RoscoTrain107

As Spring finally arrives after a very down and gloomy winter at last things are beginning to turn a bit as proved from Saturday from my 1st visit to RHS Rosemoor.

Whilst Ive been dealing with SAD which at times has been hard with all the uncertainty going on, so many things you have to try and manage or just simply end up in a monumental struggle to motivate yourself at some point one day you can reach that point it becomes too much.

Is it ok to get upset about it even when you talk to someone well for those who say No clearly have no idea and when it happens it can happen very quickly

It can be difficult because when you hit that low mood you try to mask it passing it off as normal when it isn't or sometimes you worry that some may judge you when you try to open up about it.

As of now just to update so far that I have beginning to feel much better than I was 2 weeks ago when I did that low point but of course it still remains of taking one day at a time

During this time I have been able to reflect on my time as RoscoTrain107 as well as in general.

Of course the fact that sometimes even If some think Im a big channel or a great channel however as Ive mentioned many times in the past its something I don't consider myself that at all 

Sometimes when you have some that can't understand the word 'Patience' then its easy to simply lose it when in fact you sometimes have to be more patient its of course difficult.

Or when you go trainspotting in your local area or a station you know but doesn't work out then sure it can be frustrating but at the same time you have to think it another way if you can't do it today there's always another time.

Or Thirdly when some ask that question 'Whens your next video going to be" and you can't give an answer because your unsure when then some get impatient too easily which can be a bit frustrating at times.

I wouldn't be surprised that some have been in a similar situation however its Important to remind yourself that your in control of your own content, your channel, your uploads, your editing time etc

If you have to take time out then do so and only when your 100% ready to return when you can then do so when possible.

Sometimes when you lose that passion it can take some time to get it back however sometimes you just have to hit the reset button like some would do on a game.

Whilst at the moment as I continue to feel a bit more upbeat in general after a very difficult time however I can confirm that I will be ready to return very soon back to trainspotting and if it takes time to get back up to speed on that then so be it.

Anyway thats a update from me at the moment

So from myself Ross (RoscoTrain107) be safe, take care and hopefully will be back to uploading soon

3 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 45

RoscoTrain107

Whilst my spotting is still on hold combined with having had a few tough weeks so yesterday to brush off some of the rusty, gloominess with the battle of SAD which has resulted at times having low moods and the struggle to find motivation

it was a visit to this place so welcome to my 1st visit of RHS Rosemoor not far from Torrington, North Devon

And in a way thank goodness for nice weather it was certainly needed

Now I will say straightaway before some start asking that question

Yes me Ross ‘RoscoTrain107’ is not going to turn his train channel into something out of Ground Force, BBC Countryfile or How Lovely is your Garden.

That ain’t happening

Anyway whilst I was there yes there were plenty of trees, plants and of course waterfalls

Maybe a new passion I have discovered from my visit to Rosemoor is for Waterfalls perhaps on a nice sunny day going forward and maybe when I’m not doing trainspotting except if I decide to do Planespotting on my 2nd channel obviously

As Coldplay would say
“Every tear is a waterfall”

So here are some pictures of some waterfalls from Rosemoor and it’s big lake at the end as well.

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6 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 47

RoscoTrain107

Lumo unveil their livery and their interior design for their Class 222 Meridian fleet for their London Euston to Stirling services

So presently has of now had 2 x 5 car sets doing testing with driver training whilst at the same time another 2 sets are being refurbished at Alstoms Longsight base near Widnes

Eventually Lumo will have 5 x 6 car sets of 222s doing London Euston to Stirling which is due to start in the summer around June at the earliest

So a reminder that Lumo for their London - Stirling services including stops as such Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenaulds, Larbert and Stirling

So WCML between London Euston and Motherwell, Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line between Motherwell and Cumbernauld, Cumbernauld Line between Cumbernauld and just before Larbert then onto the Croy Line towards Stirling.

Which includes 4 daily returns from Stirling to London Euston with 3 on Sundays with a 5 daily returns starting from Preston.

Also on RealTime Trains in case if anyone hasn't noticed recentlu that to avoid confusion over which Lumo is which well its Lumo (East Coast) are coded as LD whilst for Lumo (West Coast) will be LF.

Lumo have also revealed they are due to open their HQ for their WCML operations soon which will be based in Preston

So on the outside is the Lumo blue exterior although slightly different look to them compared to the 803s used on London Kings Cross - Edinburgh / Glasgow Queen Street services

And their interior will not be the blue seating you might be expecting like their East Coast services but instead a refreshed existing seating in grey and silver.

Lumo released a statement about it saying
""Lumo operates a single-class of Standard seating, offering all customers the best seats to take in the picturesque views on the new route",

I will leave a link down below
www.modernrailways.com/article/lumo-unveils-class-…

My reaction to the livery on the Lumo 222 Meridians livery have to say looks really good and in a way makes it stand as a separate identity which you could argue some rail companies liveries may have missed in terms of that appeal and character.

The interior I have to say at first wasn't too sure however in a way I do think that not changing the seating too much in design but refreshing them makes sense.

Another factor is that the 222 Meridians are only short term on Lumo (West Coast) with the lease from Eversholt Rail lasting until 2030 although if successful long term could be extended but its likely a new fleet will replace them.

Now some will be asking like wait a minute the whole route is electrified for their London to Stirling service so why not use electric trains?

Well the answer is a common problem is down to power limitations on the overhead wires especially North of Carlisle on the WCML in a similar way that power limitations have effected the Class 802 Novas on Transpennine Express on Newcastle to Edinburgh services which have had to force them to run in diesel mode between Alnmouth and Reston until the overhead lines and substations are upgraded.

This is the same problem for the WCML which hasn't had much of a overhead wire overhaul in places not since the 1950s whilst North of Carlisle dates from 1974.

Another problem is that the 222 Meridians are not equipped with a tilting system so like the Avanti 805s and 807s presently will have their top speed limited to 110mph.

From a variety perspective whilst for Enthusiasts on the WCML might still be reeling from the 221s leaving Avanti West Coast but at least for a few years you get its brother the 222 Meridians roaring up and down the WCML.

Regarding Lumo in over 4 years since they have operated started in October 2021 they have really have come along way.

I mean if it was just East Coast Trains at the beginning then the identity wouldn't really catch on to passengers

However just before it started on ECML it was decided to rebrand it as Lumo which combines two words of 'Luminosity and motion"

So you take the first two letters of those two words "Lu and Mo" which you get Lumo

So whilst the East Coast operations has been successful in nearly over 4 years and recently expanding North to Glasgow Queen Street but the crucial thing is the low cost operator attracting passengers.

Whilst like in the aviation industry with low cost airlines they aren't going to be the high thrill service you would expect however its the low cost fares that make the difference.

The key thing that passengers expect is reliability and satisfaction which something that the 803s on the ECML side of things have proved so far.

The 222 Meridians will be a challenge and nearly forgot to mention being fitted with a engine stop / start system so the engines can turn off automatically when it comes to a stop at a signal or at a station until it sets off again.

Lumo have got their strategy right so far but the WCML operations will be a test for them when that gets going

So I will pass it over to you

What do you think about Lumo's new Class 222 Meridians exterior and interior design reveal and do you think their London Euston - Stirling operation will end up becoming a success?

Leave your thoughts In the comments below

Leave a like, share and subscribe

So for now take care and have a good one

(Photo Credit: Lumo)

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1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 152

RoscoTrain107

If there is one thing that probably gets so many people annoyed on the rail network is their journeys suffering delays

1. Rail Infrastructure problems when equipment or track breaks down

2. The Weather when its really bad although as we know you can't control Mother Nature

3. Reliability problems with the train your on when its a older train with the older mechanical equipment is more harder to fix manually or a modern train that on paper seems like an obvious problem but very complex to fix without using ctrl-alt-delete on the trains onboard computers.

They are some of the most obvious problems

However there is one other bigger problem that has been on the up in recent years which is delays to rail travel that is caused by Trespassing.

If its animals on the Line from a stray dog or cat to even a herd of sheep or cows from someones farmland thats something whilst annoying but you can't do much about that and of course with the animal right protection act then the safety of a pet or animal has to come first.

However when it's a human being who trespasses on the rail line its even more annoying and inconvenient which it not would anger a lot of passengers, staff not just on the trains but also on the station itself.

Ok in the rail community you always at some point will get a situation of at least one trainspotter trespassing or having no thought of any rail safety especially if its a heritage train of some description which ends up leaving the rail community being questioned every now and then.

However if its a person that decides to trespass on the rails themselves which station end points are clearly marked that if you trespass on the rail line that equals a Penalty of £1000 and may face prosecution.

So yesterday I came across a video which was filmed at Welwyn North of one man who was caught on camera by a trainspotter known @Trainspotter Jake who at the time when it took place was spotting with a few friends whilst on the Up platform there

What happened during it was shocking and outrageous and it was just before a 12 car Class 700 was about to pass through at speed whilst running non stop towards it next stop at Stevenage

So the trespasser in this case well there are two things to note

Firstly not only was caught doing it by trespassing on the rails which is illegal under the Railways Bylaw and secondly even if the guy wasn't filmed by luck well the actions would have been caught on CCTV anyway as well.

What is astonishing is that at the southern end of the platforms at Welwyn North there is a footbridge nearby you can cross over from the Up Stevenage bound platform to the Down London Platform ain't rocket science even if trains passing through are still going at around 100-110mph.

Also when you look at the video the man who clearly was trespassing was holding a bottle of something in his right hand and then when he realises he’s been caught on camera, the guy decides it would be a good idea to flip the bird like an idiot knowing full well he's just been caught red handed.

I'll leave a link of the original video down below
www.youtube.com/shorts/los8Hp...

This case of Welwyn North from yesterday is not an isolated case of trespassing on the rails and likely won't be the last.

The warning for anyone who thinks it's ok to put your own safety at risk then not only your putting yourself and others at risk, not just facing a £1000 penalty but you would risk facing a criminal charge under the Railway Regulation Act 1840 under Section 16 which as of now from its formation back over 185 years ago in October 1840 is the only thing of the Act that still remains unchanged or replaced to this day.

The link for that is below which is very complex in itself
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/3-4/97/section/1…

Section 16 states the following
"16. For punishment of persons obstructing the officers of any railway company, or trespassing upon any railway"

"If any person shall wilfully obstruct or impede any officer or agent of any railway company in the execution of his duty upon any railway, or upon or in any of the stations or other works or premises connected therewith, or if any person shall wilfully trespass upon any railway, or any of the stations or other works or premises connected therewith, and shall refuse to quit the same upon request to him made by any officer or agent of the said company, every such person so offending, and all others aiding or assisting therein, shall and [F1may be seized and detained by any such officer or agent, or any person whom he may call to his assistance, until such offender or offenders can be conveniently taken before some justice of the peace for the county or place wherein such offence shall be committed, and when convicted, before such justice as aforesaid, (who is hereby authorized and required, upon complaint to him . . . F2 to take cognizance thereof, and to act summarily in the premises,) shall, in the discretion of such justice,][F1, upon conviction by a magistrates’ court, at the discretion of the court,]forfeit to her Majesty any sum not exceeding [F3level 1 on the standard scale][F4£200 [F5level 3 on the standard scale]], [F6and in default of payment thereof shall or may be imprisoned] . . ."

My take on the ongoing problem with trespassing on the railways is that whilst you can't oversee everything especially in the rural remote areas of the uk rail network.

However in recent years with staff cutbacks its only made the rail system more vulnerable to the ongoing problem when it comes to trespassers.

Personally anyone who trespasses on the railways for whatever reason is a red flag in terms of safety, there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever and therefore accept the consequences of their actions from fines or facing a court hearing

Its an issue that unfortunately will never go away despite all the rail campaigns by Network Rail about rail safety especially those who do comply with the law on the railways under the Railways Bylaws only to suffer the frustration of a minority who choose to break the law like the trespassing man filmed at Welwyn North.

So I will leave it there and shoutout to @TrainSpotterJake7093

So I will pass it over to you

Have you ever gone spotting before and caught someone trespassing on the rails?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and for now be safe, take care and have a good one

1 week ago | [YT] | 122

RoscoTrain107

Whilst these photos were from my only two visits to Banbury with the first one back in January 2020 and the second one from September 2021 both with 68013 but now Fast forward to 2026 they are after 16 years along the Chiltern Mainline its so long farewell bidding goodbye to Chiltern with the MK3s and DVT Trailers by the end of next month.

But whilst one lot of 68s are leaving however it’s not the end of 68s on Chiltern

Another lot of 68s with modern MK5s coming in gradually known as ‘Chiltern Explorers’ which is due to increase after March 28th

So to mark the end of the present MK3 era on Chiltern just this past Sunday February 22nd a farewell tour attended by 250 rail enthusiasts organised by both Chiltern Railways and the Branch Line Society

Tour sold out in 24 hours and for those who did go hopefully they enjoyed themselves

Whilst on route for those who went, some were able to be given access to the drivers cab whilst at Banbury before it set off that morning as well.

The tour raised £20000 which is great cause and all that will go to Charity which in this case known as ‘Railway Children’

Railway Children is a Charity that supports vulnerable children that are either alone, at risk on streets as well as on rail network whether it’s in the UK or in other countries like India or Tanzania.

Richard Allan the managing director of Chiltern gave his thoughts about the money raised as well as going forward with the new MK5 sets coming in saying

“I am delighted that £20,000 was raised for Railway Children, which is a charity close to my heart. It is the perfect way to celebrate these iconic coaches which have served our customers well for many years”

“I am looking forward to the future, as we are replacing these coaches with the modern, Chiltern Explorer trains, which will significantly improve journeys for our customers.”

Also giving his reaction was Jack Miller who is the Group Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Railway Children saying

We are overwhelmed once again by the generosity of the railway family.

“Chiltern Railways are such dedicated supporters of our cause and these funds, from such a special occasion, will ensure some of the world's most vulnerable children will wake up to brighter futures.”

I leave a link down below from Chiltern Railways for anyone to read

press.chilternrailways.co.uk/news/farewell-tour-fo…

My take on the 68s with the MK3s on Chiltern is very minimum and you could argue they were a bit underrated for a time especially whilst the HST era was still ongoing. 

Whilst I haven’t covered much of Chiltern itself in a while however they did overall serve well even with the Plug door modifications.

I do hope that providing the MK3s are still in enough condition to be restored or preserved for use on a heritage railway or Locomotive Services Limited which will have no issues complying with the PRM compliance thats required by the ORR to operate on the UK rail network itself in the future.

As for the present new ones with the MK5s they not only got a lot to live up to but after the yaw damper problems that set them back and out on Transpennine Express got a lot of catching up to do to really build up a reputation thats respectable enough both short and long term.

On the farewell tour itself you have to credit both Chiltern Railways and Branch Line Society for putting it on

I do think that even in times of uncertainty not just with the weather, the direction of the rail industry but also in general that no matter what differences you might have that an event like this can bring rail enthusiasts together.

Whilst the MK3 era is ending on Chiltern however its not the end of the roaring power of the 68s passing through to and from London Marylebone along the Chiltern Main Line however its replacement the MK5s built by CAF have got a lot of making up lost time to do in the months and years ahead.

So I will pass it to you

Were you amongst the 250 rail enthusiasts on the MK3s farewell tour and what do you think is the legacy of the MK3s era that it leaves behind on Chiltern Railways?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below

Leave a Like, Share and Subscribe

So for now take care and have a good one

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1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 110

RoscoTrain107

Just a bit of an update

At the moment any new spotting content remains unlikely for at least a few more weeks and I know some are probably asking that question already

It’s Not just the weather in recent weeks which led to my local line to and from Barnstaple being shut down for 3 weeks until last Friday but it’s especially also outside spotting

In fact back on Friday February 13th I did suffer a bit of a break down from the pressure with so many things going on in general which in the run up hadn’t been myself for a few weeks.

It’s been tough and there is this thing known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) that has been going around but I will say if anyone is still feeling the effects of SAD it or really feeling very down then do talk to someone about it whether it’s a friend or someone from your own family

It’s no joke and trying it to hold it back passing it like everything is normal when in fact it’s not ultimately will become too much.

For anyone who has gone through a similar experience or experiencing it at the moment whilst it might be difficult to explain to someone how you feel because of the unknowns on how they read the situation which is understandable however if you able to open up to someone then at least it can give you a starting point which you should be able to get the help you need, also enable you to have a complete reset on things in general and then slowly but surely get yourself back on track even if it takes time.

That’s an update from me so far but in the meantime I will still be posting on my community posts on certain rail things which I will have one later on about the 68s and MK3s farewell on Chiltern

So for now, be safe, stay positive and take care

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 91

RoscoTrain107

So after my last two posts which I made cases on where the off lease Class 350/2s could potentially go plus which routes would be more practical than others.

Presently both Northern and Scotrail maybe have compelling cases even if its just short term

So this time lets take it to a Poll and have a vote on it

Who do you think out of Northern or Scotrail should take the Class 350/2s onboard even if its Short Term?

Vote via the Poll

Also whilst in the comments do state below which electric services would you put the Class 350/2s out of those two operators you voted for.

Note: It has to be present electric routes only

So for now take care and have a good one

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 23

RoscoTrain107

A few days ago on Monday I did the first of two posts about which operator could potentially take on even in the short term the off lease 350/2s 

The first one i did was starting off with Northern which at the moment is likely one of two operators which you could make a case for

Whilst some think South Western Railway could be an option but due to the fact the 350/2s are not dual voltage and modifications which would likely take far too much time overall means that idea is ruled out.

Another person suggested East Midlands Railway which you could have a case but that won’t be happening anyway and why because for a few reasons

Firstly they would be limited to London - Corby workings which presently worked by Class 360s and secondly the only trains that EMR are focusing on replacing is the Class 222 Meridians with the new Class 810 Auroras.

Thirdly the electrification would need to be extended beyond south of Leicester all the way up to Nottingham and Sheffield respectively which at the moment rather annoyingly is on pause yet again.

So it brings me onto the only other company other than Northern that could possibly to take on the 350/2s

And that is Scotrail

So here's the case you could make for Scotrail

For starters with Scotrail one thing is obvious with Edinburgh electric services mainly provided by Class 385s with the only exception being Edinburgh - Helensburgh Central provided by Class 334s which would effectively rules out Edinburgh as such.

So the main focus of 350/2s were to move then it would be more likely on routes in and out of Glasgow

So lets start off with Glasgow Queen Street 

First up and right away you can rule out the routes in and out of the High Level Platforms

So the electric routes ruled out which are covered by Class 385s already
Glasgow Queen Street - Alloa
Glasgow Queen Street - Edinburgh via Falkirk High
Edinburgh - Dunblane via Falkirk Grahamston

The only exception is Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level)

Mainly the routes covered by Class 318s, Class 320s and Class 334s respectively
Airdrie - Balloch via Singer
Springburn - Milngavie
Milngavie - Edinburgh

The only route thats unlikely via Low Level platforms is this one
Helensburgh Central - Edinburgh (Non stop via Yoker) (Covered by Class 334s)

Whilst for starters wouldn't be a bad idea however in terms of trains required it wouldn't be enough overall with just 37 sets on its own.

So if Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level) is one of those where it could work however it won't be enough on its own then there's another option

Glasgow Central so starting off with the High Level routes covered by Class 318s, 320s, 380s and 385s

So via Paisley Gilmour Street
Glasgow Central - Ayr
Glasgow Central - Largs
Glasgow Central - Ardrossan Harbour
Glasgow Central - Wemyss Bay
Glasgow Central - Gourock

Other options
Glasgow Central - East Kilbride
Glasgow Central - Barrhead
Glasgow Central - Paisley Canal
Glasgow Central - Cathcart / Neilston / Newton (Cathcart Circle)

And not forgetting the Low Level routes
Dalmuir - Motherwell 
Milngavie - Cumbernauld
Larkhall - Milngavie

So in terms of the High Level routes obviously sharing workings alongside the 318s, 320s and 380s would be obvious and its no brainer at all.

As for the low level routes via Glasgow Central (Low Level) that would be tricky pending on gauge clearance and possible height clearance issues which whilst could boost capacity however probably unlikely.

The other route you can also discount is both Edinburgh - Glasgow Central workings whether its via Shotts or via Carstairs which are already covered by Class 385s.



Even if you move the 350/2s all 37 units over to Scotrail your still going to have some shortage of rolling stock at least until the early 2030s but in terms of practicality it would be straightforward pending on gauge clearance to move them onto routes that are presently operated by Class 380s 

Or some that are operated by Class 318s, 320s and 334s which would allow those to be moved elsewhere in Glasgow as to enhance workings that are 3 car only or possibly the starting process to potentially withdraw some of the Class 318s.

So there you have it the case for 350/2s for Scotrail as a possible home

So I will pass it to you

What Scotrail electric routes do you think in and out of Glasgow the Class 350/2s would you see working on?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below

So for now have a good one

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 106

RoscoTrain107

With the Class 350/2s off lease the question of where they would go next remains ongoing

So on this matter Im going to do 2 separate posts on which companies are possible.

Lets start off with Northern being at the moment the likely possible option even if its just short term

The case you can make for Northern would seem a likely option and to many its a no brainer especially the fact their electric services on certain routes aren't really doing great in terms of dealing with Passenger demand.

Last report before the end of 2025 was that included some claims that one set was tested for gauge clearance around the North West in particular on the Glossop Line between Manchester Piccadilly and Hadfield via Glossop 

Whilst I don't know much about how the local routes in and out of Manchester Piccadilly are like overall compared to some other spotters however to be honest its not the preferred route overall I would choose.

But what other Electric routes could 350/2s be considered for when it comes to Northern?

Here's some of the electric routes operated by Northern

Yorkshire
Doncaster - Leeds via Wakefield Westgate
Leeds - Skipton via Shipley
Leeds - Bradford Forster Square via Bingley
Bradford Forster Square - Skipton

North West
Liverpool Lime Street - Manchester Airport via Newton-le-Willows
Liverpool Lime Street - Wigan North Western via St Helens Central
Liverpool Lime Street - Blackpool North via St Helens Central
Manchester Airport - Blackpool North via Bolton
Manchester Piccadilly - Hadfield via Glossop
Manchester Piccadilly - Crewe or Stoke-on-Trent via Wilmslow

Now putting the 350/2s on Northern in the short term that would be simple in a way but there are a few other problems in practice both short and long term

Firstly to clear up one thing that the 350/2s were built around 2007 / 2008 which presently makes them around 17 - 18 years old and also they wouldn't be allowed to be scrapped unless any corrosion damage is deemed beyond repair.

So in a way I wouldn't be concerned at the moment of the possibility of the 350/2s being scrapped 

But I would say to the lease holder and DFT one thing whatever the outcome get off your back sides and make sure you store them properly and not leave them in a neglect state like the Class 379s were for 2 years after they went off lease and then spending a whole year or two just getting them repaired and getting them working again.

Now regarding the fact of converting the 350/2s into BEMUs I don't think short term is a practical option which in a way rules that out unless Siemens in Germany, Austria or over in Goole, East Yorkshire have a contingency plan in place which so far is unlikely.

The second issue is that Northern itself is already thinking Long Term and they are in a tending process for up to 450 new trains which as of right now presently remains ongoing.

Now according to Northern's Managing Director Rob Warnes revealed in a interview last year that the replacement process is complex but probably would go down the line of something like this in a 3 phase process.

Phase 1 which planned for 2030 - 2032
1. Class 382s EMUs 
(12 x 3 car EMUs for TRU Services)

2. Class 780 MMUs
(48 x 3 car MMUs, 63 x 4 Car MMUs) replacing the Class 150s, 155s and 156s

3. Class 781s BEMUs 
(8 x 4 car BEMUs) which replace the Class 769s that operate the Southport - Stalybridge / Manchester Oxford Road

Phase 2 TBD 2033 onwards
1. Class 382 EMUs (34 x 3 car EMUs and 16 x 4 car EMUs) 
(Replacing the Class 323s and 333s)

2. Class 780s MMUs which in two phases would replace first the Class 150s and 156s and then later the Class 158s

3. Class 781s BEMUs (24 x BEMUs)

Phase 3 later would include replacing the Class 170 Turbostars

How would I go about it in practice?

So in practice if Northern even just short term were to take on the 350/2s then in practice would be preferred to put them on a route that really needs especially in the North West around Liverpool and Manchester areas which knowing already the 350s are already familiar with not just with LNWR just nationalised a few weeks back but also when Transpennine Express use to operate the 350/3s on Manchester Airport to Edinburgh and Glasgow Central services in the past.

If I was head of Northern in the short term even for 5 years at least then I would certainly put them on these two routes 

Liverpool Lime Street - Blackpool North services maybe as 8 cars and not forgetting the 350/2s do have door selective operations in case some stations do have short platforms.

As for Liverpool - Wigan stoppers Northern really need to get a grip on that either have as 4 car workings with a 331/1 or 350/2 or 2 pairs of 3 car sets put together 323s or 331s for that route.

Same could be said for Manchester Airport - Blackpool North workings as well with which having 350/2s on those well shouldn't be a problem pending on gauge clearance of course.

One thing is glaringly obvious with the 350/2s is that they need a big overhaul not just changing seat covers refurbishing the inside of the train but also they a complete revamp on the outside which probably likely will get repainted into the new GBR Regional livery.

As for Yorkshire around Bradford, Leeds, Skipton, Doncaster or Wakefield Westgate you could have them on there but that would be tricky unless you share workings with either 331s on one route or 333s not both at the same time because it would become more confusing that watching a game of Deal or No Deal with trains not knowing which one your going to get.

So thats the case for Northern for the short term to have the 350/2s

So I want to pass it over to you

What electric routes do you think the 350/2s could work on if Northern were to take them on even if its just Short Term?

Yorkshire?, Manchester?, Liverpool or maybe all 3 areas?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and do please be realistic and precise as possible base it on present workings not just making it up as you go.

So for now have a good one

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 145

RoscoTrain107

CrossCountry unveiled their first refurbished Voyager (220033) in Derby yesterday in a press event yesterday at Litchurch Lane, Derby 

Guests within the rail industry were invited to the press reveal of the newly refurbished Voyager including a tour to see the improvements first hand.

Just to note whilst presently the Voyagers are maintained at Central Rivers Depot in Staffordshire however the overhauls of all Voyagers for CrossCountry will take place in Derby

So lets get to the basics of the overhaul

So the livery on the outside has been changed which will the first time for nearly 20 years since it was last repainted from the Virgin CrossCountry on most voyagers with the only exception being the 12 Class 221s originally from Avanti West Coast which was last repainted back in 2019 which gradually moved over to CrossCountry in the last 12- 15 months.

The inside interior has been done up from new seats, tables, Onboard plugs including new USB-A and USB-Cs, LED lighting, Carpets etc.

Between now and 2028 which by then CrossCountry will have been moved from Arriva to being Nationalised which ultimately will become GBR from around 2029 to 2030 at the earliest.

I'll leave a link of the full original press from Alstom down below
www.alstom.com/press-releases-news/2026/2/alstom-r…

So I want to give my take on them

So whilst it will be a while before more refurbished voyagers will start appearing on CrossCountry to be honest an overhaul was certainly overdue.

CrossCountry is due to be nationalised which according to its present agreement will be from October 2027 before eventually it becomes GBR.

Based on the press it dorms on the outside the livery looks quite good and a bit more striking compared to the present one

I have to say the present livery prior to refurbishment had in the past few years began to look dated and left behind

On the interior side of things there is one thing that based on other rail pages Ive read that highlight one concern which is the seats.

Whilst they have headrests which is good although they seem to be a bit smaller but also thinner which normally for some raises the alarm about the so ironboard seating.

However the photos from the press release is easy to look at it from one perspective but if its true for real then that could make anybody's journey from say Plymouth to Edinburgh even worse.

I know from experience standing on a busy CrossCountry Voyager just from Exeter St Davids to Birmingham New Street which is no fun at all for over 2 hours and 20 minutes.

One other thing that has been left out of the press release by Alstom 

There seems to be no mention of the auto start system which at the moment is being introduced for Lumo's Class 222 Meridians for their London Euston to Stirling workings from this June 

If my guess unless someone from CrossCountry or Alstom can clarify the Auto start system likely that will get installed on the Voyagers at a later date but will see.

Just to remind you what an autostart system is well its like a train version of a modern day car Auto drive system or on a modern London bus 

So when activated its a system that turns of the train engines when it comes to a stop at a signal or more commonly on the station platform which also would save fuel.

So overall some mixed results, some questions need answering going forward but still at least the livery for CrossCountry for their refurbished voyagers looks more appealing.

The way I can see this working out going forward is that the present refurbishment for the Voyagers probably will be the last massive overhaul it will get as it goes into the 2030s and there has been talk of replacing the Voyagers sooner rather than later which won't be until probably after 2030 anyway pending on the existing lease agreement by Beacon Rail. 

Otherwise refurbishing the Voyager fleet then to announce its replacements not only wouldn't make sense but you end up with the SWR Arterio order controversy of March 2018 all over again.

So what do you think about the refurbished Voyager for CrossCountry do you like it or do you feel something was a missed opportunity?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below and for now have a good one

(Photo Credit: Alstom)

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3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 155