refurb voyager

[whole diary]

[thetrout]

Whilst I like the Class 67. They can be very loud. I was sitting on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads debating whether or not to get a cup of tea, to have my decision making rudely interupted by a revving Class 67. It was loud, Loud enough to make your eyes water... 

1,Scrolling reservation displays
2,internal doors that close on people
3,shop in the middle of the train so two queues form (Why on earth did Branson think that a shop was better than a buffet counter)
4, luggage racks that get a better view than the seats
5, too many disabled toilets with unreliable doors
6, the smell
7, too small toilet tanks
8, space wasting luggage racks (filling a space with two small racks rather than one big one so that space is wasted by the rack itself
9, having a space next to where the sliding internal doors open into just big enough for a suitcase which incourages people to put a suitcase there and jam the doors.
10, putting hand dryer next to automatic tap so that when you dry your hands the tap switches on and wets them again!

Those points i've highlighted are the things I hate most about voyagers. I find the toilet smell to be worse in First Class for some reason. Whats even more annoying is when you are trying to get to the shop to get some food, and the negociating of the many doors between First Class and the shop... GRRR

Don't even get me started on the toilets. I remember once using one, only for the door to open randomly. Which then wouldn't close!!! Rather embarrassing...

[Btline]

Not to mention that the toilet itself is positioned in the WORST position, should the door suddenly open!

[Sprog]

Whilst I like the Class 67. They can be very loud. I was sitting on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads debating whether or not to get a cup of tea, to have my decision making rudely interupted by a revving Class 67. It was loud, Loud enough to make your eyes water... 

  Its a gigantic diesel engine & alterntor set on wheels. What else is is supposed to be!?

If you think a Skip is noisey, you should think back to when the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) had Valenta engines or before that, when 33s/37/47s etc where on the 'locals'.

[chrisoates]

Whilst I like the Class 67. They can be very loud. I was sitting on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads debating whether or not to get a cup of tea, to have my decision making rudely interupted by a revving Class 67. It was loud, Loud enough to make your eyes water... 

  Its a gigantic diesel engine & alterntor set on wheels. What else is is supposed to be!?

If you think a Skip is noisey, you should think back to when the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) had Valenta engines or before that, when 33s/37/47s etc where on the 'locals'.

I'd forgotten how loud the Valenta turbo was... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ICcOu0NkM

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Whilst I like the Class 67. They can be very loud. I was sitting on the platform at Bristol Temple Meads debating whether or not to get a cup of tea, to have my decision making rudely interupted by a revving Class 67. It was loud, Loud enough to make your eyes water... 

  Its a gigantic diesel engine & alterntor set on wheels. What else is is supposed to be!?

If you think a Skip is noisey, you should think back to when the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) had Valenta engines or before that, when 33s/37/47s etc where on the 'locals'.

I'd forgotten how loud the Valenta turbo was... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ICcOu0NkM

i remember as a kid being scared of those things! they were soooo loud !

[thetrout]

i remember as a kid being scared of those things! they were soooo loud !

When I was about 5 I went with my Dad to Temple Meads just to look at the trains. It really was something special. Most of the stock either HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s or Local Hauled, with the occasional 158/150. Back when it was all InterCity and Regional Railways livery and not to forget the Royal Mail Train. Now in 2009, The station has hardly changed.

Not to mention that the toilet itself is positioned in the WORST position, should the door suddenly open!

Agreed. I once travelled from Plymouth to Birmingham on a Voyager. Came back down to 1st from the Buffet, only to be greeted by a drunk blokes privates. I don't know who was more embarrassed, me, the bloke or the poor lass stood behind me

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i have seen someone trying to exit the toilet and the door opening by about an inch but as the corridor was packed with people standing and a couple were leaning against the door it suddenly jammed.... what a horrible place to get trapped! we managed to open it for her but as you can guess she was slightly embarraced

[Chris from Nailsea]

Until recently, Cross Country Voyager trains used to stop at Nailsea and take some of us into BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)).  As it was only a ten minute journey (and the train was already fairly busy), I tended to just stand in the vestibule for the duration.

What I found rather amusing on such journeys was observing the apparently random door opening mechanism on the Voyagers: the cubicle door would either open and close periodically of its own volition, or someone standing outside an unoccupied toilet cubicle would be jabbing frantically at the 'open' button, to no effect - or someone would be inside, frantically jabbing the 'close / lock' button, with similar lack of effect!

Methinks the designer of the toilet door switches installed on Voyagers had a very dodgy sense of humour!

[John R]

Ah, those were the days. Especially as for the last 3 months they were HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s not Voyagers. Does anyone "in the know" know the backround to the Nailsea and Yatton XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) stops, why they started, and why they've now finished?

[thetrout]

I saw a rather amusing mobile message in The Metro txt section a couple of weeks back, I have it here:

1) Who invented the toilet tissue dispensers on Virgin Trains
2) Is there a waiting list to punch them in the face?!

*disclaimer* - By the quote in the post above I am in no means condoning or recommending any such behaviour as socially or legally acceptable

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

I saw a rather amusing mobile message in The Metro txt section a couple of weeks back, I have it here:

1) Who invented the toilet tissue dispensers on Virgin Trains
2) Is there a waiting list to punch them in the face?!

*disclaimer* - By the quote in the post above I am in no means condoning or recommending any such behaviour as socially or legally acceptable

not legally anyway..