Chiltern Class 165 + Class 168

[Nova1]

Hi,
At Stratford-Upon-Avon Station this evening I saw a Class 168 coupled to a 165 on the front. I’ve never seen this before and didn’t even know it was possible. Is this ever done in passenger service?
It’s inbound service was this https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:72678/2021-10-26/detailed and the return was https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:72680/2021-10-26/detailed

also for some reason it was sent into platform 1, much to be confusing of a bunch of WMR passengers trying to get to Birmingham

 

[warwickshire]

Hi,
At Stratford-Upon-Avon Station this evening I saw a Class 168 coupled to a 165 on the front. I’ve never seen this before and didn’t even know it was possible. Is this ever done in passenger service?
It’s inbound service was this https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:72678/2021-10-26/detailed and the return was https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:72680/2021-10-26/detailed

also for some reason it was sent into platform 1, much to be confusing of a bunch of WMR passengers trying to get to Birmingham

Yes . Quite normal 168 and 165 do couple up together especially on the oxfords and some weekend services into Birmingham moor Street but when wcml is closed for service strengthening.
Also on metropolitan line services as well as required.
However tonight's run was a test run.

 

[CR165022]

Yes, happens very frequently

 

[TRAX]

All the time, in fact.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes i've seen it quite a few times, i always try and get the 165 if its a train i'm catching as its a bit thrashier.

 

[Mollman]

The 168s were designed to be compatible with 165s, hence why later batches were still classed as 168s and not 170s (which aren't compatible with 165s)

 

[nat67]

1G01 which is the 0548 Bicester North-Birmingham S Hill is booked 168+165 pair on weekdays.

 

[Mikey C]

1G01 which is the 0548 Bicester North-Birmingham S Hill is booked 168+165 pair on weekdays.

I assume that at that time of days, only going at 75mph doesn't cause pathing problems on the Chiltern Mainline?

 

[wessextrains]

I have seen it plenty of times. The 165s and 168s often run together. I think the 172s can also run attached to 165s and 168s too.

 

[warwickshire]

I have seen it plenty of times. The 165s and 168s often run together. I think the 172s can also run attached to 165s and 168s too.

172s with 168 and 165 was quite reqular especially on the oxfords to London Marylebones. And 172s with 168 on the Birminghams to London Marylebone in particular before the 172s moved to west Midlands railways.

 

[CR165022]

I have seen it plenty of times. The 165s and 168s often run together. I think the 172s can also run attached to 165s and 168s too.

the 172/1s used to be able to, but they had different couplers fitted prior to the transfer to WMR, so they can only be used with the other 172s now

 

[wessextrains]

the 172/1s used to be able to, but they had different couplers fitted prior to the transfer to WMR, so they can only be used with the other 172s now

What did they change the couplings to? I thought all the 172 subclasses have always used BSI couplings?

 

[Suraggu]

Yes . Quite normal 168 and 165 do couple up together especially on the oxfords and some weekend services into Birmingham moor Street but when wcml is closed for service strengthening.
Also on metropolitan line services as well as required.
However tonight's run was a test run.

Thats not correct. The 165 was sent to rescue 168322 which had failed at Stratford Upon Avon earlier in the day.

 

[43096]

What did they change the couplings to? I thought all the 172 subclasses have always used BSI couplings?

It wasn't the physical couplers that were changed, it was the wiring/pin arrangement on the couplers. This dates back to BR days when Network SouthEast deliberately chose a different coupler wiring scheme for its 165/166 fleets from the Regional Railways Pacer and Sprinter fleet.

 

[Nova1]

Thats not correct. The 165 was sent to rescue 168322 which had failed at Stratford Upon Avon earlier in the day.

Thank you. I had noticed earlier in the day there was a 168 in platform 1 that shouldn't have been there.

 

[DanNCL]

the 172/1s used to be able to, but they had different couplers fitted prior to the transfer to WMR, so they can only be used with the other 172s now

What did they change the couplings to? I thought all the 172 subclasses have always used BSI couplings?

Same couplers, different electrical connector boxes on the couplers. They've been changed on the 172/1s to make them compatible with the rest of the 172s and with the 170s (also making them compatible with 15x units though they won't be used us such).

The story behind the different electrical connections on the BSI couplers dates back back to the BR era, where Network South East deliberately specified the 165s and 166s to be incompatible with Pacers and Sprinters - for compatability with the 165s the same electrical connection type was also fitted to the 168s and the 172/1s.