Cross Country

[Cheese]

You can reserve seats on the 170's. They had reservation notices on the seats on the 170's when I was travelling between Birmingham and Ely the other week.

Since its calling at Wilnecote and running between Cardiff Central and Nottingham, it looks like a 170.

The Cardiff to Nottingham services have reservations, the New Street to Nottingham services usually don't, the 1349 is a Cardiff one. All 170s on that service unless the 1739 peak hour extra drops a Voyager which it very occasionally does.

Similarly the New Street to Stansted trains can be reserved but the Leicester terminators can't.

[Bob]

You can reserve seats on the 170's. They had reservation notices on the seats on the 170's when I was travelling between Birmingham and Ely the other week.

Since its calling at Wilnecote and running between Cardiff Central and Nottingham, it looks like a 170.

Damn and there i was hoping for a HST lol

[Trident 4194]

Damn and there i was hoping for a HST lol

I travelled on the 15:12 new street to Nottingham Friday. An inadequate 2 carriage formation. On return I caught a 2 carriage 156 to derby (very nice train) and then a voyager which started at derby resulting in plenty of seats to be had. Voyagers have definitely grown on me. £27 though return is very steep for an hour and 20 journey

[Trident 4194]

Who's taking over from cross country at the end of October?

[BK63 YWP]

Who's taking over from cross country at the end of October?

Quick google search shows it running TIL 2022

[Cheese]

Quick google search shows it running TIL 2022

Under an ERMA as franchising is now effectively dead.

[Trident 4194]

Under an ERMA as franchising is now effectively dead.

Was due to expire this month am I correct in saying?

[Cheese]

Was due to expire this month am I correct in saying?

Yes, the previous Direct Award was due to expire in October.

[Trident 4194]

Under an ERMA as franchising is now effectively dead.

How did you get this information?

[mikestone]

As far as I am aware all TOCs are currently in EMRA and the DfT announced a couple of weeks ago that there would be no more franchises.
;
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rail-franchising-reaches-the-terminus-as-a-new-railway-takes-shape

[Steve3229vp]

Big surprise today. The 16:19 from Birmingham New Street to Nottingham wasn't a Class 170 but it was a Voyager !

[mikestone]

Seems to be a substantial shortage of 170s - two turn covered by Voyagers and four evening peak departures from New St cancelled, although some may be backwash of LNER's 05.26 Stirling-KX standing just south of Durham until about 19.30, delaying long distance trains.

[Cheese]

Still short this morning as the 0749 New Street to Nottingham and return cancelled.

[Trident 4194]

Still at least one voyager operating on the BHM- NOT service. Went up on Saturday morning and the 10:12 departure was a voyager.

On return I got a class 156 EMR to derby and then changed onto the HST to Birmingham. These trains really are brilliant, so smooth.

[mikestone]

Three different Voyagers, including two 5 car sets, have spent part of the day on cl.170 jobs today, as well as the temporary diagram on the 05.52 from New St and 07.22 from Leicester, but the oddest working was 170109 on the 11.07 Nottingham-Cardiff running via Castle Donington, terminating at Gloster and returning empty to New St.