15:02 EXD - PGN / 16:12 PGN - EXD 6 car service

[northernrailer]

with the 15:02 Exeter to Paignton service and 16:12 Paignton to Exeter service being formed of 6 cars, I wanted to ask a couple of questions regarding the unit formation.

1) the units are 3x 143s until the high summer diagrams start, then its 2x 143s + 150/1. When the additional unit is attached at Exeter St Davids to form the 1502 Paignton service, are all 3 units available for passenger use? or is the attached set locked out until Paignton?

2) How is this service crewed ie (revenue protection), obviously there is a conductor but in the other two units do they have revenue protection staff checking and selling tickets?

3) On a 6 car formation like this, what unit would the conductor be positioned in?

4) Im curious as to why all of a sudden FGW decide to put 6 carriages on this School service, I spend 2 weeks in Devon every summer and have done for the past 10 years and at most its only ever been 4 cars and at worst its been 2. Is it because the Schools around Torre / Torquay have more Children this year than other previous years, or is it because FGW have more spare units and are able to strengthen this service? Im not complaining this service has been strengthened just curious why now after all these years.

Cheers in advance

 

[TEW]

It's booked 143+143+150 at the moment, and has been since December. Prior to that it was 143+143+153. All three units are available for passenger service for the whole round trip. The additional attachment will not take place when the school is closed, so on Bank or School Holidays.

Whenever I have caught the service it has just been one conductor, but there may be additional revenue staff on board from time to time.

It depends on the conductor. Some will remain in the rear unit, some will patrol all three.

There has been a sudden surge in children using the service from Torquay Grammar School near School, I believe due to changes to the bus passes available meaning the train is much cheaper. I believe the changes were implemented at the start of this academic year, in September as that's when usage soared on the service. It's not so much that units are available, units had to be made available for the service. The previous 143+143 formation could not cope with the loadings. Whilst Dawlish was closed the service had to be formed of an HST because there weren't enough units available to strengthen the service.

 

[Rapidash]

Huh, I've heard the 'this train is formed of 6 coaches' at EXC a few times, but the alleged sextuplet seems to have more of a thing for quads.

Not sure why the planners have a 2 car going through Exeter to Paignton at 1600, and a 4/alleged 6 going to Exmouth at the same time, but my legs certainly don't appreciate it.

Oddest Frankenstein I've seen was a 143/150/153 combo. still couldnt get a seat

 

[TEW]

Huh, I've heard the 'this train is formed of 6 coaches' at EXC a few times, but the alleged sextuplet seems to have more of a thing for quads.

Not sure why the planners have a 2 car going through Exeter to Paignton at 1600, and a 4/alleged 6 going to Exmouth at the same time, but my legs certainly don't appreciate it.

Oddest Frankenstein I've seen was a 143/150/153 combo. still couldnt get a seat

That would be because the extra 2 carriages are only added at Exeter St Davids. Unfortunately the CIS doesn't normally account for that and just says the services has 6 coaches for the whole of the journey.

Is it the 1556 Exeter St Davids-Paignton you are talking about? That service should be, and normally is a 4-car 143. The service an hour before simply has to be a 6-car unit as otherwise all the school children at Torre will be unable to board. The 2 carriages which are only attached from Exeter St Davids-Paignton and return then form the 1745 Exeter Central-Paignton.

 

[455driver]

When the schools are in its a 6 (143+143+150), when the schools are off its 4 (143+143), its only 6 from Exeter st Davids to Paignton and back to st Davids, the 150 does not carry on to Exmouth because the train wouldnt fit on many of the platforms.

FGW would like to run all trains as 3 (150+153) or 4 (143+143) coaches but they simply dont have enough units, FGW are a bit short of units or hadnt you noticed!

 

[PHILIPE]

When the schools are in its a 6 (143+143+150), when the schools are off its 4 (143+143), its only 6 from Exeter st Davids to Paignton and back to st Davids, the 150 does not carry on to Exmouth because the train wouldnt fit on many of the platforms.

FGW would like to run all trains as 3 (150+153) or 4 (143+143) coaches but they simply dont have enough units, FGW are a bit short of units or hadnt you noticed!

What TOCs are not short except SWT with 158s being farmed out.

 

[northernrailer]

From 19/5/14 - 04/7/14
the 1502 Exeter - Paignton and 1612 Paignton - Exmouth are diagrammed to be 3x class 143 units.

The extra unit that attaches at Exeter St Davids, this is its diagram for the day:

ECS Exeter Depot - Exeter St Davids
0823 Exeter - Paignton
0934 Paignton - Exeter
ECS Exeter St Davids to Exeter Depot
ECS Exeter Depot to Exeter St Davids
Attaches to the arrival from Exmouth
1502 Exeter - Paignton
1612 Paignton to Exmouth
Detaches from the service
ECS Exeter to Exeter New Yard
ECS Exeter New Yard to Exeter Central
1745 Exeter Central to Paignton
1852 Paignton to Bristol Temple Meads
2156 Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter
ECS Exeter St Davids to Exeter Depot


From 07/7/14 the formation reverts back to 143 + 143 + 150/1
as the 150/1 works a Weymouth - Bristol service before travelling ECS to Exeter.

 

[CC 72100]

From 19/5/14 - 04/7/14
the 1502 Exeter - Paignton and 1612 Paignton - Exmouth are diagrammed to be 3x class 143 units.

The extra unit that attaches at Exeter St Davids, this is its diagram for the day:

ECS Exeter Depot - Exeter St Davids
0823 Exeter - Paignton
0934 Paignton - Exeter
ECS Exeter St Davids to Exeter Depot
ECS Exeter Depot to Exeter St Davids
Attaches to the arrival from Exmouth
1502 Exeter - Paignton
1612 Paignton to Exmouth
Detaches from the service
ECS Exeter to Exeter New Yard
ECS Exeter New Yard to Exeter Central
1745 Exeter Central to Paignton
1852 Paignton to Bristol Temple Meads
2156 Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter
ECS Exeter St Davids to Exeter Depot

a 143 will do a Paignton - Bristol TM?!

 

[TEW]

In reality the 150 will only attach to that service for a couple of weeks as once the schools finish in mid July there's no need to strengthen the service. The distinction between 150/1 and 150/2 diagrams is meaningless in reality too, any 150 works any 150 diagram.

 

[455driver]

a 143 will do a Paignton - Bristol TM?!

At least every seat will have a window view!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

any 150 works any 150 diagram.

Nope, the 150/1s and 150/2s have separate diagram numbers, in practice they do work each others diagrams though.

Also remember that 120202 and 150216 (I think its those 2) have the same high capacity interior as the 150/1s so will work more 150/1 diagrams than the other 150/2s do.

 

[CC 72100]

At least every seat will have a window view!

It's true, they're actually really good units for that and quite panoramic for going down the sea wall. Wouldn't mind doing Exeter - Taunton on a pacer, feel the speed!

And you're correct about 202/216 - an interior similar to the 150/1s and also a 150/1 paint job as opposed to the 'Local lines' livery found on the 150/2s

 

[TEW]

Nope, the 150/1s and 150/2s have separate diagram numbers, in practice they do work each others diagrams though.

Also remember that 120202 and 150216 (I think its those 2) have the same high capacity interior as the 150/1s so will work more 150/1 diagrams than the other 150/2s do.

That's exactly what I said. I never denied that they don't have separate diagrams, but they don't stick to separate diagrams. There is very little pattern to whether a /1 or /2 turns up.

 

[455driver]

But other people wont realise they have separate so if you had put "although they have separate diagrams" first then I wouldnt have questioned you.

 

[Rapidash]

What happened to the three car 158 that was (briefly) on the 1248 Paignton - Bristol? People were thinking we`d been given a "posh" New train when they saw it! Not sure my buttocks could manage getting to brizzle on a 150.

 

[455driver]

It is now a 2 coach 158 and a 153, the 153 is detached at st Davids on the way back from Paignton, the 158 then runs on to Bristol where a different 153 atttaches to it.

It might seem silly but it saves an empty 153 move that previously took place from Bristol to Exeter.

 

[Rapidash]

It is now a 2 coach 158 and a 153, the 153 is detached at st Davids on the way back from Paignton, the 158 then runs on to Bristol where a different 153 atttaches to it.

It might seem silly but it saves an empty 153 move that previously took place from Bristol to Exeter.

That's the way it's been for a while, but the last few times I've been on there it's been a 150 with a 153 on the back. Where art though oh 158?

 

[TEW]

But other people wont realise they have separate so if you had put "although they have separate diagrams" first then I wouldnt have questioned you.

I was replying to the post which mentioned a Class 150/1 diagram, that's why I didn't. I said in reality any 150 turns up, not on paper any 150 is booked to turn up.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's the way it's been for a while, but the last few times I've been on there it's been a 150 with a 153 on the back. Where art though oh 158?

As there's only 2 2-car 158s for 2 diagrams 150s quite often end up on the diagram. Before the diagram went over to a 158+153 in December it had been booked a 3-car 150 for a while so there has been an upgrade in comfort.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It is now a 2 coach 158 and a 153, the 153 is detached at st Davids on the way back from Paignton, the 158 then runs on to Bristol where a different 153 atttaches to it.

It might seem silly but it saves an empty 153 move that previously took place from Bristol to Exeter.

At the moment the 158 attaches to a service to Gloucester and a 150/9+153 work the 14:21 Cardiff train. That's why it is a Paington-Bristol Temple Meads service at the moment rather than Paignton-Cardiff Central. It's shown as running through to Cardiff again from the May timetable change though.

 

[fgwrich]

It's true, they're actually really good units for that and quite panoramic for going down the sea wall. Wouldn't mind doing Exeter - Taunton on a pacer, feel the speed!

And you're correct about 202/216 - an interior similar to the 150/1s and also a 150/1 paint job as opposed to the 'Local lines' livery found on the 150/2s

All the West Fleet Sprinters will eventually be going plain blue which although slightly disappointing i can completely understand the reasons as to why. I like the Local Lines livery, but given Wessex Trains's rather poor conception of the term 'maintenance', the 150/2 fleets bodywork has suffered under the best part of 10 to 12 years under vinyl, not of course helped by occasional lashings of salt water from running along the Dawlish Sea Wall.

But one thing I wish would happen to the two ex London Midland 150/2s - replace those seats! There must be a few good Chapman seats out there from the ex Wessex/Wales & Borders fleets, or Richmond seats to plonk into the 3 odd 153s (329/361/369) and standardise the 150/2 fleet. Then... you could keep the diagrams a little more separate and standardise between /0 /1 /2 & /9 fleets a little better. Just a thought anyway, and would save 202 or 216 turning up on more of a scenic branch (having said that, I did have 150125 on the St Ives branch last week!).

 

[455driver]

But one thing I wish would happen to the two ex London Midland 150/2s - replace those seats!

So you want them to take the trains out of service to give them time to reduce the seating capacity!

Yeah that will go down well.

 

[Rapidash]

Had a Damn odd experience today: Got the 1506 from EXD which doesn't even stop at Newton Abbot! Don't get me wrong, a half hour commute was bliss, but surely that's a waste of capacity? There was a pacer due a few minutes later, but it seemed a bit of a waste to have a near empty HST rushing through the Teign Valley which was looking fairly busy. Is this down to pathing issues elsewhere?l .....just realized it's a bank holiday. Never mind! Damnn 24hr shift mucking up my internal calender.

 

[PHILIPE]

According to "Headcodes.info", the unit which would have come down from Bristol today and shown working 17 45 Exeter Cen to Paignton was a 158/9.
No strengthening to day due to Holiday.