Porterbrook Cl.769 'Flex' trains from 319s, initially for Northern

[Nym]

Really ? I wonder how the same fleet was managed by the same Rosco when they were in sole command of the Birmingham cross city line. I don't recall rows of 323s parked up at Soho every day.

Nor when Alstom Longsight was managing the maintenance of the then Northern units, the 323s were one of the more reliable fleets in the region.

 

[Dspatula]

Really ? I wonder how the same fleet was managed by the same Rosco when they were in sole command of the Birmingham cross city line. I don't recall rows of 323s parked up at Soho every day.

I believe Webtec Doncaster were the main supplier of spare parts, hence the issues. This just what I've heard so take it as the at least second hand information that it is.

 

[Geeves]

424, 431, 448 and 450 have managed to make it nearly to the end of the day without incident

That is an improvement

 

[david l]

769421 still sat at SP (for a week now) + 1 other (possibly 442) at 17.00 tonight.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Can confirm 769421 is at Springs Branch, visible from passing trains

 

[M60lad]

769421 was still at Springs Branch yesterday along with another Northern one and a Northern 158.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Looks like 769448 made it a whole 12 minutes in service this morning before breaking down and is now blocking the line.

 

[Geeves]

Only one left now so that means no more 769s for the rest of that day, as one cannot operate alone.

Presumably that's it for the day 769wise!

 

[FrontSideBus]

I saw 450 in the naughty corner at Southport!

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Some 769s are showing on RTT for this afternoon, have they just not been unallocated or are they having a 2nd try?

 

[Geeves]

Looks like 431 is going start back up from Southport 1630 after coming ECS from Springs Branch an they must've fixed/brought 450 back into use! Penciled in for the 1603

 

[nightflyian]

Looks like 769448 made it a whole 12 minutes in service this morning before breaking down and is now blocking the line.View attachment 184520

I was on this, started with poor acceleration out of Southport, then after Meols Cop an almighty bang from underneath the ex 1st Class on the rear, and then when attempting engage drive at Burscough there was lots of banging again from under the 3rd carriage. I suspect this one won't be out for a while. 442 was sent to rescue it (cancelled 0803) meaning the 0725 had to reverse back to Southport as it was 2x156's. When returning to Southport it looked like it had overrun a Red Signal as 2 carriages where just past the signal. Then when I got back to Southport the 0830 Stalybridge train was due to leave 0850 left around 0905, then parked just prior to Meols Cop for a further 1/2 hr with the guard advising the rescue train had an issues further up the line and they were in the process of recoupling to the failed unit.
Not the best of days commuting on this line !

 

[Gricer99]

Just 769 451 and 769 450 out today. lots of 2 car diesel running as a result.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Looks like 769421 is out today, currently running 2W46 0831 Southport to Stalybridge

 

[Gricer99]

Ran on time to Wallgate. 17 minutes late leaving there. Left Bolton 26 mins late. Seemed to be OK on electric after that, arriving Stalybridge 28 mins late, so just time to start the return trip on time. Did OK to Victoria and 7 mins late at Salford Crescent. I expect it to limp into Bolton and terminate.

 

[zain_031]

Looks like 421 has just canned at Kearsley while working 2W11

Realtime Trains | 2W11 1052 Stalybridge to Southport | 23/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 2W11 1052 departure from Stalybridge to Southport on 23/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Now working 5W11?

Realtime Trains | 5W11 1132 Bolton to Wigan Wallgate | 23/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 5W11 1132 departure from Bolton to Wigan Wallgate on 23/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Spekejunction]

Ran on time to Wallgate. 17 minutes late leaving there. Left Bolton 26 mins late. Seemed to be OK on electric after that, arriving Stalybridge 28 mins late, so just time to start the return trip on time. Did OK to Victoria and 7 mins late at Salford Crescent. I expect it to limp into Bolton and terminate.

28 late into Stalybridge..

 

[507016]

Not the best of photos but 421 has done itself in for the day and has gone to springs branch, 424 coming out to substitute it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2025 ==

424 is now out covering 421s diagram. 421 failed because of the same reason again i assume?

 

[Gricer99]

431, 448, 458, 424 all started today.

 

[Geeves]

Something looks to have happened to 424 at Southport so I think we are down to three!

 

[nightflyian]

Something looks to have happened to 424 at Southport so I think we are down to three!

424 went back in to service 6pm Friday evening after being parked up at Southport for most of the day.

 

[Gricer99]

Will be interesting to see what effect on services changing the changeover pont to Ince will be from today. Makes the Atherton line services more vulnerable if they sit down there. They could do with staging a thunderbird loco at Springs Branch just in case until reliability improves.

 

[Dspatula]

434 was out yesterday first time I've seen it post refurbishment, has another gone up for it's turn as yet?

 

[david l]

434 was out yesterday first time I've seen it post refurbishment, has another gone up for it's turn as yet?

456 went over 3 weeks ago, 434 came back next day.

 

[Jamesrob637]

First changeover at Ince today or tomorrow for these.

 

[david l]

First changeover at Ince today or tomorrow for these.

769's have never been diagrammed on a Sunday.

 

[Jamesrob637]

769's have never been diagrammed on a Sunday.

Tomorrow then.

 

[david l]

Tomorrow then.

Correct- well worked out. Indeed there haven't been any Sunday trains on the now-electrified Wigan to Bolton route for some time, particularly with Northern's 'difficulties', the Sunday Wigan NW to Stalybridge service has been a bus substitution between Wigan and Bolton for months.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Correct- well worked out. Indeed there haven't been any Sunday trains on the now-electrified Wigan to Bolton route for some time, particularly with Northern's 'difficulties', the Sunday Wigan NW to Stalybridge service has been a bus substitution between Wigan and Bolton for months.

Glad I don't need a 769 operation Sundays then. They struggle enough weekdays.

 

[Fedupnorthern]

Still diesel from Ince. Looks like the electrification money was wasted.