-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
What is wrong with CrossCountry?
- Thread starter 1e10
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
tsr
Established Member
Overcrowded trains in some areas; lack of buffet facilities; Voyagers having seat comfort, quality & smell problems; delays due to knock-on congestion in "random" bits of the country (not necessarily their fault); lack of decent services to much of Wales, South-East England and parts of the South of East Anglia; lack of use of the comparatively long and often comfier HSTs (a cardinal sin in many enthusiasts' eyes)... these are all things which are regularly features (or alleged to be features) of XC's services.
Last edited:
Take a journey from Durham to Birmingham and you will find out. Trains that smell of toilets, hum incessantly from the engine noise, no refreshments, uncomfortable seats and no view out of the window.
Horrendous.
shedman
Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 364
I blame them for ordering such unsuitable stock.
Manchester77
Established Member
Cross country never ordered their current fleet. Their voyagers were inherited from Virgin Cross Country. Virgin intended to lengthen them at a later date but iirc the SRA blocked the move
Sleepy
Established Member
As much as I dislike XC even I have to admit stock was inherited from Virgin XC (but no excuse for leaving HST stock unused).
Last edited:
Manchester77
Established Member
XCs HSTs are leased on a pay to use basis whereas the Voyagers are leased in the traditional way therefore they will use voyagers more if they can.
AXC is far better than VXC though, it's much more reliable. However VXC were in some ways better than the old ICXC services
AXC is far better than VXC though, it's much more reliable. However VXC were in some ways better than the old ICXC services
Notwithstanding that the first thing they did was rip out all of the on-board shops and replace them with cycle racks. Therefore there is no catering on many long distance services now...
shedman
Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 364
I know they didn't, but people on here still bang on about it like XC did. They only issue which is XCs fault is the lack off buffet and even that isn't much of a problem. People on here advise people to visit a shop on the station before boarding so what's different about XC? Let's be honest, there was a problem with luggage space on the 220/221 so the only option was to remove the shop which the majority of passengers don't use. The trolley provides a service which is adequate for the journey, the odd drink, sandwich or chocolate bar. Yes I understand a few people still expect better catering facilities but that is a minority and they will settle for something off the trolley
Manchester77
Established Member
No that plan known as Project Thor was planned by bombardier to make them dual voltage bi modal however t was cancelled
Manchester77
Established Member
at the time derby didn't have the facilities however the DfT is supposed to be considering the e-voyager however I think thats dead because the last i heard of it was in 2011....
Only in first class and even then without much reliability or even across their entire network. Standard class passengers get nothing.
Isn't there a trolley? Provided its possible to move it down the aisles that is...
Sorry I should have been clearer. My comment was referencing meals on the trains only. Standard class can of course avail themselves of the trolley, should it be able to move down the train as you note
Alan1310
Member
- Joined
- 21 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 187
Try using the stansted to Birmingham service all that is wrong with XC is apparent on this service
Cherry_Picker
Established Member
Care to elaborate? They can be crowded between Birmingham and Leicester, but what are your specific gripes?
Butts
Veteran Member
In 1st Class the catering for a long distance operator is pathetic compared to East Coast , Virgin or First Great Western.
Even on HST services the "fayre" is inferior to the others let alone on The Voyagers where it pales in comparison.
The freebies are not up to scratch
Even on HST services the "fayre" is inferior to the others let alone on The Voyagers where it pales in comparison.
The freebies are not up to scratch
D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 11,503
You tell me now? I'm taking that service on Monday and again soon after! Any last words? I do have a seat reservation though, can't remember where onboard though!
O L Leigh
Established Member
And is the opposition's offerings really worth writing home about...?
I recently travelled first class on Virgin during the evening, but the offerings were meagre to say the least. No word of exaggeration, I got a tiny bit of salmon wrapped in the meanest piece of pastry, a lettuce leaf and two halves of a cherry tomato and two of the smallest spuds I've ever seen. By the time the train reached Glasgow I was starving and looking for a chippy.
I suspect that XC simply represent a soft target for those who like to have a dig. The services cover long distances and, unlike other long distance operators, cross lots of other major routes which makes them susceptible to delays that have nothing to do with their own shortcomings. The trains themselves are actually little different in terms of their care and maintenance to equivalent fleets operated by other TOCs and cared for by the same maintenance depots. It's just another rehashing of the same old nonsense we hear so often.
As for the Stansted to Brum service, I also would like to know what the specific complaints against it are.
O L Leigh
Andrewlong
Member
Back in 1999 I travelled on business from Reading to Birmingham International 5 days per week. In those days you travelled in a mark 2 coach with a table where it was possible to do some work on a laptop. Plenty of legroom with class 47 haulage.
To do the same journey today you will have little legroom, little chance of a table and the train is noisy. I wouldnt want to repeat the 1999 regime today. Voyagers are just awful and would much prefer mark 2 carriages again with class 67 haulage along the lines of chiltern mainline anyday!
To do the same journey today you will have little legroom, little chance of a table and the train is noisy. I wouldnt want to repeat the 1999 regime today. Voyagers are just awful and would much prefer mark 2 carriages again with class 67 haulage along the lines of chiltern mainline anyday!
transmanche
Established Member
- Joined
- 27 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 6,018
Although today the journey is about 20mins faster than it was when loco-hauled.
musicking1306
Member
Try the XC Service From Penzance to Glasgow central Takes about 9 hour and the carriages are about 40 degrees, They also stink! A HST or 47 on that service is a massive improvement to the voyagers!
VT_Valenta
Member
Rather miffed I've got to get a XC from Taunton to Plymouth this sunday. It's going to be packed (like it always is on a sunday)
I think I'd rather do it on a pacer!
I think I'd rather do it on a pacer!
Actually I think I'd rather take the Voyager. The HST I was on last Sunday (a very hot day) had come from Newquay and was going to Edinburgh and had no working air conditioning. Never had that problem on a 22x.
More chance of a seat on a Voyager
musicking1306
Member
The Air conditioning works on the 22x However the train is still 40 Degrees and unbearable on a warm day. Travelled from Weston to Dawlish and the train was so unbearable I got off at Taunton to get a FGW HST!
If you say so but I've never had an issue with the air con on 22xs, even on scorching hot days.
- Status