CrossCountry's DREADED Voyagers! Are they really that bad?
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- čas přidán 14. 01. 2021
- A trip aboard one of CrossCountry's dreaded Voyagers from Leeds to Birmingham to find out if they are really as bad as people say!
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Date of Travel: 29 September 2020
Class of Travel: Standard Class (2nd Class)
Rolling Stock: Class 221 Super Voyager
Cost of Ticket: £21.55 ($29.30, €23.85; including railcard discount of ⅓)
Origin: Leeds, United Kingdom (England)
Destination: Birmingham New Street, United Kingdom (England)
Menu: www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/...
#crosscountry #class221 #supervoyager
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You doubtless found them less crowded than usual due to the ongoing pandemic. Normally these trains have totally inadequate capacity for demand and that was the main complaint with the associated issues of toilets going faulty or dirty, people taking your booked seat, and luggage everywhere.
Indeed!
i'v never had any of them problems and i been traveling on them since 2015
@@ajsgaming8003 they are super irregular. I have gotten on some that are empty and some that have people fucking packed in like sardines. The rolling stock is ancient too
@@thelostusername5013 only early 2002 18yr old not as old as prior to the voyager 2002 use with classic 1960s british rail class 47 clag action but with welcome 7 coaches on each train with aircon !
@@timhuggins1993 sorry old is a bit misleading. Worn down. well loved. They aren't exactly in a good condition. A refresh would be nice.
I’ve been on a voyager once, and whilst they have noisy engines under each coach, they have very good acceleration, especially for a diesel-electric train and provide a smooth journey. I do find their fares to be ridiculously priced at the most of times though
I find that split ticketing can save a lot on these.
Which is an indictment of the crazy UK rail ticket system in itself.
That's why I never travel on XC, unless I don't have another option
When 40 year old HSTs outshine younger trains (Voyagers) for space, comfort, quiet and reliability you know you have a problem. Only XCountry has no problem cramming in as many passengers as possible regardless of seat availability and deafen them with those truck motors in the process. But other than that, they’re brilliant 🤣. No use blaming Virgin for what XCountry could have sorted in the decade or so they’ve been operating these knowing the problems. Doesn’t explain either why their onboard catering is appalling. Can’t blame Virgin for that either
40 year old HSTs do not all outshine these. I assume you never had the pleasure of experiencing what First Great Western did to their HST's.... Even as a poor student back then, I would not, under any circumstances, travel anything other than first class on them. Voyager seats are heaven compared to the ironing boards they crammed in as many as possible. You can't beat the original HST 2nd class seats though.
I would agree, the Voyagers are good but they could do with refurbishment and XC could do with improving catering and extending trains lengths. With EMR and Avanti withdrawing their Voyagers soon, XC could get more, or use LNER's old HSTs
Unfortunately they have to wait till the next franchise agreement to make any major changes; franchise is nearly over I think
@@leothompson2777 you should see cross countries HSTs, thoes things are amazing, even in 2nd class, much better than a voyager
@@electrohalo8798 I think most things would be better than a Voyager to be honest. We have Meridians on the Midland Mainline - which is based upon a Voyager - and has exactly the same shortcomings as the Voyagers in regards to RF screening (and hence overloaded Wi-Fi and no mobile/FM/DAB signals). They're also not the comfiest, are too short (so cannot prevent overcrowding), and are starting to show their age and become threadbare.
In my opinion, the Class 220 Voyagers, 221 Super Voyagers, and 222 Meridians, should have all been sent one-way to Newport Sims Metals, and the HST Mk3's all refurbished to PRM compliant standards.
Years ago I had a conversation with a chap involved in the design of the Voyager. Initially Virgin wanted to have 3 classes of travel and the on-board shop but they couldn't make up their mind about the tilt function, or how to power the trains (loco hauled, HST type power cars etc.). But the design & build clock was running and decisions had to be made. The fist decision was for tilting which set the lozenge shape of the train, compromising internal space. Eventually loco haulage and power cars were dismissed as old fashioned and the only option left was under floor engines. Unfortunately that's where the designers has decided to put the air con units and other auxiliaries so something had to give. So the floor height was raised to fit in engines, transmission, fuel tanks etc, and the internal roof lowered to get the air con in the roof space. The results are a compromised cross section shape for tilting which was never used, with a smaller than ideal internal space which explains why the luggage racks are only good for coats.
Wow, very interesting! Thanks for the info 😁
I’ve been on these a few times and my only comment is that the toilets always stink. You can smell them in the corridors. The smell comes back to me whilst I’m watching!
Is it the same smell that you get on the Pendolinos? I know they had real problems with the toilets when they were first lauched and Virgin said they'd been fixed, but whenever you went through a carriage with toilets, that smell was always there.
Exactly this. They’re too short but that is hardly a fault of the unit, they just need to be doubled up.
@@MIKIEC71 Yeah when I enter the pendolino there is this weird smell. Not sure if it's the toilets
I do love the editing you use and the facts and statistics you talk about during the travel, very organised
I used to travel on these between Leamington and Birmingham back in the early 2000s. They were ok for a short journey like that, but I would not have been happy spending several hours on them. Just too cramped. Their poor reputation is justified in my view.
I had the misfortune to ride on one from Leeds to Sheffield, (should have been Derby but I had to get off) in the rush hour. Talk about crowded, cramped and claustrophobic! They are not suitable for the type of routes they are used on. Worst of all is the underfloor engine and the vibrations, a fault common to almost all DMU types. The Stadler Flirt/GTW avoids this by having the engine in a separate "drive container".
The main issue with Voyagers is just how crowded they can (and do) get - I've found that booking a seat doesn't guarantee you'll have anywhere to sit. Travelling during the present situation when there are only a handful of people in each carriage makes them seem a lot more spacious but isn't a realistic view of the trains.
Absolutely terrible they need HSTs to take over the Aberdeen to penzance
I'd say an HST may be more ideal for that route, but maybe the HSTs should be used on the routes with less stops as they have slower acceleration than a Voyager, which could then be used on the routes with more frequent stops
they do use hsts occasionally to penzance
They used to use hst to Aberdeen
I think a HST still does or at-least used to do Penzance to dundee
@@westy6214 XC HSTs usually only go as far south as plymouth i believe, but i do remember that they did go to penzance in the past
Videos like this make me wish I could spend time travelling by train, I'd love to just be able to get on a train and go to a city I've never been to before
I took these trains every Saturday for 6 months. They aren't terrible, but they were very crowded sometimes.
agreed they need to be longer
To be fair I find any train journey uncomfortable when the train is rammed full. I can still remember back in the mid 90's travelling from Reading to Manchester and having to spend the four hour journey standing or sitting on the floor next to the external doors.
Coming back from Glasgow late 2019, got one of these services, started the journey with two toilets (of 4 I think) out of order, went to go later and got stuck in another which was put out of order, they're not bad trains but not fit for the journeys they do and I feel that's why they get their bad rep. A 3 hour train ride with one operating toilet on a cramped train (before covid).
I agree!
A CrossCountry train that was on-time?! What sorcery is this?
Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day.
I've actually never been on a delayed CrossCountry train (and that includes Aberdeen to Penzance 😅)
If this trip was taken fairly recently, with the downturn in ridership many operators have lowered the frequency of services. With the network running at about 80-90% of its pre pandemic service level the reliability and performance of the network has jumped quite significantly.
XC has only been late for me twice and I travelled with them 3 times a week before lockdown. Avanti West Coast are pretty dreadful with time from my experience.
They are crying out desperately a refurbishment. Hope they look at what Avanti have done!
I remember back in the days of Midland Mainline where tea and coffee were free for all passengers at any time. You could even walk to the bar and ask for 2 or 3 and they would give you them no questions asked. Was like this for their whole franchise until it ended around 2009
I remember back in the days of Midland Mainline when you could buy a dirt cheap advance purchase First Class ticket on even the flagship rush hour business trains from St. Pancras to Nottingham or Sheffield and the drinks trolley came round after every station stop dispensing free red or white wine. I also remember the "First plus Breakfast" tickets you could book on the Saturday morning breakfast trains out of St. Pancras. They were priced at £6 more than an ordinary First Apex ticket and for that you got a full cooked English Breakfast on the train, served to your seat. Plus the Loyalty Card which got you 25% off the cost of food and drink from MM's on-board bar! Was like this for their whole franchise until it ended in November 2007.
Ah, they were good times.
When these trains were first launched I really liked them. However my affection for them soon died and I loathe them because
Too noisy
Never enough cars/carriages
Never enough luggage storage on EMT
Cars too narrow and claustrophobic
Cars are shielded so you cannot use mobile signal and are forced to pay for wifi.
Overall they are a shoddy poor performance which is very typical of the private sector. Having travelled by train in over 30 countries I can honestly say that the train service in this country is a major embarrassment.
The Wi-Fi on Class 22x is now free to use but is woefully inadequate: it works by splitting one or two 4G connections through the entire train. When almost everyone has to use it, due to the RF shielding, it gets very overloaded very quickly, and becomes very unusable very quickly. So you have a choice of wi-fi that doesn't work, or a mobile signal that is patchy at best.
Conclusion: all 22x should have been sent to Newport Sims Metals (or similar) and better rolling stock used.
To be fair, rail travel in this country in general has poor mobile reception and all the trains I've hopped on have very weak Wi-Fi onboard.
They're usually hugely crowded, but the pandemic has cured that problem for now. If Virgin had used their heads and ordered 7 to 8 car versions it wouldn't have been a problem, this is why many people miss the larger HST sets that were used. Voyagers are also glorified DMUs with all the underfloor engine noise to match which is another reason they're so utterly hated compared to their predesessors too.
I never realised these trains were hated! I uses to travel from Cheltenham spa to Stafford (and back!) en route to Liverpool most weekends. I always found them comfortable, but they could be extremely busy and you'd struggle to find a seat.
Don't think much to the new layout of New Street though. Yeah there's a fab choice of shops, but I find it's a lot more difficult to find your platform!
It is a nightmare. I really hate it.
really?? I've always found it easy to change trains at New Street.
@@ajsgaming8003 I wonder if it is easier and clearer if one knows the station a bit? As somebody who doesn't, I find it must confusing, and particularly as one has to seemingly go out of the barriers and back in through another set sometimes, just to change platforms.
@@ajsgaming8003 I used to find it really easy, everything was just along a long corridor. Now it's zones, I just find it's a bit of a faff. I'm pretty used to train travel so can figure it out, but I can imagine people that aren't would really struggle.
The secret to changing at Birmingham new street is follow signs for the red lounge, at the B end exits of the platforms. This will take you to the bridge where you can access all platforms without going through any barriers
I think much of the hate towards Voyagers stems from bitterness at what they replaced (loco-hauled Mk2 sets & HST's). 4-5 carriages replacing 7, cramped interiors, thinner seats, hardly any tables, poor window alignment, insufficient luggage space and no pantograph - meaning lots of wasteful 'diesel under the wires' (loco changes used to take place - i.e. Class 47 to an 86).
A bit of a comedown from what you previously had, and what you saw on other long distance routes. To this day, I still haven't forgiven them...
No 25kV OLE pantograph ... and no 850 Volt Third Rail pickup shoes!
Correct, and it didn’t take long at Birmingham New St, especially on services that had to reverse there - diesel off one end, electric at the other.
Plus the 22x trains have metal sheeting in the windows, so you can kiss goodbye any chances of getting a decent 3G, 4G, FM or DAB signal on your crowded and agonisingly uncomfortable trip!
All of the 22x trains need replacing with something better (even the old Mk2s/Mk3s would have been better!) - which then frees the 22x's to do either local branch lines, or be sent one way to the crushers.
Thanks Dylan, this posting had a lot of observations for this train that were very good and helpful for sure. The cost was certainly in line with the train and services I thought, stay safe 😷 . We look forward to the next post.👍
@Dylan's Travel Reports When I first went on the Voyager about 3 years ago I found it that comfortable I nearly fell asleep on it, the best part about when I first got on the Train is when the Driver started the 750 horsepower 19 Litre Cummins Diesel engines. My mum was generally waiting for my reaction of pure excitement when the Diesel Engines started 😂😂
Since there are a lot of Voyager-defenders here, I have to say they are horrible trains. For long-distance journeys - which many of the trips on CrossCountry are - they are very cramped, and have woeful amounts of luggage space. That includes the overhead racks which are about big enough to take a newspaper but little else.
To add insult to injury, they are often very crowded - not during the pandemic I guess - which makes the lack of space all the worse and the thought of spending four hours on one (as I do from time to time) feel like a special kind of torture.
Whilst this video has made me remember why I enjoy the voyager, I can’t help agree with your comment that they are woeful. They smell, and are claustrophobic when full. And for years the four car units have gone Reading to Birmingham crammed to the hilt on a Saturday especially on exhibition days in Birmingham. Apparently now they have found an extra four carriages to attach - like everyone asks for. I appreciate that this is probably an hours worth of trains at once, but I never look forward to getting on a voyager south of Birmingham
The voyager may be just a tiny bit cramped, but nothing beats the sound of those engines.
Great stuff dear boy !! - always a pleasure watching your vids !!
You are one of the only, if not the only, reviewer to mention there height in relation to the seat pitch. I find that so helpful as a viewer. Enjoyed this report!
I was regular rail commuter when these were first introduced. If I remember correctly they replaced 8/9 car 125s with these 5 car units on a promise of 'we can run more regular services, closer together, because the trains are shorter', which obviously (for reasons that I now can't remember) never happened. Because of this, and their still regular use on heavily used services, there was never a chance of getting back to the capacity that there originally was with the trusty 125s. They then removed the buffet counter/service (call it what you will) and some of the bike racks, to 'improve capacity' which imho, was a big mistake because it also reduced luggage storage which in turn means more large cases in the isles, which means it is hard to get the catering trolley through.
Just some of the reasons that in my mind mean that I cannot wait for these trains to be replaced with ones that are actually fit for purpose.
Thanks for an awesome video Dylan! That train looks luxurious when compared with the Metro in Paris that I used daily for two years!! ;-)
I saw that you posted a new video, and immediately got excited! 👍
I’m 6’6” tall and I’ve traveled from Edinburgh Waverley on the Voyager trains several times visiting friends in Nottingham with a change in Derby. It’s a journey of about 4hrs on the CrossCountry portion. My starting station is Lochgelly with Scotrail, change at Waverley onto CrossCountry and then East Midlands Trains from Derby to Nottingham. I find that I have to get up to stretch my legs after a couple of hours on the Voyager’s but otherwise they’re relatively comfortable.
Thank you for these wonderful videos! You allow me to take a train ride every time I watch.
Glad you're enjoying them 😀
Great vid as per usual Dylan, thank you for making and sharing. 👍
Thanks!
I really want to do that 13 hour journey that you done from Aberdeen to Penzance on one of these trains a couple of years ago.
*just trains intensifies*
Always look forward to your videos. I enjoyed this one as have travelled these trains numerous times. I know exactly what you mean when you said "Voyager" smell. Its very distinct. On a side note, Sheffield station is one of my favourites. The front facade with its mix of old stone and glass is very beautiful. Stay safe.
Glad you enjoyed 😁
Looked like a super great ride! I wish we had even a portion of this kind of regional service here in the States.
Thanks, Dylan! Another wonderful video! I really like when you introduce us to the outside of the station, the station, your entry into the train and of course the train itself. I never took this train. But seen as you present it to us, I think it is very comfortable. Mostly, like you said right after I thought about it myself, it is very relaxing. And it is very important that a train is relaxing in order to travel well. Comfort above all. In addition, he is very calm in your video. It is rare so much calm !!! The trains we are taking are not that quiet, I can assure you. Adequate price. Having said that, I don't think the train is old, given that it was built in the third millennium. That's nice. You even got to have something at the half-closed restaurant. Thank you to you for your video !!!
Suddenly I'm thinking of something, Dylan. I just remembered that we took some old trains (this time really old trains) from the 1980s ... well ... in some cases they are recent, in others they are old fashioned . I think it also depends on the initial construction of the train, and not especially the date the train was created (although that does play a part).
Glad you enjoyed 😁
Great video 😎👍🏽 Virgin’s “Operation Princess” dictated the size of the Voyager and 4 or 5 coaches are woefully inadequate during normal times for Cross-Country. I remember catching a 5 car from Penzance to Bristol in 2006 (Train was going to Glasgow) and it was full and standing leaving Plymouth 😕 By the time it got to Bristol it was wedged and we literally had to climb over people in the vestibules to get off 😯 It was awful. These trains should have been at least 7 car. The toilets stink as well, especially in the summer 😷 I also travelled between Bristol and Edinburgh on 221137 many years ago and that was the same, wedged and standing as far as Newcastle! I can see why they get bad press, basically because they are too small in length for the routes they operate. I must admit when I do travel with XC I do my upmost to avoid Voyagers and try and get a HST service where possible 😎👍🏽
Thanks!
Me too!
The diesel exhaust goes up behind the wheelchair spaces. That means the wheelchair spaces are hot and often smell of diesel. And, being necessarily near the toilets, of eau de Voyager
Great, informative review Dylan 👏
Thanks!
I didn't realize how much I enjoyed watching these videos until I found you. Thank you for your great content.
Glad you're enjoying the content 😁
Love all your videos.. Love the no commentary :)
Thanks 😁
Love your videos. Thanks for doing them.
Everytime I've been on one of these, the carriage smells like a chemical toilet.
Great job! Can't wait to ride the trains in the UK again this autumn.
Thanks!
5:52 Would that be the same Leeds United who were whupped 3-nil by unknown Crawley Town in the FA Cup?
The unknown Crawley Town with a bloke off The Only Way Is Essex on the bench.
🤣🤣🤣👍
@TheRenaissanceman65 "I'm forever blowing bubbles. Pretty bubbles in the air. They fly so high. They reach the sky. Then like my dreams they fade and die. Fortunes always hiding. I looked everywhere. I'm forever blowing bubbles. Pretty bubbles in the air. United 👏👏👏. United 👏👏👏"
Two can play at that game COYI ⚒⚒⚒
@TheRenaissanceman65 I know but as a West Ham fan I'm not putting a Leeds song or chant in comments when I can instead support my own team ⚒
@TheRenaissanceman65 they didn't. They're just my team.
I remember taking one of these (or at least, a very similar one) in first class and quite liking it. All the seats had big tables and lights, there were single seats available and it seemed to wobble less. Plus, the onboard shop was a huge benefit.
Great little report Dylan - I really dont know whether Ive been on one of these trains. Two little asides to your report. Sheffield station has a pub on the platform, so if your quick you can grab a quick pint.!! Also as you approached Sheffield, on the left, you went past Sheffield Forge Masters, who I believe got done, for making super gun parts for Sadam Husain - none of which is railway related! Keep safe and well young man.
Thanks 😀
Great video mate
Thanks!
The problem isn't the units as such, as the previous poster says they get very crowded. In normal circumstances, even with 4 trains an hour when you include the Nottingham services the Birmingham-Derby section is frequently standing room only, likewise the Coventry-Wolverhampton corridor and to a lesser extent Basingstoke-Winchester on the Bournemouth trains.
I understand, I travelled on them rarely in the past to Edinburgh and on a Friday it's usually a HST that does the Aberdeen to Penzance Service and instead 2 class 221 arrive instead.
Voyagers are ok when they are nearly empty and the weather is cool. Try them in summertime or end of term when they are rammed with students and their luggage. NOT FUN.
Excellent video, I love how you do it, you give a real feel of the trains.
As a wheelchair user, they're amongst my least favourite trains.
The door retracts into the wheelchair space. This means I can't have the back of my wheelchair against a wall. For some reason, this feels really weird and uncomfortable.
It is not possible to sit with anybody. One's carers or companions have to sit with their back to you in the next set of seats, or across the aisle.
The interior doors are narrow to navigate
And in normal times, the trains always seem overcrowded. This means luggage in the wheelchair space, luggage overspilling the luggage rack preventing me from getting out, people occupying the passage outside the toilet, etc etc etc. I generally feel claustrophobic and trapped, and actually moving is very difficult.
The catering in 1st Class is the worst offering of all the TOCs, and I would be unable to get to the catering compartment.
On the plus side, they are quiet, the desk in the wheelchair space is decent (despite the massive over- engineered assistance call button) and thus often I can get useful stuff done whilst on the thing.
I dislike its brother the Pendolino more, though, because at least the Voyager has decent large windows - in the Pendolino I simply can't see out because I'm too tall and the window is below my sight line...
Thanks! I thought because all toilets had disabled access that they might be more accessible but thank you for opening my eyes to the fact they're maybe not as good as I thought.
Sounds to me like the Voyagers are largely hated for much the same reasons as the old Pacers were: The right trains being used for the wrong jobs. Just as the Pacers were ideal for short hops of less than an hour or for tertiary slow-speed routes befitting their literal design as rail-buses but were so often put on high-capacity secondary lines for which they were utterly hopeless, it sounds like the Voyagers are more or less adequate for intercity journeys of a couple hours but totally wrong for long-distance journeys like the Aberdeen-Penzance run; for that you'd want something bigger like an HST or better still something loco-hauled.
That said, the comments do bring up some red flags that I can relate to. Particularly the issue of inadequate luggage space, something I experienced on the old Virgin Pendolino's between Chester and London at the height of the summer tourist rush; I still vividly recall going a whole journey with my Study Abroad group having to stand in the corridor by the toilets because there were no seats or large luggage storage and being thankful I'd bought a suitcase strong enough to sit on. To this day I still maintain that the UK should look more seriously at reviving loco-hauled passenger trains and especially bring back the luggage van; I would gladly pay a few extra pounds to check my large bags into a separate car, thus freeing up more space for seating, and be able to pick it up upon reaching my destination.
They always smell funny! I miss HSTs, plus I like to put my hand out the window to open the door. Simple things... :D
rip hand..?
@@KaiDiesAgain I think they're referring to the old slam door trains, if you didn't want to open the door from the inside you could roll down the window, stuck your hand out and open it from the outside
@@qui8495 I see what you're talking about but I meant if a train was coming past
Window seat 🙈 well half a window
I was on one of these yesterday, north from Birmingham New St. There were no seats, every piece of corridor was stood in. The part where I was there wasnt even a toilet because 4 people were stood in the cubicle. It is dangerous travelling conditions for the passenger and dangerous working conditions for the staff. There is essentially zero meaningful ability for the disabled to use a busy service - 3 people could stand in that space and pay full, undiscounted, fares - so that's what happens.
Cross Country Trains should not be allowed to operate services anymore and the people responsible for making the operational decisions should be barred from working in the railway industry.
They are ok when empty, as you say short journeys ok, but I say let’s go back to proper trains with a loco and ten coaches.
... or just make Voyager pairs more frequent.
I love this video. On September 1, 2019, I travelled to Leeds to visit the In Studio of the TV set of Emmerdale. Seeing the Leeds station was de ja vu for me. The train seats looked somewhat dirty to me. Dylan, Why are the loos always clean when you go in, but they're horribly dirty when I go in? LOL. The menu looks promising. I still say bring your own food and drink. For a few hours 2nd class seating is worth the price. Thank you Dylan for highlighting the Leeds station. I spent some time at the Starbucks charging my cell phone. LoL I do plan to revisit Leeds when the pandemic is over. Looking forward to next weeks video.
Great vid Dylan 👍🏽
I’ve personally never traveled with cross country but I have used EMR out of St Pancras which I believe is the same stock. I love the warm ambient lights it does feel relaxed unlike HS Southeastern with ultra ice white lights. Strangely enough that rumbling from the train as it winds up I find southing, puts me to sleep😴
Great content !
Thanks! The EMR ones are much better than the CrossCountry/Avanti ones imo.
Did a 3 hour journey on one of these a few years ago, very busy, uncomfortable and though the toilets were working the smell coming from them was horrific. The next time I did a 3 hour journey was aboard an Arriva Trains Wales 158 express Sprinter. That journey was all together much nicer, just as busy as the Voyager journey but the build quality, comfort and layout on the 158 was definitely superior, which made the journey the more enjoyable of the two.
Was good to see Leeds station again! I used to go into there for work every day between 2001 and 2005. Haven't seen it since. And wow I barely recognise it!
Hi Dylan I love long train rides. You get to see more of the country sides and the scenery like the ocean which I love!!! Thank you for this video Dylan!!! I like this train ride!!! See you next week Dylan!!! Take Care!!!
Big thumbs up for a very enjoyable vlog. I'm curious - was this a day trip out, I thought B'ham was in tier 4 so I'd expect most things of interest to be shut down etc?
Thanks! At the time of recording, Birmingham was under much less stringent covid restrictions.
Wonderful Compilation
Thanks!
Try them when full. They aren't fit for purpose as a hst replacement and far too short. Agree they would be fine for second tier medium distance stuff like the 170s do . But are rubbish as primary expresses
Acceptable for short journeys which is probably most of their business, but for longer stints on the cross country network (like going down to the west country for holidays) the comfort and luggage space isn't good. but Can get very overcrowded at peak times. The seats are ok but a bit narrow if you have a broad frame like i do . The vibration and engine noise really isn't pleasant. East Mids also run these but theirs seem much quieter and less packed seating. The "voyager smell" was sort of tackled but comes back now and again. Overall I'd say they were a bit like the Pacers: a cheap and cheerful (or nasty if you prefer) replacement for older stock.
The ones that East Mids use are Class 222 Meridians, and they are just as bad as a 220 Voyager and a 221 Super Voyager.
The 222s come in 4 car, 5 car and 7 car variants.
4 car is just too short to be using on any intercity or long distance service. Maybe ok for local routes or shuttle services.
5 car isn't much better, but is OK off peak.
7 car has too much 1st class seating. If the amount of 1st was realistic for the accommodation required, the 7 car units would be fine for use even in the peak.
All 22x classes suffer from metallic windows which block all types of RF from entering the carriage.
I wouldn't recommend travelling in any 22x train. The 43's were MUCH BETTER than the 22x's.
Fantastic , seconds into the video and you showed the bike and luggage area , exactly what I was looking for , thank you so much Excellent 👍👍👍👍👍
I've actually sat on and under that luggage rack you passed boarding... I loved the fact they are both carpeted & it was really comfortable, I stayed there even when seats free'd up. But I do love a 221, the 220 are a bit shit
When was the video filmed i was about to remonstrate with you about breaking lockdown but noticed the leave on the trees.I like your reports as they cover all the aspect of the train and departure station .I've only traveled to one station with Cross country, thankfully I didn,t have to stand my bike up in the ridiculous space, i stayed in the vestibule as the trian appear to be crowded.Thakyou for showing me what I missed.
This was filmed back in September. I'm very much at home like everyone else atm.
keep up the good work my man
Thanks, will do!
I have never taken a train ride in the UK. I have ridden trains in France, Austria , Switzerland, Germany. They were very quiet and well kept. I took the Orient Express from Paris to Vienna.
Very nice and the train was really moving fast. Someday i want to take the train from London to Edinburgh. 🤞Excellent video. Thank you.
I’m rarely in England so the train is my favourite method of travelling. I went from Darlington to Newcastle in a Voyager and found it very comfortable and fast. It’s remarkably quiet for having underfloor engines. I couldn’t fault them.
i do like these trains i use them when i go on my jollies from the south to the north the only negative thing is they get crowded in normal times but i hope they keep the double voyagers after covid as they would make a difference to the capasity as 4 or 5 coaches are too short for the journeys they make
The map is great. Thanks for including it.
Glad you like it 😁
The title made me smile. On my occasional journeys from Norfolk to Gloucester the X Country from New Street is by far the best part of the journey. Infinitely better than the first part of the journey! I have resolved to travel via London in the future.
Im 6ft6, seats are horrendous for me regarding legroom and the vibrations from the underfloor engines leaves me with a bad back, Even a journey of an hour is enough to leave me feeling sore.
had to stand up on a voyagers vestibule near the luggage for over 2 hours going up to bristol on a bank holiday a few years ago due to overcrowding, absolute torture! The toilets absolutely stunk also.
Great video! What do you use to edit these marvellous trip reviews?
Thanks! I use Hitfilm Express.
Only really been on these trains for very short distances like Leeds-Sheffield and Sheffield - Doncaster (back when northern rail were striking), only thing that stood out to me was the weird yellow lighting.
I’ve travelled on the Class 220 (Virgin and Arriva XC) a few times and I must say that they’re comfortable, relaxing and pretty decent and far from the worst trains I’ve been on. My only main gripe with the 220s is the noise intrusion from the underfloor engines for an Inter City train but they’re by no means unbearable and I think they’re better insulated compared to the identical engines in a Class 180, the other high speed DMU of the era. Even though they’re a much older high-speed multiple unit than an IET, as an overall product I prefer them to the IETs which are just plain poor, especially for a modern train.
In my country Thailand we had the BR Class 158 Splinter around 20 cars (2 or 4 coach per one set) for Special Express Class. We bought from UK since 1991 with makes speed for 95 - 100 km and journey around 6 - 8 hours from Bangkok to the northern or southern of Thailand. Its looks old but still useful and after renovated in 2006 the cars looks modern and more comfortable with warm services by hot lunch meal served, snack with soft drink, and pillows with blankets for passengers who need to rest in long journey. Unfortunately for this moment, all long journey trains has shutdown by pandemic :(
On the note of Thailand, hopefully y'all can get the Heathrow 360s to join the others that the Airport Rail Link has 🙂
I travel on these all the time, and honestly i got used to the bad smells, loud noise, and sticky seats
As an American, I first thought the part at 9:57 was sped up. Excellent, thank you for the trip report. :)
Glad you enjoyed 😁
How I dislike Voyagers, particularly bad are Cross Country's Voyagers. Awful trains, loud, always grim and always smelling of toilet. I've never got on a CC Voyager and not been greeted with the same foul smell, unidentifiable but with hints of urine and diesel. They have to be amongst the worst long distance intercity trains in existance (in the UK).
Yep the smell and there were never enough carriages on busy routes.
I did Bristol to Newcastle, since I live in Bristol and wanted a direct trip. Glad you didn’t trash it Dylan. It doesn’t deserve it. Ok , too many stops in about 5 plus hours as I recall, but it was relaxed and comfortable. Oh, I was in first class btw. It was a lazy and direct route. It did the job and better than going to London to change, tho I may try that next time if connection is good. Thanks for your report!
Good to see Leeds in a video, I haven't been able to get there in ages
From my experience, Cross Country trains are dirty, cramped, usually overcrowded, old and the seats are painfully uncomfortable. All in all, utterly disgusting.
For the DMU this train is amazing. I wish all the critics could've had a similar ride in sovier DR1A trains.
Voyagers are DEMU's and what they need is an extra carriage in the middle fitted with a pantograph and transformer, for when they are running under 25kV AC OLE and pickup shoes and a chopper for when they are running over 850 Volts DC Third Rail.
Been on those trains but i remember that time i was stuck in toilet due to door broken. I have to press alarm and train have to stop due to driver had to come with special key to open manual door.
Oh dear 😅
great video thank you.
Glad you enjoyed 😁
Great video
Thanks!
@@DylansTravelReports no problem and subscribe to my channel if you want to!
You can tell that the voyagers and super voyagers were once running for Virgin trains because of the faded bit of yellow where the logo once was and the stripes on the inside of the doors
I have that exact same laptop bag as you. I have an Amazon Basics laptop bag. You can see it whilst Dylans walking down the coach and he has to move his bag out of the way of someone else
I have travelled on these trains quite several times, including the fast Euston to Oxenholme service which then goes on to Glasgow. A fast comfortable train which leaves little, if anything, to be desired.
I remember these trains being noisy, cramped, full and I had some imbecile sit in my reserved seat. I had to then find an unreserved seat which in this case wasn't next to the window, which was very annoying. The HST sets that they used were more comfortble but they don't have doors separating the carriage gangway from the passenger section. So they were quite noisy. But at least the guard on the HST set was an absolute legend.
Every HST I travelled on(which was many) had doors between the cabin and the vestibule. Often trolly crew would 'lock' them open for convenience but if you knew where the override switch was you could easily solve that. Another issue is bogan passengers leaving cases on the floor over the tread mats which operated the door mechanism or passengers standing in the vestibule rocking on the tread mats.
Got to say, I've never been on a 220 or a 221, but my journey on an EMT 222 (When it was EMT XD) was all in all pretty amazing!
Comfy - quick (Apart from a 15 minute stop near to West Hampstead TL, while waiting for other services to depart St. Pancras) - and surprisingly quiet!
When Virgin brought them in they were too short (originally they said there would be twice as many trains but within a year we were back to the original number) and now that ridership has increased greatly on large sections of the route (and I'm all in favour of that) they are not fit for purpose. As with Pendolinos, the sloping sides (to allow for tilt) make them feel claustrophobic, especially when they are full. I cannot understand why no-one, in all the years they've been running) has solved the problem of the smell. To be fair to them, the ride is quite good and the engines are a lot less noisy than the older 158s for example. When they were designed the bosses at Virgin thought that they would be used for shortish journeys, so the seat comfort was fine for an hour or so, but many people use them for much longer cross-country journeys and have sore bottoms as a result. At 6ft I don't find them the worst for leg-room but, as someone has commented, you could do with a walk around at least every couple of hours.
The issue, I find, is when they are busy, they feel much more cramped than other trains.
Great video Dylan, I don't mind the Voyagers, especially when they're less busy or paired up. There are certainly worse trains out there like class 185s, class 170s or anything in the Class 800 series. Looking forward to the next one 👌
Thanks!
how are 185s and 170s worse than Voyagers...?
(I'm guessing you're TheJamster2006 but changed to one of those new-style names).
@@RWL2012 i wouldn't say taking 4 digits out of my CZcams name is much of a change?
Im not going to get into a public debate with you about a unit. Glad my comment caught your eye, hopefully a bit of education for you 😉
Sometimes i ride a Super Voyager from basingstoke to reading, and the seats are all taken so everybody sits in the alleyway... (this only used to happen in the year of 2018 - 2019)
Looks like they've done a good job on Leeds station since I was last there in 2001
Good review. You missed the constant high pitch whine/vibration of the diesel electric motors slung underneath
Hey Dylan you’re lucky always getting cross country trains on time and not very busy
You should do a review of the service from Glasgow queen street to oban or mallaig