Wolverton works
I just hope it comes out better than some of the other stuff that’s been to Wolverton, it’s certainly been there a while (possibly longer than the first unit which had some considerable steelwork replaced).
I can't remember which was the first unit to receive it's FGW C6 Overhaul (we're talking around 2015 here), but years of vinyl based liveries coupled with occasional washes by the Dawlish Sea Wall took it's toll on the Exeter based 150/2 fleet - steel bodies and salt water are not the best of friends.
168321 for chiltern also came back to chiltern with a engine isolated but went up okay and only recently. Ie that sadly came back sickly.
That was because they started the work but dropping the engine oil and coolant but the project was pulled on cost grounds shortly after. Wolverton didn't have the kit etc to refill so was left isolated until it returned to Aylesbury.
TYBefore it’s repaint, was 150202 the only /2 that wore the plain blue (like the 150/1s had) but also had the 3+2 seating? I know 219/238 had this plain blue too and still do now, but they have the Chapman seats and tables that all the other /2s had. I know there’s another 150/2 with 2+3 seating, but did this have the plain blue? Most had dynamic lines of course.
I remember taking a 150/2 with 150/1 style plain blue exterior and interior (it was horrible) in 2015, and I’m really quite keen to know if it was 202 I took. Only because it’s the only 150 I haven’t been on. (other than the scrapped halves) Would be a pleasant coincidence to learn I had been on it after all.
There were some instances of swarf in the electrical cabinets. The upside down reference happened not on the drumswitches, but the entire schematic upside down and holes drilled then in wrong places for grab poles through the floor through cabling. One 456 and 5913 suffered this fate, the 455 having its alternator flashed over. That said I thought they did a damn good job overall on the 456s and 5913 was a fantastic piece of body repair. The 456 refresh was one project that didn't reduce my life expectancy.
I thought I saw it on Tuesday. Could have been 150234 though. I heard that one had a bit of a fault but I thought that was 150248
The majority had major corrosion repairs carried out at their last C6 overhaul.
Depends when it last had corrosion repairs. For example the Northern units had major work done in the last few years (the pictures of what remained after being stripped down are pretty impressive) so I'd be surprised if they were that bad.
And replace it with what? GWR's DMU fleet has shrunk further and further over the last few years since the loss of the 143s, 150/0s, 150/1s and 153s. As shown recently, the 150/2s are GWRs Jack of All Trades - covering the branch lines, Cornish Mainline and Devon Metro, and even covering for IETs as far as Reading. I'm sure they'd like to, but until a proper West Fleet replacement is sorted, they really don't have choice (that and the original cascade plan was far too reliant on everything running smoothly with absolutely no faults at all to the 769s).
doesn't help with the loss of 158763 too
150243 forms the rear 2 coaches of the train I'm on and sounds rather faulty.
