SWR Diesel Fleet Refurbishment

[Dan15812]

The first refurbished 159 seems to have been at Bournemouth for quite a while now was it 159103 that’s currently undergoing the work?

I'm interested to see what the seats end up being and just how extensive the refurbishment actually is. SWR have said the interiors are being stripped out, repainted, re-carpeted and fitted with new seat covers, but beyond that it feels like the project has been kept fairly under the radar so far.

Has anyone heard any updates on progress or when the first unit might re-enter traffic?

Diesel fleet Overhaul Begins

Our engineering teams at Bournemouth Depot have begun a major overhaul of our Class 158 and 159 diesel fleet, which run on the parts of our network which aren’t electrified such as the West of England line and on the Romsey Rounder services. The work, known as a C6, involves overhauling all the...

careers.southwesternrailway.com

 

[moley]

Presumably GBR livery?

 

[CR165022]

Nope, SWR livery

 

[norbitonflyer]

Nope, SWR livery

Perhaps they still haven't worked out how to apply the GBR livery to a unit with an odd number of cars!

 

[AM9]

Perhaps they still haven't worked out how to apply the GBR livery to a unit with an odd number of cars!

For that to be true, it just shows the complete lack of forethought before settling on such a design.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Perhaps they still haven't worked out how to apply the GBR livery to a unit with an odd number of cars!

The solution would obviously be to scrap the centre car.

 

[Farnborough]

For that to be true, it just shows the complete lack of forethought before settling on such a design.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

 

[fgwrich]

The first refurbished 159 seems to have been at Bournemouth for quite a while now was it 159103 that’s currently undergoing the work?

I'm interested to see what the seats end up being and just how extensive the refurbishment actually is. SWR have said the interiors are being stripped out, repainted, re-carpeted and fitted with new seat covers, but beyond that it feels like the project has been kept fairly under the radar so far.

Has anyone heard any updates on progress or when the first unit might re-enter traffic?

Diesel fleet Overhaul Begins

Our engineering teams at Bournemouth Depot have begun a major overhaul of our Class 158 and 159 diesel fleet, which run on the parts of our network which aren’t electrified such as the West of England line and on the Romsey Rounder services. The work, known as a C6, involves overhauling all the...

careers.southwesternrailway.com

Good to see the 158 & 159s are to get a little love at last, though I’ll see sorry to see the bright and cheerful SWT interior finally going.

Does anybody happen to know if A, upgrades to the Alternators are part of this to finally allow plug sockets at most seats and B, if anything is being done to the First Class section? There have been long held rumours that they too were to be reduced down (downgraded) to 2+2 like the 444s.

 

[Bumpkin]

Presumably GBR livery?

Nope, SWR livery

Reported that the first 5 will be in SWR livery, then from unit 6 onwards to be in GBR.

Good to see the 158 & 159s are to get a little love at last, though I’ll see sorry to see the bright and cheerful SWT interior finally going.

Does anybody happen to know if A, upgrades to the Alternators are part of this to finally allow plug sockets at most seats and B, if anything is being done to the First Class section? There have been long held rumours that they too were to be reduced down (downgraded) to 2+2 like the 444s.

No the alternators are not being upgraded, standard class will be getting USB sockets only, don't know if USB-A or USB-C though. Believe that 2+1 is staying in first too.

 

[fgwrich]

Reported that the first 5 will be in SWR livery, then from unit 6 onwards to be in GBR.


No the alternators are not being upgraded, standard class will be getting USB sockets only, don't know if USB-A or USB-C though. Believe that 2+1 is staying in first too.

That’s great to hear, thanks! Plug sockets of some form have been severely lacking on the WoE for some time. Also pleased about the FC too -
Some of them are looking a little tired, but it’s still a nice and comfortable environment to travel in.

 

[moley]

USB-C makes sense going forward given that most portable items sold have to be USB-C. It also avoids the idiots who decide to try and plug in toasters or hair straighteners (I’ve seen both tried).

 

[D365]

It also avoids the idiots who decide to try and plug in toasters or hair straighteners (I’ve seen both tried).

Or worse, the nasty cheap phone chargers with mains pins that snap off and get left behind in the socket. There has been at least one 'near miss' raised on a GWR train as a result of this.

 

[swt_passenger]

There have been long held rumours that they too were to be reduced down (downgraded) to 2+2 like the 444s.

Seating number changes for 158, 159/0 and 159/1 were listed in the same table as the equivalent 450 and 444 seating changes, back in the 2017 franchise agreement, so I think it was a bit more than a rumour. But I never read anything about why it didn’t happen.

 

[boiledbeans2]

Or worse, the nasty cheap phone chargers with mains pins that snap off and get left behind in the socket. There has been at least one 'near miss' raised on a GWR train as a result of this.

I've had the reverse happen!
I plugged my USB-A into an Aventra port. It didn't charge so I removed it and tried plugging my USB-A into another port. It couldn't be plugged into another port. On inspection of my USB-A connector, it turns out the nasty cheap Aventra male part of the port broke and got stuck in my USB-A connector.

 

[Malcolmffc]

Ridiculous, these trains should be being replaced with bi-modes

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Ridiculous, these trains should be being replaced with bi-modes

However you can’t buy new trains off the shelf - that means regardless this overhaul is needed to bridge the gap until new trains could be introduced.

What other solution would you propose for the interim?

 

[3rd rail land]

USB-C makes sense going forward given that most portable items sold have to be USB-C. It also avoids the idiots who decide to try and plug in toasters or hair straighteners (I’ve seen both tried).

While I agree about toasters and hair straighteners laptops can't be charged using USB power alone, you need plug sockets. Since 158/9s do some rather long journeys people should be able to charge their laptops.

 

[Malcolmffc]

However you can’t buy new trains off the shelf - that means regardless this overhaul is needed to bridge the gap until new trains could be introduced.

What other solution would you propose for the interim?

769s ?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

769s ?

Which are older than the class 159s… and there aren’t enough of them. That’s before the reliability issues, the West of England line already struggles with poor performance without introducing an unreliable train.

 

[Towers]

Ridiculous, these trains should be being replaced with bi-modes

An alernative view being that despite their age they remain amingst the most competent, comfortable and best riding rolling stock on the network. Granted it shouldn’t be the case that 35 year old units put new trains to shame, but - aircon issues aside - the 158s & 159s often do, and so some of us are quite happy to see them hang around a while longer!

 

[D365]

While I agree about toasters and hair straighteners laptops can't be charged using USB power alone, you need plug sockets. Since 158/9s do some rather long journeys people should eb able to charge their laptops.

USB-C has power delivery capability of at least 60W. This is sufficient for any portable device other than a gaming/workstation laptop.

 

[Russel]

However you can’t buy new trains off the shelf - that means regardless this overhaul is needed to bridge the gap until new trains could be introduced.

What other solution would you propose for the interim?

Problem is, it's not really a stop-gap solution given there isn't anything on order, or even planned to be ordered to replace them.

We're probably talking 10 years before we see any kind of replacement so I can't even see this being the last overhaul!

 

[455_Maniac]

The first refurbished 159 seems to have been at Bournemouth for quite a while now was it 159103 that’s currently undergoing the work?

I'm interested to see what the seats end up being and just how extensive the refurbishment actually is. SWR have said the interiors are being stripped out, repainted, re-carpeted and fitted with new seat covers, but beyond that it feels like the project has been kept fairly under the radar so far.

Has anyone heard any updates on progress or when the first unit might re-enter traffic?

Diesel fleet Overhaul Begins

Our engineering teams at Bournemouth Depot have begun a major overhaul of our Class 158 and 159 diesel fleet, which run on the parts of our network which aren’t electrified such as the West of England line and on the Romsey Rounder services. The work, known as a C6, involves overhauling all the...

careers.southwesternrailway.com

Would it be worth having a list to keep track of which units are overhauled/undergoing overhaul/still in service pre-overhaul?

 

[Mordac]

Which are older than the class 159s… and there aren’t enough of them. That’s before the reliability issues, the West of England line already struggles with poor performance without introducing an unreliable train.

Have a look at the Northern 769 thread to see why that won't happen.

 

[wickham]

An alernative view being that despite their age they remain amingst the most competent, comfortable and best riding rolling stock on the network. Granted it shouldn’t be the case that 35 year old units put new trains to shame, but - aircon issues aside - the 158s & 159s often do, and so some of us are quite happy to see them hang around a while longer!

What has become of the proposal some time ago to look into fitting batteries to some Class 450s, 701/5s (or even 350s have been mentioned): Has this fallen by the wayside, found to be too difficult or a complete non-starter ?

 

[DS25]

769s ?

Nowhere near as good as a 158… and is older as well!

 

[swt_passenger]

What has become of the proposal some time ago to look into fitting batteries to some Class 450s, 701/5s (or even 350s have been mentioned): Has this fallen by the wayside, found to be too difficult or a complete non-starter ?

It was never started. Most of the discussion was little more than forum speculation. Once nationalisation was back on the agenda why would a TOC or ROSCO be interested?

 

[Mollman]

However you can’t buy new trains off the shelf - that means regardless this overhaul is needed to bridge the gap until new trains could be introduced.

What other solution would you propose for the interim?

Class 50s and MK2s!

 

[Lynford1976]

A fairly shiny 159103 was seen passing through Brockenhurst this afternoon, heading towards Southampton Central (and then, presumably, Salisbury).

 

[wickham]

A fairly shiny 159103 was seen passing through Brockenhurst this afternoon, heading towards Southampton Central (and then, presumably, Salisbury).

It would be interesting to know what livery 159103 was in !