage space to the extent that XC had to remove the shop to make up for such a woeful under provision, they don't have sufficient buffet/restaurant facilites, the seats are too hard and the engine noise is much too intrusive, leading to a multitude of annoying rattles and vibrations. And of course the toilets, especially on the XC examples, uniformly stink. Virgin seem to have alleviated this problem to a fair degree, so I wonder why XC have been incapable of achieving the same?
Footnote: My 2,999th post (Excluding quiz forums); and it's yet another Voyager rant!
I can't fault their exceptional reliability though; it has to be there biggest redeeming feature IMO, just ahead of their impressive acceleration, being able to feel confident that you will arrive at your destination on time.
Beyond that, the Voyagers are simply woefully inadequate as Intercity trains: They're far too short, they were designed with inadequate luggage space to the extent that XC had to remove the shop to make up for such a woeful under provision, they don't have sufficient buffet/restaurant facilites, the seats are too hard and the engine noise is much too intrusive, leading to a multitude of annoying rattles and vibrations. And of course the toilets, especially on the XC examples, uniformly stink. Virgin seem to have alleviated this problem to a fair degree, so I wonder why XC have been incapable of achieving the same?
Footnote: My 2,999th post (Excluding quiz forums); and it's yet another Voyager rant!
MCR247
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The problem was solved by Bombardier, but it is something that has to be done repeatedly like as part of a maintenance routine. XC did this once to their sets, whereas Virgin do it repeatedly, like how Virgin change the seat cushions are part of a routine, whereas XC just couldn't care less if it cots them anything...
Lampshade
Established Member
It's obviously been split due to being off topic 
Voyagers are bad Intercity trains, unsuitable for long-distance work. They might've been ok replacing 158s on some regional services, but replacing HSTs was just out of their league. They're less spacious, shorter ,and have rattling diesel engines under them. They were not a progression on the HST at all. Look at the recent London Midland Class 172, it is a huge leap forward from the Class 150 in terms of comfort/space and noise. Chiltern replacing their 165s with 168s on the Birmingham runs in the 90s...again huge leap forward. Voyagers were a step back, a step down from Intercity to Regional standards. That is why i dislike them, and i was never a fan of the Mk2s either!
Many XC journeys are regional though.
I agree and personally can't understand how anyone other than those with a case of "if it's older it's better" syndrome can honestly say the HST experience is better.
Chairs on hst have no upper head.support, they have a massive immovable arm rest and the chairs often lean when you move forward.
No power sockets.
A strange push pull feeling which for me is worse than engine noise. I assume it's because it doesnt move as one unit.
The lighting is not great.
Doors are a nightmare for anyone with children.
Doors between vestibules and cabins tend to open randomly which causes the draft from windows.
Toilets don't stink - but they're horrible little things!
I love hst as I grew up with them and they are a great testiment to great engineering. But for (normal - real non people on train forum people) passengers they aren't the best out there.
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