Voyagers on their way to Ilford depot?

[ijmad]

I saw this train yesterday and I think it was a Voyager:

Realtime Trains - FRGT 2207 Barton Under Needwood Rsmd to Ilford E.M.U.D.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I assume this is a transfer between Central Rivers TMD and Ilford depot.

Probably answered by own question, but is Ilford where Bombardier is doing the class 220 refurb?

Avanti West Coast sign £8.3m contract with Bombardier to overhaul Voyager trains

Avanti West Coast has confirmed to RailAdvent that its Voyager fleet of trains is to benefit from an upgrade, with the first set to be completed later in July.

www.railadvent.co.uk

Or was it on its way down there for some other reason?

 

[JonathanH]

Yes, but it is the Avanti 221 fleet which is being done. They don't have 220s.

 

[ijmad]

Yes, but it is the Avanti 221 fleet which is being done. They don't have 220s.

Ah that makes sense! I'd forgotten that Voyager could mean 220 or 221. Thanks!

 

[D365]

Funny how the Avanti Class 221s are being refurbished even with their impending replacement. The CrossCountry Voyagers, on the other hand...

 

[DB]

Funny how the Avanti Class 221s are being refurbished even with their impending replacement. The CrossCountry Voyagers, on the other hand...

It's only a basic refurbishement - seat covers, carpets, etc.

The XC ones have reached the point of being so tatty and knackered that it's really not acceptable, but presumably XC simply doesn't care...

 

[supervc-10]

XC have the issue that they simply don't have the stock to spare to have units out for refurbishment. I would imagine that they will continue on with only the most basic attention payed to them until the Avanti 221s and possibly the 222s are cascaded to XC. Plus... I don't think they care.

 

[DB]

XC have the issue that they simply don't have the stock to spare to have units out for refurbishment. I would imagine that they will continue on with only the most basic attention payed to them until the Avanti 221s and possibly the 222s are cascaded to XC. Plus... I don't think they care.

Not much of an excuse! A carpet, cushions, seat covers and paint refurbishment wouldn't take long and could be done when a unit was out for scheduled maintenance.

 

[rjames87]

Even the XC 170s are tatty now and they received some refurbishment at the start of the franchise. The XC HSTs are also showing signs of wear and tear.

 

[supervc-10]

Not much of an excuse! A carpet, cushions, seat covers and paint refurbishment wouldn't take long and could be done when a unit was out for scheduled maintenance.

Oh I totally agree that the state of them is inexcusable, I just think that's the thinking that's been going on at XC.

 

[DB]

Even the XC 170s are tatty now and they received some refurbishment at the start of the franchise. The XC HSTs are also showing signs of wear and tear.

I agree, and despite the HST trailers spending months at Wabtec while the doors, etc, were done, nothing much appears to have been done to the interiors other than removing seats which were in the way of the new door pockets.

 

[MML]

With any luck the current owner of XC will be marked down in any appraisal of future franchise award. Neglecting the comfort of passengers for purely financial gain isn't the broad level of service requirements sought by the tax payer.

 

[DB]

With any luck the current owner of XC will be marked down in any appraisal of future franchise award. Neglecting the comfort of passengers for purely financial gain isn't the broad level of service requirements sought by the tax payer.

The DfT doesn't care, as demonstrated by the direct award two or three years ago which included virtually no additional capacity, when they knew that HSTs were about to come off lease with GWR.