Differences between Class 150s

[M60lad]

This might have been covered before although I'm not too sure so I'll ask anyway, Have 150/1 and 150/2s got different engines or gearbox's fitted as they sound different to each other

 

[Old Hill Bank]

This might have been covered before although I'm not too sure so I'll ask anyway, Have 150/1 and 150/2s got different engines or gearbox's fitted as they sound different to each other

Both have the same engines and transmissions but I think the /2s have better electrical systems attached.

 

[driver9000]

The 150/2 has 2 alternators while the 150/1 has 1 alternator not sure of that makes a difference. I can't say I've ever noticed much of a difference to be honest.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

The /2s always seemed a fraction quieter in the passenger compartment to me when we had them on our route. More to do with the construction design than anythig else I suspect. Sorry meant to say less noisey!!!!!

 

[150001]

I think that the 150/2s do sound slightly different, and I agree that some did seem less noisy. The best units were the Ex Anglia units; shame they had to go. All seems an age ago now with the 172s!

 

[Class172]

I never really noticed much of a difference to be honest. If the two sub-classes have different numbers of alternators, how many do the 150/0s have?

 

[driver9000]

The 150/0 has 1 as far as I know.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

I think that the 150/2s do sound slightly different, and I agree that some did seem less noisy. The best units were the Ex Anglia units; shame they had to go. All seems an age ago now with the 172s!

We gained the Anglia ones from the flatlands of East Anglia where the engines and transmissions would have had a much easer life unlike the thrashing anthing on the Snow Hill Lines will get, so they will have arrived in better nick than the stuff aleady in use on the route. No dig at the good Maintenance staff at TYS.

 

[anthony263]

The class 150/2's are quieter than the class 150/1's.

 

[BestWestern]

I must say I've never noticed, and I've worked and travelled on plenty of examples of both. In my experience they're generally so noisy and rattly it would be impossible to tell if there were any minor differences in 'noisyness' between the two. The level of noise on any given journey varies considerably depending on a number of things; whether the windows are open and if so how many, how rattly the doors are at speed on a particular car, how hard the unit is being driven, how well maintained it is and so on. But they share the same mechanical kit, bodyshell and bogies, so it's tricky to see where any extra noise output would come from? Indeed, if a /2 has an additinal alternator one might even expect marginally more noise to be apparent from those in some cases?!

 

[Beveridges]

150/2 has two smaller alternators than the large one under the 150/1.

Both Units have extremely loud, thunderous engines. I can't say that I have noticed that one is less noisy than the other.

There are many differences between 150/1 & 150/2 but they both have the same engine.

The engine noise on both sub classes is tremendous, as mentioned already.

It's one of the very few advantages of the much quieter 225hp Cummins engined Pacers.

When fuelling these things on NH the noise level at ground level is tremendous!!!

 

[150001]

I agree about the level of noise; when all the windows were open and going down to Worcester, it was deafening. On a joking side, one similarity between both sub classes was was the ability for the gangway doors to magically open at any point. 150012 had no handle on one door and just shut and opened every station!

 

[O L Leigh]

We gained the Anglia ones from the flatlands of East Anglia where the engines and transmissions would have had a much easer life unlike the thrashing anthing on the Snow Hill Lines will get, so they will have arrived in better nick than the stuff aleady in use on the route. No dig at the good Maintenance staff at TYS.

Don't believe it. They may not have had many hills to climb but that doesn't mean they weren't thrashed. They certainly got a good ragging across the Fens when they worked the Ipswich-Peterborough trip.

Maybe it's just that Clown Point knew how to look after them properly whereas Tyseley just kept shoving them out into service on a wing and a prayer and hoped that not too many of them went pop before they were next on the factory for exam.

O L Leigh

 

[Helvellyn]

Going offtopic, but put new engines on the 150/2s, disc brakes, air-con, selaed windows and quality 2+2 seating along with a new universal loo and you'd have a very nice unit to use on rural routes for years to come, maybe helping free up 153s for reformation back to 155s.

Need to sort out those rattling doors though!

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Going offtopic, but put new engines on the 150/2s, disc brakes, air-con, selaed windows and quality 2+2 seating along with a new universal loo and you'd have a very nice unit to use on rural routes for years to come, maybe helping free up 153s for reformation back to 155s.

Need to sort out those rattling doors though!

Nice idea but I'd bet there would be another 100+ things you would have to do to make them compliant to the standards that may apply when you do it (dissapears tearing hair out!!)

ps is it me or are the Perkins engined DMUs quieter than the Cummins ones?

 

[bronzeonion]

Going offtopic, but put new engines on the 150/2s, disc brakes, air-con, selaed windows and quality 2+2 seating along with a new universal loo and you'd have a very nice unit to use on rural routes for years to come, maybe helping free up 153s for reformation back to 155s.

Need to sort out those rattling doors though!

Why disk brakes? Good at slowing down from high speeds but theyre not as sharp as treads at low speeds

 

[edwin_m]

If you fitted new engines you'd be caught by the latest emissions regulations.

 

[150001]

That sounds a good plan with the 150/2s; again slightly off topic but I've always believed the 150s needed a SWT 455 refurbishment as they looked brand new and very smart when refurbed.

 

[Beveridges]

150s just need better silencers, the noise levels are tremendous!

They already have large silencers - even tho they don't sound like it.

 

[Class172]

To be honest though, I like their sound, throaty and powerful.

 

[BestWestern]

To be honest though, I like their sound, throaty and powerful.

They do sound rather good! Though not as good as a 158

 

[TDK]

Going offtopic, but put new engines on the 150/2s, disc brakes, air-con, selaed windows and quality 2+2 seating along with a new universal loo and you'd have a very nice unit to use on rural routes for years to come, maybe helping free up 153s for reformation back to 155s.

Need to sort out those rattling doors though!

If you did that you would have a 158

 

[D365]

If you did that you would have a 158

Nobody's replaced the doors though, nor are there regional service facilities or the higher top speed :P

 

[AndyLandy]

Nobody's replaced the doors though, nor are there regional service facilities or the higher top speed :P

It's not far off it though. By the time you've invested in all those changes suggested, you might as well have bought some new trains.

 

[Beveridges]

To be honest though, I like their sound, throaty and powerful.

As far as modern units are concerned I think the best sounding one is the TPE Class 185.

Nowhere near as loud as a 150!! But the noise they do make sounds far more throaty when full power is applied.

Not like full power is applied often on a 185. They are up to line speed in no time and they are much more powerful than they need to be for the trans pennine routes.

A 150 has full power applied nearly all the time! On some journeys they are in notch 7 all the time until it's time to brake for a station! One reason why the noise levels are so tremendous.

 

[ed1971]

Nice idea but I'd bet there would be another 100+ things you would have to do to make them compliant to the standards that may apply when you do it (dissapears tearing hair out!!)

ps is it me or are the Perkins engined DMUs quieter than the Cummins ones?

Yes, some Class 158s were built with Perkins 2006-TWH engines as were all the Class 165 and 166s. They are quieter. A Perkins unit was even fitted to 142084 in 1991 as an experiment when a replacement engine for the obsolete Leyland TL11 was being sought.

Class 150/1s do have a slightly different interior sound to the 150/2s. The former emit a loud howling sound throughout the interiors. I have read before that the two sub classes have around 83 differences between them.

 

[317666]

To my ears the /2s sound very different to the /1s, especially from inside. I'll use two Youtube clips I've found as examples.

The /1s tend to make a whining sound when revving up, like this:

http://youtu.be/H6fNNq-4-6A?t=1m45s

Whereas the /2s tend to have a constant wailing over the top, which changes pitch depending on the throttle position:

http://youtu.be/j5nRg6hc6sQ?t=39s

Personally I love the sound of 150s, definitely preferred to the constant vibrating/rattling/buzzing on a 172!

 

[Class172]

I like the 172s sound very much (one of my favourite modern sounds) as its so distinctive with the audible gear changes — sometimes it even manages to sound like an EMU!

 

[150001]

I like the 172s sound very much (one of my favourite modern sounds) as its so distinctive with the audible gear changes — sometimes it even manages to sound like an EMU!

I agree! Excellent smooth units, well built and I rarely feel/see any vibration or rattling issues.

 

[anthony263]

I like the 172s sound very much (one of my favourite modern sounds) as its so distinctive with the audible gear changes — sometimes it even manages to sound like an EMU!

my freind who was with me when I visited Wolverhampton last tuesday made the comment that the 172's remind him of Southern's class 377 electrostars.

I had 172212 and 172341 last tuesday and both were pretty quiet especially compared to other dmu's as well as being very good accelerating.