153s coming off lease

[LiftFan]

GWR's Class 153 units have now begun to be taken off lease.
So far, 373, 305 (Casper) and 380 have gone off lease now. Any ideas on where these units will end up, another TOC or are they finally going to the scrap heap?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There was a discussion a few weeks ago about the possibility of Scotrail taking some, either as a temporary measure for dealing with the fallout from the class 385 delay & 170s going off-lease, or/and as additional high-season capacity on the West Highland and Glasgow & South Western routes.

Additionally, they could go to Wales or EMT to allow units to undergo accessibility modifications more quickly.

 

[HLE]

WMT could certainly do with a couple

 

[Failed Unit]

I didn’t realise that they were modifying the 153. They don’t have enough seats now so to make them comply would reduce their usefulness even more.

Would love EMT to get them. Any extra seats welcome. However that will mean an increase in subsidies. DFT will never agree to it and people in the East Midlands will continue to drive because of the substandard services.

 

[yorksrob]

There are plenty of TOC's which could do with them for strengthening 2 carriage units.

 

[BestWestern]

Surely Northern will be somewhere near the front of the queue, even if just for a 'Pacers start replacement' headline or something. Or, as above, ATW.

 

[a_c_skinner]

However that will mean an increase in subsidies.

I know why, but why? They seem to have only scrap value and running costs must be modest and ought to be offset by increased ridership. We should let TOCs buy them outright for scrap value. That is true commercial competition.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I didn’t realise that they were modifying the 153. They don’t have enough seats now so to make them comply would reduce their usefulness even more.

Would love EMT to get them. Any extra seats welcome. However that will mean an increase in subsidies. DFT will never agree to it and people in the East Midlands will continue to drive because of the substandard services.

There are still no plans to make them 2020-proof as far as I'm aware. Use beyond the deadline will be only in multiple with compliant stock unless a last-minute derogation is agreed: something that might yet be required to prevent widespread bustitution in some areas if the current slow rate of overhauls continues.

 

[palmersears]

GWR's Class 153 units have now begun to be taken off lease.
So far, 373, 305 (Casper) and 380 have gone off lease now. Any ideas on where these units will end up, another TOC or are they finally going to the scrap heap?

These three are heading to Northern, probably on Tuesday. Two going to Neville Hill, then one carrying on to Heaton.

 

[yorksrob]

Good news for us then !

 

[PHILIPE]

GWR's Class 153 units have now begun to be taken off lease.
So far, 373, 305 (Casper) and 380 have gone off lease now. Any ideas on where these units will end up, another TOC or are they finally going to the scrap heap?

On this thread:-

www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-the-great-unit-cascade.160285

 

[LowLevel]

I didn’t realise that they were modifying the 153. They don’t have enough seats now so to make them comply would reduce their usefulness even more.

Would love EMT to get them. Any extra seats welcome. However that will mean an increase in subsidies. DFT will never agree to it and people in the East Midlands will continue to drive because of the substandard services.

EMT have had funding in place for a number of extra DMUs or even loco hauled sets for a long time now - there just haven't been any that are practical available. They've now advised their staff and passengers that they expect 4 of these West 153s to arrive in July.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

They should let SWR have them. 3 carriages on the peak hour 0820/1020 services to Exeter over the bank holiday. Rammed. 158/159/153 would work well together too. 153s (or indeed 450s) could displace a 158 from the Lymington branch, and could strengthen the busier services.

 

[northwichcat]

Surely Northern will be somewhere near the front of the queue, even if just for a 'Pacers start replacement' headline or something. Or, as above, ATW.

It's been suggested a few are going to Northern this month. No idea how long they will remain there considering Northern planned to withdraw all their Pacers and 153s by the end of next year.

 

[northwichcat]

I didn’t realise that they were modifying the 153. They don’t have enough seats now so to make them comply would reduce their usefulness even more.

The Scotrail rumour is they'll be converted to centre cars for the 156s and the 156s with the converted centre cars will have lots of bike and luggage space.

 

[PHILIPE]

Just as a pointer, the potential Scotrail 153s have a thread here:-

www.railforums.co.uk/threads/idea-for-class-153-conversion-to-bike-and-baggage-vans-for-scotrail.159376

 

[31160]

The Scotrail rumour is they'll be converted to centre cars for the 156s and the 156s with the converted centre cars will have lots of bike and luggage space.

That's something I hadn't thought of, if the main prob is the disability access issue if they permanently become part of a unit with disabled access in the rest of the accommodation would that be a work around that would be ok or no?

 

[HLE]

How desperate are Northern and EMT for capacity? The Nuneaton - Coventry route on WMT desperately needs a second 153 during the peaks. It’s not just full and standing in the morning, but dangerously overcrowded. 11 people in No.2 end vestibule is the record at the moment.

Pity at least one couldn’t be sent our way

 

[northwichcat]

How desperate are Northern and EMT for capacity? The Nuneaton - Coventry route on WMT desperately needs a second 153 during the peaks. It’s not just full and standing in the morning, but dangerously overcrowded. 11 people in No.2 end vestibule is the record at the moment.

Pity at least one couldn’t be sent our way

Trains being so full that passengers are unable to board and have to remain on the platform is something that can happen with both EMT and Northern services, especially with units being away for PRM mods.

 

[LowLevel]

How desperate are Northern and EMT for capacity? The Nuneaton - Coventry route on WMT desperately needs a second 153 during the peaks. It’s not just full and standing in the morning, but dangerously overcrowded. 11 people in No.2 end vestibule is the record at the moment.

Pity at least one couldn’t be sent our way

EMT have had to suspend the Mansfield shorts on occasion and are running Skegness services as 2 cars which are leaving people behind. Several Liverpool services are running 2 or 3 vice 4 and again leaving people or being crush loaded. Some days at Skegness you can queue 2 or 3 hours to get on a train.

Lincolnshire services routinely run as 1 x 153 and again key services like the 1528 Newark Peterborough, 1611 Peterborough Lincoln, 1722 Lincoln Grimsby routinely leave passengers behind and are crush loaded.

We aren't talking comparatively short distance local shuttles being wedged out, some of these trains are 2 or 3 hour journeys full throughout.

Summer Saturdays and Sundays see regular diagrammed class 153 solo workings to Matlock in addition, again with people left behind.

 

[HLE]

We’ll fight you for ‘em then!

Although most days a few are left behind at Bedworth, it’s nowhere near a 3 hour wait to board a train

 

[D365]

How desperate are Northern and EMT for capacity? The Nuneaton - Coventry route on WMT desperately needs a second 153 during the peaks. It’s not just full and standing in the morning, but dangerously overcrowded. 11 people in No.2 end vestibule is the record at the moment.

Is this the route that is planned to be operated by the ex-Overground 172s?

 

[James James]

The Scotrail rumour is they'll be converted to centre cars for the 156s and the 156s with the converted centre cars will have lots of bike and luggage space.

The West Highland lines are supposed to be switching to 158 though, and the primary rumour was to use them for bike/luggage space on those lines. Having a 153 in the middle of a 158 would seem odd, tagging on at the end (or between 2x2 car units) would seem more sane?

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Is this the route that is planned to be operated by the ex-Overground 172s?

Yes Leamington-Coventry-Nuneaton is planned to go 172 in December with some of the additional units to provide additional capacity on Snow Hill services. I would suggest the 153s will stay with WMT to supplement capacity improvements on other routes until the new CAF stuff arrives.

 

[DarloRich]

can we have one of them for the Marston Vale? The 153's we have are rotten.

I suspect they are off to Northern or EMT

 

[Old Hill Bank]

can we have one of them for the Marston Vale? The 153's we have are rotten.

I suspect they are off to Northern or EMT

No you will just have to make do with 230s

 

[DarloRich]

No you will just have to make do with 230s

No problem - they cant be worse than those 153's. Despite their odd creation we are looking forward to giving them a go

 

[D365]

Vivarail are putting them through testing as we speak.

 

[Domh245]

Vivarail are putting them through testing as we speak.

Even on a Sunday? That's dedication!

 

[iantherev]

They should let SWR have them. 3 carriages on the peak hour 0820/1020 services to Exeter over the bank holiday. Rammed. 158/159/153 would work well together too. 153s (or indeed 450s) could displace a 158 from the Lymington branch, and could strengthen the busier services.

Where do I start?

153s are only cleared for P3 at Salisbury.
The main objection however is that tacking a 75mph unit on to a 90mph unit would do nothing for timekeeping or be welcome on the run into Waterloo. Plus 153s do have the tendency to accelerate from stops with all the vim and vigour of a constipated snail....