Additional Numbers on Stagecoach Stock

[BestWestern]

Hi All,

I've wondered this for ages, can anybody tell me what the extra numbers are that you can sometimes see on the front end of SWT 158/159 stock? I've noticed a 158 with a single digit - I think it was a 7 - in white font applied low down on the front end, which looked as if it was some kind of local fleet number perhaps? I'm sure I've seen pics of EMT units with the same, so presumably it's a Stagecoach Group thing. Any thoughts?!

 

[MCR247]

2 car 158s are formed of the 52 carriage and the 57 carriage, so the 7 is place so it is known which end it is

 

[Dreadnought]

2s and 7s have been on the ends of 156s and 158s in the Midlands for quite a while first when it was Central Trains and now that it is EMT.

As MCR247 stated they are used to identify which vehicle is which in the set. Not sure but maybe helps staff identify where wheelchair or bicycle access points are?

 

[rail-britain]

I can understand why there would be a 2 and 7 to help identify the rather different vehicles in a 156 from a platform
However, for a 158 it is rather pointless, as usually the wheelchair and bicycle storage is near the centre of the unit

I suspect it is for depot staff, to save them walking towards the centre of the unit along the track or having to enter the vehicle and looking at the plate above the cab door
When the unit is split they can then more easily identify the specific vehicle from the exterior of the cab end

Equally, this would then be useful when splitting / joining sets to ensure the correct vehicles are paired and during temporary three car sets

 

[BestWestern]

Ah, that would explain it then! And very logical come to think of it, that hadn't occured to me! If my TOC could do that with our mix & match hybrids it would be very helpful indeed!!

 

[swt_passenger]

It is for the benefit of depot staff - and the only SWT 158s that have the numbers are those that have been on loan in the Midlands.

Salisbury don't bother putting them on normally, so it was probably done by EMT staff somewhere.

Someone else asked this a couple of weeks back didn't they? I think I found a photo of one somewhere, but I can't find the thread now...

 

[BestWestern]

That would follow, as it only seems to be one or two of the SWT sets, certainly not on all of them. Hence my confusion! Apologies if this has been asked before, must have missed it! Slightly odd how EMT have chosen to alter the Stagcoach livery on their 158s with a bit more swoopiness going on, which is preferred?!