Coat of paint (Was:CrossCountry HST and Rebranding)

[Kevo00]

Okies, thanks very much for the advice then, so Clacton or Lowestoft are reachable.

[Gord]

I never thought i'd see Lowestoft and reachable in the same sentence...seeing i do my annual slog over there every summer to see family.

I've always wanted a tee-shirt made that says:

"Lowestoft....you can't get there from here"

[Ameecher]

Almost as good as the t-shirts which you can actually get that say "I caught crabs in Cromer". Now THAT is awesome.

[JamieLei]

Word around is that Virgin have refurbished their Mark3 Grayrigg replacement set into a Pendolino livery. Currently trying to find a pic of it

[Dave]

Word around is that Virgin have refurbished their Mark3 Grayrigg replacement set into a Pendolino livery. Currently trying to find a pic of it

There is no Grayrigg replacement set.

Virgin use a 90+mk3s on Friday nights to Preston, but that's booked Voyager at the minute since the stock's been used on the Eus-Bhm runs - you might be referring to this, but this isn't a Grayrigg replacement - Virgin have continued to use 52 Pendolinos alone (with a few Voyagers since the timetable change).

The old last remaining rake was WB64, known as The Chief's set. WB63 is the set currently in use, as WB64 has been "broken up".

EDIT: The Eus-Bhm run is of course in replacement to the Pendolino which had a prang at Wembley with another Pendo.

Every day, they run 47 Pendolinos out of the 52 available, with two on standby and three on various exams. With another Pendo out of action, they're using '63.

[JamieLei]

The Mk3 set that Virgin would normally use is currently being repainted and refurbished. The Birmingham to Euston run set as a consequence is being hired in from Cargo-D.

The Mk3 set from Cargo-D consists of four standard and three first class vehicles, plus a catering vehicle in the centre of the formation. It is running on six daily services: the 07.43, 11.43 and 15.43 from London Euston to Birmingham New Street and the 09.30, 13.30 and 17.30 from Birmingham to London.

Virgin said the less damaged Pendolino set, 390008, should return to service this week. However, 390006 is expected to be out of service for ‘some months’, and the Mk3 substitution is planned to continue for the next twelve weeks. Two more services – the Fridays-only 18.46 from London to Preston and the 06.20 from Rugby to London – are being worked by Class 221 Super Voyagers for the time being.

I thought to keep numbers up, there was a need to have a Mk3 set since Grayrigg as a standby or last resort thing?

[Dave]

The Mk3 set that Virgin would normally use is currently being repainted and refurbished. The Birmingham to Euston run set as a consequence is being hired in from Cargo-D.

The Mk3 set from Cargo-D consists of four standard and three first class vehicles, plus a catering vehicle in the centre of the formation. It is running on six daily services: the 07.43, 11.43 and 15.43 from London Euston to Birmingham New Street and the 09.30, 13.30 and 17.30 from Birmingham to London.

Virgin said the less damaged Pendolino set, 390008, should return to service this week. However, 390006 is expected to be out of service for ‘some months’, and the Mk3 substitution is planned to continue for the next twelve weeks. Two more services – the Fridays-only 18.46 from London to Preston and the 06.20 from Rugby to London – are being worked by Class 221 Super Voyagers for the time being.

I thought to keep numbers up, there was a need to have a Mk3 set since Grayrigg as a standby or last resort thing?

No they can manage on the bare bones with 52... Of course with the recent Pendo prang they've not even got the bare bones hence the carriage rake being pressed into service.

WB64 was the set that was used to deputise during some Pendolino issues, usually used with remaining 87s or a 90 after the end of 2007 - but this has only ever run on the EBW turns or on the Preston FO reliefs.

EDIT: Having read your source, I assume it is WB64 which is being repainted?

Which would be... interesting.

[Ameecher]

Photoshopped and taken from this page: http://people.bath.ac.uk/pbg20/index_files/page0021.htm

Getting a similar refurb to that of the AXC and NXEC mark 3 rakes.

[beeb375]

Now if they followed that design, it'd get my personal 8 thumbs up. Which is good.

[Kevo00]

Except that surely the DB logo would appear where the EWS logo is. Ooh its just like the early nineties.

[Nawdic]

that was the same as what i was thinking, but i dont think that livery suited the 90.

[Ameecher]

I doubt a 90 will actually get painted into the Virgin livery to be honest because they end up all over the place. The FSR liveried 90s certainly aren't used exclusively on the Sleepers.

[andel]

I doubt a 90 will actually get painted into the Virgin livery to be honest because they end up all over the place. The FSR liveried 90s certainly aren't used exclusively on the Sleepers.

90021 was on WB64 doing the runs last week... I've seen both 21 and 24 over here on the GEML and indeed have had both for non-sleeper haulage.

[Dave]

I doubt a 90 will actually get painted into the Virgin livery to be honest because they end up all over the place. The FSR liveried 90s certainly aren't used exclusively on the Sleepers.

90021 was on WB64 doing the runs last week... I've seen both 21 and 24 over here on the GEML and indeed have had both for non-sleeper haulage.

90036 was on over Easter as I had it BHM-BHI

[JamieLei]

Completely missed this:

Virgin have unveiled their Mk3 rake for real! I have to say it looks really smart ^_^

http://www.paulbigland.fotopic.net/c1719883.html

[Ameecher]

They'll have two rakes as soon as that is out in traffic as the current one will then run another diagram to cover for the units that are out of traffic after being smashed by a container door whilst travelling through the lake district. Going well for Virgin!

[welshdragon]

Jesus that's fugly, I'm glad it doesn't come to Wayles

[andel]

Ahh yes. Plus - we have another fun fact - 90019 and 90021 are both in East Anglia at the moment with NXEA... plus 90024 doing the sleepers the other day put all three of them on the Greater-eastern territory!