Virgin XC services to Portsmouth Harbour

[MatthewRead]

Virgin Trains use to run to Portsmouth Harbour via Guildford and Haslemere how long did this service last for?

 

[route101]

Virgin Trains use to run to Portsmouth Harbour via Guildford and Haslemere how long did this service last for?

I had timetables for 2002 so was still operate then

 

[contrex]

Withdrawn summer 2003.

 

[Carlisle]

I don't think Voyagers were ever cleared for Portsmouth Harbour, only went to Portsmouth & Southsea.

 

[Bungle965]

I don't think Voyagers were ever cleared for Portsmouth Harbour, only went to Portsmouth & Southsea.

This photo would indicate otherwise.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dd677...J8u-BnTij2-C9nJxH-EvVU4b-rN66Y7-r8RYgk-KVgwih (not my photo)
Sam

 

[Carlisle]

This photo would indicate otherwise.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dd677...J8u-BnTij2-C9nJxH-EvVU4b-rN66Y7-r8RYgk-KVgwih (not my photo)
Sam

Ok cheers, clearly I've got that wrong .

 

[PHILIPE]

I was once at Portsmouth Harbour to catch 1722 to Cardiff Cen on one occasion and the Board showed 1720 to Preston as cancelled

 

[FenMan]

Given the popularity of GWR's North Downs Line services between Reading and Guildford I have no issue with XC's withdrawal of the service from Portsmouth or their planned withdrawal from Guildford. They got/get in the way. However I hope that GWR will take up the slack so that stations between Guildford and Reading get an earlier 1st train to Reading on weekdays (currently the earliest arrival is 06:58), thereby opening up earlier connections to Paddington, Bristol, Oxford, Birmingham etc.

 

[Waldgrun]

This photo would indicate otherwise.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dd677...J8u-BnTij2-C9nJxH-EvVU4b-rN66Y7-r8RYgk-KVgwih (not my photo)
Sam

I would not say so, all that this picture proves is that this unit ran into the High Level platforms! I do recall that some services did terminate there!

 

[Bungle965]

I would not say so, all that this picture proves is that this unit ran into the High Level platforms! I do recall that some services did terminate there!

Yes that is true however the authors notes underneath indicates that the service had indeed run from Portsmouth Harbour.
Sam

 

[Harbouring]

The OFF signal indicator suggests the driver has the road towards the harbour too.

 

[Nammer]

I have worked at Portsmouth Harbour since 1990 and we have had Voyager services from there - I remember at least 4 services a day running from Portsmouth Harbour, the rest from Portsmouth & Southsea (low level platforms)

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Services were introduced in May 1998 and were withdrawn 5 years later. The northern terminus was generally Liverpool or Preston/Blackpool. In that relatively short space of time they were operated by all 4 possible train types in the VXC fleet at the time, ie 47/8+LHS, HSTs, 158s and Voyagers. Yet I have never seen any photos of any of these on the Portsmouth (Direct) Line itself, ie Guildford to Havant which is surprising as it's a rather pretty route.

 

[DerekC]

Probably off the point, but 5E79 is an XC ECS move from Eastleigh to Guildford via Haslemere, to form 1E79, 06:02 Guildford to Newcastle. So if you fancy getting up early one summer morn, you can have a photo of a Voyager on the Portsmouth Direct - and the return working (5O40) leaves Guildford at 19:13, having arrived from Newcastle as 1O40 at 18:59.

I have actually travelled on both the revenue services but I'm not sure what the logic for them is. However it would be very handy if they could move the revenue service starting point to Havant.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Which TOC now uses the paths that were formally used by the XC services to the Portsmouth stations?

 

[Bungle965]

Probably off the point, but 5E79 is an XC ECS move from Eastleigh to Guildford via Haslemere, to form 1E79, 06:02 Guildford to Newcastle. So if you fancy getting up early one summer morn, you can have a photo of a Voyager on the Portsmouth Direct - and the return working (5O40) leaves Guildford at 19:13, having arrived from Newcastle as 1O40 at 18:59.

I have actually travelled on both the revenue services but I'm not sure what the logic for them is. However it would be very handy if they could move the revenue service starting point to Havant.

It acts if nothing else as route retention knowledge if the booked route is shut.
Sam

 

[DerekC]

It acts if nothing else as route retention knowledge if the booked route is shut.
Sam

Not sure of the logic of that. It's the only XC service to use the North Downs route between Reading and Guildford and the only XC ECS move on the Portsmouth Direct, so I can't see what diversion opportunities it would offer. Is it doing something clever with revenue share at Guildford?

 

[30907]

Not sure of the logic of that. It's the only XC service to use the North Downs route between Reading and Guildford and the only XC ECS move on the Portsmouth Direct, so I can't see what diversion opportunities it would offer. Is it doing something clever with revenue share at Guildford?

Think he means the normal XC route via Basingstoke.

 

[Bungle965]

Think he means the normal XC route via Basingstoke.

Yes sorry should have been a bit clearer there.
Sam

 

[DerekC]

Yes sorry should have been a bit clearer there.
Sam

OK - understood. Do services via Reading to Bournemouth get diverted that way? Diversions from Basingstoke via Salisbury are common enough. I guess it might be an option. Would be interesting to know if all Bournemouth XC drivers sign the Portsmouth Direct.

 

[JamesRowden]

OK - understood. Do services via Reading to Bournemouth get diverted that way? Diversions from Basingstoke via Salisbury are common enough. I guess it might be an option. Would be interesting to know if all Bournemouth XC drivers sign the Portsmouth Direct.

The Bournemouth Crosscountry services are diverted via Guildford when there is engineering works between Reading and Basingstoke on a Sunday.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Me and the missus used to use this service quite a lot when visiting my in-laws in Southsea (and v.v.). It often used to be operated by a 2-car 158 which seemed ridiculous for such a long route.

I also remember travelling first class in an InterCity set of some sort or other using a special promotional ticket and getting off at Guildford en route to watch a pre-season friendly at Aldershot Town.

It is very sad that Cross Country and Liverpool - Norwich line destinations became less varied at time progressed. Long distance passengers with luggage do not like changing trains and XC used to be a good way of avoiding London. My favourite through working was Barrow - Colchester (although I never caught it). XC don't even stop at Crewe any more.

 

[Ianno87]

I was once at Portsmouth Harbour to catch 1722 to Cardiff Cen on one occasion and the Board showed 1720 to Preston as cancelled

I imagine that was pretty commonplace in the Operation Princess era. Some of the planned turnround times were pretty optimistic, requiring turning short to recover.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

If the XC services that terminate at Southampton Central atm ever were to be extended to Portsmouth, how much extra time would they need?

 

[NSEFAN]

If the XC services that terminate at Southampton Central atm ever were to be extended to Portsmouth, how much extra time would they need?

The current turn around time in soton is about 30 minutes.
A return trip to Portsmouth from Soton would need at about 1h45 (45 mins each way, plus 15 mins padding).

If you instead diverted the service at Eastleigh towards Portsmouth, this would require about 1h45, whereas the current schedule Eastleigh - soton - Eastleigh takes about 50 minutes.

If you instead diverted via Guildford from reading, then a return trip would maybe need about 3h15-3h30. The current reading -soton-reading timings take about 2h20.

So in all cases you'd need a few extra units and staff. This assumes that paths and platforms can be found!

 

[Confused147]

Could they not extend any of the Bristol terminators to Portsmouth? There used to be a short lived Sunday morning Manchester to Portsmouth via Bristol in 2001.

 

[30907]

Could they not extend any of the Bristol terminators to Portsmouth? There used to be a short lived Sunday morning Manchester to Portsmouth via Bristol in 2001.

XC want to extend them to Exeter, so not much chance even if they could rustle up the stock.

 

[BestWestern]

Could they not extend any of the Bristol terminators to Portsmouth? There used to be a short lived Sunday morning Manchester to Portsmouth via Bristol in 2001.

I think GWR might object!