duffield
Established Member
Given the position XC occupies in the rolling stock pecking order, quite likely "in service for 35-40 years *starting from now*".
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XC Voyager Refurbishment
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R
RailUK Forums
Indeed, originally £1.50 for 1 hour or £3.50 for 3 hours. It wasn't surprising that few people wanted to pay when iPods were very established, it went free after a while.
I'm curious how much the Virgin radio units were used, I'd imagine that being free they'd have been used a bit in the first few years.
I never paid for it (commuting from Paddington to Reading was the limit of my experience of it), but did enjoy the geeky aspect of the free tracker they used to provide, along with the running mph speed. Was pretty cool back in its day!
fgwrich
Established Member
That was one of the real highlights of it! Used to love sitting in the Volo coach just for that aspect alone, and occasionally i'd watch something on it too (I first discovered US legal drama Suits on that).
jw
Member
- Joined
- 25 Jul 2010
- Messages
- 167
A (somewhat low quality) snapshot taken from a presentation given by CrossCountry to the Rail North Committee earlier today as recorded in this YouTube video - see from 26 minutes in...
These images are noted by the CrossCountry spokesperson as being for illustrative purposes and are not final (something that gives me some hope given the somewhat lurid colour combinations!).
For those unable to access the image, the text is as follows:
Rolling stock improvements
Voyagers
- Programme expected to begin late 2024, with 2/3 units being away for refurbishment at any given time
- Timescales based on a 4-week downtime for each unit (but may be shorter)
- Scope includes interior and exterior CCTV, automatic passenger counters, USB plug fitment, new seats, new carpets and interior and exterior livery
- Expected completion date for existing units is Sep 2026 with additional Class 221 (7 x ex-Avanti) being refurbished last.
Doors are... interesting. New colours look a little Ouigo.
New seats is an interesting mention, the supplier isn't mentioned and they don't look changed in the concept image. I'd guess either the Transcal seats in the Pendolino refurb, the modified FISA Lean in the 810s, or the improved Fainsa Sophia in the 197. I wouldn't expect anything unique for XC.
I was introduced to Matt Smith's Doctor Who! (Was never much of a Tennant fan.)
Never had to pay for it.
jw
Member
- Joined
- 25 Jul 2010
- Messages
- 167
Not necessarily, it might be simply 'forward facing' CCTV.
Mzzzs
Member
Assuming same kind of treatment to the 170s but no pictures
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That is absolutely and utterly hideous.
TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
Yes, it's really quite ugly and the most corporate thing I've ever seen.
I personally hope they keep the same seats.
Northerngirl
Member
It's great that they seem to be putting a decent amount of effort into the refurb, but wow I hope thoes colours change. Guessing it's also an external rebrand with that blue
There was a thread a while ago rumouring a Turquoise colour scheme, so the colours do fit that. If it's an Arriva-designed thing, it's not a surprise how garish it looks, they're known for that.
Change to XC Branding
One of my friends who are friends with a driver just told me that XC will be having a full refresh as well as reliveried trains, apparently turquoise. Does anyone know more info about this and if its true?
www.railforums.co.uk
Good to see this is happening though, they've not had any form of refurb since the seat covers were replaced circa 2011. Hopefully, the new seats are those as fitted to the 390s, and I wouldn't mind if they added a few more rows of seats (given the generally thinner back of modern seats), XC needs more seats after all, especially now that it's known that a good few of the extra voyagers will be used for the Newcastle-Reading increases from May 2025.
Completely agree. I spend a lot of time on voyagers and had high hopes for something like the Arriva Wales refurbs a few years ago which used turquoise. What they’ve given us there is horrific.
Are all the people who design things colour blind these days?
778
Member
Is there any reason why cross country cannot take all 18 of the voyagers displaced by the 805s/807s instead of just the 7?
ReturnToSPT
Member
Hopefully the USB plugs are USB-C standard, rather than the older style which will be completely outdated by the time these finally leave service
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
They'll be socket faceplates so they can be swapped. At the moment I'd go for both; people with older phones are more likely to need to charge.
py_megapixel
Established Member
And inevitably won't be...
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
No major hardship to carry a USB-A to USB-C cable.
The USBs won't be powerful enough for laptops either way.
I don't even mind the current Cross Country design tbh. It just needs refreshing (i.e. new seat covers (due to damage and dirt), seats repainted, dented seat backs fixing, internal door sensors fitting so it knows when people are there) but same colour schemes would be fine IMO. I very much dislike this turquoise.
cactustwirly
Established Member
What's the difference? The USB C is only the end that plugs into the phone
Lewisham2221
Established Member
Nope, many phones now come with a USB-C to USB-C cable
Though this is welcome as a stopgap, it will not solve what is in my opinion the key issue with the Voyagers and XC generally: capacity.
There is no mention of replacing the unnecessarily large UATs with space savers, in those coaches without wheelchair spaces.
If passengers can get to the toilets at all... an overcrowded, un-refurbished 4-car train is simply going to become an overcrowded, refurbished 4-car train.
The turquoise and pink is garish for sure, and makes it look very plastic-y. The blue door stripes remind me of a laser tag place for some reason. It would be excellent for a "family carriage", maybe I would tolerate it in standard, but it is completely unacceptable for first class, which should appear solidly built, luxury, and understated.
Why not go for a more Grand Central-esque look?
The long term strategy should absolutely be to replace the Voyagers with longer bi-mode trains. The 8xx would be the obvious choice nowadays (price hike aside), but who knows what the landscape will look like when or if this happens - perhaps the LNER CAFs will have been in service for a fair few years and could be another tried-and-tested alternative. Most trains should be at least equivalent to a 9-car IET, with perhaps a few 5-cars for stoppers with shorter platforms (though really this should be managed by SDO).
There is no mention of replacing the unnecessarily large UATs with space savers, in those coaches without wheelchair spaces.
If passengers can get to the toilets at all... an overcrowded, un-refurbished 4-car train is simply going to become an overcrowded, refurbished 4-car train.
The turquoise and pink is garish for sure, and makes it look very plastic-y. The blue door stripes remind me of a laser tag place for some reason. It would be excellent for a "family carriage", maybe I would tolerate it in standard, but it is completely unacceptable for first class, which should appear solidly built, luxury, and understated.
Why not go for a more Grand Central-esque look?
The long term strategy should absolutely be to replace the Voyagers with longer bi-mode trains. The 8xx would be the obvious choice nowadays (price hike aside), but who knows what the landscape will look like when or if this happens - perhaps the LNER CAFs will have been in service for a fair few years and could be another tried-and-tested alternative. Most trains should be at least equivalent to a 9-car IET, with perhaps a few 5-cars for stoppers with shorter platforms (though really this should be managed by SDO).
I do like the seats, but the seat backs are in a poor condition, most are dented and in a bad shape, same for the arm rests closest to the aisle, but I think this is mostly down to being hit with the catering trolly.
But USB-A to C cables are widely and cheaply available.