Trivia: Greatest diversity in stock used for one service.

Y Ddraig Coch · 15 Jun 2026

The late mid to late 90s on the North Wales coast saw everything from pacers, to sprinters, to Loco hauled with some compartment coaches as well as first generation DMUs and then dragged pendolino s . Was a great time to travel as you genuinely had no idea what would turn up or in what livery.

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Strathclyder · 16 Jun 2026

Kite159 said:
Ayrshire Coast is solid 380 (of varying lengths) but the services towards Inverclyde (Gourock & Wemyss Bay) can be a mix of 318/320/380 or 385. I can't think of any other ScotRail service which can be formed of more than 4 different types.

Oh yeah, that's right. I wasn't 100% sure if 318s/320s were still regularly booked traction on Inverclyde services, hence why I didn't mention it.

Transilien · 16 Jun 2026

Internationally, the RER C in Paris uses 4 different types of Z2N, the Z5600, the oldest and only available on 1.5kV DC. Then there's the Z8800, the same overall design as the Z5600 but with dual voltage capability (i.e. the ability to work on both 25kV AC too. Then there is the Z22500, similar to the Z8800 but with an updated bodyshell and a different original interior. Finally, the Z20900, the same exterior as the previous model but with newer ONYX traction motors, a more comfortable 2+2 seating layout and AC. Also these currently all have differing interiors and liveries within the classes, making the RER C a very diverse line.

LowLevel · 16 Jun 2026

thenorthern said:
Back in 2000 on the Manchester Airport to Skegness services there was a lot of variation in the trains used and as a 6 year old kid we had nicknames for the trains. They were "an old one" which was for the 156s in grey Regional Railways livery, "an old single coach one" which was the 153s in blue Regional Railways livery, "an old one made into a new one" which was the 158s in Central Trains livery, "a new one" which was the 170s, and "a rare one" which was the 150s. Back then Central Trains didn't seem to have a set allocation for the trains in that a service which might be operated by a 158 one day could be a 170 the next day.

Now though, the Crewe to Lincoln Central services are operated by 170s although 158s make a rare appearance.

Having 5 separate types of units used for one service is rather unusual but it made me wonder which other services have a large amount of different stock used for the same service?

I know the Furness Line around 2008-9 had 142s, 153s, 156s, 158s used for the Northern Services and 185s used for the First Transpennine Express services. Now though, the line uses 156s for the local services and 195s for the Manchester Airport services.

Central Trains did have booked unit diagrams with a particular type booked for a particular service - they just didn't really stick to them all that much in that period and most of the diesel fleet were seen to be interchangeable.

By the end they were much more consistent!

james60059 · 16 Jun 2026

Back in Central Trains days, my local line seen Classes 150/153/156/158/170 and even different combinations in some instances. 170's were more common on the Coventry - Nottingham services on a weekday though.

Krokodil · 16 Jun 2026

Watershed said:
TfW Cardiff-Manchester services have seen just about anything ranging from a 150, 153, 158, 175, 197 to a 67/Mk4, sometimes various combinations of the Sprinters too. Obviously not all found in operation at exactly the same point in time but in the last couple of years it's seem a huge variety of stock.

On the Holyhead run, 1W92/1V97 could often turn out a 150 on Monday, 153s on Tuesday, 158 on Wednesday, and a 175 on Thursday.

Tetchytyke · 16 Jun 2026

yorkshirerail said:
There was a point in 2018/19 where trains on the Harrogate loop could be any of the following 142 144 150/1 150/2 153 155 158 and 170 or various combinations of those

Back in Northern Spirit days they used a random unit generator for most of the Leeds services.

I remember on the Aire Valley that it could be anything: a 333, a 142, a 144, a 153, a 156, or even a 158, or any combination from the above. The only one that never seemed to make it up to Skipton was the 155.

Class 466 · 16 Jun 2026

In terms of age gap, the Rose Hill Marple service is diagrammed daily to utilise 1x 150/156 & 1x 195 - providing quite the age gap between services.

Trivia: Greatest diversity in stock used for one service.

Y Ddraig Coch

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Strathclyder

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Transilien

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LowLevel

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james60059

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Krokodil

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Tetchytyke

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Class 466

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