Northern Unit Refurbishments and depot allocations.

[1179_Clee2]

There are many GWR 150s quoted with PRM Mods on that thread. 150126 is now 150926

There are many GWR 150s quoted with PRM mods. I agree
But every one listed to present have been 150/2 which GWR are keeping.
This is the first 150/1 listed on the GWR livery thread as having the mods done which will transfer to Northern (unless anybody knows differently).

 

[PHILIPE]

There are many GWR 150s quoted with PRM mods. I agree
But every one listed to present have been 150/2 which GWR are keeping.
This is the first 150/1 listed on the GWR livery thread as having the mods done which will transfer to Northern (unless anybody knows differently).

The centre car will come out to be paired with the 150/2 car in 150925 and form a complete unit. Toilets will have to fitted anyway because they are both toiletless, their partners having been involved in mishaps and written off over the years.

 

[mikemcniven]

Northern 319374 seen at Oxford Road on the 1300 service to Manchester Airport.


Northern 319374 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr


Northern 319374 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr


Northern 319374 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

 

[Parallel]

Really liking that livery! I wonder how long the white will stay white for, though...

 

[childwallblues]

In service this morning on the 0616 LIV-MIA. That's the first one out in full ARN livery.

It was out on Monday afternnon on Wigan line too.

 

[copernicium112]

319374 on Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport today

 

[northwichcat]

Caped due to a 323 shortage. A 319 has NOT been to Hazel Grove tonight!

I wondered what he was actually getting at. I notice the 17:23 Piccadilly to Hazel Grove is expected to be a 2 car DMU due to a 323 shortage tonight.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I wondered what he was actually get. I notice the 17:23 Piccadilly to Hazel Grove is expected to be a 2 car DMU due to a 323 shortage tonight.

Thankfully I'm on other services tonight

 

[Starmill]

I think 155 346 looks very good inside.

I like the new cushions and it's nice to have a clean train!!!

Shame about the ongoing lack of legroom. It would appear the old toilet is now a cycle storage area.

 

[Jamesrob637]

319374 on Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport today

Yes the 13:40, 16:40 and 19:40 off Airport respectively, the latter of which I glimpsed leaving Picc as I was walking past the giant Vimto bottle!

 

[507021]

I think 155 346 looks very good inside.

I like the new cushions and it's nice to have a clean train!!!

Shame about the ongoing lack of legroom. It would appear the old toilet is now a cycle storage area.

That does look good, I'm looking forward to having a go on it myself.

 

[Malay States]

Yes the 13:40, 16:40 and 19:40 off Airport respectively, the latter of which I glimpsed leaving Picc as I was walking past the giant Vimto bottle!

Not my lucky day - I was on the 12.40 ex MA and what I got lumbered with was 150269.

 

[Loop & Link]

That was a Liverpool service - which was 150269 vice 319 from start of day.

374 was on the stopping Manchester Picc-Airport (xx:14) ex-Picc (xx:46) ex-Airport diagram (as posted above) then 19:40 to Liverpool Lime Street.

 

[Geeves]

So the 155 is finally out hurrah. It does look pretty tidy. There was a 142 on the Macclesfield turns earlier today.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I wondered what he was actually getting at. I notice the 17:23 Piccadilly to Hazel Grove is expected to be a 2 car DMU due to a 323 shortage tonight.

Ditto today apparently, again I'm on other services after work today

 

[northwichcat]

There was a 142 on the Macclesfield turns earlier today.

The morning peak extra from Macclesfield and the evening Hazel Grove working are the ones which were booked to be Pacer operated until the 319 was put on the Airport shuttle to free up a 323, so in the event of a 323 shortage (which seems to be the case) those services will be the first to get a DMU substitution.

 

[Alan2603]

I think 155 346 looks very good inside.

I like the new cushions and it's nice to have a clean train!!!

Shame about the ongoing lack of legroom. It would appear the old toilet is now a cycle storage area.

A pity the 155 isn't carpeted. Looking at the photos, the light coloured lino floor looks quite dirty already, particularly around the disabled toilet and in the photo of the interior of the carriage near where the lady with the turquoise jacket is sat.

Also I am not too sure how easy it will be to get a cycle into/out of the 'slot' on the right due to the partial bulkhead being partly behind the slot. If the left hand cycle slot is in use it may be very difficult to use the right hand one.

I notice also that the PIS screens both outside and inside do not seem to be working. Incidentally has wi-fi and sockets/usb ports been fitted?

Other than that, it is quite nice to see a bright, new interior on them. I wonder when it will appear on the Harrogate line.

 

[northwichcat]

Incidentally has wi-fi and sockets/usb ports been fitted?

Wi-fi will be required on all units. Sockets/USB charging points are only required on 158s, 195s and 331s. Sprinters and 319s will also need lighting replacing with more efficient LED lighting, which I don't think think has been done on any units yet.

 

[Kieran1990]

I have traveled on the refurbed 158's a couple of times now and I have to say I am impressed. Light, airy and the seats are confortable.

A question I do have- why (each time I travel on them) does the PIS only indicate "The train is for YORK'. Never listing any station calls or info. Is this yet to come?
Is this the same on the refurbed 150?

 

[Alan2603]

Wi-fi will be required on all units. Sockets/USB charging points are only required on 158s, 195s and 331s. Sprinters and 319s will also need lighting replacing by more efficient LED lighting, which I don't think think has been done on any units yet.

Many thanks for that.

 

[northwichcat]

A question I do have- why (each time I travel on them) does the PIS only indicate "The train is for YORK'. Never listing any station calls or info. Is this yet to come?
Is this the same on the refurbed 150?

The 150s with PIS are even worse they say just the destination station and scroll, even if the destination station fits on the screen without scrolling. Apparently they've not yet create a program which allows them to show and announce all the calling points for all services they operate.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A pity the 155 isn't carpeted. Looking at the photos, the light coloured lino floor looks quite dirty already, particularly around the disabled toilet and in the photo of the interior of the carriage near where the lady with the turquoise jacket is sat.

Also I am not too sure how easy it will be to get a cycle into/out of the 'slot' on the right due to the partial bulkhead being partly behind the slot. If the left hand cycle slot is in use it may be very difficult to use the right hand one.

I notice also that the PIS screens both outside and inside do not seem to be working. Incidentally has wi-fi and sockets/usb ports been fitted?

Other than that, it is quite nice to see a bright, new interior on them. I wonder when it will appear on the Harrogate line.

If the lino has become dirty, then a carpet would be just as dirty if not more so, and would be harder to clean. It would be more pleasant but for the services the 155s will be used on in the future (presumably predominantly West Yorkshire locals such as Huddersfield to CasVegas; Leeds-Knottingley via Cas or Wakey; and Leeds-Sheffield locals) a carpet isn't really a priority.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Still don't like the amount of white on that livery, it really needs a window band even if only light grey.

As for the lino, it needs mopping properly daily to keep it clean, are they doing that? I bet they aren't. One thing I do wonder is why they don't consider wood-effect lino to give the "coffee shop" effect rather than the "hospital or doctor's surgery" effect the lino they use does? That would be a bit like fake-leather seating - a premium feel yet easier to clean and harder-wearing. Also does nobody[1] do a 2.8ish metre wide roll of lino? Those joins are going to attract the muck.

Is the bog door round the side? Bet that's awkward for the wheelchair user. Surprised the seemingly standard double-doored round bog was not used.

The off-white interior panelling is much nicer than the old-Northern stark blue.

[1] I know they do because my kitchen floor is a single piece roughly 5m x 4m.

 

[Segedunum]

Very bizarre that the PIS isn't starting to see some progress as even back when the first units ended up with modifications, I recall taking 156443 from Darlington to Middlesbrough and having the announcer and screens reeling off every station as it came.

19 months later and I'm sat on one of these painted up 156s (156484) and all its capable of saying is "Lancaster"

Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk

 

[Bornin1980s]

Might that 155 show the future for the 153s; converted back into 155s with PRM modifications?

It won't produce many units, but surely Northern could do with every diesel unit it could get after the Pacers are taken away? Also, being Leyland built trains, could they use Pacer parts in body repairs?

 

[northwichcat]

Might that 155 show the future for the 153s; converted back into 155s with PRM modifications?

It won't produce many units, but surely Northern could do with every diesel unit it could get after the Pacers are taken away? Also, being Leyland built trains, could they use Pacer parts in body repairs?

Porterbrook have decided reforming the 153s in to 155s would cost too much. Given how much work has been needed to keep an existing 155 in service, I imagine they were right when they said that!

Arriva drew up a fleet plan for Northern which makes both the Pacers and 153s surplus to requirements by the end of 2019. There should also be some more 170s (or equivalents) joining in 2022 for extra capacity.

 

[507021]

Might that 155 show the future for the 153s; converted back into 155s with PRM modifications?

If the entire Class 153 fleet was converted back to Class 155 units, it would produce 35 two car units (155301-335). It isn't beyond the realms of possibility, but I just think it's very unlikely to happen, particularly if Porterbrook's Class 769 bi-mode is a success.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Porterbrook have decided reforming the 153s in to 155s would cost too much. Given how much work has been needed to keep an existing 155 in service, I imagine they were right when they said that!

Arriva drew up a fleet plan for Northern which makes both the Pacers and 153s surplus to requirements by the end of 2019. There should also be some more 170s (or equivalents) joining in 2022 for extra capacity.

If the entire Class 153 fleet was converted back to Class 155 units, it would produce 35 two car units (155301-335). It isn't beyond the realms of possibility, but I just think it's very unlikely to happen, particularly if Porterbrook's Class 769 bi-mode is a success.

This 155 refurbishment clearly went way overtime... but it was the first one, so the subsequent units will at least be a known quantity. In theory by the time they've done 6, the final one will be a doddle *.
On that basis, the ROSCOs that own the 153s may offer them in some form** to bidders for upcoming franchises with a high diesel requirement such as Wales & Borders or East Midlands regional.

That said, with 769s, dieselised 455s (is 255 available?) and even 230s, even with the electrification cancellations the market for self-powered units should be reasonably competitive. This will place a ceiling on how much is worth investing in 153s.

*= Has another 155 gone up yet? What odds on no further units being done, I wonder...?

**= A while back (i.e. pre-Northern franchise contest) I looked at the numbers of 153/155 vehicles and crayoned up a proposal to form a fleet of 3-car units (84, so 28 sets), though obviously that was never going to happen, not least because AIUI they're owned by different ROSCOs (Angel & Porterbrook IIRC, I know the 155s were transferred to Porterbrook from WYITA.

 

[507021]

*= Has another 155 gone up yet? What odds on no further units being done, I wonder...?

Yes, 155345 is currently away for refurbishment.

 

[M1544]

I'm surprised they haven't Considered putting 7x153s as middle inner cars into the 7 modified 155s to create 3 car class 155 sets. The 153 could have its cabs decommissioned and the toilet taken out as there would already be the new loo in the 155 cars. The space could be used for extra seats and luggage in the middle car. And by decommissioning the 153 cabs would give a permanent 3 car unit.