153's moving to Scotland to work on WHL

[admiles]

Merely idle speculation on my part but I wonder if it'll be the five Greater Anglia 153s that migrate north?

 

Have to say I've grown rather fond of our little fleet. Been part of the scenery for what seems like ever!

[Paul.Uni]

If the 153's are leaving Wales, I wonder what will operate the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch? Back to 150's?

The last few times I've visited it has been 150s operating the line, but it looks like they will be replaced by 230s. http://vivarail.co.uk/vivarail-announce-new-order-for-wales-and-borders/

Edited June 18, 2018 by Paul.Uni

[black and decker boy]

Merely idle speculation on my part but I wonder if it'll be the five Greater Anglia 153s that migrate north?

 

Have to say I've grown rather fond of our little fleet. Been part of the scenery for what seems like ever!

Its supposedly 5 of the ex-GWR units that are temporarily working with Northern.

[Robert Shrives]

Slighty OT I might suggest somebody is trying to claim heritage stock  is serving Bl Ffestiniog...!!

 

The 150s manage in winter but woefully undercapacity to Bettsycoed in the summer and often standing from Bl ffest when making the connection with the Porthmadog service.

 

Robert  

[black and decker boy]

Not being particularly overwhelmed with rail travel since the demise of the carriage, I considered the 156's far superior in comfort than the newer 158's back in 1993.

 

If the 153's are leaving Wales, I wonder what will operate the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch? Back to 150's?

Vivarail class 230s. 5*3 car sets on order, duties include the Blaenau branch.

[black and decker boy]

So much for scenic, Refurbed 158s have a much more improved "Window to Seat" ratio than the Refurbed 156s

Apparently the cost assessed by NR for route clearing the 158s was a wee bit high so its 156s for the WHL but as the current fleet are off lease, the units staying might not be the units currently running the WHL........

[luckymucklebackit]

Vivarail class 230s. 5*3 car sets on order, duties include the Blaenau branch.

 

Sorry but those units just don't look to be comfortable for a 1 hour trip from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog

[Zomboid]

Sorry but those units just don't look to be comfortable for a 1 hour trip from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog

See what the interior they actually go for is. It's impossible to make a worthwhile judgement on something that doesn't presently exist.

[justin1985]

Only the sleepers and maybe Chiltern’s power door sets.

 

MK3 HST trailers are being fitted when power doors added. Only room for 1 tank so only 1 toilet can be fitted.

 

MK3 LHCS not fitted though Anglia were supposed to be doing theirs.

 

Pretty sure the Anglia Mk3s had tanks fitted during the last refurb, which finished a year or two back now. They certainly modified the coaches to have only one toilet each - the cubicle at the other end is now sealed up, and the "don't use in stations" signs are gone. I wonder if they've put the tanks etc in there? Seems like a lot of long distance plumbing would be involved if they did! Seeing as the buffet car doesn't have a toilet at all, that means the "London" end of standard class is actually very short of toilets.

 

Perhaps more topically, did the 156s get tanks when they had PRM toilets fitted?

 

J

[Reorte]

Not being particularly overwhelmed with rail travel since the demise of the carriage, I considered the 156's far superior in comfort than the newer 158's back in 1993.

As far as current trains go I prefer 156s to most, but the 158s look like they should be a bit quieter at least (no opening windows), what makes the 156s better? I'd agree that they've been more comfortable in my experience but just about every time I've been on a 158 it's been very busy, which probably biases my opinion.

[coachmann]

As far as current trains go I prefer 156s to most, but the 158s look like they should be a bit quieter at least (no opening windows), what makes the 156s better? I'd agree that they've been more comfortable in my experience but just about every time I've been on a 158 it's been very busy, which probably biases my opinion.

I cannot fully explain why the 156 gave a pleasanter more comfortable journey back in 1993. The 158 from North Wales into Chester had a flat wheel so that got on my nerves, but the 158 forward to Crewe was barely any more enticing to travel. I was naming a loco with PW and couldn't find a main road between Chester and Crew on my map, so I opted to go by train. It might seem strange that a regular rail mag contributor didn't like 'modern' rail travel, but there we are.

[Dunsignalling]

This quote made me chuckle: 

 

“It is our aspiration the first dedicated carriage for cyclists and other sports enthusiasts will enter service by summer next year. This unique initiative, a UK first, is supporting improved transport connectivity and active travel choices."

 

I suppose my memories us sticking our bikes in the guards van and heading off across the country for cycling trips during the late 80s are a weird delusion in an addled brain and never really happened. Granted, the van was never a 'dedicated cycle van' but even so.

 

Now all people will have to do is get their bikes to Glasgow somehow...

That does display a unique lack of knowledge of what used to go on!

 

Problem was, the other traffic that used to go in guards vans disappeared, and once cycles stopped attracting separate charges, there was no easy way to measure demand. Thus, when new stock was built, such accommodation was drastically limited.

 

Good idea though, keeping all the oil, mud and sweat in the one vehicle.

 

 

 

John   

Edited June 18, 2018 by Dunsignalling

['CHARD]

Apparently the cost assessed by NR for route clearing the 158s was a wee bit high so its 156s for the WHL but as the current fleet are [scheduled to go] off lease, the units staying might not be the units currently running the WHL........

 

My bold italics added for sense.

[dibber25]

Hi E3109 .

That said, I'm all for getting the max out of them, the above issue apart they aren't too bad.

Makes me wonder why they were ever de-formed from 2-car 155s?

 

In answer to your question - Asbestos... Regional Railways was faced with the mass withdrawal of sets and spliting the then 35 unreliable 155s gave 70 "reliable" single cars - go figure !! As one of RR central power controllers I recall the post work party when the first conversion got round a 3500 mile exam cycle with out being a failure or swapped out for return to the Tysesley mothership! 

When I put one through the Severn tunnel Railtrack Swindon were decidedly negative saying what happens if its engine shut down- answer same as a class 47 - you go rescue! the 153 went through.  

 

I did feel for the guards on the Stourbridge town car having a 153 for four hours !  I think I will symapthise   with WHL passengers as much..  

 

I seem to recall that when the 153s were new, there were problems in keeping the two cars coupled and that was one of the reasons for separating them. It must have been solved in time for the West Yorkshire PTE 155s, though, because they remained two-car units. 

[LBRJ]

I seem to recall that when the 153s were new, there were problems in keeping the two cars coupled and that was one of the reasons for separating them. It must have been solved in time for the West Yorkshire PTE 155s, though, because they remained two-car units. 

 

I seem to recall that BR wanted to make the metro class 155 into 153 single units until WYPTE pointed out that the class 155s belonged to them, and they were OK as they were thank you

[pete_mcfarlane]

This sounds like a good idea. My only worry would be that the solution might only be economically viable because it uses cast-off 30 year old trains that aren't really wanted by anyone else. So what happens when they need replacing in 5-10 years?

[cheesysmith]

The Mk3 coaches can only have a single retetion tank fitted because there is only a space on the underframe for a single tank at one end, the other end has brake equiptment mounted in said space.

 

As for the dog boxes, I think ythey all need to be sent upto northern, reformed into 3 car units, and used on some of the more senic lines up here (S&C?).

[Zomboid]

This sounds like a good idea. My only worry would be that the solution might only be economically viable because it uses cast-off 30 year old trains that aren't really wanted by anyone else. So what happens when they need replacing in 5-10 years?

Presumably the demand (or lack of) will have been established and the new trains can be ordered accordingly. Or at least that's what you'd hope would happen...

[slg]

Rail magazine online has an artist impression of what one might look like. Personally I think they should all be converted, Cumbrian coast, Settle & Carlisle, and mid Wales lines could use them plus many other lines.