Carpeted Sprinters/Pacers

[py_megapixel]

For this thread, "Sprinter" excludes classes 158 and 159. Probably not technically correct, but they are a rather different beast from the earlier 15x so my question doesn't really apply to them.

A common criticism (with which I agree!) of Pacers and Sprinters is that the underfloor engines transmit unpleasant levels of noise into the passenger cabin. As far as I can remember, every Pacer or Sprinter I've been on has had a hard floor.

From this follows a random question I had: are/were there at any Pacers or Sprinters at any point with carpeted floors? If so, did this result in any noticeable deadening of the engine noise?

 

[LowLevel]

Yeah, EMT carpeted both 153 and 156 at refurb. They were still loud!

London Midland also carpeted their 153s.

 

[Nammer]

155s and 156s temporarily used on Portsmouth - Cardiff routes in the late 80s all had carpeted floors. It was an orange and green striped pattern if I recall correctly.
(Not sure if this thread includes the 166s - they did have carpeted floors now have vinyl flooring and IMHO it has increased the noise level in the carriages!)

 

[capital12]

ScotRail 156 are all carpeted and half of their 153s (that’s half the vehicle not half the fleet!).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yeah, EMT carpeted both 153 and 156 at refurb. They were still loud!

London Midland also carpeted their 153s.

153 and 156 were (I'm fairly sure) carpeted from the start. If any weren't then that's because a TOC removed it at refurb. I seem to recall one indeed did.

 

[Sun Chariot]

153 and 156 were (I'm fairly sure) carpeted from the start. If any weren't then that's because a TOC removed it at refurb. I seem to recall one indeed did.

Scottish 156s definitely were. I used them in summers of 1988 and 1990, during Rail Rover weeks.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The pic here seems to confirm for the 156 that it was, it was a dirty beige though may have originally been grey:

156 - Interior Layout

super sprinter

members.madasafish.com

I can't find an as built picture of the 153 but I'm almost certain they were pretty much exactly the same spec as 156s when built new as 155s. They certainly had the same seats and the same moquette.

 

[LowLevel]

153 and 156 were (I'm fairly sure) carpeted from the start. If any weren't then that's because a TOC removed it at refurb. I seem to recall one indeed did.

I did think that was the case. One thing EMT did do was remove the carpeted dado panels from the side walls and replace them with plastic, they had a habit of collecting dripping condensation and going mouldy.

 

[Zooty]

156s had carpet on the walls as well as the floor.

 

[Acathater]

Northern have got blue carpeted 156s. And they look like someone has walked in direct from a clay pit with deeply ingrained mud.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The pic here seems to confirm for the 156 that it was, it was a dirty beige though may have originally been grey

Good find Yes, the Scottish 156s I used in 1988 and 1990 had mid-grey colour carpet. Short-pile.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Tuesday at 10:55 ==

156s had carpet on the walls as well as the floor.

Oh yes, that's right - up to the height of the metal beading which ran the length of the saloon below window-height.

 

[RUK]

Would thicker, rubber, flooring, rather than a thinner sheet of vinyl, help to absorb some of the vibrations and reduce noise, if carpet is hard to keep clean?

 

[fgwrich]

Wessex Trains had carpeted vestibules in the 150, Lino floor for the rest of it. 153s were carpeted throughout except for the toilet, likewise for the 158 fleet.

 

[py_megapixel]

153s were carpeted throughout except for the toilet

This makes me wonder if there have ever been trains that used carpet for the toilet...

 

[D6130]

This makes me wonder if there have ever been trains that used carpet for the toilet...

I don't think so. That would make cleaning incredibly difficult and costly.

 

[boiledbeans2]

[...]
A common criticism (with which I agree!) of Pacers and Sprinters is that the underfloor engines transmit unpleasant levels of noise into the passenger cabin. As far as I can remember, every Pacer or Sprinter I've been on has had a hard floor.
[...]

Criticism??? Why don't you want unpleasant levels of noise in the cabin?

When I get on a Sprinter, I always sit in the middle of the carriage (over the engine). Then I open the windows on my left and right to maximise the levels of unpleasant noise.

 

[tfw756rider]

153 and 156 were (I'm fairly sure) carpeted from the start. If any weren't then that's because a TOC removed it at refurb. I seem to recall one indeed did.

Yes, Transport for Wales had the floor carpet in their 153s (including the carpet fitted in the Arriva Trains Wales refurbishment) replaced with lino.

 

[Russel]

Would thicker, rubber, flooring, rather than a thinner sheet of vinyl, help to absorb some of the vibrations and reduce noise, if carpet is hard to keep clean?

Not a bad call, I've never understood the need to carpet trains, it must be the most unsuitable flooring that could be used...

 

[Parallel]

Not a bad call, I've never understood the need to carpet trains, it must be the most unsuitable flooring that could be used...

Definitely harder to clean, but also much better at hiding dirt, than say, that pale grey flooring GWR use in their Turbos and 150s, with it having gone brown on many units.

 

[Russel]

Definitely harder to clean, but also much better at hiding dirt, than say, that pale grey flooring GWR use in their Turbos and 150s, with it having gone brown on many units.

True, though I think that is a symptom of a bigger problem across most TOC's though.

 

[Spartacus]

I'm sure 141s were fitted with carpets at one point

 

[Trainman40083]

I'm sure 141s were fitted with carpets at one point

Must have doubled their value.

 

[Russel]

Must have doubled their value.

Flooring worth more than the train...

 

[Trainman40083]

Flooring worth more than the train...

Especially with it being flame retardant

 

[Andyh82]

I remember that era during the first part of the first Northern franchise when budgets didn’t seem to allow much in terms of refurbishments or repaints, and they could only run to replacing the aisle carpet on some units that they’d acquired (from Central Trains I believe). So you’d have a new aisle carpet and a completely black dirty old carpet under the seats (and some random seat moquette from a defunct TOC)

 

[Russel]

I remember that era during the first part of the first Northern franchise when budgets didn’t seem to allow much in terms of refurbishments or repaints, and they could only run to replacing the aisle carpet on some units that they’d acquired (from Central Trains I believe). So you’d have a new aisle carpet and a completely black dirty old carpet under the seats (and some random seat moquette from a defunct TOC)

I remember that!

They really were dark days.