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Surprising Class 221 formation

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Sod

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At about 12.15hrs today, I noted two Virgin Class 221 units entering Penmaenbach tunnel, en route from Chester to Holyhead. While the first one comprised the usual 5 cars, the second had only four - I was near enough and it was moving slowly enough (a new footbridge is being installed, hence speed restriction?, and a good future photographic opportunity) for me to count twice. Unfortunately I could not see the unit numbers - I was on the beach, and the parapet only enabled me to see the windows and above.

Has one of the previous four-car units been reconfigured? Is it possible to take one car out of a 5-car Voyager without removing one of the organs essential to its running? I ask the latter, as previous posts have indicated that the two spare Class 221 driving cars have been reported as being unable to move on their own as they lack certain vital items of running gear.
 
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matt

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The set that is running as a four car was the set that had a fire the other week during the flooding problems.
 

455driver

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as previous posts have indicated that the two spare Class 221 driving cars have been reported as being unable to move on their own as they lack certain vital items of running gear.

An air compressor.

Which are mounted on the intermediate coaches, couple an intermediate coach (with a compressor on it) and the train will run fine.
 

MK Tom

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There were three four car 221s in the VT fleet but one of them had its two centre trailers taken out and put in the other two, hence why there's a 2-car voyager making phantom appearances every so often and a 5-car one running around with two buffets.
 

whhistle

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The two car Voyager doesn't make any phantom appearances.
It's simply stabled at Crewe.
 
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