Virgin Voyager departs Birmingham New Street

Virgin Voyager departs Birmingham New Street

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• virgin
• trains
• voyager
• class
• 220
• 221
• demu
• dmu
• birmingham
• new
• st
• street
• bns
• hyperen

[rickerbycourt]

Far and away the worst trains in service in Britain today. Noisy, overcrowded, uncomfortable and overheated. And why in the name of god are deisel trains employed on routes such as Birmingham to Scotland that are electrified over the entire route?

[Hyperen]

I agree, as well as being horrible, the Voyagers are far too short for the South-West CrossCountry route (and probably many others) especially in summer. It's a shame that Virgin have to have so many of them to run journeys entirely under the wires but I take it there's no appropriate electric stock.

[beast66005]

The best trains this country has. i`ve had everyone for over two thousand miles each. They are quick, comfortable and reliable, better than the loco hauled services they replaced.

Im a main voyager basher.

[jazzyjaxroadshow]

@Hyperen agreed about crosscountry, just today i was on an awfully over crowded train from bristol pkway to wolverhampton (penzance - man piccadilly train) the Virgin voyagers are nicer, smells better (somehow) 5 cars rather than mostly 4 and a shop instead of a stupid little cart (warm Cola isn't atall attractive) they are quite comfy and not that noisy compared to all other diesle locos that have all powered cars such as arriva 150 153 etc, they just need to be longer

[joshuan542]

@rickerbycourt sometimes they use diesel trains on electrified routes say if they are repairing the OHLE

[Buttercupline2]

@Hyperen I have to agree aswell if the where 6 or 7 coaches and a quiter engine aswell as better seats they would be ok i would rather have a XC hst.

[skbworld2008]

@rickerbycourt Im just going by radio announcmenets and complaints. That trains running on the euston line are often late and have been severaly affected.

Ok other areas do get effected to. But if the powerline goes down that can mess up electric trains. I see your point about the diesels that is true.

But no power line and an electric train cannot move.

Perhaps I was being to one sided in that last post. Its only at those times I get replies : ) But you have raised good points.

[rickerbycourt]

@skbworld2008 Electric trains more prone to breakdown? Nonsense. Between the pantograph and traction motor there are no moving parts, unlike a diesel that has a sodding great egine/generator set that needs constant maintenance, not to mention needing to come out of traffic every day for refuelling.

[Geo1AR]

@Hyperen they wer origionaly made for the cross country service that had no wires but they stopped doing cross country and put them here

[HSTgreat]

great vid :)

[deanbean111]

@rickerbycourt problem is the route they take! as it goes over tamwoth HL via derby and sheffield! and to leeds which is not electrified :D

[roadkill1991]

@Hyperen; Virgin didn't specify the length of the Voyagers, you can thank the government (specifically the DfT) for that one. Virgin wanted them to be longer, but the DafT said no.

@skbworld2008; Electrics tend to be more prone to breakdowns in snow, especially 3rd rail.

Interestingly, there is an idea of adding a pantograph coach to the Voyagers, so they can run off the OHLE, and to lengthen them at the same time. Although, we'll have to wait and see it anything happens