153 - the end of the line?

[Failed Unit]

Now the 153s are stood down on EMR and Northern. Is there any use for these units?

I understand you can buy one for £20k. (No idea if this is true). Some are hoping they will be preserved (i am personally glad to see the back of them - left behind far too often)

However the do still have a use, i think ScotRails is probably a bit extravagant but i can see it being welcome on routes such as Settle - Carlisle and Whitby - Middlesbrough. Maybe take all the seats out and use the on Skegness - Nottingham (as baggage vans). But realistically this is a very short period of demand to maintain units and staff knowledge.

i doubt anyone would start up an open access operation with them.

can anyone see any future use for them. I always liked the idea of removing the toilet, PRM the salon and attaching them to 156s to make 3 car trains (like northern did anyway). I assume there is no business case for this or it would be done by now.

preservation? No way would I pay to ride in one. Too many memories stood like a sardine in them. But any future for them now?

 

[Bletchleyite]

TfW are keeping some for the foreseeable. The ScotRail idea is probably the only viable one otherwise. I doubt crew knowledge is much of an issue as they are mechanically very similar to 156s. However more of an issue is incompatible couplings on newer kit.

I expect most will be scrapped.

 

[D365]

Network Rail have acquired several of the ex-EMT vehicles.

 

[Bigman]

I think Northern should do what Scotrail have done and put them to use as cycle/luggage coaches on the S&C, Newcastle - Carlisle, and Middlesbrough - Whitby. This would free up seats on the other units and encourage moire people to take bikes to the touristy areas.

 

[YorksLad12]

Given that they are half a 155 each it's a shame that they couldn't be either reconstituted or inserted into the 155s to make three-car sets. Yes, I know that they can just be coupled up (I have a photo of an in-service 3 x 153 somewhere) but integration plus refurb is an option.

 

[swt_passenger]

Given that they are half a 155 each it's a shame that they couldn't be either reconstituted or inserted into the 155s to make three-car sets. Yes, I know that they can just be coupled up (I have a photo of an in-service 3 x 153 somewhere) but integration plus refurb is an option.

They obviously could be converted back to their original condition if it was affordable and the will was there. So in the overall scheme of things it must have been considered unnecessary.

 

[A0]

They obviously could be converted back to their original condition if it was affordable and the will was there. So in the overall scheme of things it must have been considered unnecessary.

You could run them in pairs if the need is for 2 car units - the bigger issue is not having a disabled access toilet.

From a preservation point of view - anyone wanting a 155 would be better off waiting until the remaining unconverted ones are withdrawn.

I suspect a couple of 153s will make it into preservation - they are ideal for the first / last train of the day type services. But I suspect the large number of Pacers which have found their way to preserved railways will limit this.

 

[Meerkat]

Fancy one as my personal train, big comfy armchairs and a bar. Tootle around alone, or tag it on the back of the service train for lines with too few paths!

 

[Gareth]

I understand you can buy one for £20k. (No idea if this is true). Some are hoping they will be preserved (i am personally glad to see the back of them - left behind far too often).

Rail Forums fundraiser?

 

[Neptune]

Given that they are half a 155 each it's a shame that they couldn't be either reconstituted or inserted into the 155s to make three-car sets. Yes, I know that they can just be coupled up (I have a photo of an in-service 3 x 153 somewhere) but integration plus refurb is an option.

Not that old chestnut again. If they had been retained (which they haven’t) why not do what TfW have done and then you can couple them up to 2 car services making them more flexible.

 

[YorksLad12]

Not that old chestnut again. If they had been retained (which they haven’t) why not do what TfW have done and then you can couple them up to 2 car services making them more flexible.

Well I missed out on that particular conker, but the point stands that *if* retained they *could* be reformed into two-car 155s again or inserted to make 3-car 155 sets. If no-one wants to do that, that's fine. The 153s were always down to leave Northern, it was in the 2016 franchise agreement from memory.

 

[Neptune]

Well I missed out on that particular conker, but the point stands that *if* retained they *could* be reformed into two-car 155s again or inserted to make 3-car 155 sets. If no-one wants to do that, that's fine. The 153s were always down to leave Northern, it was in the 2016 franchise agreement from memory.

That’s another old chestnut. Why re-rebuild 34 year old units.

 

[43096]

That’s another old chestnut. Why re-rebuild 34 year old units.

You'd probably just de-commission the inner cabs and put a bar coupler in rather than anything more fancy - bit like the Southern Region did with the likes of the 4-CAP units. It would save on maintenance of couplers and cab equipment as the justification for doing so.

 

[43096]

I suspect a couple of 153s will make it into preservation - they are ideal for the first / last train of the day type services. But I suspect the large number of Pacers which have found their way to preserved railways will limit this.

Which shows how dumb it was for those lines to take the Pacers - the 153 is a much better train. Better still, wait til 156s become available.

 

[A0]

Which shows how dumb it was for those lines to take the Pacers - the 153 is a much better train. Better still, wait til 156s become available.

They were effectively given away, were available now and are in (for Heritage purposes) in good condition. The Heritage sector can't afford to be choosy and for many lines the Pacers have provided some very welcome, useful rolling stock.

I'd venture to suggest you've never been involved in the heritage sector.

 

[popeter45]

what in the fruture could replace the 153's as single car DMU's/EMU's?

 

[yorksrob]

You could run them in pairs if the need is for 2 car units - the bigger issue is not having a disabled access toilet.

From a preservation point of view - anyone wanting a 155 would be better off waiting until the remaining unconverted ones are withdrawn.

I suspect a couple of 153s will make it into preservation - they are ideal for the first / last train of the day type services. But I suspect the large number of Pacers which have found their way to preserved railways will limit this.

I think Northern probably has too many 2 carriage units for a post COVID recovery service. Forming them into something to make more 3 carriage ones seems sensible to me.

 

[D365]

what in the fruture could replace the 153's as single car DMU's/EMU's?

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the 153s are the final ”bubble cars” that we will see in Britain.

 

[A0]

I think Northern probably has too many 2 carriage units for a post COVID recovery service. Forming them into something to make more 3 carriage ones seems sensible to me.

I think you're playing the usual Yorksrob game of specious uses for obsolete rolling stock.

 

[43096]

They were effectively given away, were available now and are in (for Heritage purposes) in good condition. The Heritage sector can't afford to be choosy and for many lines the Pacers have provided some very welcome, useful rolling stock.

They weren't all given away - Angel's 142s were sold at a price of a few £k per set. Porterbrook's sets were effectively donated; Angel donated the proceeds from the sales to charity, as I understand it.

I'd venture to suggest you're not as knowledgeable as you think you are.

I'd venture to suggest you've never been involved in the heritage sector.

You couldn't be more wrong if you tried.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the 153s are the final ”bubble cars” that we will see in Britain.

*cough* Class 139s?

Not sure which will last longest, the PRMed 153s or the Parrys!

 

[Welly]

Lincoln Central will need a new nickname to replace "Dogbox Central"

 

[Failed Unit]

Lincoln Central will need a new nickname to replace "Dogbox Central"

I was tempted to go on Saturday night. Just to make sure it was gone. Last year I hoped I had ridden on my last one, then they started turning up in pairs as the 156s will still in Anglia at the time.

 

[A0]

They weren't all given away - Angel's 142s were sold at a price of a few £k per set. Porterbrook's sets were effectively donated; Angel donated the proceeds from the sales to charity, as I understand it.

I'd venture to suggest you're not as knowledgeable as you think you are.

I didn't say they were given away - I said something subtley different.

But they weren't sold at market value or anything like it.

 

[Greybeard33]

what in the fruture could replace the 153's as single car DMU's/EMU's?

Buses.

 

[43096]

I didn't say they were given away - I said something subtley different.

But they weren't sold at market value or anything like it.

Given that there was no potential for re-lease or re-sale to mainline TOCs, the market value was low. I'd suggest that a few £k per set was, if anything, above the market value: given that Porterbrook were donating their 143s and 144s, those who paid for 142s overpaid.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I didn't say they were given away - I said something subtley different.

But they weren't sold at market value or anything like it.

How exactly are you calculating "market value"?

The Pacers were effectively life-expired from a public service perspective, so arguably the "market value" is as scrap metal.

 

[aar0]

i doubt anyone would start up an open access operation with them.

I like the idea of a cut price Grand Central ragging one from London to Cardiff four times just to show the demand.

Fancy one as my personal train, big comfy armchairs and a bar. Tootle around alone, or tag it on the back of the service train for lines with too few paths!

I also like the idea of one hanging on for dear life off the back of a 800 while you’re sipping whisky and trying not to be physically injured by the bouncing and the gust through the windows!

 

[MattRat]

Oh I'm sure they'll stay in service somehow far longer than they ever should have, just look at what happened to the Pacers. Britain has a habit of being stuck in the past when we should be looking to the future. Leave the old stuff for preserved lines, then the actual railway can meet modern standards for travel.

 

[D365]

Oh I'm sure they'll stay in service somehow far longer than they ever should have, just look at what happened to the Pacers. Britain has a habit of being stuck in the past when we should be looking to the future. Leave the old stuff for preserved lines, then the actual railway can meet modern standards for travel.

A bit difficult when the treasury refuses to provide regular and consistent amounts of investment into electrification.