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Pendo to Glasgow full speed ahead!

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Chris

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Spotted this on bbc news, some good news if the pendos can cope.


High-speed tilting train on track
Pendolino
Pendolinos will now travel up to 125 mph on the main line
Tilting trains have begun operating at 125 mph between Glasgow and London following a rail network upgrade.

The first of the £11m Pendolino trains to undertake the journey at 125 mph set off from Glasgow Central to London Euston at 0945 GMT on Monday.

The train did the journey in four hours and 40 minutes, slightly more than the planned four-and-a-half-hours.

Network Rail said the move, part of an £8bn upgrade of the West Coast Main Line, would improve rail travel.

Spokesman Hugh Wark said passengers would be able to enjoy faster and more reliable journeys.

The top speed of the Pendolino was 110mph until the West Coast Main Line upgrade was completed.

The upgrade involved re-laying about 1,000 miles of track along the route in the last three years.


TILTING TRAINS
British Rail tried and failed to launch tilting trains in the 1980s
The first Pendolino train was launched in July 2002
The trains were originally forced to run in non-tilt mode
Features on the trains include video and audio entertainment
Virgin Trains claim journey times are cut by 25%

Network Rail chief executive John Armitt said passengers would reap the rewards of engineers' hard work to ensure the upgrade was completed on time.

The first stage in the route improvement programme involved an upgrade of the section between London and Manchester, enabling trains to travel at up to 125mph.

In June this year the second upgrade between Crewe, Preston and Liverpool was completed. This week saw the final section completed in Scotland and north west England.

A new timetable will be introduced next week, Network Rail said.

It also plans a number of major projects along the route to further reduce journey times and increase line capacity by 2008.

Transport Minister Alistair Darling, who travelled on the first train to make the journey on Monday, promised further improvement in journey times.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4518282.stm
 
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David

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After all the money that has been spent on the WCML, it's about time trains can run at 125mph.
 

yorkie

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Unfortunately there are still a lot of locations where the speed reduces significantly below 125mph, and still much more on the WCML than on the ECML.

The WCML works are still a long way from complete, the fault of Railtrack and the people who tried to implement an unworkable plan.
 

Techniquest

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Hence why it keeps getting more expensive.

I saw on the cover of RAIL in WHSmith, Shrewsbury, yesterday about that, but I was more eager to get back there for the 1226 to Chester, especially as it went from platform 3 (something I've not done before!). But I was happy to see that 125 is possible at last on the route. I know myself how slow it felt in October en-route to Carlisle (but that had also to do with a slow freight in front of us apparently), so any speed increase is welcome to me! It's always seemed amusing to me how the Berks and Hants is generally much faster than the WCML, in terms of average speed hit on the same length of line on the north end of the WCML. I've yet to do it, but RG - ESD non-stop via the Westbury avoider line at top speed looks fun. Might only be 110mph max, but it's still better than the WCML, with its unreliable stock. Such a trip on a 390 would probably end up with stops to allow a 59/2 out in front with a long, fully-loaded stone train, then OHLE problems, brake problems, too many people on the train...Of course, I'm imagining a future seeing the B+H electrified here for comparison purposes.
 

voyagerdude220

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FGWFan said:
Hence why it keeps getting more expensive.

I saw on the cover of RAIL in WHSmith, Shrewsbury, yesterday about that, but I was more eager to get back there for the 1226 to Chester, especially as it went from platform 3 (something I've not done before!). But I was happy to see that 125 is possible at last on the route. I know myself how slow it felt in October en-route to Carlisle (but that had also to do with a slow freight in front of us apparently), so any speed increase is welcome to me! It's always seemed amusing to me how the Berks and Hants is generally much faster than the WCML, in terms of average speed hit on the same length of line on the north end of the WCML. I've yet to do it, but RG - ESD non-stop via the Westbury avoider line at top speed looks fun. Might only be 110mph max, but it's still better than the WCML, with its unreliable stock. Such a trip on a 390 would probably end up with stops to allow a 59/2 out in front with a long, fully-loaded stone train, then OHLE problems, brake problems, too many people on the train...Of course, I'm imagining a future seeing the B+H electrified here for comparison purposes.

Because you haven't mentioned Voyagers being formed of a smaller amount of coaches, it makes them sound really good :D

Is it actually likely that 220's (more likely) /221's will get more cariages in around 2007 :?: I spotted a letter to the RAIL magazine on a previous issue from the head of VXC. He said about lengthening the Voyagers around that period, but is it actually likely to be done??

I don't personally suffer from overcrowding on Voyagers though, because I buy VT value 1st fares, in order to enjoy the complimentary food & drink, but I still personaly think that the Snack Box's should be replaced, although they are still good. 390's get a kitchen & 4 FC cars- & 220/221's get an area behind the cab + 1 FC car. My point being that not everyone wants to go to London, but the P.M seems to think so most of the time ;)

(I personally really like 220s & 221s)
 

Guinness

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AJP said:
There isnt enough services on the WCML to Glasgow :roll:

What the hell are you on about? :? Hourly to Euston. Hourly to Manchester or Birmingham. Are they ment to run every 10 minutes or something? :?
 

Angus

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I don't know about everyone else, but it seems a bit of a disappointment to me - all this investment and years of work to get the same maximum speed that the ECML has had for decades. I've said it before and I'll say it again - the work that has been done on the WCML has not been worth the money - someone is seriously ripping someone else off here.
 

voyagerdude220

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Chaz said:
AJP said:
There isnt enough services on the WCML to Glasgow :roll:

What the hell are you on about? :? Hourly to Euston. Hourly to Manchester or Birmingham. Are they ment to run every 10 minutes or something? :?

I think VT runs a frequent service along the WCML, especially Crewe to Glasgow, that is combined with VXC services on that section, meaning places like Preston have a very good frequency of trains alot of the time for stations towards Scotland. As for London to Glasgow, I think it's very sufficent. I don't personally think we need 390's running every 30 mins along the WCML between London & Glasgow, when you've got plenty going towards Crewe (especially towards Liverpool & a few to Holyhead),
one every 30 mins towards Manchester, and the London to Glasgow services for stations between Crewe & Glasgow via the NW of England.

If VT did run trains every 10-15 mins, as said in the above comment, I personally think that you'd get the trains running 2/3- 1/2 full if that. (It would definately make FC nearly empty most of the time)
 

heart-of-wessex

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sounds good, 4 hours aint bad either, still 87 would be nice :D

As for the B&H, haha ive had worst! HST to London held us at Newbury to let a late running turbo out! yes a FGWL 165! had to follow it whit it doing ALL stops to Reading! we must of been at either a single yellow most of the way as we kept stopping at reds alot, saw the 165 at Reading, i think i needed it as well, then it was full whack to Paddington, I love late HSTs!
 

Mojo

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I dont. I was on one back in November, held behind a freight from Westbury to some loop, and then a turbo from Newbury. But we did Reading to Paddington in exactly 20mins :o
 

voyagerdude220

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I get REALLY annoyed when Northern 150's run in front of my Voyagers/Super Voyagers, along the Ribble Valley line (Blackburn to Clitheroe). It quite often happens in the southbound direction, meaning the Voyager service has to sit north of Clitheroe,idling, for 20-25 mins, whilst the 150 comes along at the 45mph line speed, holding the long-distance VT service up.


heart-of-wessex said:
sounds good, 4 hours aint bad either, still 87 would be nice :D

As for the B&H, haha ive had worst! HST to London held us at Newbury to let a late running turbo out! yes a FGWL 165! had to follow it whit it doing ALL stops to Reading! we must of been at either a single yellow most of the way as we kept stopping at reds alot, saw the 165 at Reading, i think i needed it as well, then it was full whack to Paddington, I love late HSTs!
 
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4 hours aint bad! Although as qouted on another reply to this subject bring back a nice 87 for a bit of thrash :D

Although not going to happen, maybe in my dreams!
 
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