Consecutive pairs of units

[Adrian1980uk]

I would ask when a coincidence potentially encouraged by shunters becomes not a coincidence.

With the limited size of fleets since privatization it's probably become more likely and as others have said if you happen to have consecutive units in the depot, well you would wouldn't you

 

[Peter Mugridge]

730 001 + 730 002 on the Tring / Milton Keynes circuit today.

In this instance, it also requires someone at Soho or wherever to send a consecutive pair onto the London rotation...

Edited to add: 730 022 + 730 023 were also operating in London, on one of the peak only diagrams.

 

[nw1]

The one and only time I travelled on a 4EPB (21 Oct 1983) featured 5123 and 5124 paired together. I remember that because of the novelty; it was a service which wasn't normally diagrammed for EPBs and indeed was well out of their usual area (the 1832 Waterloo-Portsmouth and Southsea - the service with the rather quirky calling pattern which skipped Farncombe but called at Witley).

Usual stock was a CIG/VEP combo, I believe.

 

[Ian Hardy]

458424 + 458425 on the very delayed 2S31 1152 London Waterloo to Weybridge (due to a passenger being taken ill):
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L76439/2026-01-21/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[RichJF]

377512/513 coupled and 377132/133 coupled running on the Maidstone East Line today!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

...and reported elsewhere a consecutive pair of units on the Waterloo - Reading service today: 458 407 + 458 408 ( they failed earlier but are returning to service later ).

 

[NSEWonderer]

458415 and 458416. On the Windsor to Waterloo. Just seen at Staines

 

[cockneyviking]

730001 + 730002 and 730022 + 730023 both sets out today on Euston/Milton Keynes etc

 

[pokemonsuper9]

730042+730041 are together today
View attachment 193047

Much lower quality but I saw 730042 + 730043 together last Saturday (24/01/2026).
Presumably I'll see 730043 + 730044 next.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 Jan 2026 ==

Multiple units aren't the only ones that get to join in the fun.
90047 + 90048 seen at Nuneaton last Saturday (24/01/2026).


And then not long after 805006 + 805007 flew through

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yesterday ( 04/02/26 ) I dropped on three consecutive pairings for haulage without knowing they were around - literally a case of them turning up on my next move...

350 103 + 350 104 from Harrow and Wealdstone to Euston.

377 618 + 377 619 from East Croydon to London Bridge.

377 705 + 377 706 from Sutton to Epsom.

 

[xotGD]

This morning 158849 + 158850 shall be taking me to work.

 

[D1511]

I'm just waiting for 730233 & 730234 to take me to Tamworth on 1U33. They're 3 late!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

On 8th May, how about this... two consecutive pairs on consecutive diagrams and both with the lower numbered unit leading, thus at Harrow and Wealdstone 730 217 + 730 218 was followed by 730 219 + 730 220...!! The same day 377 614 + 377 615 was running around on Southern.

...and on 13th May, 196 003 + 196 004 was on the Hereford route from New Street; as was 196 005 + 196 006.

 

[Strathclyder]

Up in Scotrail-land, scouring RTT reveals 334008+009 working together on 2H53 (21:21 Edinburgh - Helensburgh Central) tonight (15th May). Between Haymarket & Edinburgh Park as I type this.

 

[xotGD]

331003 + 331004 running together today.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Realtime Trains | 1W75 1705 London Waterloo to Weymouth and Poole | 18/05/2026

Real-time train running information for 1W75 1705 departure from London Waterloo to Weymouth and Poole on 18/05/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

444044 and 444043 running together

 

[ENC Rail]

I saw 150121 & 150122 running together earlier, running between Knottingley & Leeds.

Realtime Trains | 2F54 1216 Knottingley to Leeds | 18/05/2026

Real-time train running information for 2F54 1216 departure from Knottingley to Leeds on 18/05/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[norbitonflyer]

Not consecutive, but 450003 and 450103 have just passed me at Wimbledon on an up service.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yesterday I saw 159 020 + 159 021 and 458 404 + 458 405 within minutes of each other at Clapham Junction.

 

[NSEWonderer]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L80806/2026-08-01/detailed

450001 and 450002

 

[Ian Hardy]

Yesterday (Friday 31/07/2026) 458426 & 458427 were on 1S14 0702 Weybridge to London Waterloo via Hounslow service:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L79841/2026-07-31/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[SECR 65]

Many of the examples on this thread are SWR - is that a coincidence based on where members are based, or could it be a particular fun challenge for a certain base of shunting staff?

 

[Omnidekkalover]

170508 and 170509 doing a late running early morning run from Leicester

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C59763/2026-08-01/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yesterday I had something that is similar, but different...

377 601 + 377 701.

 

[NSEWonderer]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L80181/2026-08-02/detailed

444018 + 444019

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Aug 2026 ==

Another Bournemouth Special I suspect.
444040 + 450041. Special as its a rarer hybrid 9 car Desiro pairing.

 

[CR165022]

165006 + 165007 today

 

[Omnidekkalover]

Today I had 170 203 and 170 204 between Peterborough and Nottingham which was running a Norwich to Liverpool service. One set was swapped out at Nottingham.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C04455/2026-08-02/detailed#allox_id=1

 

[720144]

On Saturday and today 357014+015

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Y64222/2026-08-03/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[150249]

Hybrid livery pair of 220015 + 220016 on 1V44 and 1S51 today.

Even better, 220012 + 220013 + 220014 on an ECS this evening.

 

[ExRes]

Unfortunately all my records disappeared during a house move but it's likely I had all the 170/1s, all the 222/0s & 222/1s and all the 325s as consecutive pairs, maybe the 325s as triples as well