Virgin could lose cross country service

[Deltic]

Virgin Trains could lose its cross country franchise to a rival firm within two years, and the same could happen to Yorkshire-London operator Midland Mainline.
Under a restructuring of franchises, Midland Mainline services between London St Pancras, Sheffield and Leeds would be covered by a new East Midlands network which would also cover regional and local trains.
It would be let as a new franchise, for which Midland Mainline and other companies could potentially bid, although the company's current contract does not expire until April 2008.
A new West Midlands franchise would operate Silverlink services to and from London, together with regional and local trains.
Some Central Train services south of Nottingham could go to a new cross country franchise, while the Liverpool to Nottingham route could be run by TransPennine Express if its proves to be better value for money.

[48111]

Well, I have only used Virgin cross country once, I travelled from Durham Citry to Birmingham New Street to get a connection to get back to Bletchley.
Anyway I boarded the train at Durham, it was pretty uncomfortable even then,not a lot of room, and as the journey unfolded things got even worse and at the peak of this horrendous journey we were stationery for quite some time owing to signal problems, the buffet on the train was closed because it had run out of things to sell AND the toilets on the train were an absolute disgrace, made you feel sick to open the door.

I vowed there and then...never again would I use a cross country service, of Virgin or any one else.Not that it mattered because I dont go far now anyway, thanks to ill health, but I will never forget that journey...ever.

For any tourists, Foriegners on that train it was a disgraceful advertisement for Britians railways.

48111

[Belmont Road]

Well Virgin don't run many cross country trains now Arriva have the franchise. I use them quite a lot from Southampton.

The Voyagers are not great trains, they can be very cramped when the train is crowded, but they are better in my opinion than Pendelinos which are aircraft on wheels.

On most seats you can a good view from the window of Voyager, not so on Pendelinos.

[62440]

If you look at the top of that post it is dated 2005. Things have moved on a bit since then.

Regards, 62440.

[Belmont Road]

Thanks I didn't check that!!