Northern Unit Refurbishments and depot allocations.

[JModulo]

I was on a few 150s/156s/319s last week that had the PIS working aswell as the automatic announcements for next station etc.

 

[bengley]

319372 out in service today. Toilet, door control and PIS mods have been done but still with light blue doors and First colours on the inside. However it's time in store hasn't done the electrics much good as it's somewhat slower off from a stop.

I was under the impression the poor speed of 319s at the moment is down to Northern instructing drivers to open up power very gradually as they seem to think opening up quickly is blowing the motors up (it doesn't)

 

[northwichcat]

I was under the impression the poor speed of 319s at the moment is down to Northern instructing drivers to open up power very gradually as they seem to think opening up quickly is blowing the motors up (it doesn't)

319s have inferior acceleration to 323s regardless of how they are driven. 319s can get up to 100mph (eventually), while 323s can get up to 90mph.

 

[AMD]

In service with which operator?

I would hope it's northern, otherwise I would be checking who my employer is....

I was under the impression the poor speed of 319s at the moment is down to Northern instructing drivers to open up power very gradually as they seem to think opening up quickly is blowing the motors up (it doesn't)

372 was distinctly slower than any other 319 i've worked.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'm not sure whether this is a fault or whether this requires a staff member to select the voice announcements, as I have used a "refurbished" 3 car 158 for example with the CiS showing the calling pattern however no automated announcements were forthcoming.
Sam

There's also the factor of refurbished units working with unrefurbished ones. AIUI the PIS won't work if a unit without PIS is in the formation.

 

[43055]

I gotntonsay the units that I been on this week which have been refurbished do look good and the white livery does look better than the older northern livery. I did see a 158 with a green roof the other day as well, does anyone know what this is about?

 

[Bungle965]

There's also the factor of refurbished units working with unrefurbished ones. AIUI the PIS won't work if a unit without PIS is in the formation.

Funnily enough, I have had a ex GWR 153 which has not had any of the modifications start playing the auto announcer on approach to Rochdale while coupled to a modified 150 with the CIS installation.
Sam

 

[northernchris]

Funnily enough, I have had a ex GWR 153 which has not had any of the modifications start playing the auto announcer on approach to Rochdale while coupled to a modified 150 with the CIS installation.
Sam

I've been on a few 153s which have the auto announcer enabled when coupled to a PRM unit.

 

[Leep1]

The 14x and the 15x class have been hammered over the years, it's time they were scrapped. Worst rolling stock in europe IMO.

 

[978wta]

The 14x and the 15x class have been hammered over the years, it's time they were scrapped. Worst rolling stock in europe IMO.

Yes they’ve been hammered but they are still going strong. 150s and 156s will be here for a good 10 years.

 

[Leep1]

Yes they’ve been hammered but they are still going strong. 150s and 156s will be here for a good 10 years.

I doubt 10 years, 5 years maybe. The engines are very tired on these models now.

 

[Whattraintoday]

I doubt 10 years, 5 years maybe. The engines are very tired on these models now.

They’re going to have to hold out for at least about 9 years - the franchise is up in 2025 and that’s when the new franchisee will be mandated by the DfT to replace them. Add a 2yr lead time = 9yrs.

Any bets on what they’ll be like by then, given Arriva’s attitude to cleaning and non-essential maintenance?


**Edited to add - I appreciate the above may be somewhat off-topic, but starting a thread now on “What should replace the Sprinters in the new Northern franchise in 2025?” might be seen as a little premature by the mods...***

 

[danielnez1]

They’re going to have to hold out for at least about 9 years - the franchise is up in 2025 and that’s when the new franchisee will be mandated by the DfT to replace them. Add a 2yr lead time = 9yrs.

Any bets on what they’ll be like by then, given Arriva’s attitude to cleaning and non-essential maintenance?

With the majority of 153s seemingly destined for the scrapheap, hopefully there will be a good pool of spare NT855R5 engines.

 

[507021]

The 14x and the 15x class have been hammered over the years, it's time they were scrapped. Worst rolling stock in europe IMO.

Can't say I agree.

I think the 156s, 158s and 159s will be around for at least another 10-15 years, personally.

 

[CJ]

319368 and 319383 now have the new Northern blue seat covers.

 

[Foggycorner]

I was on a refurbed class 319 today and heard the crew bleep to start off in place of the ding ding of the bell
dose anyone else miss the bells

 

[BurtonM]

I've been on a 150 with CIS quite a few times and have not yet been on one service where voice announcements have been made

I meant the manual announcements, the guard came out of the rear cab and asked if I'd heard anything, then went out to test it again. I think it was completely dead and just showing generic stuff on the screens.

AIUI the PIS won't work if a unit without PIS is in the formation.

Not true, the voice announcements can relay from a refurb 150 to a 142, seen it a few times.

 

[DJH1971]

319s have inferior acceleration to 323s regardless of how they are driven. 319s can get up to 100mph (eventually), while 323s can get up to 90mph.

Thought 323's could only do 75mph?

 

[Bungle965]

Thought 323's could only do 75mph?

323s have a maximum of 90.
Sam

 

[sprinterguy]

Thought 323's could only do 75mph?

Nope, definitely 90mph and always have been.

 

[northwichcat]

Thought 323's could only do 75mph?

90mph. You're possibly getting mixed up with what Porterbrook said would be possible if they re-engineered the 319s to have better acceleration at the price of lowering the top speed to 75mph.

 

[geoffk]

One assumes Northern given that they are the subject of this thread?

Saw 319372 in service today on the Liverpool - Crewe via MIA service. Is Northern also getting 373, to complete the set?

 

[Killingworth]

Was on 150144 yesterday which looked smart, but saddened to see the light blue seat coverings already bearing liquid stains on several seats. Amused to see the CIS was warning of RMT industrial action on 21st July and advice to consult the special timetable for that day!

 

[geoffk]

With the majority of 153s seemingly destined for the scrapheap, hopefully there will be a good pool of spare NT855R5 engines.

Can't the 153s be permanently coupled into two-car units, with a single universal access toilet? We could even call them class 155!

 

[yorksrob]

Was on 150144 yesterday which looked smart, but saddened to see the light blue seat coverings already bearing liquid stains on several seats.

Would have helped if the refurb had included tables.

 

[yorksrob]

Can't the 153s be permanently coupled into two-car units, with a single universal access toilet? We could even call them class 155!

Or even with two carriage units with a universal toilet to form three carriage units.

That would be very sensible.

 

[DJH1971]

Saw 319372 in service today on the Liverpool - Crewe via MIA service. Is Northern also getting 373, to complete the set?

I was on 319372 today which was on the early morning working into LIV, and still clearly unbranded.

Makes sense to get 319373 as well.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Or even with two carriage units with a universal toilet to form three carriage units.

That would be very sensible.

Funnily enough, there are 84 Leyland Super-Sprinter vehicles in total which would, in a parallel universe, make a 28-strong fleet of 3-car units for semi-rural medium-distance services. Without doing the maths, EMTs Skegness/Lincoln/Ivanhoe/Crewe/Worksop services would seem an ideal home for them.

 

[cactustwirly]

Funnily enough, there are 84 Leyland Super-Sprinter vehicles in total which would, in a parallel universe, make an 18-strong fleet of 3-car units for semi-rural medium-distance services. Without doing the maths, EMTs Skegness/Lincoln/Ivanhoe/Crewe/Worksop services would seem an ideal home for

But they are heaps of crap and belong in the scrap heap!
Far better for EMT to cascade 158s to local services, and get 195s to replace the 158s from Norwich services

 

[387star]

How many units had the plain blue seats and turquoise interior as opposed to yellow