Information on British Rail Class 255 Virgin Challenger

[Jorge Da Silva]

I heard somewhere that Virgin Crosscountry planned to refurb HST's under the classification Class 255 Virgin Challenger sets. Does anyone know what services this would have ran on and what the refurb involved.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Paddington-Swindon-Cheltenham-Birmingham.

 

[AlistairCowell]

The refurbishment would have involved repainting in Virgin silver and red livery and the interior would have been refurbished in the same standard as the Pendolino and Voyager sets. In the event, the plan fell through.

 

[hexagon789]

I think they operated short sets for a brief period in 2003, but the "Challenger" plan to use 2+5 sets on specific workings within the enhanced timetable fell through as part of the fallout from the issues with the original enhanced timetable.

The sets were just normal 2+7 VXC HSTs with two TS removed.

 

[dubscottie]

They were to have been refurbished to voyager standards and used on services to/from Paddington.

This was to avoid the hassle of fitting ATP to voyagers or having voyagers running at restricted speed on the GWML.

They scrapped running into Paddington so they were not needed.

 

[43096]

They were to have been refurbished to voyager standards and used on services to/from Paddington.

This was to avoid the hassle of fitting ATP to voyagers or having voyagers running at restricted speed on the GWML.

They scrapped running into Paddington so they were not needed.

The ATP kit was ordered for these sets, I believe, and was used later when FGW took on additional HSTs. Ironically the first sets to get the kit were 5 former Project Rio sets, which had previously been Challenger vehicles.

 

[Mag_seven]

I think they operated short sets for a brief period in 2003,

Can't remember the year but I recall joining one of these sets on a southbound service at York and the station announcer specifically stating it was a "Virgin Challenger Service".

The sets were just normal 2+7 VXC HSTs with two TS removed.

I could have sworn the set I travelled on was shorter than that, perhaps 2+5.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I could have sworn the set I travelled on was shorter than that, perhaps 2+5.

That's what the OP said - 2+7 minus two TSOs = 2+5

I went on one too. I think they were known as "Virgin Pioneers" at that point?

 

[hexagon789]

I could have sworn the set I travelled on was shorter than that, perhaps 2+5.

Well yes, a normal set minus two TS would be 2+5!

 

[hexagon789]

I went on one too. I think they were known as "Virgin Pioneers" at that point

They were the West Coast sets, but they operated certain XC services as I recall.

 

[Mag_seven]

Well yes, a normal set minus two TS would be 2+5!

I just assumed you meant it was 2+7 after the two TS had been taken out. Funny how we can misinterpret things.

(although that would have made the original set 2+9 )

 

[hexagon789]

I just assumed you meant it was 2+7 after the two TS had been taken out. Funny how we can misinterpret things.

(although that would have made the original set 2+9 )

Easily done!

The North East-South West (later Cross-Country) sets were 2+7 from new. The only 2+9 set BR regularly operated was the Tyne-Tees Pullman set (HT34) which was made up to 2+9 in about 1987/88.

Otherwise only the ICEC sets have regularly operated as 2+9.

 

[RPM]

I believe this nameplate was produced for one of the Virgin Challenger sets.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They were the West Coast sets, but they operated certain XC services as I recall.

Was there another name, then? I'm near-certain the unrefurbished 5-car XC sets had a different name to the planned Voyager-like ones.

 

[hexagon789]

Was there another name, then? I'm near-certain the unrefurbished 5-car XC sets had a different name to the planned Voyager-like ones.

From the 125Group:

The next major change around with the HST fleet then came in October 2002, Virgin Cross Country launched ‘Operation Princess’ which saw a full fleet of Voyager trains displace HSTs from their previous duties, although at this time only 10 power cars left Virgin Trains – the remaining 47 power cars were divided into two pools. The ‘Challenger’ fleet was created to operate Blackpool and Manchester to Birmingham services, with the plan being to give this fleet a major refurbishment and retain these trains within Virgin Cross Country for a planned Paddington to Birmingham via Swindon operation. The power cars, which were technically the power cars in most need of attention, were transferred to Longsight depot but in a peculiar move were allocated to depot code MA, instead of LO which the West Coast power cars had used. The remainder of the power cars were nicknamed ‘Pioneer’ and these worked the Virgin West Coast services, in addition to four duties on Cross-Country operations.

The ‘Challenger’ fleet consisted of 43063/069-071/078/079/086-089/155/156/159/161/162/180/193-198 whilst the ‘Pioneer’ fleet consisted of 43065/067/068/080/084/090-094/097-103/121-123/153/164/157/158/160.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Cheers.

 

[43096]

They were the West Coast sets, but they operated certain XC services as I recall.

I think you've answered the question with your subsequent post, but the Pioneer sets were to cover Voyagers. Those Pioneer sets for the West Coast operation were ex-Cross Country and had an extra TF added to bring them up to 2+8 formation. The three "proper" West Coast sets were transferred away at this point to Midland Mainline (two sets) and GNER (one set). Ten of the TS vehicles removed from the XC sets were also transferred to GNER (and were sold by Porterbrook to Angel) to being their formations up to 2+9.

 

[hexagon789]

I think you've answered the question with your subsequent post, but the Pioneer sets were to cover Voyagers. Those Pioneer sets for the West Coast operation were ex-Cross Country and had an extra TF added to bring them up to 2+8 formation. The three "proper" West Coast sets were transferred away at this point to Midland Mainline (two sets) and GNER (one set). Ten of the TS vehicles removed from the XC sets were also transferred to GNER (and were sold by Porterbrook to Angel) to being their formations up to 2+9.

So still XC HSTs but made up with two TF. Still a TRSB though, not a TRFB?

 

[43096]

So still XC HSTs but made up with two TF. Still a TRSB though, not a TRFB?

Correct!