Virgin Voyager Coach VS MK3

[43034 The Black Horse]

I personally do not like IC70 seats. At 6'3"+, they just aren't high enough to provide decent support. I get on fine with just about anything else (as long as it has enough padding, *cough* Central Trains' 158s), but Meridians are wonderful.

I'm lucky enough to not get that problem, being around the 6ft area-ish. If I do, i'll happily put up with it. But I suppose,there is no point traveling on them if they're not comfy to you.

 

[WillPS]

I'm lucky enough to not get that problem, being around the 6ft area-ish. If I do, i'll happily put up with it. But I suppose,there is no point traveling on them if they're not comfy to you.

I do travel on them occasionally, usually doing Nottingham - Sheffield on one of the evening Leeds runs. There is, undoubtedly, something very special about traveling on them, a bit of railway magic that Multiples can't provide.

I'd also say there's something special about traveling on Multiples with opening windows though - I like to be able to hear the train as it traverses the track.

 

[steve099]

Having not travelled with Wrexham & Shropshire in a while and taking only Arriva 158s or LM 170s into New Street, it occured to me when in an Mk3 just how quiet - and smooth - the journey was in comparison. That was ultimately something I didn't realise would be of such great importance.

And so specifically versus the Voyager, I really don't know. I'm not a great fan of the Voyager versus the Pendolino, but ultimately a 'stock' (old-fashioned) W&S Mk3 loses to a modern and generally more pleasant Voyager coach interior.

 

[SouthernCrescent]

Mark 3's even beat Mk 4s with more luggage space and two toilets per coach. As for the Voyager there is no contest! I think the Mk 3 is as good as it will ever get.

 

[boing_uk]

The thing with any carriage though is the noise from the power plant underneath... I travel often between Blackpool and Blackburn and Ive been on a 185 with an engine off and I have to say that the ride is comparable to a Mk3.

Then again, I like firm seats, which is something that a 185 can provide... though not great for sleeping on I have discovered.

Back in 2002, when commuting twixt Leeds and Wakefield I much preferred travelling in the (as then) new Mallard MkIV's to the MkIII's. Having said that, I do find that the 180's are just a MkIII with an engine underneath.

The one thing I have found though is the distinct noisiness of the Perkins engined 158s compared to the Cummins variety; the latter being the quieter of the two.

If only Northern had the capacity within the frnachise to refurb their units....

 

[SuperVoyager]

Meridians Look Like Cats

 

[VirginTrainFreak]

MK3's Are comfy there better then them plastic sh**e on the voyager/vomiters

 

[Geezertronic]

MK3's Are comfy there better then them plastic sh**e on the voyager/vomiters

Having just done Birmingham International to London Euston on the "City of Edinburgh" Pendolino, I have to say it was quite comfy and relaxing in Std Class (Coach A)...

 

[222001]

what? like a Ford Transit? I reckon they sound like a broken Ford Transit Van

You must have heard some strange sounding Ford Transit vans.

 

[SuperVoyager]

Having just done Birmingham International to London Euston on the "City of Edinburgh" Pendolino, I have to say it was quite comfy and relaxing in Std Class (Coach A)...

Yeah Pendolino's are much better than MK3's.

And im sure there will be a post in a minute or so saying something about the windows...:roll:

 

[devon_metro]

It doesn't justify how a mk3 can be worse. I try my upmost not to travel on Virgin designed trains, so in my case Voyagers. The Xc HSTs are excellent in the South West. A sensible amoun of seats, tables, toilets. Not to mention the excellent window alignment

 

[37372]

Mk3s are great pieces of rolling stock, the seats are so much more comfortable than voyager seats, the ride is smoother and quieter, and inside they don't smell of faeces!

 

[SuperVoyager]

It doesn't justify how a mk3 can be worse. I try my upmost not to travel on Virgin designed trains, so in my case Voyagers. The Xc HSTs are excellent in the South West. A sensible amoun of seats, tables, toilets. Not to mention the excellent window alignment

I agree that XC's MK3's are better than FGW... But still like Voyager's more
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On a Serious Note...

MK3's: Say an elderly person with bad joints was getting off at the next stop... and coulden't bend around the open the door from the outside and there was no help around.
Doors quite narrow aswell.
Also the aisle's are very narrow to walk down or take baggage down. Quite an inconvineience.
Also toilets have very limited room and a small door, have seen elderly people struggling to get in the door and sometimes the "1!" Disabled fair space toilet in not working


Voyager: Nice wide automatic exterior doors make getting on and off easy for all travellers. Aisle's are a bit wider than Mk3's so makes walking down alot easier.
Toilets facillitys are nice and roomy so disabled and elderly persons can access them easily. At seat service Drinks and Light refreshments means that you do not have to pace up and down the train trying to frind the shop.

 

[Jordy]

MK3's: Say an elderly person with bad joints was getting off at the next stop... and coulden't bend around the open the door from the outside and there was no help around.

Maybe, but you don't have to do much 'bending' to put your hand out of a window, still more difficult than pressing a button admittedly, but there is usually a member of staff (or a member of the public who will open the door for you!) nearby

Doors quite narrow aswell.

I don't think they're much different than Voyagers tbh

Also the aisle's are very narrow to walk down or take baggage down. Quite an inconvineience.

Again, I think Voyagers are pretty much the same! Plus large items of baggage should be placed in the luggage racks, not taken down the isles and given a seat

Also toilets have very limited room and a small door, have seen elderly people struggling to get in the door

I've never seen elderly people struggle to open and enter a MK3 toilet, I have however seen them have difficulty with the several push buttons you're presented with when you enter a Voyager toilet!

and sometimes the "1!" Disabled fair space toilet in not working

This is pretty irrelevant, down to maintenance not the coach design. Voyager toilets are also locked out of use sometimes

Voyager:At seat service Drinks and Light refreshments means that you do not have to pace up and down the train trying to frind the shop.

What has that got to do with anything? Depends on the TOC! NXEC usually offer both a buffet and trolley on their HSTs. The type of train makes no difference

Incase you haven't noticed, I much prefer MK3s! Comfier (yes even the FGW refurbs) smoother, quieter and a much more pleasant 'airy' environment than stuffy noisey Voyagers!

Jordy

 

[generalvegitable]

I have never been on a voyager, only a meridian, so I cant say much about a voyager. but I know that a meridian is a voyager that has been part repaired (like with a windows service pack) and I have to say this, when I went to the Barrow hill event on the august bank holiday last year I sampled both a meridian and a HST and I have to say that the HST was way more comfortable, (even though about half way home I was dangling out a window). the HST didnt vibrate like a bus when it stopped, you could barely tell it was accelerating when it started because it was so quiet, and the seats were like a lounge chair rather than a mildly padded bench

 

[devon_metro]

SuperVoyager mentions wider isles. But at what cost? It means narrower seats. I'd like to think I'm going to spend more time sat down than stood in the aisle, however, perhaps not on Voyagers

 

[Pumbaa]

In that respect however, it was considerate of the designers to factor in the thousands of people standing throughout most of the day

 

[SuperVoyager]

This is pretty irrelevant, down to maintenance not the coach design. Voyager toilets are also locked out of use sometimes

But there are more of them.

one think i dont like about fgw hst is its all blue inside just blue blue blue blue and more blue, for some reason that really gets to me:roll:

 

[generalvegitable]

but blue is a nice colour, and how are there more toilets in a 4 car voyager than an 8 car rake of MK3's?

 

[MCR247]

Exactly GV. Also, HSTs have toilets the almost the end of each coach dont they?

 

[generalvegitable]

I always thought it was 4 per coach (2 at each end)

 

[MCR247]

I always thought it was 4 per coach (2 at each end)

oh well that even beter, so even if there was a 4 car HST, it would still have more toilet that a vomiter?

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

oh well that even beter, so even if there was a 4 car HST, it would still have more toilet that a vomiter?

2 per coach, none in the Buffet nor the TGS.

 

[MCR247]

2 per coach, none in the Buffet nor the TGS.

well thats still a lot compared to a vomitter

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

well thats still a lot compared to a vomitter

Yep. Another reason (To add to the already huge list) to say that Mk3s are better than Voyagers.

 

[SuperVoyager]

but blue is a nice colour, and how are there more toilets in a 4 car voyager than an 8 car rake of MK3's?

I you read carfuly you'll see that a was refering to the DISABLED big toilet ONLY 1!

 

[GWRtom]

I you read carfuly you'll see that a was refering to the DISABLED big toilet ONLY 1!

You didn't metion anything about a disabled toilet and its blue inside the toilets so druggies find it hard to find a vein.

 

[devon_metro]

You only really need two disabled toilets per train. One in First and one in Standard which is what XC HSTs have.

 

[GWRtom]

I you read carfuly you'll see that a was refering to the DISABLED big toilet ONLY 1!

I you read,whats that?

 

[222001]

You only really need two disabled toilets per train. One in First and one in Standard which is what XC HSTs have.

I agree, thats what the Meridians have plus one small toilet in all other coaches. Why Virgin thought they needed all those over-sized massive toilets I will never know!