Avanti West Coast - Super Voyager Refurbishment

[py_megapixel]

It's a franchise requirement, presumably to make them as desirable as possible for any other TOC to take them on (XC? pretty please? DfT, please?).

XC seem never to really have cared that much about their stock: they'd probably take them on anyway. In fact the cost of changing them back so the interiors all match might make them less attractive.

Short of the photos in the toilets, the Voyagers are literally running around under XC with Virgin interiors.

 

[supervc-10]

And seemingly having seen no more than a quick vacuum since the Virgin days! XC need the Virgin 221s, and the Meridians too.

 

[gsnedders]

XC seem never to really have cared that much about their stock: they'd probably take them on anyway. In fact the cost of changing them back so the interiors all match might make them less attractive.

Short of the photos in the toilets, the Voyagers are literally running around under XC with Virgin interiors.

The question is very much whether the DfT will give XC the funding to take on the extra stock; XC is reliant on subsidy and the increase in capacity necessary for the busiest sections of their routes is unlikely to pay for itself.

 

[py_megapixel]

The question is very much whether the DfT will give XC the funding to take on the extra stock; XC is reliant on subsidy and the increase in capacity necessary for the busiest sections of their routes is unlikely to pay for itself.

Indeed.

My actual suspicion is that the DfT have just made a hash of the franchise terms, as is their track record, and are inadvertently funding refurbishment of stock that is heading to be stored off lease.

 

[gsnedders]

Indeed.

My actual suspicion is that the DfT have just made a hash of the franchise terms, as is their track record, and are inadvertently funding refurbishment of stock that is heading to be stored off lease.

I've been sincerely hoping this isn't the case, but will be exceptionally unsurprised if it is.

 

[supervc-10]

I am quite sure that improving the quality of the XC service will lead to more passengers. I'd be one of them. The nastiness of the Voyager down to Bristol is one of the reasons why I drive from Manchester. A good friend of mine, who is American but lived in Finland before moving to Bristol, says that the train to Manchester is 'grim and stinky'. He was saying that the service is something he'd have tolerated in the US but not something that's OK in Europe. And I have to say I agree with him!

I go down south reasonably often. I take the train to London normally (Covid times excepted) because it's a better service than driving. When visiting friends in Bristol, the train isn't.

 

[Mollman]

Refurbished set in traffic:
http://news.railcam.uk/index.php/20...t-refreshed-super-voyager-returns-to-service/

Avanti West Coast – First refreshed Super Voyager returns to service!

The first pictures of Avanti West Coast Super Voyager 221101 have been released after its return to service.

Standard class interior of set 221101 after it’s refresh
The refresh was the first in an £8.3m deal which was signed with Bombardier last year.
We reported on the plans in July and the full details can be seen here.

Super Voyager 221101 cab with it’s Avanti West Coast branding

 

[py_megapixel]

Refurbished set in traffic:
http://news.railcam.uk/index.php/20...t-refreshed-super-voyager-returns-to-service/

Looks reasonably nice, though it seems a bit lazy not to apply the full livery!

 

[Neptune]

Looks reasonably nice, though it seems a bit lazy not to apply the full livery!

Lazy? You’re implying that they couldn’t be bothered which I suspect is not the case whatsoever.

Maybe it’s more a case that they’re coming off lease in the near future so what is the point applying the full livery. At least they’ve had a refresh unlike the XC units which are not slated for replacement.

 

[MML]

If they were thinking of a neutral refresh ready for the next customer, a neutral silver grey would have been better than the hideous ORANGE table top laminate.

The interior reminds me of easyJet rather than Avanti West Coast.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If they were thinking of a neutral refresh ready for the next customer, a neutral silver grey would have been better than the hideous ORANGE table top laminate.

They haven't changed the table top, that's how Virgin did them. It's not orange, it's sort of a quite nice woody sort of colour.

The lighting conduit is the same pattern.

 

[Neptune]

They haven't changed the table top, that's how Virgin did them. It's not orange, it's sort of a quite nice woody sort of colour.

Yes it looks like they’ve just replaced the seat maquette, carpet and repainted the end wall’s/grab rails. The table tops are untouched. The renders suggest a vestibule refresh too.

All in all it looks loads better than the original garish Virgin scheme.

 

[py_megapixel]

Lazy? You’re implying that they couldn’t be bothered which I suspect is not the case whatsoever.

Maybe it’s more a case that they’re coming off lease in the near future so what is the point applying the full livery. At least they’ve had a refresh unlike the XC units which are not slated for replacement.

Well you could use the same argument to say, what is the point in refurb at all?
By "lazy" I meant more as a cost-saving rather than effort-saving thing.

 

[Merle Haggard]

A minor point; I've been told by someone speaking with authority (and, yes, so often in those circumstances, it's rubbish) that the reason for the apparently random red seats in the Virgin scheme was to indicate the position of the emergency exit windows.
Is there any truth in this, or yet more duff gen?

 

[Bletchleyite]

A minor point; I've been told by someone speaking with authority (and, yes, so often in those circumstances, it's rubbish) that the reason for the apparently random red seats in the Virgin scheme was to indicate the position of the emergency exit windows.
Is there any truth in this, or yet more duff gen?

It's false, you can see from this picture that it was more by side in the Voyagers, and those aren't all emergency windows.

British Rail Class 220 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[py_megapixel]

It's false, you can see from this picture that it was more by side in the Voyagers, and those aren't all emergency windows.

British Rail Class 220 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I think @Merle Haggard is probably referring to the fact that some seats are red in the "wrong" side. However, IIRC the emergency windows on a Voyager are the ones closest to the vestibules, and those are the same colour as the rest of their side!

 

[RichardTBC]

221106 has also had its refurbishment done, I travelled up to Warrington on it yesterday, same interiors as 221101

 

[Merle Haggard]

Thank you for the comments.
Of course, fake news (aka b******t) always has an air of slight plausibility that makes one wonder!

 

[James Kevill]

Will all of the 20 Class 221 Super Voyagers have their plain white livery with grey doors during the refurbishment?

 

[317 forever]

The moquette reminds me of Greater Anglia.

 

[py_megapixel]

The moquette reminds me of Greater Anglia.

I know what you mean. Abellio actually uses a very similar moquette all over Europe.

I quite like it. In contrast to the rest of the AWC brand, which I find overly corporate-feeling.

 

[greatvoyager]

I know what you mean. Abellio actually uses a very similar moquette all over Europe.

I quite like it. In contrast to the rest of the AWC brand, which I find overly corporate-feeling.

Just out of interest, is the internal colour scheme the standard for AWC, or is it a neutral one?

 

[py_megapixel]

Just out of interest, is the internal colour scheme the standard for AWC, or is it a neutral one?

I'm not sure. I am yet to travel on a refurbished unit. However the blue seat covers and orange grab handles do seem to match AWC's brand so even if it is neutral, it's pretty skewed towards them.

 

[221101 Voyager]

Just out of interest, is the internal colour scheme the standard for AWC, or is it a neutral one?

It is standard as it has the Avanti orange grab handles and green-blue seat colour with orange and white? stripes on the seat.

 

[greatvoyager]

I'm not sure. I am yet to travel on a refurbished unit. However the blue seat covers and orange grab handles do seem to match AWC's brand so even if it is neutral, it's pretty skewed towards them.

It is standard as it has the Avanti orange grab handles and green-blue seat colour with orange and white? stripes on the seat.

Thank you.

 

[class 9]

The question is very much whether the DfT will give XC the funding to take on the extra stock; XC is reliant on subsidy and the increase in capacity necessary for the busiest sections of their routes is unlikely to pay for itself.

Before COVID XC was running profitably, premiums being payed to Government, no subsidy.
Post COVID however is another matter.

 

[crablab]

Before COVID XC was running profitably, premiums being payed to Government, no subsidy.

You sure about that one?



(Nb. positive values are subsidy, negative are premium payments)

Source: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/stati...ilometre-by-train-operating-company-table-17/

For context, LNER subsidy/km is 1.5p, GWR is 10.8p and VTWC was 1.3p

 

[CR165022]

Reported that 221105 has got the plain white livery, but one door hasn't been painted

 

[Defiance149]

Reported that 221105 has got the plain white livery, but one door hasn't been painted

221105 was released from Ilford still in Virgin colours, there's no external painting taking place.

 

[CR165022]

221105 was released from Ilford still in Virgin colours, there's no external painting taking place.

Ok, wonder why 101 has got a unpainted door now then?