Longer trains on XC?

[Trainman40083]

moderator note : split from

XC Voyager Refurbishment

In Modern Railways January 2024. Beacon Rail have gone out to tender for XC Voyager refurbishment with 3 companies interested in the work (Alstom probably one of them). Also mentions Beacon Rail considering batteries for the voyagers but ruled out on cost. Not much other detail, but some good...

www.railforums.co.uk

The

Hope not, I was on one a couple of days ago, sat on a metal bar with no cushioning on the seat and the whole thing was shuddering to destruction around Didcot. Voyagers glide along in comparison, looking forward to them being tidied up and refreshed as new inside.

Well, if passenger numbers are rising and Voyagers are rammed, and more services are put back, the joy of say an 8 car IEP would be, you only need one set of crew.

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Well, if passenger numbers are rising and Voyagers are rammed, and more services are put back, the joy of say an 8 car IEP would be, you only need one set of crew.

Meanwhile in Switzerland, SBB have no problem whacking 20 carriages (I'm not joking, I've been on one) on far less populated intercity routes like Zurich to Lugano (equivalent in distance and population with Edinburgh to Inverness) - yes, that's right; they're better at doubling up 10-car units than we are with 4-5 car units on far longer routes connecting much larger cities. That's how far behind we are; XC would kill for a single 10-car unit for each diagram, let alone extra!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Meanwhile in Switzerland, SBB have no problem whacking 20 carriages (I'm not joking, I've been on one) on far less populated intercity routes like Zurich to Lugano (equivalent in distance and population with Edinburgh to Inverness) - yes, that's right; they're better at doubling up 10-car units than we are with 4-5 car units on far longer routes connecting much larger cities. That's how far behind we are; XC would kill for a single 10-car unit for each diagram, let alone extra!

To be fair the only units SBB have that they could do that with is the Girunos, which as they are Stadler units have short (17.5m) intermediate vehicles. Two of those is 22 car and 400m long. Still a heck of a train though - only place you'll see that in the UK is Eurostar and HS2 captive.

Totally agree it would be an XC passenger's dream!

(Voyager equivalent would be just over 16 car... to be fair 15 car Voyager formations have actually operated in service on Virgin's "blockade busters" !)

 

[Northerngirl]

To be fair the only units SBB have that they could do that with is the Girunos, which as they are Stadler units have short (17.5m) intermediate vehicles. Two of those is 22 car and 400m long. Still a heck of a train though - only place you'll see that in the UK is Eurostar and HS2 captive.

Totally agree it would be an XC passenger's dream!

(Voyager equivalent would be just over 16 car... to be fair 15 car Voyager formations have actually operated in service on Virgin's "blockade busters" !)

What station could they actually use, as far as I' m aware it's only the sleeper stops that are long enough

 

[Bletchleyite]

What station could they actually use, as far as I' m aware it's only the sleeper stops that are long enough

15 car Voyagers ran a shuttle between Birmingham Intl and Euston which both have platforms long enough.

They'd not be much use (nor really necessary) on most of XC.

 

[Killingworth]

15 car Voyagers ran a shuttle between Birmingham Intl and Euston which both have platforms long enough.

They'd not be much use (nor really necessary) on most of XC.

In days long gone by, before XC, trains from cities in the North East were joined up at Sheffield to head for the South West on summer Saturdays. They seemed very long, possibly 14 car? I didn't count them.

 

[Wolfie]

I agree about looking forward to tidy up as that lets them down massively at the moment. I can just about cope with the other stuff once that's sorted.

What I really want is for them to get all the AVC units that come off lease, I don't care about all these OA operators I want to not stand from Leeds to Birmingham every time I travel to Cornwall. It makes operational, commercial and logical sense for that to happen in my eyes. The OA operators can wait for the 222s.

HMT would beg to differ. Let's see what the new Government has to say. Of course, if the OA operators offer more....

 

[Jimini]

15 car Voyagers ran a shuttle between Birmingham Intl and Euston which both have platforms long enough.

They'd not be much use (nor really necessary) on most of XC.

Did they stop at Coventry as well, or maybe the one we caught all those years ago was maybe just a double voyager (this was during a Christmas blockade probably nigh on ten years ago)?

 

[Ayman Ilham]

To be fair the only units SBB have that they could do that with is the Girunos, which as they are Stadler units have short (17.5m) intermediate vehicles. Two of those is 22 car and 400m long. Still a heck of a train though - only place you'll see that in the UK is Eurostar and HS2 captive.

Totally agree it would be an XC passenger's dream!

I wonder what the possibility of a bi-mode version of the Stadler Giruno built to British loading gauge for CrossCountry would be (a 10-car unit for each Voyager to double the capacity on every service and give opportunity for new connections so passenger growth can be managed much easier), if they eventually decide on new trains in the long-term. However, such a thing (10-car bi-modes to replace each 4- or 5- car Voyager) would likely be far easier on the existing IET platform, and probably more realistic to procure specifically for the Manchester to Bristol and Bournemouth routes, allowing all Voyagers to strengthen the North East to South West services.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Did they stop at Coventry as well, or maybe the one we caught all those years ago was maybe just a double voyager (this was during a Christmas blockade probably nigh on ten years ago)?

No, they ran via the Chiltern line.

 

[43096]

No, they ran via the Chiltern line.

They could have still run via the Chiltern line from Coventry.

 

[The Planner]

No, they ran via the Chiltern line.

How do you think they got to the Chiltern line if they stopped at International....

 

[Bletchleyite]

How do you think they got to the Chiltern line if they stopped at International....

Sorry, being thick there. I don't know if they called - most probably not at that length?

They have been doubles too but triples have definitely run. If you search there are some old threads on it.

 

[FGWHST43009]

Meanwhile in Switzerland, SBB have no problem whacking 20 carriages (I'm not joking, I've been on one) on far less populated intercity routes like Zurich to Lugano (equivalent in distance and population with Edinburgh to Inverness) - yes, that's right; they're better at doubling up 10-car units than we are with 4-5 car units on far longer routes connecting much larger cities. That's how far behind we are; XC would kill for a single 10-car unit for each diagram, let alone extra!

XC are running more long formations which is good to see. The 0640 from Newcastle to Plymouth was a single Voyager before the June TT change. It's now a double set. When I travelled from Newcastle to South Wales a few weeks ago, both Voyagers I had were double formations.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Some cascades from Avanti are definitely helping.

 

[Trainbike46]

Have the first cascaded units from Avanti arrived?

When the 13 (?) cascaded avanti units have all arrived it will certainly help with more and longer services on XC - which are desperately needed. Hopefully the remaining ex-avanti units will be leased and come as well

 

[Jamesrob637]

Have the first cascaded units from Avanti arrived?

When the 13 (?) cascaded avanti units have all arrived it will certainly help with more and longer services on XC - which are desperately needed. Hopefully the remaining ex-avanti units will be leased and come as well

221114 to 221116 have definitely arrived

 

[Trainbike46]

221114 to 221116 have definitely arrived

good to hear!

 

[Ayman Ilham]

XC are running more long formations which is good to see. The 0640 from Newcastle to Plymouth was a single Voyager before the June TT change. It's now a double set. When I travelled from Newcastle to South Wales a few weeks ago, both Voyagers I had were double formations.

Some cascades from Avanti are definitely helping.

It is definitely a step in the right direction.

 

[NEDdrv]

221114 to 221116 have definitely arrived

Unfortunately 114 out of traffic at Tyne Yard due to damage sustained by fatality on Friday at Chester le street (severe wheel flats) I believe