Longest journey on 'inappropriate' rolling stock

[BestWestern]

Evening fellows,

I'm sure this has probably been done before, but I don't recall it any time recently, so here goes.

I was curiously thinking earlier about the longest journey one is likely to endure on rolling stock that could sensibly be deemed 'inappropriate' for the journey length. I'm thinking here of a suburban unit on a long distance journey for example, not simply 'Voyagers are cr*p on any journey', if you get my drift. I'm thinking also of regular or at least semi-regular workings, i.e. booked stock or at least occasional stand-in, rather than complete fantasy!

In particular, First Gt Western's Brighton - Gt Malvern run, a journey of around five hours or so, is fairly often run with a class 150/1, three plus two seating and all. Is there anything longer out there? Arriva sending a 150/2 out on the WAG express would come pretty close I suppose?

 

[Eagle]

In before anyone else: the nasty tendency of 350/2s (3+2) to turn up on London to Crewe services.

 

[BestWestern]

In before anyone else: the nasty tendency of 350/2s (3+2) to turn up on London to Crewe services.

Ah, good one. And in a similar vein I suppose SWT should get a mention then, for 450s (also 3+2) on Portsmouth - Waterloo peak hour runs.

 

[causton]

Don't know if this is scheduled or not but compared to a HST going the other way, having a 150/1 for Penzance - Plymouth journeys is torture!

 

[Eagle]

Ah, good one. And in a similar vein I suppose SWT should get a mention then, for 450s (also 3+2) on Portsmouth - Waterloo peak hour runs.

Or on Poole services, all day...

 

[Temple Meads]

Don't know if this is scheduled or not but compared to a HST going the other way, having a 150/1 for Penzance - Plymouth journeys is torture!

Yep there's a few scheduled 150 services between PNZ and PLY a day, one even does Penzance to Cardiff, which must come close to taking the title here?

 

[Eagle]

1521 Carlisle to Middlesbrough / 1622 Newcastle to Whitehaven / 1632 Middlesbrough to Carlisle—are these ever worked by 142s? All are about three hours.

 

[fgwrich]

Yep there's a few scheduled 150 services between PNZ and PLY a day, one even does Penzance to Cardiff, which must come close to taking the title here?

That certainly has to be up in the top 5. Another has to be the use of some of ATWs 150s on very long distance journeys - Hasnt one even done Milford Haven - Manchester before?

 

[Kneedown]

Liverpool to Norwich with a 158.

 

[wintonian]

I tend to think HST's through the Evesham are somewhat over the top, crawling along single track with a handful of passengers.

Not exactly an endurance but still inappropriate.

 

[jopsuk]

317/5s to Kings Lynn?

 

[dorsetman]

Ah, good one. And in a similar vein I suppose SWT should get a mention then, for 450s (also 3+2) on Portsmouth - Waterloo peak hour runs.

That's hardly a long run compared with Brighton/Weymouth to Great Malvern on 150/1s!!

 

[wintonian]

That's hardly a long run compared with Brighton/Weymouth to Great Malvern on 150/1s!!

I agree,

Despite what people in Portsmouth would like to think they are perfectly suited to the commuter nature of the line. Personally I don't understand why they don't complain about the Southern carp to Brighton instead - maybe its just because Southampton has got more 444's then they have? :roll:

 

[CC 72100]

Evening fellows,

....In particular, First Gt Western's Brighton - Gt Malvern run, a journey of around five hours or so, is fairly often run with a class 150/1, three plus two seating and all. Is there anything longer out there?

Have to agree with you on that one, although I tended to have a 158 on that serivce and the 150/1 on the Weymouth - Gloucester. Their use on stuff like the Penzance - Cardiffs is the worst I'd have said, and before anyone says 'but they only get used for short distances', FGW do offer some really cheap advances on that service, and it must then be a bit of dissapointment when the 150/1 rolls in.

At the same time, over the past weekend and this week I've noticed more 150/2s on Barnstaple/Paignton - Exmouth services - in my view the 150/2s should be on the longer distance stuff, not pootling around the branches where people don't actually stay on the train for that long. And, as much as I hate them, give us the 150/1s for such services and let the 150/2s go odd on the longer runs. Slightly off topic but I did see a single 153 on an Exmouth - Paignton yesterday, bet that got slightly rammed at times.

With regards to the 150s, it seems as if any variety can turn up on any service - are they all treated as a common pool, or do FGW try to do as I suggested above?

 

[sprinterguy]

1521 Carlisle to Middlesbrough / 1622 Newcastle to Whitehaven / 1632 Middlesbrough to Carlisle—are these ever worked by 142s? All are about three hours.

I think I recall that the 16:22 Newcastle to Whitehaven used to be a Middlesbrough to Whitehaven service that was worked by a 142 (Using the same path from Newcastle as the present 16:22 service). I'm not sure about the three services that you have listed above as they are in the present day, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if at least one of them is worked by a 142.

 

[northwichcat]

Any of the ex-ATN 142s on Southport-Airport services. An Airport service with no luggage rack as well as a Pacer running a service that involves a section of jointed track is not a good combination.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Arriva sending a 150/2 out on the WAG express would come pretty close I suppose?

At least they have interiors similar to the refurbished 156s. 150s appeared on North Wales-Yorkshire services when they had 3+2 seating and no tables.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I've used the 1622 Newcastle-Whitehaven about 6 times over the last year, it's always been a 156.

Do 450s ever get to Weymouth? Poole is bad enough though! Isn't it something to do with the 444s covering more miles then they are meant to or something like that? I'm sure Modern Railways once has an article on it.

 

[bronzeonion]

Heart of Wales line with a 153?

 

[Eagle]

Heart of Wales line with a 153?

Nah, that does at least have a toilet and no mid-carriage doors. Quite comfortable for a long journey, if you bring your own provisions.

(Back in the days of Central you could find 153s doing routes like Aberystwyth to Skegness.)

 

[Trainfan344]

Liverpool to Norwich with a 158.

Or reverse..

 

[Big Chris]

I think the 158 is perfect for Liverpool to Norwich. It is the kind of service they were designed for.

 

[Eagle]

Do 450s ever get to Weymouth?

Rarely, if ever. You do occasionally find 444+450 combinations on SWT fast services, but invariably the 450 will be detached at Bournemouth (as is well known, EMUs can't work in multiple beyond Poole).

 

[Buttsy]

Ryde - Shanklin on 1938 stock? (It was worse on the original 485s & 486s), but it's not very long...

 

[LexyBoy]

I know the OP discounted "Voyagers are crap" comments, but I'd say that they are inappropriate for long journeys like Plymouth-Newcastle whilst being well suited for hour or two mid-distance journeys (capacity problems notwithstanding).

Agree on 150s on Cornish mainline services - 155s or 158s would be better suited, or indeed 185s with their hill climbing capability.

HSTs on Thames Valley stopping services.

Given that it's supposedly difficult/expensive to get hold of diesel stock it seems inappropriate to be using HSTs on London-Newcastle/Leeds and Birmingham-Glasgow, though this is perhaps more an issue of inappropriate procurement rather than use.

 

[fgwrich]

Rarely, if ever. You do occasionally find 444+450 combinations on SWT fast services, but invariably the 450 will be detached at Bournemouth (as is well known, EMUs can't work in multiple beyond Poole).

It has happened, ive seen a few times over this summer where the Weymouth fast has been a 450. Unfortunatly ive even seen a pair of 450s working the Weymouth fast, one standard, one HC. Whether or not the HC unit was detached at Bournemouth i don't know, but a friend of mine in Weymouth has also seen 450s down there on the fasts.

If were going to mention the Thames Valley HST operated services, then i'll also throw the 442s on Gat Ex into the ring. Southern should have used 377s on those services, and kept the 442s largely as they were for the Brighton Fasts (and anywhere else).

 

[All Line Rover]

In before anyone else: the nasty tendency of 350/2s (3+2) to turn up on London to Crewe services.

Don't forget that they'll disappear come mid December!

 

[Eagle]

Don't forget that they'll disappear come mid December!

...hopefully :P

 

[Smudger105e]

What about 319's Brighton to Bedford. 3+2 seating with rubbish legroom (except for the seats under the pan). The seats are uncomfortable too

 

[BestWestern]

Liverpool to Norwich with a 158.

Oh c'mon, a Stagecoach 158 is hardly an unpleasant place to be!

You can have our 150/1s instead if you'd prefer?!

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Rarely, if ever. You do occasionally find 444+450 combinations on SWT fast services, but invariably the 450 will be detached at Bournemouth (as is well known, EMUs can't work in multiple beyond Poole).

Correction. 450s do head down to Weymouth fairly often; there's always been one in the station for the past few times when I've been down there.