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Virgin Trains Christmas Specials

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Drimnagh Road

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http://mediaroom.virgintrains.co.uk/

It was suggested on North Wales gen that the Chester one is timed 110mph and so could be WB64 with 90 / 57


Christmas shopping trains to Manchester and Chester

Christmas shoppers living in London and the South East will have the opportunity to purchase their gifts elsewhere this year as Virgin Trains prepares to run three special trains to the North West shopping centres of Chester and Manchester.

On Thursday 1 December a yuletide charter will leave London Euston at 08:14 arriving in Chester at 11:22 where customers will be serenaded by a choir on the platform to get everyone in the festive spirit.

Return from Chester is at 17:23 allowing everyone plenty of time to purchase that special gift that may only be available in the historic city.

Of course if shopping is not the only reason to travel then there are many famous sites to be visited including the Roman walls which are still virtually complete or the beautiful cathedral that dates back one thousand years to Norman times. Everyone will get a Chester trail map with prizes to be won if correctly stamped by featured retailers and also there will be lunch price reductions at some of the best city restaurants.

Special trains will run from Euston to Manchester on Saturdays 3 and 17 December leaving London at 0853 and returning from the North West at 19:59. Manchester has a fantastic range of stores many of them housed in the famous Arndale, the UK’s largest inner-city retail centre. Shopping, however, can be combined with a visit to the fascinating Museum of Science and Industry housed in a former railway station or if pictures are you thing then the Manchester Art Gallery is just a short stroll from Piccadilly station.

All three trains will also serve Watford Junction and Milton Keynes.

Cost of these excursions is just £99.00 each and that will include a breakfast box on the outward journey and a delicious snack pack on the return.

For that little bit of extra luxury why not go First Class for £199.00 return. Not only is there much more leg room but included in the fare is a champagne breakfast and high tea on the return journey.

The first 100 customers to book on any of these excursions will receive a 20% discount on the fare so either visit [email protected] or call 0161 227 4628 now.
 
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rmt-driver

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£200 First Class return :o Would be way cheaper with a normal AP 1st and railcard discount :o
 

raildude

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Anyone else think that a 57 is going to be used here, either to:

Haul the "Pretendolino"
Haul an actual 390

I wouldn't imagine they will charge £199 for 1st class for a Voyager (and only 1 1st carriage)
 

Jdrowlands

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Anyone else think that a 57 is going to be used here, either to:

Haul the "Pretendolino"
Haul an actual 390

I wouldn't imagine they will charge £199 for 1st class for a Voyager (and only 1 1st carriage)

My money is on a 57/3 hauling a 390

OR

WB64 with a 57/3 all the way

But I think that it is most likely a 390 will be used due to Virgin forever going on about them. WB64 will probably cover some Birmingham services if need be
 

TEW

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Looks like the Manchester services will be a 390 and the Chester service a 90+WB64 with the 90 replaced by a 57 at Crewe.
 

Drimnagh Road

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Anyone else think that a 57 is going to be used here, either to:

Haul the "Pretendolino"
Haul an actual 390

I wouldn't imagine they will charge £199 for 1st class for a Voyager (and only 1 1st carriage)

Or, a 390 to Crewe, the 57/3 attaches on to the 390, but due to a farce of some sort that regularly happens with the Saturday drag, passengers are detrained and put on the ATW Chester shuttle. :roll:
 

33056

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As it is at Crewe for 26 minutes, I suspect that it will a loco change there. Also, as Peter points out, it would probably be slow lines all the way with a 57 from Euston (a recent UK Railtours trip to Bangor on a Friday used a pair of 67s as it was the only way to get a decent path without having to use a class 90)
 

TEW

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The Chester run is booked on the fast lines beyond Watford Junction on the outward and the whole way apart from Nuneaton-Rugby on the return, which suggests it will be a 90 and run at 110mph. There's also a light loco path from Edge Hill to Crewe prior to the arrival of the train there.
 

Jdrowlands

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Where is the schedule from that everyone seems to be referring to?

And I would not trust Railway Herald as they are just going on what is being discussed here and elsewhere...

I think the most likely option is still a Pendolino with a 57/3 from Crewe

EDIT:

I have just sent off an e-mail to Virgin:

Hi,

I'd like to know what type of train will be used on the charter to Chester on the 1st of December. Will it be a Pendolino train, a Super Voyager train, or an InterCity train?

Thanks in advance
Jacob
 
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ainsworth74

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I'd like to know what type of train will be used on the charter to Chester on the 1st of December. Will it be a Pendolino train, a Super Voyager train, or an InterCity train?

Pendolinos and Voyagers are also intercity trains (as much as some hate to admit it ;)), the Pretendolino is a Mk3 LHCS set hauled variously by 90s or 57s.
 

TEW

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Only the Chester run is down as loco-hauled. The Manchester special is down as a 390.
 
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