Virgin Rolling Stock 1997-Pendolino/Voyager

[Trains06]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone could help me out. I'm interested to know how many sets (and how they were made up) VT had before the Pendolinos and Voyagers came in. Obviously they had a mix of 86s, 87s, 90s, 47s, DVTs and HSTs but how many did they have of each? Naturally it's not as clear cut as saying they have 56 390s now and 20 221s but Im just looking for a rough idea.

Cheers

 

[IanXC]

From Summer/Autumn 1997 Platform 5 Locomotives:

VXC 26 43s allocated to Neville Hill/Laira (ie to form 13 HSTs)
VXC 23 43s allocated to Craigentinny (ie to form 11 HSTs)
VXC 26 47s allocated to Bristol Bath Road
VXC 18 86/2s allocated to Longsight

VWC 7 43s allocated to Longsight (ie to form 3 HSTs)
VWC 15 86s allocated to Willesden
VWC 35 87s allocated to Willesden
VWC 15 90s allocated to Willesden

From 1996 Platform 5 Coaching Stock (its a bit less clear what is allocated to what):

52 82/1 DVTs allocated to a combination of Polmadie, Oxley, Longsight
3 Mark 3b BFOs allocated to Longsight (these are now used in FGW sleepers)

I'm pretty sure there were also Mark 2 brake vehicles but my knowledge isn't up to finding them in the listing!

Hope this helps

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Crosscountry had Mk2 brake vehicles, West Coast used Mk3 DVTs on all rakes.

The 47/8s in Virgin Trains livery were leased to Virgin from a ROSCO, the 47/7s were EWS machines on hire. They also hired Fragonset 47s from time to time. Incidentally, the class 47 website has 25 47/8s in Virgin Trains livery and 7 47/7s, but I don't know how many were retired having never worn it.

Virgin also had a tendency to hire in additional HSTs to cover extra Summer Saturday workings, I think there could have been as many as three extras on any one day, from Midland Mainline and GNER.

I also think they hired in 86s and 90s from EWS or Freightliner, but this may just have been to cover for failed locos.

 

[CC 72100]

I also think they hired in 86s and 90s from EWS or Freightliner, but this may just have been to cover for failed locos.

Yes, I remember having 86425 3 times on the same day once! (EWS loco)

There was also the RES stuff... engines like 769 Resolve (which did eventually gain Virgin livery IIRC) spring to mind - were these in the Virgin pool or regular hire-ins?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Virgin also had a tendency to hire in additional HSTs to cover extra Summer Saturday workings, I think there could have been as many as three extras on any one day, from Midland Mainline and GNER.

Some of the West Coast rakes also made their way onto XC workings. One of the Paigntons (the later one, not that one 06:00 from Derby) often turned up a WC mark 3 set. Fondly remember having 827 down the sea wall on it once.

Although I also remember not being a fan of the Mark 3 sets, as the windows could be a little on the high side to see out.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Yes, I remember having 86425 3 times on the same day once! (EWS loco)

There was also the RES stuff... engines like 769 Resolve (which did eventually gain Virgin livery IIRC) spring to mind - were these in the Virgin pool or regular hire-ins?

I think the EWS 47s were in a special pool because I remember reading that Virgin got a bit peeved when it became public knowledge that the 47s were being 'repaired' with 'secondhand' gubbins from withdrawn EWS 47s (that were later sold for scrap) when they kept failing in service. I reckon the electrics were hire-ins, as and when required.

Some of the West Coast rakes also made their way onto XC workings. One of the Paigntons (the later one, not that one 06:00 from Derby) often turned up a WC mark 3 set. Fondly remember having 827 down the sea wall on it once.....

Yes indeed, usually ran from Preston IIRC.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

West Coast had 31 110mph Mk3 sets, the rest (mainly used on Birmingham services) were Mk2s limited to 100mph - 20ish sets I think.
They all used Mk3 DVTs (at the south end), though seeing a loco towing a DVT was quite common.
Mk3 sets used to run mainly Manchester/Liverpool/Glasgow with class 87/90, but were also often used to Holyhead at weekends with class 47 haulage from Crewe.
Mk2s could use anything including class 86.
I think they had 3 2+8 HST sets, from the GW pool at Old Oak.
They mainly worked Holyhead/Blackpool services, but did turn up in Manchester after the Blackpool services were withdrawn.
They were separate from the 2+7 HSTs used on XC services.

 

[Boothby97]

There was also the RES stuff... engines like 769 Resolve (which did eventually gain Virgin livery IIRC)

Still carries that livery/name!