XC HST power car in new livery

[whole diary]

[grahame]

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/07/photos-crosscountry-high-speed-train-powercar-unveiled-in-new-livery-at-exeter-st-davids.html

Proud new future, or ready for swansong runs?

[johnneyw]

Is it just me or does the livery give the impression of a variation on the current GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) colour scheme?
I think that it looks quite good though....triumph of restraint over flashiness.

[alexross42]

Three power cars have now been re-liveried into retro variations as a celebration of their contribution to the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) fleet (and their overall long-term contribution to rail services since the mid 70's I guess!):

(apologies, the original image link is HUGE). Edit - Alex - I have added an attribute to have this show somewhat smaller - grahame



Original XC tweet:

https://twitter.com/CrossCountryUK/status/1686035858816700416?t=_eREOhP9blMGOp1goI_yjg&s=19

Apparently due to start in regular/normal service from today (3rd)........

[Bmblbzzz]

To me they look much more BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) than GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), and not at all XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)).

[Fourbee]

I've attached a picture that is representative of a 'OO^▸ ((Double O) - model railway, 4mm to 1 foot scale)' HST^▸ (High Speed Train) "set" that I have somewhere. It seems to be a mixture of the top 2 liveries in the original post. I can't find any real examples of this, was it just artistic licence by Hornby?

[Electric train]

To me they look much more BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) than GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), and not at all XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)).

Can not be BR style .................... no oil stain down the side from the leaking oil seals on the turbo charger  and they have the roof mounted exhaust deflectors which BR had to install to keep all of the oil and soot from the Paxmans off of the windscreen when the power car was travelling in the reverse direction ....................

Nostalgia  

[broadgage]

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/07/photos-crosscountry-high-speed-train-powercar-unveiled-in-new-livery-at-exeter-st-davids.html

Proud new future, or ready for swansong runs?

The latter, I fear. HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are too good for today's railway, the future is shorter units, with no buffet, uncomfortable seats, limited luggage space.

[PhilWakely]

I notice that 43007 (original BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) blue/grey/yellow livery) has been let out today on 1E63 (1527 Plymouth to Leeds) paired with InterCity Executive liveried 43184.

[Mark A]

Does the retirement from service of the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) imply that the (capacity constrained) Crosscountry have fewer trains at their disposal now?

Mark

[grahame]

Does the retirement from service of the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) imply that the (capacity constrained) Crosscountry have fewer trains at their disposal now?

Mark

Yes and no - as I understand it, Avanti West Coast have some IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) coming Ito service (class 805) which will allow class 221 to be cascaded - but not sure if the class 221 have been released yet.

[stuving]

Does the retirement from service of the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) imply that the (capacity constrained) Crosscountry have fewer trains at their disposal now?

Mark

Yes and no - as I understand it, Avanti West Coast have some IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) coming Ito service (class 805) which will allow class 221 to be cascaded - but not sure if the class 221 have been released yet.

Today's announcement of a renewed contract for Cross Country (mainly covering Avanti's too) doesn't mention new trains:

In October 2020 at the height of the pandemic, the department entered into a unique Operating Cost Franchise Agreement with Arriva UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Trains Ltd to operate passenger rail services on Cross Country. The core term of this contract ends on 15 October 2023

Today we have awarded a National Rail Contract to Arriva UK Trains Ltd to continue operating the Cross Country rail services. This contract, starting on 15 October 2023, will have a core term of 4 years and a maximum possible term of 8 years. After 4 years, the contract can be terminated at any point with 3 months’ notice at my discretion.

Most of the words are about Avanti, justifying the award on the grounds of their improved performance. There's a .gov news story about the announcement that also is mostly about the Avanti contract, and that does - if only briefly - mention new trains:

Meanwhile, the department has also today awarded Cross Country a new National Rail Contract, with a core term of 4 years and a maximum possible term of 8 years.

The contract will also begin on 15 October and includes additions to help improve services, such as the replacement of the now-retired High Speed Trains with more modern equivalents, refurbishment of existing Cross Country train fleets, and the introduction of direct daily services between Cardiff and Yorkshire, the North East and Edinburgh from December 2024.

[ChrisB]

More from Richard Gibson, Stakeholder Manager West & Wales

This agreement will enable us to introduce a range of customer improvements including:

     · a full fleet refurbishment of both the Voyager and Turbostar fleet – the first major refurbishment in 20 years. This will include fitting CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision), Automatic Passenger Counting equipment on board, new carpets and LED lighting, all designed to tackle long-standing pain points for our customers.

     · further enhancements to the timetable, building on our May 2023 changes. This includes a new daily direct service between Cardiff and Edinburgh, strengthening connections across Great Britain. We are also exploring the reintroduction of services between Cambridge and Stansted Airport.

This is really positive news and demonstrates the government’s confidence in our ability to deliver for our customers. As a long-distance operator of choice spanning the length and breadth of Great Britain, we have a vital role to play in strengthening connections between our cities and towns.

Over the coming months, we will share how the benefits in this agreement will support customers’ confidence in travelling by train. This remains our chief priority. I remain committed to working alongside you to further a build a railway that is both sustainable and relevant to people’s lives.

We have achieved a great deal since the start of our services in 2007. Our trains have been brought up to modern standards, with better onboard environments, at seat catering and free Wi-Fi for everyone. We’ve worked with Network Rail to deliver more and faster journeys to many parts of our network, and with communities and volunteers to bring the railway and the places it serves closer together.

We are proud of our business and that it is a company on which our customers can rely.  I look forward to working with you over the coming years to deliver more benefits for our customers.

[stuving]

Looking more closely at that DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) news item, it doesn't actually say these new trains are new. The wording is "the replacement of the now-retired High Speed Trains with more modern equivalents" - "more modern" is easy, anything would be, and whether 221s are "equivalent" to HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) is a matter of opinion.

[IndustryInsider]

The Avanti 221s (or 222s from EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about)) are the obvious choice.  Just a matter of how long it takes XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) to get their hands on them, and the pain passengers have to endure in the meantime!

[Mark A]

From a Twitter source, 7 x 5 car Voyagers from Avanti (in due course...)

https://twitter.com/Tall_Controller/status/1704091045426770113

Now, with forthcoming Cardiff to Edinburgh diagrams to cover, will those run via Chepstow or via the Severn Tunnel and perhaps Bristol Temple Meads.

Mark