Pendolino and Voyager trains.

[hstudent]

According to Virgin Trains literature map Pendolino trains are only used on routes going in to London and Voyager trains run on diesel. However, in early 2005 I caught a train from Edinburgh to Leeds (with a final destination of Birmingham) which was a new type of Virgin Train which I’m sure was running on overhead electrics. Was this Pendolino train or a different type of train?

I also heard that the London to North Wales route uses dual powered vehicles. Is this true and if so then what’s the official name for them?

[dave47549]

Originally Posted by hstudent

According to Virgin Trains literature map Pendolino trains are only used on routes going in to London and Voyager trains run on diesel. However, in early 2005 I caught a train from Edinburgh to Leeds (with a final destination of Birmingham) which was a new type of Virgin Train which I’m sure was running on overhead electrics. Was this Pendolino train or a different type of train?

I also heard that the London to North Wales route uses dual powered vehicles. Is this true and if so then what’s the official name for them?

There's no overhead wires between leeds & B'ham, so it would have been a diesel voyager. As for the north wales route, you can have either type. A voyager can obviously work through as it is diesel, Pendolinos have also worked the route by being hauled by a class 57 from crewe.

Incidentally, the proper name for a Pendolino is 'pantyliner', Voyagers are 'toyagers'. (those are the most polite nicknames i have found for them)

Here's a quick guide to differentiating between pendolinos & voyagers. If it has seats that give you backache after 30 minutes, normal-ish size windows & grossly inadequate seating capacity, it is a voyager. If it has seats that give you backache after 30 minutes, miniscule windows & grossly inadequate seating capacity, it is a pendolino.