New XC contract - what changes would you like to see?

[dk1]

Hi All good to see that XC have got a long term contract, hopefuly will see an improvement from Birmingham to the south west eg torbay and cornwall, and maybe longer trains eg 6-8 cars long or longer on key routes eg 8 to 10 plus an improved timetable and more onboard services eg meal or buffet car.

I think an extra sandwich choice on the trolley might be the most we can expect if that catering wise.

 

[Baz2000]

I think an extra sandwich choice on the trolley might be the most we can expect if that catering wise.

oh right. but would be good to see a proper meal service.

 

[BlueLeanie]

4 car sets on the Birmingham Manchester, all under the wires needs to go.

I'd hazard a guess that Northern or West Mids could run a better service with a pair of 323s or even dustbin 319s

Definitely.

I'm not sure how many units are needed to operate the current Manchester-Reading/South services, but however many it is they need to order that number as 7-coach 801/802 units designed with people travelling to Southampton, Birmingham International & Manchester Airports carrying luggage.

 

[Iskra]

oh right. but would be good to see a proper meal service.

XC trialled this a few years back, and its disappearance probably tells its own story,

 

[jonboy35]

I’ve said it before and will say it again lol , shame there isn’t a service from Preston to Cornwall or a west coast service like there was years and years ago going to plymouth and Cornwall
Yes there is manchester to Bristol , but you have to change , as well manchester to Bournemouth , why can’t there be Manchester to Plymouth
but when you see Scotland stations to Plymouth via east coast , not fair on us who live west coast lol just saying lol

 

[dk1]

oh right. but would be good to see a proper meal service.

Sadly those days are long gone mate.

 

[philosopher]

Is there any chance of adding more standard class seats on the Voyagers as part of this contract. It has been said a lot of the time on this forum that the Voyagers are very inefficient in terms of seats per carriage. A quick look at their seating plan, suggests that on a 5 car voyager they could increase seating capacity by converting two of the three disabled toilets in standard class to non disabled toilets and additional seating.

 

[Robertj21a]

oh right. but would be good to see a proper meal service.

Can't believe there would be much demand for a full meal service nowadays. People just take snacks and eat more later.

 

[The Planner]

Definitely.

I'm not sure how many units are needed to operate the current Manchester-Reading/South services, but however many it is they need to order that number as 7-coach 801/802 units designed with people travelling to Southampton, Birmingham International & Manchester Airports carrying luggage.

They interwork with Bristol services as its more efficient.

 

[Travelmonkey]

It'll be nice if it stops at Chesterfield again after they cut the call on NE to SW services as it would strengthen services to Sheffield at 5tph and services to Derby at 3tph and re-instate the direct Birmingham service as that allows for much better interchange. Also strengthening Burton calls would be good as 2tph for Derby to Burton is too few considering they are commuter distance. Could also stop Worcestershire Parkway if it routes straight down which people wanted in the thread about Worcestershire Parkway

Derby to Burton does also have the Trent Barton & Arriva X38 that more often than not saves commuters when XC can a service,

 

[sprinterguy]

Is there any chance of adding more standard class seats on the Voyagers as part of this contract. It has been said a lot of the time on this forum that the Voyagers are very inefficient in terms of seats per carriage. A quick look at their seating plan, suggests that on a 5 car voyager they could increase seating capacity by converting two of the three disabled toilets in standard class to non disabled toilets and additional seating.

As long as passengers in those seats were willing to entirely forgo windows. There's also a limit to how the space could be used as the engine exhausts are routed up through the side of the vestibule opposite the toilet.

 

[fgwrich]

As long as passengers in those seats were willing to entirely forgo windows. There's also a limit to how the space could be used as the engine exhausts are routed up through the side of the vestibule opposite the toilet.

You could I guess, move the luggage racks (which currently enjoy a pleasant view out of the windows ironically) into this space, at least allowing some additional seating to be installed there.

 

[sprinterguy]

You could I guess, move the luggage racks (which currently enjoy a pleasant view out of the windows ironically) into this space, at least allowing some additional seating to be installed there.

That thought did subsequently cross my mind, but it was starting to seem dangerously speculative haha, noting the thread title.

 

[anthony263]

Love to see power sockets fitted in standard class on the class 170s. Its a right pain having to be careful how much I use my phone on the trip between Cardiff and Birmingham when I use crosscountry regularly

 

[irish_rail]

I’ve said it before and will say it again lol , shame there isn’t a service from Preston to Cornwall or a west coast service like there was years and years ago going to plymouth and Cornwall
Yes there is manchester to Bristol , but you have to change , as well manchester to Bournemouth , why can’t there be Manchester to Plymouth
but when you see Scotland stations to Plymouth via east coast , not fair on us who live west coast lol just saying lol

Completely agree. The south west and north west are not linked at all (Bristol isn't true south west). There really should be a handful of direct Plymouth to say Manchester Liverpool or Preston services. Only giving us the East Coast as an option without changing at the awful Birmingham New st (where the connections are abysmal between NW and SW anyway) isn't good enough. But this has been discussed on here in the past and it isn't about to change I'm afraid....

 

[J-2739]

A restoration of full Newcastle/Southampton via Doncaster services...?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

A restoration of full Newcastle/Southampton via Doncaster services...?

You’d have thought that’d be the basic minimum

 

[RobShipway]

I know the paths are not there anymore and XC do not have the stock, but I would like to see the return of services to both Brighton and Portsmouth.

 

[GoneSouth]

Love to see power sockets fitted in standard class on the class 170s. Its a right pain having to be careful how much I use my phone on the trip between Cardiff and Birmingham when I use crosscountry regularly

Just buy a small usb power pack, loads available on Amazon from Anker, Juice and others. Always have mine on a long journey as the sockets don’t always work when there is one available

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Love to see power sockets fitted in standard class on the class 170s. Its a right pain having to be careful how much I use my phone on the trip between Cardiff and Birmingham when I use crosscountry regularly

I imagine that would be part if the refurbishment - no excuse not to fit them this time after complaints about no power sockets in Standard Class!

 

[dk1]

Just buy a small usb power pack, loads available on Amazon from Anker, Juice and others. Always have mine on a long journey as the sockets don’t always work when there is one available

Makes complete sense. Better to be prepared.

 

[Christmas]

Place your bets on which type of LED they'll go for... warm and subtle or football stadium?

 

[GoneSouth]

Place your bets on which type of LED they'll go for... warm and subtle or football stadium?

Whichever is cheaper

Oh, and to be fair, the lighting is more indirect than the Hitachis so shouldn’t be as bad even if they do go for bright daylight.

They had cooler white on the HSTs but it wasn’t too bad.

 

[CptCharlee]

Plymouth to Glasgow via Manchester along the West Coast is so needed but also a massive pipe dream.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Love to see power sockets fitted in standard class on the class 170s. Its a right pain having to be careful how much I use my phone on the trip between Cardiff and Birmingham when I use crosscountry regularly

You could always get a battery pack. They're cheap and you could use your phone as much as you wished.

 

[J-2739]

You’d have thought that’d be the basic minimum

I wish, but it looks like we might have to wait out on that one!

 

[JonathanH]

Plymouth to Glasgow via Manchester along the West Coast is so needed but also a massive pipe dream.

Why is it 'so needed'? Until CrossCountry has longer trains, the Pendolino services through to Euston via Birmingham are both electric under the wires and provide more capacity between Birmingham and Scotland than CrossCountry could. Going via Wigan is also quicker than via Manchester.

 

[irish_rail]

Plymouth to Glasgow via Manchester along the West Coast is so needed but also a massive pipe dream.

Indeed it is. Or even frankly Plymouth to Liverpool or Preston. But as you say, won't happen in the current climate.

Why is it 'so needed'? Until CrossCountry has longer trains, the Pendolino services through to Euston via Birmingham are both electric under the wires and provide more capacity between Birmingham and Scotland than CrossCountry could. Going via Wigan is also quicker than via Manchester.

Because people from the south west want to travel to the north west and vice versa. The only station they can currently change at is Birmingham New Street, which is appallingly designed, and the connections between NW and SW services there are abysmal anyway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Because people from the south west want to travel to the north west and vice versa. The only station they can currently change at is Birmingham New Street, which is appallingly designed, and the connections between NW and SW services there are abysmal anyway.

Or they can go via London. Not necessarily quicker but almost certainly more enjoyable, and not unlikely to be cheaper.

It's one of those journeys that basically takes all day anyway.

 

[The Planner]

Indeed it is. Or even frankly Plymouth to Liverpool or Preston. But as you say, won't happen in the current climate.


Because people from the south west want to travel to the north west and vice versa. The only station they can currently change at is Birmingham New Street, which is appallingly designed, and the connections between NW and SW services there are abysmal anyway.

Only poor in one direction. The Plymouth connects into the Northbound Avanti.