Aberdeen to Penzance

[dave87016]

Really enjoying the trip so far, thank you, and by chance I'm not the only Aberzancer! Two men in their thirties or so are doing it, and as it happens, I wasn't very happy with my seat and they weren't happy with theirs.

I'd requested a table for two, but my seat ended up facing the vestibule door a metre in front. I hate being right in front of the door as I really enjoy a view down the carriage. I'd also found out the four carriage Voyager was fully booked, and I'd forgotten just how limited the legroom is on those tables for two so regretted not getting a single. It was looking like fourteen hours of playing footsie! The other two guys had also requested a table for two, but ended up with two forward facing individual single seats, one in front of the other, so decided to ignore their reservations and take a table for four.

Well, one of their booked single seats (A12) had a perfect window, ridiculously generous legroom, and a great view down the carriage. We did a little swap, I took that seat off of them, they took my table for two, and everyone was happy! Next stop is York. It's a four carriage 220 when it's been the booked 221 most of the week, but in first class that makes no difference to capacity so the short formation doesn't affect me. I'm also happier with an XC original Voyager than an ex-Avanti one, as while I'd rather the latter for standard class, I'm not a fan of pleather. The Antolin-Laire seating fitted to first in Pendolinos and Voyagers is, in my opinion, the most comfortable train seat in the UK, so I'm very comfy and I've got bags of legroom.

Good luck buddy hope you enjoy it your incredibly brave !!! I did Barrow - Preston on a 142 ! That was bad enough for me , however I could do any distance on a HST and be happy especially the Scotrail ones in first class

 

[MattyH]

Excellent to get live reports. What's the capacity like in Standard, as far as you can tell? Thanks!

 

[duffield]

Excellent to get live reports. What's the capacity like in Standard, as far as you can tell? Thanks!

Yes, I was wondering if the vestibule outside 1st was crammed anywhere between Leeds and Bristol.

Edit: Virtually bang on time the whole way, for 13 hours, it then lost 6 minutes between Cambourne and St. Erth right at the end!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Thoroughly enjoyed AberZance today, and now I have a comfortable table to myself on the sleeper.

 

[Mainliner]

Thoroughly enjoyed AberZance today, and now I have a comfortable table to myself on the sleeper.

Glad it went well!

Well done on making the connection for the sleeper. I will be staying over in Penzance when I do this next month, in order to try the GWR Pullman Dining service the following day.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Yes, I was wondering if the vestibule outside 1st was crammed anywhere between Leeds and Bristol.

I had to step over people on the floor to get to the toilet…

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Excellent to get live reports. What's the capacity like in Standard, as far as you can tell? Thanks!

Absolutely unbelievably wedged tight.

I will add we actually had two or three standees in First between Birmingham and Bristol.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

That's par for the course..try travelling on 1V60 from Bristol on a Sunday evening when V58 & V60 have both been cancelled.

The rear five coaches detaches and goes to Barton Hill leaving a four car to proceed forward to Penzance - then gets cancelled at Plymouth due to no train crew..it's absolute carnage most weeks.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

That's par for the course..try travelling on 1V60 from Bristol on a Sunday evening when V58 & V60 have both been cancelled.

The rear five coaches detaches and goes to Barton Hill leaving a four car to proceed forward to Penzance - then gets cancelled at Plymouth due to no train crew..it's absolute carnage most weeks.

Sorry that should read V58 & V62!

 

[Mainliner]

I see that yesterday’s service started from Montrose “due to a problem with the traction equipment (MD)”, which Cross Country stated on X was “a broken down Scotrail service blocking the line” - unlucky…

 

[Magdalia]

The "and finally" item on Radio 4's Today this morning was live from the Aberdeen-Penzance.

 

[voyagerdude220]

The "and finally" item on Radio 4's Today this morning was live from the Aberdeen-Penzance.

I believe today's 08:20 Aberdeen to Penzance is being specially strengthened between Edinburgh and Bristol Temple Meads- allocated 221128 from Aberdeen + 220002 Edinburgh to Bristol.

Cross Country have also relaxed ticket restrictions for holders of Advance tickets booked on the Aberdeen to Penzance allowing travel earlier/later around Edinburgh and Birmingham due to the unusually large number of reservations for the entire journey.

 

[WesternLancer]

Anyone on board able to post here?

 

[WesternLancer]

The "and finally" item on Radio 4's Today this morning was live from the Aberdeen-Penzance.

The interview response from the Network Rail (a former director) was poor in my view.
Saying the service needed to be removed because it was difficult to weave other services around it and keep it on time. Given that only applies to the Plymouth - Penzance section of the route (the bit being removed from the service) i assume that issue does not really apply as a prime reason.

Also I note the presenter commented that hopefully the on board correspondent would not get cut off during the piece as the train 'went through the Pennines' - this would have been about 08.55 when the train was near Montrose....

Given this is the BBC's flagship news programme (and probably considered more important then even TV news) these sorts of things always remind me that plenty of other stuff included, that I know less about, is potentially as weakly researched.

However, I'm pleased they featured it.

 

[sprinterguy]

The interview response from the Network Rail (a former director) was poor in my view.
Saying the service needed to be removed because it was difficult to weave other services around it and keep it on time. Given that only applies to the Plymouth - Penzance section of the route (the bit being removed from the service) i assume that issue does not really apply as a prime reason.

Agreed, given that there'll still be an Aberdeen - Plymouth service and an Edinburgh - Penzance one, it's not particularly relevant as a factor. It's simply down to a retiming of the XC Penzance services.

 

[WesternLancer]

Agreed, given that there'll still be an Aberdeen - Plymouth service and an Edinburgh - Penzance one, it's not particularly relevant as a factor. It's simply down to a retiming of the XC Penzance services.

Thanks for that added info

 

[Jan Mayen]

Realtime trains is showing the formation as follows:

• 221128 to Edinburgh
• 220002 + 221128 to Newcastle
• 221128 + 220002 to Bristol Temple Meads
• 221128 to Penzance

Did the train reverse in Newcastle?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Did the train reverse in Newcastle?

Yes. It wouldn't normally but presumably did in order to get the 5 car leading again so the 4 car can be easily detached from the rear at Bristol Temple Meads.

 

[Halish Railway]

Realtime trains is showing the formation as follows:

• 221128 to Edinburgh
• 220002 + 221128 to Newcastle
• 221128 + 220002 to Bristol Temple Meads
• 221128 to Penzance

Did the train reverse in Newcastle?

221128 is leading, coach A first.

Coach B seems to be running with its engine off and the rear set doesn’t have any reservations. The engine in Coach I has a horrible vibration.

 

[WesternLancer]

Now featuring on BBC radio 4 'PM' news programme (item at about 17.41 hours) - much better item as it included a 'audio journey diary' from Aimee Smith, a passenger on the train doing the full run.

I see timekeeping has been pretty good so far.

 

[Jimini]

Wonder if it'll make it to the end...

Incident: Penzance | National Rail

Major disruption between Plymouth and Penzance expected until the end of the day. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Route(s) affected​

Between Cardiff Central / London Paddington / Gloucester / Exeter St Davids / Plymouth and Penzance

Description​

A fault with the signalling system between Plymouth and Penzance means the line towards Penzance is blocked.

Trains running between these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or started from Par.

Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.

 

[WesternLancer]

Wonder if it'll make it to the end...

Incident: Penzance | National Rail

Major disruption between Plymouth and Penzance expected until the end of the day. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

doesn't sound good...

 

[Mainliner]

This is why I decided to do the whole trip last month, instead of risking it in the last few days, with little opportunity to rearrange, but best wishes to all on the train.

 

[plymothian]

S&T have found a broken cable [at Largin] and have high confidence in carrying out a temp repair to get the axle counters back which will take an estimated 30 mins to complete.

 

[MrJeeves]

My service is just coming into Liskeard shortly. Will see how long this takes.

I'm glad that I did this service yesterday.

 

[MrJeeves]

We've stormed straight through the problem area without actually encountering any problems at all.

Fingers crossed for 1V60.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

I'm currently travelling from Bodmin Parkway to Plymouth on a heavily delayed FGW service to Gloucester but trains are starting to move now especially on the Down. Good luck to all those on 1V60 - we've just passed 1V58 at Liskeard.

 

[MrJeeves]

heavily delayed FGW service to Gloucester

Almost a decade late is quite impressive

 

[800Travel]

Wonder if it'll make it to the end...

Incident: Penzance | National Rail

Major disruption between Plymouth and Penzance expected until the end of the day. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Lines have now reopened following a fault with the signalling system between Plymouth and Penzance. However, whilst service recovers, trains running between these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes.

Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/penzance-20250516/

Hopefully 1V60 makes it through the affected area ok

 

[WesternLancer]

To bring some poetry in

“The gradients against her but she’s on time”

Well almost…