Voyager 220/221/222 (meridian) photos and videos

[Davexoc]

Unidentified pair of Voyagers pass GWS Didcot on the avoider

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by Davexoc
Photo restored

[D6150]

So one for the bucket list from me today. After years of thinking about it, I've finally managed a short trip on Britain's longest passenger rail service, CrossCountry's once a day run from Aberdeen to Penzance/Plymouth. 

Which of course means a Voyager. In this case 221138. 

Externally it was in need of a good clean, and the dirty mark on the nose where virgin logo used to go didn't help. 

Inside, the carpets and seats are starting to get a bit tired, but it still seems quite modern. Plenty of noise and vibration while stopped, but it got a lot quieter once on the move. Good performance as well, with an early arrival in Dundee, where it was time for me to get off. 

Extra points for a friendly and helpful crew.

 

Thanks 

Ken

[Oldddudders]

1V45, 06.45 York to Plymouth, leaves Exeter St Davids 21.4.22

 

[D6150]

A quick picture of 221120 in Dundee on this morning's 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth service. Some fine weather for the run from Aberdeen to Dundee, although the windows could have done with a bit of a clean. A decent performance from 221120 also. Quite a busy service, as the earlier LNER Azuma to Kings Cross had been cancelled.

[D6150]

Here's 221135 on this morning's 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth CrossCountry service. 

Another quick run to Dundee, Voyagers are actually ok for trips of this length and still seem pretty modern inside (I will now await abuse....). 

 

Ken

[D6150]

Here's a photo of 221138 at Dundee this morning with the 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth crosscountry service. As you can see summer is well and truly gone in the east of Scotland, cold and wet. 

 

Thanks 

 

Ken

[great central]

On 27/06/2022 at 19:01, D6150 said:

A quick picture of 221120 in Dundee on this morning's 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth service. Some fine weather for the run from Aberdeen to Dundee, although the windows could have done with a bit of a clean. A decent performance from 221120 also. Quite a busy service, as the earlier LNER Azuma to Kings Cross had been cancelled.

 

Compared with EMR Meridians the Voyagers are almost immaculate!

This from earlier in the year shows the state they got into. Not cleaned for weeks or even months at a time, so much so you can hardly see out of the windows.

This is a typical example not a particularly bad one.

 

[D6150]

23 hours ago, great central said:

 

Compared with EMR Meridians the Voyagers are almost immaculate!

This from earlier in the year shows the state they got into. Not cleaned for weeks or even months at a time, so much so you can hardly see out of the windows.

This is a typical example not a particularly bad one.

 

As far as I know, the Voyager that works the 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth service is stabled overnight in Dundee beforehand. I'm assuming it will be serviced and cleaned inside (the interiors are usually pretty clean) but I don't know if they have a washing plant at Dundee? There is one at Clayhills in Aberdeen, which I think might date back to the introduction of the IC125's.

[keefer]

There used to be a set which ran ECS from Craigentinny around 5am-ish but not sure if that was for a Dundee or Aberdeen start.

[hexagon789]

8 hours ago, keefer said:

There used to be a set which ran ECS from Craigentinny around 5am-ish but not sure if that was for a Dundee or Aberdeen start.

There still is -5A01. It then runs in service as a Class 2 from Dundee - 2A01 the 0642 Dundee to Aberdeen, ironic as its non-stop.

 

The same unit returns south at 0933 with 1V60, the 0820 from Aberdeen to Plymouth.

 

The former Dundee-Plymouth no longer appears in passenger service, but an ECS working runs in the former slots!

 

Same as Glasgow Central, there are still 3 CrossCountry ECS trains that run in and out of Glasgow in the paths of 3 now cancelled workings.

[keefer]

Cheers for that, I used to see it clattering through Kirkcaldy on my way to work!

So is that XC keeping the slots 'active' should they consider reinstating the services at some point?

[hexagon789]

1 hour ago, keefer said:

Cheers for that, I used to see it clattering through Kirkcaldy on my way to work!

So is that XC keeping the slots 'active' should they consider reinstating the services at some point?

Something like that I imagine, though there are no plans to reinstate the hourly Edinburgh/two-houry Glasgow schedules nor the Dundee-Plymouth or 1V60 running all the way to Penzance in the near future (ie certainly not happening at the May timetable change, or it would have been planned already - future changes get done 18-24 months in advance normally, but we are down to 12 months with the present circumstances.)

 

As it is, I understand the long-term plan is to split the Aberdeen-Plymouth at Birmingham, get rid of the Guildford, Paignton and Newquay services and possibly even Penzance extensions.

 

Essentially concentrate almost everything on two core routes - Edinburgh to Plymouth and Manchester to Bournemouth.

[keefer]

Wasn't 1V93 the Edin-Plymouth in the L/H 1980s? Something like 8.50am, Deltic to York then a 45 onwards - or did 50s appear later on?

[hexagon789]

21 minutes ago, keefer said:

Wasn't 1V93 the Edin-Plymouth in the L/H 1980s? Something like 8.50am, Deltic to York then a 45 onwards - or did 50s appear later on?

It was certainly 1V93 in 1980, don't know about booked traction, but a number of NE-SW trains seemed to change to 50s at Birmingham New St.

[keefer]

Sorry for staying OT but from napier-chronicles:

1977/78: 1V93 10.00 Ed-Ply

1978/79: 1V92 09.40

1979-82: 1V93 09.50

I only know these as they are covered on the n-c site, being regular Deltic workings/diagrams.

 

 

[Ray M]

Sheffield Midland 27-12-06

[hexagon789]

1 hour ago, Ray M said:

Sheffield Midland 27-12-06

Always liked the original livery on the 222s, though the seating arrangement in the 4-cars was less than ideal.

[Davexoc]

This view has changed somewhat since this was taken (2008)

 

[hexagon789]

15 hours ago, Davexoc said:

This view has changed somewhat since this was taken (2008)

 

One of the original four-cars MM extended to five by removing an NS from each of the nine-cars.

 

EMT then reduced the now eight-car sets to seven, and one of them to five. Then extended the remaining four cars up to five as well.

 

Did improve matters on the semi-fasts using the four-cars, as the four-cars had silly proportions of First Class but removing two standards from the nine-cars means the issue now perpetuates in the seven cars!

 

Good trains though, MM definitely took on board the criticisms of the Voyagers and managed to produce a far better train interior.

 

I do miss that livery, never seemed to suit the HSTs quite rightbut was a lot better on the Meridians than the current Ribena livery!

[deltic17]

On 24/10/2022 at 18:23, keefer said:

Wasn't 1V93 the Edin-Plymouth in the L/H 1980s? Something like 8.50am, Deltic to York then a 45 onwards - or did 50s appear later on?

It was normally a class 47 forward southbound from York, but very occasionally a 50 appeared as a means of getting the 50 back to the WR from Doncaster Works.

[Davexoc]

A pair of 4-car sets near Desborough

 

 

 

[Dava]

On 20/10/2022 at 20:21, great central said:

 

Compared with EMR Meridians the Voyagers are almost immaculate!

This from earlier in the year shows the state they got into. Not cleaned for weeks or even months at a time, so much so you can hardly see out of the windows.

This is a typical example not a particularly bad one.

 

The EMR class 222s have mostly never been reupholstered. The standard class formerly red seat covers are in many cases ingrained with black filthy grease as well as coffee stains on the seats. Frankly they are disgusting and none of the last three franchise holders have bothered  to do anything about them. Also the 5 car sets leaving London from 1500 then encounter over capacity demand by the time they reach Leicester for peak time commuter traffic and conditions, like pre Covid, are unacceptably crowded in cattle class. 
 

I’d like to think the Hitachi bimode sets will be better if/when we eventually see them in 2023. It’s been downhill since the HST sets and the last iota of pride in the service disappeared. 
 

Dava

[great central]

8 hours ago, Dava said:

The EMR class 222s have mostly never been reupholstered. The standard class formerly red seat covers are in many cases ingrained with black filthy grease as well as coffee stains on the seats. Frankly they are disgusting and none of the last three franchise holders have bothered  to do anything about them. Also the 5 car sets leaving London from 1500 then encounter over capacity demand by the time they reach Leicester for peak time commuter traffic and conditions, like pre Covid, are unacceptably crowded in cattle class. 
 

I’d like to think the Hitachi bimode sets will be better if/when we eventually see them in 2023. It’s been downhill since the HST sets and the last iota of pride in the service disappeared. 
 

Dava

 

The entire EMR fleet both London and none London stock was reupholstered and repainted when Stagecoach had the franchise, the red is common to both fleets.

They even deep cleaned and repainted the ex Grand Central HSTs before putting them into service despite knowing they had a limited time.

Since Abellio took over even basic cleaning is skimped if done at all

Their standards were obvious when the ex Anglia 156s arrived, they were absolutely disgusting and continue with the filthy 170s from WM!

Don't expect any improvement with the bi modes, still 5 cars replacing 8 car HSTs.

[Andrew Young]

On 20/10/2022 at 20:21, great central said:

 

Compared with EMR Meridians the Voyagers are almost immaculate!

This from earlier in the year shows the state they got into. Not cleaned for weeks or even months at a time, so much so you can hardly see out of the windows.

This is a typical example not a particularly bad one.

 

The choice of white for a livery for any diesel powered train shows up everything that is wrong in the rail industry. Decisions that look good on paper made by paper utterly ignorant or removed from the industry they’re making decisions for!

 

Notice there’s snow on the ground in your photo. If the temperature is going to be below 4 deg C (I think) the mechanised wash plants such as those at Etches Park and Central Rivers are always turned off as a frost precaution. Get a prolonged cold spell and neither the Meridian or Voyager fleet gets washed until it warms up. But like a car, the silver ones show it up less than the white ones. 
 

Andrew

[great central]

4 hours ago, Andrew Young said:

The choice of white for a livery for any diesel powered train shows up everything that is wrong in the rail industry. Decisions that look good on paper made by paper utterly ignorant or removed from the industry they’re making decisions for!

 

Notice there’s snow on the ground in your photo. If the temperature is going to be below 4 deg C (I think) the mechanised wash plants such as those at Etches Park and Central Rivers are always turned off as a frost precaution. Get a prolonged cold spell and neither the Meridian or Voyager fleet gets washed until it warms up. But like a car, the silver ones show it up less than the white ones. 
 

Andrew

 

Without wishing to drag the thread too far off topic, compare and contrast the Meridian I showed with the next train at the same platform on the same day.

 

Edit: Andrew you work through Derby regularly, aren't EMRs trains consistently scruffier than other operators?

 

Edited October 30, 2022 by great central
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