Class 172 Production Progress

[Peter Sarf]

Paid a visit to Birmingham on Saturday 29/10/2011. Identified seventeen individual 172s and saw another three that I could not identify. So it looks like they are pretty much all delivered and up and running .

I cannot understand comments about the 172s being noisy. They seem to be as noisy as I would expect from a diesel but not as anoying as I have found 158s or 22xs. I travelled on the following
172218 Moor Street to Tysely.
172214 Tysely to Stourbridge Junction.
172342 Stourbridge Juncion to Tysely.
1723xx Tysely to Moor Street.
I did not notice any vibration or excessive noise on these journeys. The 172s have light and open interiors - rather like the 379s that I have also travelled on. I was aware of some pretty purposful acceleration at times and I cannot help feeling that the 172s will be able to speed up the existing services OR perhaps keep their power in waiting for use when recovering from delays .

I also travelled on 139001 Stourbridge Junction to/from Town and I noticed the ride was very rough going down the hill to Town but a lot better going back up the hill.

I also went to Bescot from New Street on 323241 which was very jerky at low speed. It seemed like the Acceleration/Decelration was going through several gear changes that were so frequent at low speed as to be vibration. It was very noticeable and rather wierd. I suspect there may have been something wrong with the electric traction equipent on 323241 ?.

I did not ride on a 150 this time but I did notice how much noise thay make from the outside - a right old thrash when leaving the station !.

Overall I would say the 172s are rather good.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Yeh the 172s are so much better than the 150s they replace, you can get some vibration whilst they are idling or in first gear but once they get moving they are fine.
As for the 323s the low speed stuff with those is a little strange but you get used to it.

 

[150001]

172341's ride quality is great, like all of them. Don't see any problem with them. The only time a panel vibrates is when leaving, only for a few seconds too. They have a 150's thrash too if you sit in the right place and they are great little units. They certainly aren't noisy either, quiet as panthers from a far. Chiltern's and 150s can now be heard a mile off!

 

[Roylang]

I also travelled on 139001 Stourbridge Junction to/from Town and I noticed the ride was very rough going down the hill to Town but a lot better going back up the hill.

I was told by LM staff the other day that Network Rail have quoted £5M to replace the Stourbridge Town line with welded rail. Sounds an awful lot of money for 55 chains

roy

 

[150001]

Complete waste of money and time. Only a short trip and personally I don't mind the rather lively trip! Quite comical really.

 

[swt_passenger]

Nice set of a couple of London Midland 172s under test on the Chiltern line here:

http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains

 

[Class172]

Out today were:

172219+172335
172344
172211+172212

Sat on 211 earlier, it sounded like a cross between a jet engine and a 377!

 

[Dampflok]

Nice set of a couple of London Midland 172s under test on the Chiltern line here:

http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains

Thanks for the link to my site - to get directly to the shots concerned, this is the full link:

http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/November-2011/19872061_9q87RN

A bit more detailed reporting of the runs in the "LM 172/3 Staff Briefing" thread, got a bit confused as to where these posts should be made!

Cheers, Geoff

 

[Voyager 2093]

Does anyone else think it would have been nice for Chiltern to have acquired some Class 180s...?

 

[swt_passenger]

Thanks for the link to my site - to get directly to the shots concerned, this is the full link:

http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/November-2011/19872061_9q87RN

A bit more detailed reporting of the runs in the "LM 172/3 Staff Briefing" thread, got a bit confused as to where these posts should be made!

Cheers, Geoff

Oh yes, I see!

A difficult problem to overcome when there are so many posts/threads per day, at least the choice of 172 threads isn't quite as large as those for 150s...

 

[saltley 1394]

Nice set of a couple of London Midland 172s under test on the Chiltern line here:

http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains

Here are some photos of 172332 and 172221 at London Marylebone on Saturday 5th November after working 5Z00 0835 Derby to Marylebone.










After another trip to Marylebone on Sunday with 172221 both units have finished there fault free running and should be entering service shortly.

 

[The Planner]

Does anyone else think it would have been nice for Chiltern to have acquired some Class 180s...?

Why ?? There is nowhere on the route above 100mph so what would be the point, Id still expect the 67s to beat them from a stand.

 

[atsf_fT]

172 221 was at Tyseley today moveing around the yard

 

[shaun]

Anyone know why the 172s are being tested on the Chiltern line all the way to Marylebone? Interesting to say the least, wonder whether a '150' has ever made it to Marylebone... Would've been strange seeing one in London, at a glance i would've assumed them to have been 377s without thinking of the lack of 3rd rail at Marylebone!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Still loads of 150s out this week, my morning train has now turned into a four-car 150 instead of the 3-car 150+153 combo. Shame, was expecting a nice 172 this morning, hopefully next week...although what is this about Class 170s coming to Snow Hill?

 

[IanXC]

wonder whether a '150' has ever made it to Marylebone... Would've been strange seeing one in London

This picture comes to mind
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:150001_pancras.jpg

Not Marylebone but London non the less

 

[newtownmgr]

6 car 170 diagrammed for 07.35 Wos - Dor & 09.?? Dor - Snow hill then Ecs to Tys with Worcs traincrew. Worcs driver then takes a 3 car 170 + 153 Ecs to Wos mid morning which then works 13.17 Wos - Dor then rest of diagram until finishing about 8ish at Worcs. Again diagram worked by Worcs crews as Leam/snow Hill drivers/conductors + Stourbridge conductors not trained on 170's also snow hill/Leam conductors not trained on 153's.

 

[shaun]

6 car 170 diagrammed for 07.35 Wos - Dor & 09.?? Dor - Snow hill then Ecs to Tys with Worcs traincrew. Worcs driver then takes a 3 car 170 + 153 Ecs to Wos mid morning which then works 13.17 Wos - Dor then rest of diagram until finishing about 8ish at Worcs. Again diagram worked by Worcs crews as Leam/snow Hill drivers/conductors + Stourbridge conductors not trained on 170's also snow hill/Leam conductors not trained on 153's.

Interesting thanks, is there not enough 172s to go round then? I'd like to try this out as i've never been on 170 via Snow Hill (although technically they're the same as 168s). Do you know where i could find the whole diagram?

 

[Class172]

6 car 170 diagrammed for 07.35 Wos - Dor & 09.??

Do you mean the 07:33 WOF-DDG?

 

[trains2064]

Timetable change in December so who knows?

 

[Techniquest]

I was surprised to see 4 150s still with LM yesterday. 150001 worked the 1040 from Moor Street to Kidderminster and 150019 worked the 0947 Worcester Shrub Hill to Whitlocks End. I recall being rather miffed at having not bailed at Droitwich to get that after all! 150106 and 150107 were on Worcester depot last night, don't know if they worked any trains.

Plenty of 172s observed working, that's for sure. Still need 8 of them for sight, that'll change soon enough I expect.

 

[GazzaB24]

I was surprised to see 4 150s still with LM yesterday. 150001 worked the 1040 from Moor Street to Kidderminster and 150019 worked the 0947 Worcester Shrub Hill to Whitlocks End. I recall being rather miffed at having not bailed at Droitwich to get that after all! 150106 and 150107 were on Worcester depot last night, don't know if they worked any trains.

Plenty of 172s observed working, that's for sure. Still need 8 of them for sight, that'll change soon enough I expect.

Regarding 106+107, yes they did, I saw them depart Moor Street on the 17.28 Dorridge - Worcester Shrub Hill, which was the end of the 150/0 + 153 diagram.

 

[RobShipway]

I think I read in either Modern Railways or Rail magazine that there was some Class 150's that would stay with London Midland. 150001 + 150002 certainly would as they are non standard to the rest of the class 150 fleet having been the prototypes for the class 150 fleet.

 

[sprinterguy]

I think I read in either Modern Railways or Rail magazine that there was some Class 150's that would stay with London Midland. 150001 + 150002 certainly would as they are non standard to the rest of the class 150 fleet having been the prototypes for the class 150 fleet.

150105/107/109 are being retained by London Midland. As I understand it, the futures of 150001 and 150002 are still undecided.

 

[Class172]

Three 150s are staying with LM: 150105/107/109 (is this correct?).

1 - Marston Vale
1 - Hereford Line
1 - Spare

The two prototypes are still up for grabs by any of LM/FGW/NT/ATW.

 

[WillPS]

... or NXEC/Abellio?

How long do LM have to place a follow on order?

Does LO have a similar option (or was this used up by Chiltern)?

 

[swt_passenger]

I think I read in either Modern Railways or Rail magazine that there was some Class 150's that would stay with London Midland. 150001 + 150002 certainly would as they are non standard to the rest of the class 150 fleet having been the prototypes for the class 150 fleet.

As discussed at length here already 150001 and 150002 were announced by DfT as offlease with LM and being stored, indeed 150002 has already been reported stored at Eastleigh.

They and the two orphaned 150 cars make up the 8 carriages that were stated to go off lease, so your assumption that the two prototypes would certainly stay is at least 50% overtaken by events already...

 

[newtownmgr]

6 car 170 diagrammed for 07.35 Wos - Dor & 09.??

Do you mean the 07:33 WOF-DDG?

Train starts from Wos in Dec timetable change and 07.15 to Dorridge starts from Wof.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Re PM diagram for 170/6 + 153. it will work 13.17 WOS - DOR & Rtn followed by 16.17 WOS - DOR & Rtn.

 

[tnxrail]

If 150002 is not going to another company at least for a while why isn't it still being used by LM for now.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

If 150002 is not going to another company at least for a while why isn't it still being used by LM for now.

That will be pure economics, LM are not going to pay leasing costs on more units than they need!

 

[RobShipway]

That will be pure economics, LM are not going to pay leasing costs on more units than they need!

It is prorbably that 150002 is awaiting to be taken to Eastleigh if it is offlease, unless it is going to York or Locomotion to join the National Collection??