XC Voyagers

[sprinterguy]

Pretty sure the Voyagers were in service before pendos , i recall 2003 being the first time i seen a pendo

Yes, Operation Princess was launched in October 2002 with a full Voyager (and residual HST) set of diagrams, and the units had been entering service (primarily as 8-car pairs to begin with) for a little over a year prior to that, while I recall watching Pendolinos, and fairly early class members at that, still being put through their paces on driver training runs up to Carlisle in autumn 2003 into 2004. As such, the Pendos were certainly a couple of years later into service than the Voyagers.

They were just eight car units then were they not?

They were indeed, and 50:50 first and standard class, to boot (All subsequent additional carriages have been standard class)! I can't precisely recall, and have no desire to immediately seek out the photo of, when I saw the first 9-car unit (390035 I believe) recently delivered; but I don't think it was before the second half of 2004.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They were just eight car units then were they not?

Yep, and pretty much half First half Standard. Didn't take long for coach G to be pretty much permanently declassified, though, which continued until the 9th coaches started arriving, and saved me a packet on Weekend First.

 

[MG11]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but does anyone know if 221144 retains 'The Shop' (buffet counter)? Thank you.


MG11

 

[Jonfun]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but does anyone know if 221144 retains 'The Shop' (buffet counter)? Thank you.


MG11

No, it's been removed to make way for the bike/luggage space - also the catering trollies XC use don't fit past it.

 

[MG11]

No, it's been removed to make way for the bike/luggage space - also the catering trollies XC use don't fit past it.

I see, thank you.

 

[Ash Bridge]

They were indeed, and 50:50 first and standard class, to boot (All subsequent additional carriages have been standard class)! I can't precisely recall, and have no desire to immediately seek out the photo of, when I saw the first 9-car unit (390035 I believe) recently delivered; but I don't think it was before the second half of 2004.

Yep, and pretty much half First half Standard. Didn't take long for coach G to be pretty much permanently declassified, though, which continued until the 9th coaches started arriving, and saved me a packet on Weekend First.

Thanks for the info both of you, I was thinking they were originally introduced as 8 car sets, I never realised that 50% of the unit was given over to 1st class accommodation though, small wonder that (as dk1 mentioned above) there were overcrowding issues in standard during those early days.

 

[sprinterguy]

Thanks for the info both of you, I was thinking they were originally introduced as 8 car sets, I never realised that 50% of the unit was given over to 1st class accommodation though, small wonder that (as dk1 mentioned above) there were overcrowding issues in standard during those early days.

It was quite a crackers arrangement - presumably a hangover from Virgin's oft-mentioned "three class" proposal that never gained traction.