Ex Northern 180's.

[blue sabre]

Are any of these going on lease to Grand Central? Just seen one heading through Pelaw towards Newcastle.

 

[Geeves]

I think they are leasing 112 to cover for one of their own failed units. All the Northern 180s (as far as I know) are still at Newton heath at the mo, stored.

 

[blue sabre]

I think they are leasing 112 to cover for one of their own failed units. All the Northern 180s (as far as I know) are still at Newton heath at the mo, stored.

It may not have been Northern Livery then - it was dark - but it certainly wasn't GC.

 

[driver9000]

180103 and 180108 are at Newton Heath, 180106 is at Blackpool North depot.

 

[blue sabre]

180103 and 180108 are at Newton Heath, 180106 is at Blackpool North depot.

Hmm, wonder what I saw then. Excuse my ignorance but are Hull trains in First livery? I couldn't see any branding on it just the colour scheme - white, blue and pink/purple.

 

[Lampshade]

Hmm, wonder what I saw then. Excuse my ignorance but are Hull trains in First livery? I couldn't see any branding on it just the colour scheme - white, blue and pink/purple.

That'll be 102. GC are hiring it to cover for 107 which is in for maintenance.

 

[blue sabre]

That'll be 102. GC are hiring it to cover for 107 which is in for maintenance.

Ah, cheers excuse my ignorance!

 

[driver9000]

Hmm, wonder what I saw then. Excuse my ignorance but are Hull trains in First livery? I couldn't see any branding on it just the colour scheme - white, blue and pink/purple.

Some are in the squiggly lines livery although I think there is one in the old gold stripe First livery. The Northern 180s arrived at in the gold stripe livery which was soon changed to the purple striped version. 180106 ran its last couple of days in traffic in unbranded plain blue livery as it had already been stored by Northern until 180103s failure during the last week of operation which meant 106 had to be reinstated.

 

[DesiroDom]

I think they are going to GC pity East Coast no longer need them. Am I right that they are returning em all back to FGW?

 

[ushawk]

Cotswolds
Five Class 180 Adelante trains will be leased and refreshed to replace most of the Turbo services on the North Cotswolds line between Worcester and London Paddington.

On the FGW website and its been confirmed else where.

 

[northwichcat]

First 180 being sent between Newton Heath and Old Oak Common today at 12:04. Route is via Eccles, Hartford, Crewe, Stafford, Rugley, Rugby, Milton Keynes and Watford Junction. It'll be able to do 110mph for the first time in a while.

 

[fgwrich]

First 180 being sent between Newton Heath and Old Oak Common today at 12:04. Route is via Eccles, Hartford, Crewe, Stafford, Rugley, Rugby, Milton Keynes and Watford Junction. It'll be able to do 110mph for the first time in a while.

That's if they get there...we are talking about Northerns 180s! Mind you, it'll do the Voith Hydraulic transmission some good finnaly getting up to 100 at last! (reminds me of the smell coming up from the transmission of 150131 during its first week in Exeter - on a semi fast from Newton Abbot to Exeter)

 

[Lampshade]

I think some brave drivers managed 100mph between Preston and Leyland but the amount of times they were held at Skew Bridge meant this wasn't often.

 

[Platform 1]

It'll be nice to see them back. IMO they're the best DMUs around (though not most reliable). Far nicer to be in than Voyagers. Properly aligned windows in SC is good too. I miss the announcement saying the train was to "Exeter...................St Davids".

 

[fgwrich]

It'll be nice to see them back. IMO they're the best DMUs around (though not most reliable). Far nicer to be in than Voyagers. Properly aligned windows in SC is good too. I miss the announcement saying the train was to "Exeter...................St Davids".

Same here! Id just wish that they had been more reliable from the start and that more had been built, rather than the class of 14 units! Still very fine units (internally) though.

 

[northwichcat]

Same here! Id just wish that they had been more reliable from the start and that more had been built, rather than the class of 14 units! Still very fine units (internally) though.

More would have been built if Virgin Trains hadn't kicked off a fuss about competition protection, meaning some First North Western open access routes were shut down.

 

[driver9000]

I think some brave drivers managed 100mph between Preston and Leyland but the amount of times they were held at Skew Bridge meant this wasn't often.

The pre service traction training included 100mph handling between Wigan NW and Preston. During times of a passed crew shortage in the early days when the trains were stood down and replaced by conventional DMUs a path would often be arranged to Wigan if a course was running at the time. The pathing of the service meant that it is booked slow lines between Preston and Euxton Junction so fast line running and the opportunity to head towards 100mph was rare and limited to being pathed onto the fast lines and also the train running well - 5 engines ideally but 90/95 was possible before braking on 4 engines. The best chance of getting to those speeds was being routed to/from platforms 3-6 at Preston. The service is rarely held at Skew Bridge, Euxton junction is the normal holding point.

**Apparently it was 180103 and 180106 that left Newton Heath this morning.

 

[175001]

108 just gone into Vic bound for Old Oak. Farewell!

 

[RAPC]

Surprised 108 has managed to make it as far as Vic. It always seemed to be the sickest of the 3.

Farewell to them and thanks for a few years of comfort whilst it lasted.

 

[anthony263]

Lets hope FGW can sort them out and get a bit more reliability out of them.