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Virgin Trains Class 158s

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matt

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Did Virgin ever use the 158s at the beginning of privatisation?
 

chunx2005

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i cant beleive they used 158's!!!!
Were they ever in Virgin Livery? :pukeleft:
 

AlexS

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They used 158s up until the early the early 2000s on things like Manchester Airport to Edinburgh, Portsmouth to Blackpool, Gloucester to Swindon (for some reason originally a XC route, which had contracted operation to Wales and West). They all ended up going to Arriva Trains Northern, where they then were divided between Transpennine Express and Wessex Trains. They've finally all gone the way of First Great Western I believe.

They had a slightly different, and some might say more comfortable interior, and carried an Intercity badge on the front panel on the left hand side above the light clusters.
 

JonG

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The Ex-Virgin 158s are 747 - 751 for anyone who wasn't sure.

158747 "Richard Trevithick" & 158750 are only ones of the ex-VXC units currently operating as 2-car units. I think 748, 749 & 751 are still running as 3-car hybrids.

747 was used on the Taunton-Bishop's Lydeard shuttles for the WSR's Autumn Steam Gala.

750 is unofficially named 'Nora' as in the character Nora Batty of the BBCTV comedy series 'Last of the Summer Wine'.

<JG>
http://www.jonathangill.fpic.co.uk
 

trc666

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It's been ages since I last visited! :D

The 158s are still with FGW. They used to run on Virgin's former VT0 route from Swindon to Birmingham New Street, calling at Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Worcester Shrub Hill and Birmingham New Street.
 
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