Do/Did 150s have first class?

[crispy1978]

Stood on a 150 to Accrington and noticing what used to be a sliding door 2/3 of the way down the back carriage which has been ripped out with various degrees of metal to lean against!

It loos like this used to be a separate compartment, likely for first class? Can anyone confirm?

I'm not savvy on train types so please be gentle!!

 

[43074]

The 150s have never had First Class. The compartment might have been a parcels area used when the trains were first introduced.

 

[OuterDistant]

I haven't been on a 150 for years, but remember them having a few longitudinal seats that could tip up out of the way, with a sort of handle underneath to lean against - was this it?

 

[Greenback]

No, 150's have never had first class accommodation. Though some of the first gen DMU's that they replaced did.

 

[sonic2009]

Is this possibly an ex LM unit?

 

[crispy1978]

There is a definite door area......

 

[driver9000]

That will be the old parcels area which could be locked to keep the area secure.

The 142 and 156 also had a similar area fitted when new. On the Provincial livery the parcels end was marked with a light blue stripe between the windows and roof.

 

[CC 72100]

There is a definite door area......

I've always wondered about that too.

Smokers compartment?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That will be the old parcels area which could be locked to keep the area secure.

The 142 and 156 also had a similar area fitted when new. On the Provincial livery the parcels end was marked with a light blue stripe between the windows and roof.

That'll be a no then!

 

[OuterDistant]

Ah, that brings to mind getting on one at Llandudno as a child where the section with the tip up seats had several dozen cigarette ends on the floor!

 

[WillPS]

EMT's 156s still had the sliding door intact when they inherited them from Central Trains, they were removed during the refit. When I frequented the Robin Hood Line a few years ago I asked a guard what it was for, and he said that it was for parcels, but it's been left in for use by the BTP on the route! No idea if he was having me on but it has the ring of truth.

 

[DeRobeck]

No, 150's have never had first class accommodation. Though some of the first gen DMU's that they replaced did.

As I remember, all of the first generation dmus had 1st class. In a 2-car set there was a small 1st class compartment at one end and a small non-smoking compartment at the other. So if you wanted to enjoy the view ahead (or behind) you either had to pay more or forego a smoke.

 

[crispy1978]

Cheers guys. Was leaning against it and thinking it was obviously some form of segregation for something!!!

 

[RPM]

Even 165s had this lockable compartment. Presumably they were the last DMU design to be built with this feature. I don't think 166s had them because they have a 1st class compartment at both ends.

 

[driver9000]

Even 165s had this lockable compartment. Presumably they were the last DMU design to be built with this feature. I don't think 166s had them because they have a 1st class compartment at both ends.

Didn't 158s have lockable parcels areas at the inner end? Or was that just for bikes?

 

[jopsuk]

317s and 321s had it as new as well.

 

[route:oxford]

Didn't 158s have lockable parcels areas at the inner end? Or was that just for bikes?

They did, yes. It could be used for bikes or parcels.

They also had a luggage shelf with a roller shutter for parcels.

 

[Mugby]

I thought the lockable compartment was for mail?

Bearing in mind that quite a volume of mail was still being carried when 150's were first introduced and mail, by it's very nature, was required to be locked away.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

designed for parcels use but realistically a bike / buggy / luggage area

 

[driver9000]

I thought the lockable compartment was for mail?

Bearing in mind that quite a volume of mail was still being carried when 150's were first introduced and mail, by it's very nature, was required to be locked away.

Described in the BR Traincrew manuals as a "Parcels area" but in reality was for the use of anything that needed to be conveyed securely be it mailbags, parcels or other package.

 

[Bevan Price]

As I remember, all of the first generation dmus had 1st class. In a 2-car set there was a small 1st class compartment at one end and a small non-smoking compartment at the other. So if you wanted to enjoy the view ahead (or behind) you either had to pay more or forego a smoke.

Yes. I think the only first generation units without 1st Class were the 4 wheel railbuses, and maybe also the WR single car units (later known as Classes 121 & 122).

Most 2+ car dmus later had the 1st class areas converted to 2nd (standard) class.

 

[edwin_m]

Has anyone ever seen these areas actually locked out of use? Since they prevented movement down the train they would have made life difficult for the guard if they happened to be at the rear, or for everybody if at the end of a set with through gangways to a coupled unit. Boarding and alighting times on a 156 would also have suffered with one set of doors unexpectedly not available (I think the 156s and possibly others had break-glass handles in case of emergency).

 

[RPM]

Didn't 158s have lockable parcels areas at the inner end? Or was that just for bikes?

Yes, I think those areas on 158s were intended for parcels. On the 159s they were omitted IIRC, in favour of drop-down seats.

 

[185]

Definitely Parcels.

However one did have first class. Once. Was given a 150 in 2004 as a substitute for a failed unit, and a certain prankster cleaner from Hull stuck antimacassars over all the seats in the parcel area. Looked fantastic. And it only lost 5 minutes on the booked traction.

Passengers weren't too amused :P

 

[DarloRich]

Stood on a 150 to Accrington and noticing what used to be a sliding door 2/3 of the way down the back carriage which has been ripped out with various degrees of metal to lean against!

It loos like this used to be a separate compartment, likely for first class? Can anyone confirm?

I'm not savvy on train types so please be gentle!!

I seem to recall that area being used a smoking area when smoking was allowed on trains.