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VWC Reliability Up!

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Max

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voyagerdude220 said:
I'm not complaining about the contents of the snack box's, it's just that they're far too little (especially in comparison with VWC), when your travelling on a long-distance journey, because of the 1 snack -box limit. I do rather like the snack box's.

I know that 220/221s don't have proper catering facilities (e.g kitchen), which the Pendos do have, but If you have a look at what Hull Trains offers on 222s, I don't know what the problem with providing a better service on 220/221s is..

I was given three snackboxes on my journey, and 'stocked up' with snacks by the first class host :)

Also, the the kitchen on board 222s is far better equipped and spacious than that of 221s. The 221 kitchen reminded me very much of the facilities on an aeroplane.
 
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metrocammel

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laverack222 said:
I was given three snackboxes on my journey, and 'stocked up' with snacks by the first class host :)

Also, the the kitchen on board 222s is far better equipped and spacious than that of 221s. The 221 kitchen reminded me very much of the facilities on an aeroplane.

I never knew Voyagers had kitchens???- Isn't that the main reason they cant do morning ex- Holyhead services, because Pendolino's can serve up proper breakfasts for the hungry businessmen???
 
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metrocammel said:
I never knew Voyagers had kitchens???- Isn't that the main reason they cant do morning ex- Holyhead services, because Pendolino's can serve up proper breakfasts for the hungry businessmen???


We dont have a kitchen at all on the voyagers. It has a microwave and a coffee machine and is known as the galley!. Also the TMs office is there too.
 

yorkie

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voyagerdude220 said:
Also, why didn't VT retain at least 33.333 % ;) of older stock, mainly HSTs, to support 220/221s during the introduction of the 220/221s, so that VT could paint a picture of what It would be like, running solely 4/5 car units?
Because the SRA said no, basically.
 

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Virgin had a novel idea to run 2+5 HSTs with the buffet merged with first class etc. SRA said no, and shut down some routes instead so they could only use Voyagers. Virgin also wanted to keep HSTs in full formation to Holyhead, once again, SRA said no. Virgin also wanted to add extra carriages to the Voyagers. Guess what? SRA said no.
 

yorkie

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spm_43030 said:
SRAs dead now ;)

So maybe....?
Maybe. It's now down to the DfT, who are reportedly more willing to listen than the SRA.

But, ultimately, whether it's the SRA or the DfT, they're government bodies that have been instructed to reduce rail spending where possible.

If only less Voyagers had been built, then some of the HSTs could be retained for the busier services.

It just isn't viable to couple Voyagers up most of the time, it's very expensive to do. And, given that they won't want Voyagers in sidings, the only way HSTs will operate is to provide more seats on busy services, in combination with coupling Voyagers up. This happens on Summer Saturdays, but isn't viable (according to the SRA/DfT/whoeever) most of the time.

I suspect that if the Voyagers had gangways (not possible for 125mph DMUs though!) then it would make it more viable and then HSTs would be in use....
 

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I agree with you Yorkie. After the initial XC 'boom' where passenger figures drastically rose Virgin XC put forward a plan to add a coach to every Voyager Train in the fleet roughly 72 Carriages. However the SRA been complete and utter prats as usual said no almost immediately and the idea has been abolished. In theory another plan could be put forward to the DfT but I suppose this is worthless seen as the DfT Management is mostly ex-SRA staff. Voyagers I think do need various improvements here and there e.g. better attention to toilet systems and one of my wild ideas, a Bombardier technician on Peak doubled up Voyager Trains.
 

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Capacity is certainly not going to keep going at the current rate if more coaches are not found. Take for example West Yorkshire. Here passenger numbers continue to rise, and as a result, 12 extra carriages are being built over the next seven years. Of course, Northern here have the benefit of a passenger transport authority.
 

yorkie

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Chaz - the plants are closed and no more Voyagers/Meridians/Pioneers are being built in this country, so the chances of an additional coach are even less likely now.

laverack222 said:
Capacity is certainly not going to keep going at the current rate if more coaches are not found. Take for example West Yorkshire. Here passenger numbers continue to rise, and as a result, 12 extra carriages are being built over the next seven years. Of course, Northern here have the benefit of a passenger transport authority.
I don't think this is quite the case, they're actually getting cascaded units from elsewhere.
 

Guinness

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yorkie said:
Chaz - the plants are closed and no more Voyagers/Meridians/Pioneers are being built in this country, so the chances of an additional coach are even less likely now.

All the Bombardier DEMUs were built and assembled in Brugges, Europe as opposed to Derby. I think your thinking of Pendolinos which were assembled in Washwood Heath.
 

Galvanize

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It's good to hear that the reliability is finally up to standard on the WCML :),

Electrification of the line in the 1960s and 1970s didn't go without problems, as it was so expensive to complete so most of the other electrification projects from the 1955 modernisation plan were cancelled inlcuding the ECML.

1990s, the line became past it's shelf-by date with the 110mph wires not upto the job, old tracks, relying on old rolling stock. Richard Branson was apparently really embarrased about putting the virgin logo on the old rolling stock.

The line still isn't fully upto scratch, journey times still remain the same (With ridiculously long recovery time), there's still capacity problems between Rugby and Birmingham.

It is a shame that only 1 improvment on the ECML, WCML was just improved too late in the day IMO.
 

metrocammel

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Chaz said:
All the Bombardier DEMUs were built and assembled in Brugges, Europe as opposed to Derby. I think your thinking of Pendolinos which were assembled in Washwood Heath.

Not exactly.... All of (afaik) the Voyagers were completed (last bits assembled) at Bombardier Wakefield, the 222's were also finished at Wakefield afaik, but I think the factory has now closed....? I think it is very unlikely they will receive another coach now, as when Pendo's got their ninth coach, they were done pretty much immediately after construction of the unit, however Voyagers are "getting on a bit now", with many being around six years old now, so it is quite a long period between construction and getting the new coach... and seems even more unlikely with the facts like, where will they be built / finished off? etc... .
 
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