Class 158s - anybody else find them horrid?

[dieselbashdave]

yay! 142s north of the border bring it on! Shots line maybe? Or fife circle?

Far North line! Save me going to Blackpool for me thrilling rides

Never been on a Pacer but from what I gather they are fun and bounce like a bouncy castle finished in the finest M&S jelly!

 

[Aictos]

Pacers and Fun in the same sentence? What on earth have you been taking,

I hope that Transport Scotland never sees a single Pacer north of the border, I'm happy with the existing stock they have - send the Pacers on a one way ticket to Iran - no returns accepted!

 

[boing_uk]

I wonder if this class is due a replacement engine and transmission. Certainly some of Northerns fleet are quite leaky around the windows and others very lame - alot of noise for little motion.

Perhaps a "Mallard" style refurbishment - but retaining the seating design which is by far the best of any train I have travelled on in many recent years.

 

[150222]

I wonder if this class is due a replacement engine and transmission. Certainly some of Northerns fleet are quite leaky around the windows and others very lame - alot of noise for little motion.

Perhaps a "Mallard" style refurbishment - but retaining the seating design which is by far the best of any train I have travelled on in many recent years.

I hope your on about 158's not pacers

 

[BestWestern]

One of the problems with the 158's is that, having become such a workhorse over the years, being capable of working just about anything from a local stopper to a long haul run, many of them have been run into the ground and are now sh*gged :-/ Only one or two TOC's - who we don't really need to name again! - keep theirs in tip top order, whilst most operators just run and run them. Sypmtomatic of our current train shortage I suppose...

 

[alexf380]

I love the 158s!
Inverness based 158s are stylish but Haymarket units in serious need on interior work. I wonder if they will recieve new interiors when they recieve the saltire livery?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scotrail_Saltire_Livery_Class_158.jpg
http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/photo/scaled/8131/

 

[MCR247]

No they aren't being refurbed

 

[Blindtraveler]

shame, its needed - tried 4 seats other day til I found an unbroken one! If theyve not fallen to bits, the interior of these units must surely be a prioritty for the new franchise?

 

[150001]

The 158s are quiet, comfortable and when refurbished on the exterior they look pretty good. I've never liked the fronts but they are good medium distance trains and certainly do not vibrate or not shabby.

 

[boing_uk]

The 158's do look much better with black cab window surrounds, i.e stagecoach and the former RRE livery. Wholly yellow ends just make them look... vom.

IMHO though of course.

 

[LE Greys]

On an entirely irrelevant note, there's something malevolent about the snarl of a Cummins NTA 855-R1. Maybe that's what puts me off 158s, they sound evil.

 

[Eng274]

On an entirely irrelevant note, there's something malevolent about the snarl of a Cummins NTA 855-R1. Maybe that's what puts me off 158s, they sound evil.

I actually find it a draw of the 158s i love the sound of their engines! throaty enough to be taken seriously, but not whiny like a Turbostar's MTU block.

 

[thunderer08]

Hi all,
Never had to bad an opinion of 158's till i went manchester to cardiff and return a couple of years ago, had a 175 on outward journey and was very impressed with the ride and legroom on the airline seat i was in, expected same on return journey but a 158 pulled in, found my prebooked airline seat and was shocked how much less legroom i had compaered to the 175. Much preferred the 175 for long distance journeys!

 

[Blindtraveler]

ha
d what I think was an X Northern unit last night from stirling to Edinbvrgh - very cumfy seats, makes the NX Scotrail refurb seam even worse now!

 

[dieselbashdave]

I seem to recall once seeing an EMT/SWT Cl158/9 (well it was in Stagecoach colours!) a while ago (early 2008) in Inverness, along with a white and purple (I think!) unbranded 158 (maybe 2009?).

Would the white-purple/blue be an ex NR?

 

[MCR247]

I seem to recall once seeing an EMT/SWT Cl158/9 (well it was in Stagecoach colours!) a while ago (early 2008) in Inverness, along with a white and purple (I think!) unbranded 158 (maybe 2009?).

Would the white-purple/blue be an ex NR?

It would be a SWT 158

Dunno about the other one

 

[150222]

The other one would be an ex northern one.

 

[deltic1989]

For my part I regularly do the trip from Lincoln to Nottingham, and for comfort and sheer quietness i have to say i prefer a 158 to a 156 or pair of 153's, also EMTs 156s and 153s look thier age with the interiors and the livery, where as thier 158s look like new units. I always find myself standing on the platform praying for a 158 I can have a nap then.

 

[WillPS]

The only 'decent' SuperSprinter refurb there has been is LM's 153 programme.

 

[Blindtraveler]

what did LM do to there units?

 

[90019]

I seem to recall once seeing an EMT/SWT Cl158/9 (well it was in Stagecoach colours!) a while ago (early 2008) in Inverness, along with a white and purple (I think!) unbranded 158 (maybe 2009?).

If the unbranded one was dark blue with a white stripe most of the way along the roof, then it would be 158786.
If the stagecoach one was there at the same time, it would be 158789 (If at different times, it could be either 786 or 789)

 

[BestWestern]

The only 'decent' SuperSprinter refurb there has been is LM's 153 programme.

Which refurb was that? The pair of LM 153's currently on hire to FGW are in LM livery with retrimmed seats and PIS installed, but they're pretty nasty! No effort at doing anything else inside, they look fairly grotty TBH. Did LM do a more thorough refurb on some of the others?

Surely the best refurb by miles has to be SWT/EMT's 158/159's. They are amongst the most pleasant and comfortable units you'll find anywhere!

 

[Hydro]

Surely the best refurb by miles has to be SWT/EMT's 158/159's. They are amongst the most pleasant and comfortable units you'll find anywhere!

Indeed, but aren't really part of the Super Sprinter family (as I found out some months ago), rather Express Sprinters.

I do have one minor gripe with SWT/EMT 158's. They are amazingly comfy, and finished to a lovely high standard but the seats are so thick and, well, sumptious that I find it a bit of a squeeze between the seat and the table! I'm not that tall, not fat (yet, better lay off the M&S milkshakes), yet it's still a bit of a squeeze. I don't know if the cushions are really thick or the tables a bit low.

 

[BestWestern]

Indeed, but aren't really part of the Super Sprinter family (as I found out some months ago), rather Express Sprinters.

Yeah, that did occur to me when replying, but I gathered it was intended to refer to Sprinters in general, unless we're being very specific! I'm still curious as to what the refurb was, I'd have thought FGW probably did the best job on a 153 fleet.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I actually find it a draw of the 158s i love the sound of their engines! throaty enough to be taken seriously, but not whiny like a Turbostar's MTU block.

Agreed! 158's must be the best DMU's for engine noises!

 

[MCR247]

Which refurb was that? The pair of LM 153's currently on hire to FGW are in LM livery with retrimmed seats and PIS installed, but they're pretty nasty! No effort at doing anything else inside, they look fairly grotty TBH. Did LM do a more thorough refurb on some of the others?

The PIS is crap as well. They ruined the 170 PIS as well :roll:

 

[Super Sprinter]

I love a good 158!

It is a shame they got removed from the transpennine route. Brings back many memories of hooking up with one at Manc Pic and then travelling to Uni in York.

I also love a 142 for the same reason, I use to travel on the mid-cheshire line quite frequently.

They may not be glamerous trains, but they sound good and do a good job given their age.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually, does anyone know where the transpennine ones are nowadays?

 

[MCR247]

EMT, FGW(?), Northern?

 

[Super Sprinter]

Says the following on wiki:

"In late 2004, TransPennine Express obtained further units from Central Trains, allowing the formation of six 3-car units, 158971-976"

Be great to know where these units ended up, would love another journey on one.

 

[Failed Unit]

Says the following on wiki:

"In late 2004, TransPennine Express obtained further units from Central Trains, allowing the formation of six 3-car units, 158971-976"

Be great to know where these units ended up, would love another journey on one.

The were split back up into the 2 car units.

At the time there were a lot of 3 car units running around, CT had them, so did TPE.

 

[MCR247]

Says the following on wiki:

"In late 2004, TransPennine Express obtained further units from Central Trains, allowing the formation of six 3-car units, 158971-976"

Be great to know where these units ended up, would love another journey on one.

The only 3 car 158s are First Great Western ones