Virgin Voyager Coach VS MK3

[MCR247]

I agree, thats what the Meridians have plus one small toilet in all other coaches. Why Virgin thought they needed all those over-sized massive toilets I will never know!

Because they are so unreliable, they want to have a disabled toilet always in use, so by making most of them like that, they should have at least one working at once

The real reason: I dont know

 

[87015]

Because they are so unreliable, they want to have a disabled toilet always in use, so by making most of them like that, they should have at least one working at once

The real reason: I dont know

Virgin wanted three classes of accommodation in each unit - so that required three disabled bogs, one in each class. By the time they decided to drop this folly production was too advanced to be changed. It also wouldn't have taken a genius to look at the HST/Mk2 sets being used on XC services to see that luggage provision was an important part of the services they worked.

Public subsidy for VXC was huge, the best part of £500m thrown at the Voyagers. For that we were entitled to expect something pretty damn impressive and "gold standard". Operation Pumpkin and the Voyagers are most certainly not that.

 

[MCR247]

What where these 3 classes? 3 classes on a 4car Voyager?? 2 standard class!

 

[222001]

What where these 3 classes? 3 classes on a 4car Voyager?? 2 standard class!

Ah yes, I remember reading something about that. Didn't Virgin also only want prebooked people on their trains? i.e. No walk-up?

 

[wouldntulike2kno]

Thats just stupid!

 

[jopsuk]

Remember, Virgin Group's only transport experience prior was in airlines. There's nothing wrong with proposing crazy ideas (as long as they get binned when sensible heads look at them).

Also, from what I've read, when ATP-P services were run on the WCML (yes, they did run actual passenger services for a period), passenger were issued with "boarding cards"- even BR tried to make taking the train more akin to flying.

 

[generalvegitable]

but you do get boarding passes though, they're called tickets

 

[SuperVoyager]

 

[jopsuk]

but you do get boarding passes though, they're called tickets

These were seperate and additional to the normal tickets- from what I've seen, they really were modelled on airline boarding cards.

 

[wouldntulike2kno]

do you have a pic?

 

[generalvegitable]

I would assume it looked a bit like that

 

[wouldntulike2kno]

that pic dosent work

 

[generalvegitable]

clicky I'll try a link to the image

 

[wouldntulike2kno]

thats just the same, all it says is galley, hd, org in white writing with pink background :?

 

[Philip Elliott]

Remember, Virgin Group's only transport experience prior was in airlines. There's nothing wrong with proposing crazy ideas (as long as they get binned when sensible heads look at them).

Also, from what I've read, when ATP-P services were run on the WCML (yes, they did run actual passenger services for a period), passenger were issued with "boarding cards"- even BR tried to make taking the train more akin to flying.

The man who ordered / specified the Voyagers was none other than Richard Bowker...now head of National Express

 

[MCR247]

The man who ordered / specified the Voyagers was none other than Richard Bowker...now head of National Express

Now thar explains everything....

 

[45039]

mk3's are the best coaching stock designed ,they are comfortable quiet and well built unlike the vomiter crap we have now i actually came back from brum to sheff and avoided XC due to the train i caught a 170 to derby then HST to sheff then the best unit designed (158) to barnsley

 

[TDK]

There is just no comparison - Voyagers are absolutely terrible for the passenger. I would prefer a 158 to a Voyager - Mk3 by far the better.

 

[generalvegitable]

personally I think that sitting on the roof of a class 37 while its travelling under the 25KV OHLE is more comfortable than a voyager/pendolino*

*I might have gone a bit far with the comparison, but opinions are opinions

 

[222001]

The interior design is just flawed. They could do with a complete refit (which I thought XC would do).

 

[devon_metro]

The interior design is just flawed. They could do with a complete refit (which I thought XC would do).

Don't be silly! XC are stingy as hell!!

 

[87015]

Don't be silly! XC are stingy as hell!!

On a billion pound subsidy I'd hope they aren't splashing cash around!

 

[Phoenix]

I love it how XC get the blame for this as they didn't actually want these nasty units, I think it can be safely said that if the choice was possible XC would have a fleet of HST's but sadly this isn't the case so they need to currently make do with the bog standard units they have.

I have never been a fan of the 221 and 222 and 220 but the only people I actually blame is Bombardier as they seem to lack an perspective on how decent trains are made.

I mean why can't companies just take the HST blueprints find out all the major problems they had and improve upon them and then get a decent designer to decide upon the interiors.

 

[SuperVoyager]

I love it how XC get the blame for this as they didn't actually want these nasty units, I think it can be safely said that if the choice was possible XC would have a fleet of HST's but sadly this isn't the case so they need to currently make do with the bog standard units they have.

I have never been a fan of the 221 and 222 and 220 but the only people I actually blame is Bombardier as they seem to lack an perspective on how decent trains are made.

I mean why can't companies just take the HST blueprints find out all the major problems they had and improve upon them and then get a decent designer to decide upon the interiors.

Maby beacause a world of HSTS would be boring... Not everyone likes them you know.

 

[Phoenix]

Maby beacause a world of HSTS would be boring... Not everyone likes them you know.

Do you know that Hst's were built to the high standards they are because of the need to transport passengers at a crusing speed of 125mlh whilst still providing high comfort levels.............

Not to impress forum users worldwide

 

[SuperVoyager]

Do you know that Hst's were built to the high standards they are because of the need to transport passengers at a crusing speed of 125mlh whilst still providing high comfort levels.............

Not to impress forum users worldwide

Do know that Voyager's can do exactly the same with comfort levels...
Not just to get forum members agruing about hsts are better, when they clearly are not

 

[asylumxl]

Voyagers also accelerate to 125 significantly quicker too.

 

[Phoenix]

Do know that Voyager's can do exactly the same with comfort levels...
Not just to get forum members agruing about hsts are better, when they clearly are not

I'm going to forget that your Picture is a banning mark on a HST and simply just point out how successful the hst's actually are and the fact far less people complain about them.Okay for speed and durability voyagers are one of the best out there at the moment but their body profile and general layout are something a few out there can laugh at.

 

[SuperVoyager]

I'm going to forget that your Picture is a banning mark on a HST and simply just point out how successful the hst's actually are and the fact far less people complain about them.Okay for speed and durability voyagers are one of the best out there at the moment but their body profile and general layout are something a few out there can laugh at.

We all have our own opinions, and mine is the Voyager. I can laugh at the HST

 

[Phoenix]

We all have our own opinions, and mine is the Voyager. I can laugh at the HST

And that is fair enough as this is a forum for all people with any opinions.
As I am very much biased to the hst can you give me some points against the hst and give me reasons how the voyager family betters them?