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Author Topic: Cross Country Mk3s Update  (Read 12903 times)
devon_metro
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« on: September 24, 2008, 17:02:13 »

The first set (XC01) left Doncaster yesterday and is not being tested:
Observations:
*Few tables
*New coach (TCC First Class/Trolley Store with oven/Standard class)
*The toilet at one end of the coach (and luggage rack) has been converted to seating

More soon...
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Btline
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« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2008, 18:39:15 »

Are they keeping buffets?

How many carriages/ first carriages / second carriages?

etc.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2008, 19:30:10 »

Formed
PC
TF First Class
TCC (2/3 First Class/ rest has a trolley store with basic cooking equip and 12 standard class seats)
Then 6 standard trailers with TGS and TSD plonked somewhere
PC

so 8 coaches in total.

Some photos here: http://thejunction.fotopic.net/c1584156_1.html
Notice the seats in what would be the toilet window http://thejunction.fotopic.net/p53771227.html
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Timmer
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« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2008, 20:44:46 »

Thanks for posting the link to the pics of the new XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HST (High Speed Train) Liam.

One comment (noticing the seating where a toilet used to be) What is this obsession with providing less toilets these days!?!?! People still need to go just as much as they did when Noah was a lad...thats one thing that hasn't ever changed.
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Btline
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« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2008, 21:10:08 »

Surely the fact that they have 8 coaches (instead of 4 or 5) means they don't need to cram seats in the toilet area!

And D/M, I got a little lost with your abbreviations. Is that 2 coaches of first class? Or is one a buffet?

Thanks for the pictures.

Looks good, but still no destination screens near the doors.
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Super Guard
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« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2008, 21:22:06 »

Have to say it looks pretty smart.  The seats look the same as the refreshed NX HST (High Speed Train) that made an appearance during the summer.
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r james
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« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2008, 23:13:49 »

It sounds  like there isnt much of a capacity increase in first class to me? 

However, i like the idea of removing some toilets, as lets be honesr, you dont need 2 in each carraige on an 8 carriage train!!

What cooking facilities are onboard?  And why are they even needed if the shops are all being removed eventually? 

I look forward to trying this coach when it is doing its rounds!!

However, I wonder if we will see similar work done to the Voyagers?  Especially the onboard shop and extra disabled bog?
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willc
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« Reply #7 on: September 25, 2008, 00:29:50 »

Quote
What cooking facilities are onboard?  And why are they even needed if the shops are all being removed eventually?


Catering kit is basically standard buffet set-up: microwave oven, hot water supply, but without a counter, just space to park the trolley between trips up the train. I presume the intention is to offer same first class complimentary hot food as they do now on Voyagers, such as paninis and breakfast baps, hence the oven. Not clear whether standard class will be able to order hot snacks from the trolley stewards though.

TCC, as one of the picture captions says, means trailer composite catering. Composite is long-standing railway terminology for a coach containing more than one class of accommodation, in this case first and standard, though these XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) ones and some in Hull Trains' Pioneer sets are about the only ones operating on the modern railway.
I think that apart from a driving trailer coach in the Class 442 electric units (I'm waiting to see if these survive the 442s' return to action with Southern), the last new build composites were BR (British Rail(ways)) Mk1 coaches.

Fewer toilets. Hmm, well let's wait and see on that one. As has been discussed elsewhere, FGW (First Great Western) sets have a nasty habit of running out of water in the tanks if turnarounds are cut short, even with a few more toilets available to start with. And XC's long routes, conflicting with all manner of other services, have a habit of picking up delay minutes, so maybe it won't look such a smart idea on a summer Saturday, with a packed train that got turned back fast after arriving late somewhere in the South West and is out of water on reaching Yorkshire, with a good few miles still to go to reach Newcastle or Edinburgh.
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devon_metro
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« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2008, 16:25:39 »

I think are all missing the fact that there will only be one luggage rack per coach as aside to FGW (First Great Western) who have 2.
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Btline
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« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2008, 17:32:12 »

I think are all missing the fact that there will only be one luggage rack per coach as aside to FGW (First Great Western) who have 2.
Angry And one of the reasons that XC (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) said for bring back HSTs (High Speed Train) was for more luggage space!

It is a shame there will be no double voyagers as a result of these 5 new HSTs, as VT (Virgin Trains - former franchises) have nicked them (to run under the wires!).

 Angry

Not happy.
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willc
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« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2008, 00:39:10 »

Quote
as VT (Virgin Trains - former franchises) have nicked them (to run under the wires!).

Virgin didn't nick them, they were allocated by DfT» (Department for Transport - about), and in any case, the extra SuperVoyagers are to beef up the Chester and North Wales services (and replace dragged Pendolinos on this route as they are needed for extra electric services), so Virgin needs to use diesel trains of some sort, due to the lack of wires west of Crewe, plus they have to tilt to get paths in among Pendolinos, so SuperVoyagers are the only game in town.

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12hoursunday
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« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2008, 01:13:38 »

Are they keeping buffets?





they made it qute clear in the Franchise specification  that shops were out and trollies in!
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dog box
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« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2008, 20:48:30 »

and they are having jolly old SDO (Selective Door Opening) too
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r james
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« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2008, 07:33:09 »

I thought it had been discussed several times that there will be some doule voyagers, as there are fewer diagrams to be fulfilled, with the remaining stock, even after the final units transfer to Virgin.  I would be very shocoked if we dont see more double voyagers coming up. 
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Btline
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« Reply #14 on: September 27, 2008, 17:22:53 »

No double Voyagers at the moment (I think)

5 HSTs (High Speed Train) go in;

5 Super Voyagers go out;

So I doubt there will be any/ any more double Voyagers.
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