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Class 150's working out of Reading


Southernman46

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Last Saturday they were both on Reading Fuel Point - one was missing at c.09h00 but both were there at c15h00. Fortunately the Basingstoke service was worked by a Turbo that day.

 

I saw one coming back on the shed last weekend and thought it odd. I figured that they would have gone west for the weekend. They are proving popular with the RG drivers (although 002 has had some 'issues') and despite being what they are. look very smart.

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Fortunately the Basingstoke service was worked by a Turbo that day.

As it is booked to be, the 150s only work Monday to Friday up to about 20.00 when 2x 2 coach 165s take over, on a weekend the service is worked by 165s as there are plenty going spare.
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I saw one coming back on the shed last weekend and thought it odd. I figured that they would have gone west for the weekend. They are proving popular with the RG drivers (although 002 has had some 'issues') and despite being what they are. look very smart.

 

Got lucky in late 24th Jan on what i think was 001's first trip out from Reading depot after repaint.

 

post-408-0-50519800-1331942826_thumb.jpg

 

It was very shiny! Same can't be said for the lighting conditions though.

 

Cheers,

Mick

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It was reported in Modern Railways a few months back that the reason for these specific units being used for the Reading based duties (rather than joining the "Regional Railways Western" pool if you follow my meaning) is that they carry less fuel and therefore need to be kept on duties that will take them back to a fuelling point more frequently than the production series units. As others have observed their use on these duties during the week releases Turbos to strengthen London services.

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Well they potentially do that too - according to my Platform 5 stock book (albeit ten years old but I don't think either fleet has had a major re-seating since) a 150/0 has 240 seats against a 2 car 165/0 at 170 standard (plus 16 - almost certainly superfluous on this service - first class seats).

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Well they potentially do that too - according to my Platform 5 stock book (albeit ten years old but I don't think either fleet has had a major re-seating since) a 150/0 has 240 seats against a 2 car 165/0 at 170 standard (plus 16 - almost certainly superfluous on this service - first class seats).

 

Which reminds me - there was also on the poster an apology about the loss of 1st Class seating.

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These 2 units were going begging and the MD of First Great Western being a bit of a railway nut thought they were just the thing to do the 2 unit diagram on the Basingstoke service thereby keeping the first 2 sprinters built together.

 

Very commendable, especially as the original (probably DfT inspired) idea was to withdraw them because they were non-standard with the later builds. These units may be basic but there are far worse things on the railway - keeping them in service must mean that sometime somewhere a couple of Pacers go for scrap a bit sooner than otherwise, which has got to be a good thing. I recently heard from a southern-based colleague his account of a first Pacer journey on a visit oop North, and tried to gently educate him about what people north of the Watford gap have to put up with.

 

FGW has also taken on the two "widowed" 150/2 vehicles, which lost their partners in accidents but couldn't be formed up together because both are non-toilet cars. They have now made two 150/1s up to three-car in the Bristol area.

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FGW has also taken on the two "widowed" 150/2 vehicles, which lost their partners in accidents but couldn't be formed up together because both are non-toilet cars. They have now made two 150/1s up to three-car in the Bristol area.

They have gone into 150121 and 150127.
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Presumably it was one of these with a green middle car I saw heading towards Brighton a week or two back? Looked very odd...

 

Here's Northern Rail's contribution to the cascade of ex-LM/Centro 150's........

 

post-408-0-51414500-1332031234_thumb.jpg

 

 

I think it's gone for repainting.

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Presumably it was one of these with a green middle car I saw heading towards Brighton a week or two back? Looked very odd...

Sounds like 153399, one half of a Centro liveried 150/2 paired to a 153 whilst the other half is repaired after a visit into the ballast at Westbury

http://charlesgwoodland.smugmug.com/Trains/Recent-Shots-2012/March-2012/21765865_rSzwxJ#!i=1747204266&k=5BqTCWG

 

jo

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DfT announced back in November this would happen: http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20111122

 

"Six Class 150 carriages will used on services running between Reading and Basingstoke and thereby allow the stock currently on that route to lengthen suburban trains on the Thames Valley into Paddington."

 

Cheers

David

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  • 2 weeks later...

They're back................whilst photographing 150001 at Reading today, this went through...........180106

 

Didn't appear to stop - anybody any clue what the working was ??

They're back................whilst photographing 150001 at Reading today, this went through...........180106

 

Didn't appear to stop - anybody any clue what the working was ??

 

I was at Slough station when this came through Was told there about to return to the cotswold line services.

 

Mark

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