180's for store?

[mbonwick]

From therailwaycentre,

Pathway booked - All Mondays 7 January to 7 April 2008 - 5M80 09.35 Old Oak Common - Oxley (stored Class 180s)

In the notable workings section

 

[Jord]

EDIT: Found timings, but does anybody know if they are going there under there own power or being loco hauled?

 

[Donny Dave]

180s are not for long term store. Several are going to HT to cover for the damaged Pioneer, with the rest going to another operator.

 

[37402]

They may not even be for store...

Alstom built the things at Washwood Heath, Oxley is an Alstom depot. There's a link forming...

Maybe, just maybe, they are there for the mods/refurb/whatever to be undertaken...



Oh and they're going under their own power. GB drivers.

 

[87015]

Alstom built the things at Washwood Heath, Oxley is an Alstom depot. There's a link forming...

Describing Oxley as a depot is being a bit kind.... Although it does paint things these days aswell, obviously thats very important on todays railway...

 

[37402]

Describing Oxley as a depot is being a bit kind.... Although it does paint things these days aswell, obviously thats very important on todays railway...

Fair point, I will withdraw my quote and replace it with "Oxley is an Alstom site"...

 

[5872]

I spy a FGW 180 Archive Forming....

 

[thefab444]

I think you spy wrong, whilst being better than Turbos, and probably better than HD-HSTs for legroom and comfort, they aren't trains with masses of character.

 

[devon_metro]

I spy a FGW 180 Archive Forming....

Yawn

 

[5872]

I think you spy wrong, whilst being better than Turbos, and probably better than HD-HSTs for legroom and comfort, they aren't trains with masses of character.

There not that bad, nice horn.

 

[thefab444]

I don't think the average passenger gives a damn about the horn.

I think they'll be more interested in a 5 car express train being replaced with a 3 car outer suburban one! Putting 166s on Great Malvern or Worcester trains is not a good idea, yet I don't think demand warrants an HST (plus they are too long for a lot of the platforms on the Cotswold Line, though this may apply to Adelantes as well)? They are also quite useful for the fairly long distance commuter runs, for example the Paddington - Frome peak services which are most stops beyond Reading, I don't think an HST could keep up with the timings, nor is it a journey long enough to warrant one. However, I assume those services must be going over to HST operation, unless fGW plan on running Turbos beyond Bedwyn!

 

[devon_metro]

Someones been living in the dark ages.

SDO is installed on HSTs,
Trains have been retimes, such as the Frome run, for an HST
HSTs are meant to be running Gt Malvern services, hopefully demand increases if some cheap tickets or offers are available.

 

[thefab444]

SDO yes, but doesn't the front PC have to be within the station platform, which means going one way, only First Class is available which slows down loading times quite a bit (apparently).

Fair enough about the Great Malvern runs though, quite a few of the 166s I've seen on those services have been quite busy, so some 'decent-ish' stock plus incentives ought to get in those pax!

 

[devon_metro]

SDO yes, but doesn't the front PC have to be within the station platform, which means going one way, only First Class is available which slows down loading times quite a bit (apparently).

Some of the early morning trains are loading with standard on the platform, as some for of permenant trial. Makes sence really.

 

[Philip]

Still think it'd be good to have a few at TPE to operate the Scotland services arriving/departing Manchester at the peak times.

Not that the 185s are bad, but a 5-car unit is better than a 3-car unit for busy services.

 

[Kneedown]

Still think it'd be good to have a few at TPE to operate the Scotland services arriving/departing Manchester at the peak times.

Not that the 185s are bad, but a 5-car unit is better than a 3-car unit for busy services.

Exactly the reason why EMT should have had em.

 

[devon_metro]

Everyone should have one!!

 

[Gizmogle]

I agree, TPE should get some.
185s in my opinion are not suited to those longer journeys. They're always so full and have those thin, uncomfortable seats. I did Manchester to Newcastle in one. Never again. Ugh.

EMT don't really need them. They've got HSTs and Meridians already. There's nothing wrong with a few 158s and 153s on the shorter and less busy routes. The SWT 158s are much more pleasant than 185s if you ask me.

 

[djw1981]

But Norwish - Liverpool - is that shorter / less busy? Or are you suggesting they redeploy some 222 / HSts onto this route?

 

[Gizmogle]

Well, that's true. (I've used that service before. Ouch) But the 158s don't service it badly. It'd be worse with 185s on!

The SWT 158s are really nice, they have a nice, clean atmosphere and the seats are massive. The only problem is, the amount of seats. EMT don't need 180s, they just need more seats.
If they just couple up more 158s on the busy services, they'd be fine... but then I don't know how many they just have lying around, if any.

TPE however, shouldn't be using 185s upto Scotland. They're small, crowded, uncomfortable, and just don't give the feel of an intercity train. 180s would be much more suited to TPE and Scotland.

 

[djw1981]

A 185 would increase the capacity though which is the issue. Are 185 seats really worse than Voyager? They have almost no spare stock and have not managed to get any more.

The 180's could be used to generate capacity for EMT - either directly through giving some to EMT, or by giving to another TOC and creating a cascade of 158's to EMT.

Where will the HT 180's be based? OOC? or Longsight? Or are they not on an Alstom maintenance contract? If EMT get some, and TPE get some then a joint maintenance facility in South / West Yorkshire would seem to be the best.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

If HT get 5, then the three HT Poineers will go to EMT...
I wonder what a 180 would look like in GC black...

 

[djw1981]

IIRc people said HT were only getting 2, and keeping the 3 222s.

That leaves a fleet of 12. How many units would be needed to cover the Norwich - Liverpool's? Or even just the peak journeys?

 

[Max]

Hull Trains are not going to be giving up their 222s - didn't they spend a fortune on having them built? They're not going to settle for older stock are they!

Out of interest, has anybody travelled on the TPE Scotland services yet? How are they coping in terms of capacity?

 

[Mintona]

I wonder what a 180 would look like in GC black...

Do you know something, or are you just wondering...?

 

[djw1981]

Would hide the smoke marks...afetr teh fire

 

[Gizmogle]

Are 185 seats really worse than Voyager?

Yes. I don't find Voyager seats that bad.
185s would be better with ironing boards for seats.

 

[djw1981]

Voyager seats are really and to try and get comfy - could cos I;m small tho.

 

[Gizmogle]

I'm small, and I find Voyager seats comfortable.

But obivously find 180s more comfortable! Shame that there's such a kerfuffle about some pretty decent DMUs.

 

[Tom]

Apart from the small fact that 180s are the best trains if you wish to get toasted.