153's moving to Scotland to work on WHL

[Bon Accord]

In the Hootsmon today: https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/cycle-coaches-to-be-hitched-to-trains-to-ease-bike-crush-1-4755533

An interesting solution to overcrowding in the summer.

[Joseph_Pestell]

If the aim is purely to shift bikes and rucksacks, wouldn't it be better value to use a Pacer?

[Legend]

Well good for them . I think we also need a few more seats, not just space for bikes, but it looks like a good initiative. Well done them!

[jim.snowdon]

If the aim is purely to shift bikes and rucksacks, wouldn't it be better value to use a Pacer?

You wouldn't want to use a Pacer on the curves of the West Highland Line, unless you have shares in a wheel lathe.

 

Jim

[Joseph_Pestell]

You wouldn't want to use a Pacer on the curves of the West Highland Line, unless you have shares in a wheel lathe.

 

Jim

 

I wondered about that. But I don't think the curves are that severe. Lwb wagons (the same chassis as on a Pacer!) used to go there.

[Bon Accord]

If the aim is purely to shift bikes and rucksacks, wouldn't it be better value to use a Pacer?

 

They want to encourage people to use the railway not drive them away. A 153 has the added benefit of a corridor connection and is more in keeping with the 156's on the route already.

I think it's quite a clever, easy solution.

['CHARD]

Excellent idea.  It really would be shame to consign the 153s to the scrap-heap while there's a few more years' life in them, and the demand for diesel units seems likely to continue for a good while yet.  Looking forward to seeing one in Saltire livery - who knows, perhaps one might even venture down to Tweedbank on occasion....

[Reorte]

Can't read the article (it refuses to play nice with the adblocker) - is the idea that they 153 will be used just for bikes, not seating? If it's seating I wouldn't want to sit on the entire length of the WHL on any 153 I've been on. As extra bike storage though, nice idea.

[luckymucklebackit]

This has been discussed for a while on the WNXX forum, the idea is that they strip out half the seats and use them as a centre car (to avoid using the small additional cab) .  I must admit that I found it surprising, as I was under the impression that the 156s were being retired from the West Highland in favour of "scenic trains" (widely thought to be 158s with modified seating, but clearly the plans have changed.

 

Jim

[Dunsignalling]

Good idea, but the 153 seems a rather odd choice  from a practical standpoint with their narrow doorways - unless they are intending to create new openings.

 

If they are going to be added to the middle of 156 units, wouldn't half a 150 be easier to get the bikes etc in and out of?

 

John

[scottishlocos]

All

 

This does seem like a good idea hopefully it works out

 

Pacers wouldn't get up the first hill on the WHL and are being phased out

 

Also I think the 158 plan for the WHL has been dropped and it will continue with 156s

[jjb1970]

Nice to see the 153's finding new work. Personally I'm not particularly excited about losing the 150 and 153 which work the Marston Vale line for 230s.

[Zomboid]

Good idea, but the 153 seems a rather odd choice  from a practical standpoint with their narrow doorways - unless they are intending to create new openings.

 

If they are going to be added to the middle of 156 units, wouldn't half a 150 be easier to get the bikes etc in and out of?

 

John

The fact that 153s are likely to be going (very) cheap, due to their non-compliance with the PRM TSI, so they will only be able to work in multiple with something else which is compliant. 150s will still have value as a self contained DMU.

 

Aren't some of the trains at busy times on the WHL formed of 2x156? Presumably platforms and loops are long enough that the extra carriage won't actually reduce capacity by making a 156+153 combo the only possible train?

[LBRJ]

It sounds like a good idea to me; I am rather fond of the old Scuds, having spent an awful lot of my life within one.

 

If you ripped out half the seats at the toilet /parcels shelf area you would have a lot of space, but tight access; do it at the other end and you get better access but less seats

which wil it be?

['CHARD]

Good idea, but the 153 seems a rather odd choice  from a practical standpoint with their narrow doorways - unless they are intending to create new openings.

 

If they are going to be added to the middle of 156 units, wouldn't half a 150 be easier to get the bikes etc in and out of?

 

John

 

No spare 150s until 2022 from Wales, whereas the 153s will become available next year.

[young37215]

 

 

Aren't some of the trains at busy times on the WHL formed of 2x156? Presumably platforms and loops are long enough that the extra carriage won't actually reduce capacity by making a 156+153 combo the only possible train?

 

Assuming load 5 sprinter, there shouldn’t be any platform issues. Back in loco hauled days trains were usually load 6 plus loco. I am not certain of sprinter coach length but cannot see any problem

['CHARD]

 Back in loco hauled days trains were usually load 6 plus loco. I am not certain of sprinter coach length but cannot see any problem

 

153 and 156 are 23m vehicles.

[caradoc]

In the early 1990s, for the summer season, some Class 156 sets were disbanded and the vehicles used to strengthen other sets to 3 cars, this so that the services which divide/join at Crianlarich could have 3 cars serving both routes, instead of 2 and 4 as is the case otherwise (Occasionally one of the 3 car sets would escape onto Glasgow Central local services, which could be a headache for Glasgow Central Signalling Centre and Control !)

So all platforms south of Crianlarich at least should be suitable for 6 car formations. 

[Bon Accord]

In the early 1990s, for the summer season, some Class 156 sets were disbanded and the vehicles used to strengthen other sets to 3 cars, this so that the services which divide/join at Crianlarich could have 3 cars serving both routes, instead of 2 and 4 as is the case otherwise (Occasionally one of the 3 car sets would escape onto Glasgow Central local services, which could be a headache for Glasgow Central Signalling Centre and Control !)

So all platforms south of Crianlarich at least should be suitable for 6 car formations. 

 

They are suitable, as 6 coach 156 formations between Glasgow and Crianlarich are common in the Summer.

[MarkC]

Might as well get some further use out of the dogboxes - better that than early one way trip to the scrappie

Edited June 17, 2018 by MarkC

[E3109]

Never been particularly enamoured with dog boxes/skateboards, the delayed brake/power applications were enough for me to prefer even a 142 to those contraptions.

 

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.

 

LBRJ you raise a valid point there re bike space, in which case why not retain 142s for this purpose? If they fall foul of the forthcoming embellished DP regs then they may as well be put to good use in other ways.

 

I'm not a fan of the things but by the same token I don't approve of wastefulness and especially when it's only due to BS edicts.

In fact I'd go one further and suggest that 142s be retained purely for rush-hour strengthening (at a reduced leasing fee) provided the set it's coupled to is compliant.

 

Incidentally.

Why do 153s, alone within the Sprinter family, always seem to smell of used Durex?

Nobody has ever been able to explain that one!

[E3109]

Just to add. I was travelling pass earlier on an XC class 170, BNS to Stansted Airport. I bailed at Peterborough but it was full and standing most of the way.

Found it rather distasteful that such a service was formed only of 2 cars.

I hope that Scotrail get the extra cars for this purpose but it will be a travesty if they're sent to the boneyard without providing other TOCs with further capacity.

 

And yes, I include Pacers in that equation, pending the delivery of replacement stock.

[cal.n]

How involved is it to add RETB to a unit?

 

They better make sure they have them the right way round, I wouldn’t like to be in the small cab of a 153 all the way from Queen Street to Mallaig

[E3109]

How involved is it to add RETB to a unit?

They better make sure they have them the right way round, I wouldn’t like to be in the small cab of a 153 all the way from Queen Street to Mallaig

I felt your pain!

I liked to stand when driving 15x, but realise that's not to everyone's tastes.

[LBRJ]

How involved is it to add RETB to a unit?

 

They better make sure they have them the right way round, I wouldn’t like to be in the small cab of a 153 all the way from Queen Street to Mallaig

 

A rather large (tall not chunky) driver friend of mine reckoned the little cab was actually better for him!

 

As a mere guard I thought the proper desk in the big cab had its uses.....mainly for keeping all my dinner and other stuff in the one place