They just started in January I think.Well you learn some thing new ever day, i didn't know Grand Central now had booked stops at Peterborough.
It would be better to give XC some half life diesels. Its better the 222's get used than get scrapped midlife.My guess would be that the first 2 will head over earlier to allow for crew training and competence retention, until the rest can join
XC undeniably needs more trains, and this opportunity is gone, but really what XC needs is bimodes, not more diesels
I believe they are:Does anyone have the correct formations for the GC operated units please?
They are five car units, not four…I believe they are:
221142: 60392 60992 60792 60492
221143: 60393 60993 60793 60493
The last few 221s have coaches from other units, I think they are as follows:I believe they are:
221142: 60392 60992 60792 60492
221143: 60393 60993 60793 60493
So far as I'm aware (and certainly according to the GC website), they're still operating as 5-car sets:I believe they are:
221142: 60392 60992 60792 60492
221143: 60393 60993 60793 60493
Thanks Sprinterguy.So far as I'm aware (and certainly according to the GC website), they're still operating as 5-car sets:
221142: 60392 60992 60986 60792 60492
221143: 60393 60993 60994 60793 60493
I believe it was a temporary 12 month arrangement in order to catch up with a backlog of work on the class 180 fleet.How many months are the Class 221 operating by Grand Central? I think it started in 2023.
Ok, so the two Class 221 units 221142 and 221143 will be operated by Grand Central temporally for 12 months until the problems for the Class 180 Adelantes are solved. And 221142 and 221143 might probably be transferred to CrossCountry Trains to join the 36 Class 221 Super Voyager units, and there also might be possibility that these two units will be reformed back into 4 carriages, 221136 and 221140 will be reformed back into 5 carriages and 221144 will have it's own carriages back just like when they used to be operated by Virgin Trains. And as for the 6 Class 221 Super Voyager units, they either be stored away or to be operated by Grand Union or to be transferred to CrossCountry to join the other Class 221 units and CrossCountry will have total of 44 units as a uniform fleet.I believe it was a temporary 12 month arrangement in order to catch up with a backlog of work on the class 180 fleet.
Last time I looked there were just two centre cars swapped now - cars 56903 and 56906 IIRC which is a huge improvement from last year.
Just guessing that if XC need 12 of the ex AWC 221s then 142 and 143 might be two of them.
It is probable that they wouldn't be reformed back to the original formations. CrossCountry are only taking on 12 of the 20 Avanti 221s in any case, the seven announced initially, and a further five announced more recently.And 221142 and 221143 might probably be transferred to CrossCountry Trains to join the 36 Class 221 Super Voyager units, and there also might be possibility that these two units will be reformed back into 4 carriages, 221136 and 221140 will be reformed back into 5 carriages and 221144 will have it's own carriages back just like when they used to be operated by Virgin Trains
Indeed. A five-car minimum XC offering would be a step up on the NE-SW route via Leeds, with the four-car sets used for peak strengthening. Have caught a 10-car set twice recently (including this evening) where the rear-most coach was locked out of use, so 2x5 seems to be overkill.It is probable that they wouldn't be reformed back to the original formations. CrossCountry are only taking on 12 of the 20 Avanti 221s in any case, the seven announced initially, and a further five announced more recently.
While it may be an enthusiast desire to have units back in their original formations, it isn't necessarily what happens.