Colision in Plymouth Nth Road.

[Siberian Snooper]

A further Spotlight update currently in progress, all injuries were in the unit and a few are still detained in hospital.

[royaloak]

Possible.

 

A previous poster referred to a 150/153 hybrid 2 car unit that was used a few years back, which would be another way.

 

Or depending on which car is the damaged one, they have a pair of "150/9" 3 car sets with a  150/2 (57xxx) centre car, if the undamaged car is the 52xxx (toilet fitted) one they could reconfigure them to a standard 150/1 and 150/2 pair temporarily.

 

Whichever way they handle it, it should only be the equivalent of a single car out of action (assuming there isn't unseen damage to the second car, which I'm sure they will be checking out.)

 

(Sorry, crossed with Gwiwer's post)

 

 

 

As sods law clearly states, it is the toilet coach which has been damaged but I think the 150/2s now have a coupled bar coupler between coaches rather than a dumb BSI so that would need to be changed before it can couple to a 153.

 

The 2x 3 coach 150s normally work the Severn Beach line during the day because 3 coach trains are needed, there wouldnt be much point reforming one back to a 2 coach to pinch the middle coach because you would then need to use a 153 to strengthen the (now 2 coach 150) back up to a 3 coach for service, anyway as its the toilet coach (again) the (well intentioned) point is moot.

[D1072]

Has anyone who is regularly in Plymouth now witnessed how close 2E68 normally comes up behind the HST?

Platform 6 platform edge extends further at the Cornwall end of the station than 7/8 does, but the down signal on 6 is set back considerably from the end of the platform face, due to the point with platform 7 being alongside the end of platform 6 (post 1974 realignment). 

I would think, given the length of a 2+8 HST that another train coming in behind would have to come up very close to not be fouling this point behind it.

[royaloak]

2E68 doesnt normally drop in behind the HST, it is normally routed into an adjoining platform (eg HST on 7, unit on 8 ) but because of the lifts being replaced they are only really using platforms 4,5 and 6 meaning trains have to share platforms more often than normal.

[Rivercider]

I am certain there was a low speed collision at Weston-super-Mare between a DMU and a HST in the 1980s, though I can find no record of it now.

On some summer saturdays the timetable was arranged that a Paddington - Weston HST connected into or out of a Weston - Taunton DMU stopper, and with only two usable platforms they both used platform 2 as platform 1 would be used for a crossing service in the other direction.

I remember being at the station a week or two after the incident and watching the DMU arrive at the platform occupied by the HST, the station supervisor met the incoming DMU at the platform end with a red flag and 'escorted' it in and up to the HST,

 

cheers

[russ p]

Are you sure it has a bar coupler between cars? The three car prototypes did but /1s and 2s were BSIs. There are different rules for assistance with bar couplers

[royaloak]

Are you sure it has a bar coupler between cars? The three car prototypes did but /1s and 2s were BSIs. There are different rules for assistance with bar couplers

Yes I am sure about them being fitted to 150/2s, whether 219 has one I dont know.

 

I prep and drive them so do get up close and personal (no not that personal  ) with them quite often, not all have been done and I keep meaning to start a list but havent got round to it yet.

 

It is because of the different rules (especially the isolated brakes rules) that they are being changed.

 

Edit-

150261 has a bolted bar coupling, I took a (rubbish) phone picture of it on the morning of 3 March 2016.

[russ p]

Cheers for that, is it just the GW ones or are they all being done?

It's handy for the brake regulations but I've never isolated a brake on a sprinter, but I've had to split one in an emergency. It also limits what you can do with them, IE make a 3 car or substitute a 153.

I'm surprised the ex central made up three cars ever made it back to normal, some of the intermediate cabs were quite heavily robbed

[royaloak]

The first one I saw was an Arriva Wales one (on hire to GWR) so it has been going on for quite a while albeit very slowly, I will try and check every 150/2 I get my hands on, if anyone sees me sneaking a quick look between the carriages dont laugh!

[Glorious NSE]

I'm surprised the ex central made up three cars ever made it back to normal, some of the intermediate cabs were quite heavily robbed

 

Had to be reinstated when they went off-lease from Centro maybe?

 

I think they may have arrived down here as pairs - at least I don't recall seeing them in service in the SW as 3s pending any bits being put back on!

[royaloak]

Had to be reinstated when they went off-lease from Centro maybe?

 

I think they may have arrived down here as pairs - at least I don't recall seeing them in service in the SW as 3s pending any bits being put back on!

Correct, they had to be returned to the leasing company in their original 2 coach formations, this had the effect of some of the 150/2s having different liveries on each coach.

[russ p]

Tyseley absolutely stripped those things, some had light clusters missing and boarded over.

I quite liked the 150 flat fronts,used to remind me of driving a DMU. I wish I'd driven the prototypes when they had PBL air brakes

[royaloak]

Tyseley absolutely stripped those things, some had light clusters missing and boarded over.

I quite liked the 150 flat fronts,used to remind me of driving a DMU. I wish I'd driven the prototypes when they had PBL air brakes

They had to be returned in full working order so Tyseley would have spent quite a bit of time and money putting them back together again.

[Talltim]

From WNXX it appears that the front of 150219 is not as bad as it looks but the front of 43160 is worse than it looks. Both bogies of the front car of 150219 have been damaged. 150219 is one of the units that has been updated to meet PRM TSI requirements (the European standard on disability access) so wouldnt have needed any works attention for a while.

Also mentioned is that the 150s have been having their inner BSI couplings replaced by bars couplers, so to form a hybrid set with a 153 it will have to have the BSI refitted. I assume the bars require less maintenance and so are cheaper to operate.

Edit: sorry the bar coupling thing was from this thread :em:

[russ p]

Just because something is cheaper to operate doesn't mean it's better.

It would be cheaper to operate a 150 with one car and no couplers, and no rails... Eight wheels, no we can do the job with half of them... Hey presto a bus!

[big jim]

Well I've learnt that some 150s have rigid bars couplings if nothing else!

 

I've only ever worked them with metal cable tie locked BSIs fitted, the only rigid bar units I've signed being 142s

[royaloak]

I will try and get a decent picture of a 150 with bar coupler with the picture showing the coach number as well, there apears to be a lot of scepticism about it.

 

Edit-

150261 is running between Westbury and Bath all day today, if anyone is up that way could they please have a look/ take a picture please.

[Gwiwer]

 

150261 has a bolted bar coupling, I took a (rubbish) phone picture of it on the morning of 3 March 2016.

 

 

Someone has a Bachmann model at home and thought "This seems like a good idea"

[big jim]

No scepticism at all, just something new to me, interesting to see how things evolve in the course of a unit/loco's life, amazing to see what you you miss out on when you don't sign something anymore

[modfather]

The bar couplers have been fitted when the Porterbrook 150 and 158 fleet have undergone C4 at St Philips Marsh. The bar couplers are the same style as a 14x but they do not feature the suspended gangway as per the 150/0's. The draw gear, rubber plate springs and tailpin behind is still the same, it would be an hour to refit a spare BSI and maybe two hours to rewire the now missing coupler interlock microswitch.

 

Before the pedants start I have a feeling there's still a few units floating around that we didn't do because of the lead times on the couplers and the modification being cleared. I understand there may be a plan to catch them up soon.

[royaloak]

No scepticism at all, just something new to me, interesting to see how things evolve in the course of a unit/loco's life, amazing to see what you you miss out on when you don't sign something anymore

my scepticism comment wasnt aimed at anyone in particular Jim, maybe it's just me being cynical, I myself tend to mistrust any info like this without photo or some other evidence to support it.

 

I did read the notice about it but then pretty much forgot about it as it doesn't effect anything on a day to day basis and it was only when somebody mentioned attaching the spare coach to a 153 that I remembered about it and thought it worth mentioning.

 

I have edited the picture too within an inch of its life but it's still rubbish.

[russ p]

The bar couplers have been fitted when the Porterbrook 150 and 158 fleet have undergone C4 at St Philips Marsh. The bar couplers are the same style as a 14x but they do not feature the suspended gangway as per the 150/0's. The draw gear, rubber plate springs and tailpin behind is still the same, it would be an hour to refit a spare BSI and maybe two hours to rewire the now missing coupler interlock microswitch.

 

Before the pedants start I have a feeling there's still a few units floating around that we didn't do because of the lead times on the couplers and the modification being cleared. I understand there may be a plan to catch them up soon.

 

158s as well, as I said earlier it does reduce the flexibility of the fleet. What is the reasoning behind it?

[modfather]

Reduced maintenance - the middle couplers still need splitting gauging and checking regularly for wear, often they have siezed and need remedial work.

 

Reliability - the interlock micro switches have caused a lot of train wire 4 faults, causing loss of brake interlock often intermittently causing unsolicited brake applications.

 

Currently the modified sets are only split for post tyre turning height setting. There is no real world need to split or shunt 15x units within their formation unless an event like this occurs. The hybrid cars still retain their BSI couplers both ends so that the fleet can revert to two cars easily in the future.

[31A]

For what it's worth (hopefully not too much off topic!), Northern had a 3-car 150/1 and /2 hybrid running last year following a collision with a tractor near Knaresborough.  Not sure how the cars were coupled, though.

 

[modfather]

31a - this has already been discussed.

 

As per previous posts last time FGW lost one half of a 150 the remaining car was coupled to a 153 and designated 153999 to permit pathing to still suit the largest vehicle in formation (the 153).