School holidays (in my area at least) start in under a week. Families will be starting their holidays in one week's time. With the Castle sets gone, the Sprinters spread thinly, and the tiny number of 175s available (see post 2638), what is the GWR service in Devon and Cornwall going to be like? I'd suggest that anyone without a car will be unwise to take an Easter holiday in the west country this year.
It is planned to clear them from Exeter St Davids to Yeovil Pen Mill, yes. Yeovil PM to Castle Cary is already cleared as a legacy of Class 180 clearance works in the early 2000s, although I'm not sure why.
This was by the doors in the vestibule just seemed to unlock the doors maybe an error not seen this since only those first few days
They will also be cleared for Paignton and Exmouth as it's inevitable they will be used there as are the 158s. One diagram is Barnstaple-Paignton although that will probably change in the May timetable. Who knows they might even get used during the Torbay airshow to use an 800 elsewhere.
Door control MCB in at least one cab used to trip if you were keyed in at 2 places at once as well - many a guard was caught out by that one.
Trouble is that on Sprinters was if you put another key in it would buzz. With 175s it doesn’t.
Indeed. The only warning on a 175 you get is every external door on the train, cab doors included, instantly closing without even a hustle alarm - and then not being able to reopen until you find the MCB and reset it.
It's like you and I said at the start - 175s are great units, but they do have some interesting foibles that can catch out the unwary!
True, except 175s are not modern trains! They've got primitive, obselete electronics from 30 years ago and are rudimentary compared with modern stuff.
A little OTT. Most people on holiday in Cornwall will be travelling from further a field, so likely to be travelling in on long distance GWR/XC which are not short formed. As reported elsewhere there are now two 175 diagrams daily with another 1-2 per day training runs - would wager the Castle diagrams will be fully covered soon - not least as at least six units have been out regularly (from memory 001/002/003/007/009 and 011?) so all seem to be match-fit.
I do remember on one journey that the train manager after doing something to the door closest to me had to then run down the carriage and do something at another door for them all to open.
175008 is off lease at Ely.
Just because the equipment is clearly still in use doesn't mean it's not obselete. You wouldn't install it or anything resembling it on a new train, or likely be able to readily get plentiful spares. Same is true for all the Coradia fleets plus the Networkers and London Underground 1992 and 1996 stock, for example.
I doubt it, a lot of Exeter Drivers still don't sign them, any extra workings are likely to be on the mainline for now
Do ANY Exeter drivers yet sign them? I'm under the impression it's just Plymouth Par and PZ at present, and even then it's still a tiny proportion of drivers trained. I'd have thought Exeter is way way down the pecking order at this stage.
If GWR want to improve the services round Bristol then they need the 158s. Exeter with it's new depot facilities and staff accommodation was supposed to become the centre of the universe for the South West.
None that im aware of.
GWR sort of get a few extra weeks in Bristol area due to engineering works.
I don't think so, but wasn't 100% sure, a lot Exeter Guards sign them though
I believe I've seen at least half of 008 at Wolverton, not Ely.
