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The Virgin Trains Story: The early years

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  • Опубліковано 28 бер 2023
  • Virgin Trains were a dominant force in the British rail industry, so it's time to take a look at their history and operations. In this first part, we'll explore the first years of Virgin Trains, from 1997 to 2006.
    Discord: / discord
    Music:
    Cooper Ave - The Westerlies
    Dover - The Westerlies
    Photography and videography:
    Virgin Trains
    Sharon Farmer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
    A-M-Jervis, UNclimatechange, Ben Gamble, kitmasterbloke, Peter Broster, Ben Coulson, mattbuck (category), Elliott Brown from Birmingham, United Kingdom and S Parish, CC BY-SA 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    Branson Family
    kl91711, Skatz-Nelstar at German Wikipedia, Terumasa, Tagishsimon, G-13114 and Sunil060902, CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    British Railway, PeterSkuce, Geof Sheppard and Chris McKenna (Thryduulf), CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
    SKM Editorial and Photography
    Photo57601
    citytransportinfo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Snow storm in Eastern Asia at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
    Jon Tooke
    mixmam1

КОМЕНТАРІ • 45

  • @oliverstemp9132
    @oliverstemp9132 Рік тому +24

    We need more Virgin Trains kind of operators, mainly because they really cared about trains and forced the DfT to be better

    • @matthewsmatters
      @matthewsmatters Рік тому +2

      That’s why they’re gone though 😅 Called DfT’s bluff on pensions black hole blank cheques (liabilities more technically). Stagecoach calling it in reality. They did some good in their time. But I do recall the last few years being a real rundown of the service, it hadn’t been true Virgin for some time. They were losing their way and our trains have become by an large a fight to the bottom. At top dollar ticket prices, of course!

  • @CourtMcCheese
    @CourtMcCheese Рік тому +32

    I always wanted to try Virgin, never went on a giant rail trip until a few months ago. Pendelino trains are very comfortable I have to say. Congrats on your milestone of 1 year 🎉

    • @GWVillager
      @GWVillager  Рік тому +9

      A shame, travelling Virgin was quite an experience!

    • @EM-yk1dw
      @EM-yk1dw 10 місяців тому

      Comfortable? Not as comfortable as the mark 3 coaches, and the Pendolinos stink of sewage too.

    • @CourtMcCheese
      @CourtMcCheese 10 місяців тому +2

      @@EM-yk1dw voyagers are worse

    • @EM-yk1dw
      @EM-yk1dw 10 місяців тому +1

      @@CourtMcCheese Yes I agree and too short for the services they run on too

  • @AndrewG1989
    @AndrewG1989 Рік тому +9

    I do remember riding on Virgin Trains from London Euston to Birmingham New Street before it became Avanti West Coast. And not forgetting Virgin Trains East Coast and Virgin Trains Crosscountry. I also remember Virgin Cola and Virgin Megastore being around as well.

    • @Hascienda27
      @Hascienda27 Рік тому

      Virgin cola should be brought back

  • @gkeaoyrge
    @gkeaoyrge Рік тому +2

    I do miss some of the now defunct Virgin brands, particularly Virgin Trains, Virgin Megastores and Virgin Cinemas. The older logos and products offerings were always very sexy and rock and roll in a Virgin kind of way. It managed to make our crap railways feel pretty pleasant to use when everything was running properly.

  • @thetrainspotter43
    @thetrainspotter43 Рік тому +2

    Fantastic video, I know this has been in waiting for quite some time, so fantastic to see the result at long last. Those virgin seats 👌

  • @pessimisticvideographer5039

    Great quality video excited for part 2

  • @alfiemeadows3541
    @alfiemeadows3541 Рік тому

    Amazing video!!!

  • @JAKE_CS
    @JAKE_CS Рік тому +3

    Amazing video. I miss Virgin alot my love of trains started with them

  • @DonaldTrumpIsGreat
    @DonaldTrumpIsGreat Рік тому +1

    Good Job 👍

  • @funnygallie7863
    @funnygallie7863 Рік тому

    This made me cry because I miss virgin so much 😢

  • @lylec7755
    @lylec7755 Рік тому +4

    Well, if you think about it.
    The Pendolinos would be amazing on the East Coast Mainline, they could go to 140mph and on any curves, they can just tilt.

    • @GWVillager
      @GWVillager  Рік тому +8

      The ECML isn't really curved enough to justify tilt's expensive maintenance, hence the eventual decision to not purchase them for it.

    • @matthewsmatters
      @matthewsmatters Рік тому

      There are a few parts of the line close to Edinburgh where it would be nice. Lateral motion gets a wee bit much. But for the rest of the route, I can understand and agree, that it just isn’t justified. Remembering that the big windows and enjoying those great coastal views around Berwick would suffer.

    • @whizzbtw
      @whizzbtw Рік тому

      Penilinos are going to be replaced soon by Hitachi Class 805 bi-mode multiple units and ten Class 807 electric multiple units.

    • @matthewsmatters
      @matthewsmatters Рік тому +2

      @@whizzbtw it’s Voyagers being replaced, not Pendolinos. This will cause issue with speed restrictions when they need diesel running to likes of Glasgow and Edinburgh though. DfT and Avanti being cheap. Very poor move having non tilting rolling stock back on WCML.

    • @whizzbtw
      @whizzbtw Рік тому +1

      @@matthewsmatters Ohh yeah I mixed them up , my bad.

  • @charliemcdornell
    @charliemcdornell Рік тому

    ive got goosebumps

  • @spiritofcantaolisboa-p8871
    @spiritofcantaolisboa-p8871 Рік тому +1

    What i really do not appreciate on franchising system is on a same railway station, a big on such as Manchester Piccadilly is to devide 13 platforms by 3 companies each inspecting their platform access gates making impossible to jump from platform to plaform when services randomly arrive and depart from all of them regardless the operator. To make things worst when is a platform alteration to different platforms, passengers have in many cases to activate the gate from a company to go out and operate to com in a different company set of platformas, because they erected glass gates on to the platformas itself. In BR days things were much more functional i guess.

  • @robnewman6101
    @robnewman6101 Рік тому

    I also have a Hardback Book called The Railway Policeman.
    The Story of the Constable on the Track.

  • @wrichard11
    @wrichard11 11 місяців тому +1

    Virgin always promised far more than they could deliver.

  • @abbush2921
    @abbush2921 Рік тому +1

    Whatever he starts turns to dust .

  • @spiritofcantaolisboa-p8871
    @spiritofcantaolisboa-p8871 Рік тому

    I will miss Pendolinos and their tilting ability when Hitachi Units enter service to replace them in the next future as class 221 are going first.

    • @whatdoyoumeanbro4964
      @whatdoyoumeanbro4964 Місяць тому

      Avanti have no plans to withdraw their pendolinos, only the super voyagers will be replaced, as they will be moved to cross country

  • @Matthewscrimbly
    @Matthewscrimbly Рік тому

    Train moment

  • @davidwootton1470
    @davidwootton1470 Рік тому +2

    the dft hated Virgin and I am sure thats why they did not get the franchises

  • @robnewman6101
    @robnewman6101 Рік тому

    I have the DORLING KINDERSLEY DK EYEWITNESS GUIDES Book of TRAIN.
    Discover the story of railways - from the days of steam to the high - speed, sophisticated trains of today.
    In association with THE NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM.

  • @danielnesbitt9565
    @danielnesbitt9565 2 місяці тому

    There are a lot of inaccuracies in this video. For a start, the interior refurbishments were started under the previous government owned shadow franchises, which is why the inherited fleets for XC and West Coast had different interior styles IMHO Virgin were always style over substance and we are well rid of them.

  • @Arghans
    @Arghans Рік тому

    Sadly their choice of trains let them down in the Westcountry. To this day I still avoid the Voyager.

  • @omnibus360
    @omnibus360 Рік тому

    The only thing I disliked Virgin (and indeed XC) for was the running of the Voyager with the 4/5 car config. Utter madness it’s always heavingly busy in Cheltenham…. I assume Bombardier never offered a 7-9 car offering

    • @GWVillager
      @GWVillager  Рік тому +1

      They did - the Class 222! It is a shame that the trains are so short, but I do consider it likely that longer trains were offered as part of Virgin’s 2007 bid, but rejected on cost grounds.

  • @EM-yk1dw
    @EM-yk1dw 10 місяців тому +1

    Virgin lost the WCML because they would not take on the pension shortfall.

    • @fickdich9918
      @fickdich9918 3 місяці тому

      That was stagecoach not Virgin

  • @wisehat_yt
    @wisehat_yt Рік тому +1

    Btw msg to my wife: can i see my kids please? i miss them. this is not fair. im not the alcholic one.

    • @charliemcdornell
      @charliemcdornell Рік тому

      I TOTALLY SUPPORT YO UIN ANY DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS. WE CNA GET YOU SOME KIDS

    • @ConfusedOxygen
      @ConfusedOxygen Рік тому +3

      average wisehat comment