Class 153 in North Wales??

[Andrew*Debbie]

My train home today was something I've never come across on the North Wales Mainline

158828 + 153320 + 153926. (1D33 0830 MIA to HHD)


I've seen the occasional 150 Sprinter coupled to a 158. I can't recall ever seeing a 153 at Bangor before today.

Did I happen across something unusual or is this a common configuration I've somehow managed to miss?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Pretty rare under Arriva, almost a daily occurrence on TfW nowadays.

It’s very common for a pair of 153s to work Holyhead Birmingham services attached to a 158. When it returns from Birmingham as a Pwllheli service, the 153s are swapped with a new 158 at Shrewsbury and the 153s attach to the next Birmingham service which then goes back to Holyhead.

Double 153s on Holyhead Cardiff happened a lot while 67+MK4s were settling down as well, and indeed there is a double 153 working a six hour long journey from Holyhead to Maesteg this morning. (0425 1015) It forms the 1018 Maesteg to Holyhead arriving at 1622, and then the 1648 back to Cardiff Central.

Llandudno Ffestiniog was often a 153 until the 197s came along when 150s were needed elsewhere, and I believe Llandudno Llandudno Junction is booked 153x2 on Sundays.

It’s definitely rarer for them to work North Wales - Manchester services than Holyhead - Birmingham/Cardiff.