Avanti West Coast - Super Voyager Refurbishment

[Huntergreed]

Avanti West Coast has now begun refurbishing their Super Voyager fleet for their last few years in service on the WCML with 221101 now at Ilford undergoing its refurbishment.
Some photos from the AWC website of the new interior:


Standard Class - This looks much nicer and much smarter than the old interior in my opinion. I like the black look instead of the old VT red, feels more sleek and modern.


First-class. This looks very similar to the current first-class, just with a black wall and nicer carpet, but overall I think it looks quite smart and an improvement on the admittedly very dated interior we have right now.


Vestibule: This looks practically the same as it does now as far as I can see.

Overall, I think that this interior refresh looks very nice and smart and, if this is anything to go by, hopefully we will see a similar if not more dramatic overhaul of the Pendolino fleet in the coming years.

Photos are taken from https://newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/news/voyager-fleet-upgraded-by-avanti-west-coast

 

[Halish Railway]

I’m surprised that they even bothered considering that the 805s will arrive and be introduced in 2021/2022, though this is really just a redecoration and will be nothing compared to what will be done to the Pendolinos.

Its worth noting that First also planned to to refurbish all of their 185s at the point at which they planned to send 22 units off-lease (a decision that was reversed so that they could operate the Nottingham to Liverpool services).

It must be said though that the interior looks far better than now.

 

[JonathanH]

Some photos from the AWC website of the new interior:

Looks like a render to me (which is apparent as 221101 has only just gone to Ilford). Hopefully, the standard class seating is proper moquette and not some sort of flat cloth (noting the 'plastic' edging).

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Very impressive indeed !

 

[DB]

Looks like basically a carpet / seat covers / paint job - which is pretty much what would be expected given that they are not keeping them long-term.

 

[p.d87]

Looks like basically a carpet / seat covers / paint job - which is pretty much what would be expected given that they are not keeping them long-term.

More or less yes. Spruce them up prior to sending back. They need it plus it helps identify the Avanti brand.

 

[DB]

More or less yes. Spruce them up prior to sending back. They need it plus it helps identify the Avanti brand.

As they are at the moment, they are already in better condition than the XC ones!

 

[p.d87]

As they are at the moment, they are already in better condition than the XC ones!

I don't travel XC often enough to compare.

 

[fgwrich]

They are only CGI design renders - not actual photos.

 

[p.d87]

They are only CGI design renders - not actual photos.

Correct. I don't think anyone has said otherwise.

 

[David Goddard]

In the first post they were described as photos of the new interior

 

[43055]

I don't travel XC often enough to compare.

XC ones really need a referb as they have never refurbished standard class so the seat covers and everything is the same as new over 15 years ago. Once I could feel the metal base of the seat on my thigh.

I think this will he the second refresh for the west coast fleet as last year I got one with just tables on one coach which I had never seen before.

 

[Huntergreed]

I think this will the the second refresh for the west coast fleet as last year I got one with just tables on one coach which I had never seen before.

I believe this has always been the case in coach D (shop coach), which is used as either standard or first class as demand required and changes on each service.

 

[py_megapixel]

I hope CrossCountry will consider something like this. They'll be stuck with Voyagers for far longer than Avanti and their units are far nastier inside too!

 

[py_megapixel]

I do like that seating moquette in Standard and the colour scheme is pretty nice too. I do think it's a pity that they haven't decided to remove the awful chunky luggage rack in favour of something better, but we can't really complain as they will only be in service for another 2-3 years!

It does seem like a bit of a waste to refurbish trains which are so close to end of life on the TOC they're being branded for however, and part of me worries that having a different interior might make them less attractive for XC to take on for capacity improvements - something that drastically needs to happen.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I believe this has always been the case in coach D (shop coach), which is used as either standard or first class as demand required and changes on each service.

There was also a unit with two such coaches, but I think the multi-way swap with XC got rid of that, sadly.

It's not used in that way any more, it's always Standard.

I hope CrossCountry will consider something like this. They'll be stuck with Voyagers for far longer than Avanti and their units are far nastier inside too!

The WC ones have had things like seat covers replaced when worn. Like with most things Arriva, the XC ones have just been neglected.

It does seem like a bit of a waste to refurbish trains which are so close to end of life on the TOC they're being branded for however, and part of me worries that having a different interior might make them less attractive for XC to take on for capacity improvements - something that drastically needs to happen.

It's only carpets, seat covers and light bulbs/tubes. They can change them back if they're that bothered.

 

[Ash Bridge]

XC ones really need a referb as they have never refurbished standard class so the seat covers and everything is the same as new over 15 years ago. Once I could feel the metal base of the seat on my thigh.

I think this will he the second refresh for the west coast fleet as last year I got one with just tables on one coach which I had never seen before.

I don't think that is totally correct as I seem to recall the seat covers were all replaced in both classes sometime during the early years after Arriva were awarded the XC franchise, along with shop removal and some reconfiguration of the standard seating.

 

[py_megapixel]

The WC ones have had things like seat covers replaced when worn. Like with most things Arriva, the XC ones have just been neglected.

Arriva have proven time and time again that they will neglect rolling stock - look at the awful basic refresh of the Northern 15x that they dared to call a "like-new refurbishment" at the start of the franchise; the dreadful state they have let the 175s and 150s get into in Wales; and of course the Voyagers.

 

[DB]

It's only carpets, seat covers and light bulbs/tubes. They can change them back if they're that bothered.

And given that the XC Voyagers still have Virgin colours in standard class, years after XC took over, I think we can probably assume they aren't bothered about this sort of thing!

Likewise the HSTs - interiors are basically good, but looking tatty now after over a decade of use (albeit not as bad as the Voyagers), and they don't appear to have been touched when the power doors were fitted, which would have been an obvious time to do something.

 

[DB]

I don't think that is totally correct as I seem to recall the seat covers were all replaced in both classes sometime during the early years after Arriva were awarded the XC franchise, along with shop removal and some reconfiguration of the standard seating.

I can't say for sure that this didn't happen, but I don't recall this involving any work to the existing seats other than moving a few a bit. Some additional ones were added where the shop was, but most of that space is a large luggage rack. I used the Voyagers a lot around this time, so I think I would probably have noticed.

 

[Bayum]

This looks really nice. Makes them seem very spacious and a lot more modern and clean. Hopefully, the computer render looks just as good in real life...

 

[Parallel]

To me, it looks very corporate, which is something FG seems to love. That said, their Voyagers could definitely do with a refresh, although they are in better condition internally than XC’s.

I can’t imagine anything will happen with XC’s until the new franchise is underway.

 

[NotATrainspott]

It may be in the lease deal for the trains that they need returned in the same interior state in which they arrived. Other than the antimacassars in first there's nothing that specific about Avanti's brand.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Why is this in the Infrastructure thread and not "Traction and Rolling Stock?"

 

[RealTrains07]

Anyone know if the rest of avanti’s 221s will be having work done on the outside to remove whats left of the virgin brand?

 

[Merle Haggard]

This may be dismissed as a 'first-world problem', but.
There's complaints that seats don't line always up with windows. What does always line up with windows is coat-hooks - one each side of the window (as can be seen in the images above), regardless of seat position - and in the first on a Voyager there's two single airline seats that share a single coat-hook. From experience, this can be the source of debate as to which passenger is entitled to it. In some other seats, hanging a jacket either completely obstructs the window, rests on the table, or can't hang down at all because of the seat itself.
On the other hand, I think that it's Meridians that have coat hooks each side of the window behind the luggage stacks.
I can't understand why their location is so thoughtless.

 

[py_megapixel]

This may be dismissed as a 'first-world problem', but.
There's complaints that seats don't line always up with windows. What does always line up with windows is coat-hooks - one each side of the window (as can be seen in the images above), regardless of seat position - and in the first on a Voyager there's two single airline seats that share a single coat-hook. From experience, this can be the source of debate as to which passenger is entitled to it. In some other seats, hanging a jacket either completely obstructs the window, rests on the table, or can't hang down at all because of the seat itself.
On the other hand, I think that it's Meridians that have coat hooks each side of the window behind the luggage stacks.
I can't understand why their location is so thoughtless.

I mean... yes it's a first world problem... but still, you'd think if they were going to bother with coathooks they would at least line them up!

I personally don't see the point of coathooks (just put the coat in the luggage rack out of the way??) but I appreciate some people like them and they must be pretty inexpensive in the grand scheme of things so I don't think there's a case not to fit them really.

 

[fgwrich]

This may be dismissed as a 'first-world problem', but.
There's complaints that seats don't line always up with windows. What does always line up with windows is coat-hooks - one each side of the window (as can be seen in the images above), regardless of seat position - and in the first on a Voyager there's two single airline seats that share a single coat-hook. From experience, this can be the source of debate as to which passenger is entitled to it. In some other seats, hanging a jacket either completely obstructs the window, rests on the table, or can't hang down at all because of the seat itself.
On the other hand, I think that it's Meridians that have coat hooks each side of the window behind the luggage stacks.
I can't understand why their location is so thoughtless.

As a side note, this isn't a problem unique to the Voyagers but is unique to Bombardier. For reasons unknown, Bombardier never seemed to change the overhead reading lights fitted to the underside of the luggage racks in the Electrostar fleets - they were fine for the early Connex / South Central seating layout, but each successive oder since has had a different seating layout, therefore meaning none of the positions of the lights actually match with the seats anymore - even the larger floor mounted Luggage Racks has it's own reading light with on off switch. A very very minor "first world problem", and one that I'm surprised wasn't dispensed with a long time ago.

Coming back to the Voyagers. For once, it would appear that Standard Class will be getting more attention than first - IIRC, Didn't Virgin fit those blue leather seats into the first class section of their Voyagers fairly recently?

 

[DB]

Coming back to the Voyagers. For once, it would appear that Standard Class will be getting more attention than first - IIRC, Didn't Virgin fit those blue leather seats into the first class section of their Voyagers fairly recently?

Think it was just new seat covers, wasn't it? The 'either class'carriage started oiut with the samw blue moquette as first class when it was first converted, but I think they changed it to the usual standard-class colours when the leather covers were fitted in the actual frst class section.

On the XC ones, the first class seats are the only ones to have been re-covered in XC's maroon moquette (was ages ago though, and it shows!).

 

[Merle Haggard]

Coming back to the Voyagers. For once, it would appear that Standard Class will be getting more attention than first - IIRC, Didn't Virgin fit those blue leather seats into the first class section of their Voyagers fairly recently?

I've been told that these seats came from coach 'G' in 9-car Pendos when that coach was reseated to standard. I'm not sure, and there was no response when I raised it on another thread.

Interesting observations about luggage stacks; they also (unlike seats) always seem to be exactly aligned with windows.

I personally dislike laying my jacket flat on the rack for two reasons. One (trivial) is the keys can fall out. The other is that I once travelled with my boss who placed his M&S jacket on the rack. When he took the only remaining jacket from the rack, he found it was identical to his, but not his - a problem as it contained keys to car and house, one presumably also facing someone who had alighted earlier. Of course, less likely to arise if he'd shopped at Versace or Boss (I did, paid too much...)