Fareham- Bristol Temple Meads GWR

[Joshapple23]

Hi all, doing the above route tomorrow, I'm hoping it will be a nice 158 but have a horrible feeling it will be a 165, which is it gonna be?

 

[Kite159]

Best to check RTT in the morning as the 158s interwork with the 165 & 166s on those services, in varying coach lengths (can have a mix of a 2 coach running one service followed by 5 coaches the hour later)

 

[fgwrich]

Best to check RTT in the morning as the 158s interwork with the 165 & 166s on those services, in varying coach lengths (can have a mix of a 2 coach running one service followed by 5 coaches the hour later)

Very much this, as I found out last weekend when I missed the 158 and ended up with a 5 car very full 165 set.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Hi all, doing the above route tomorrow, I'm hoping it will be a nice 158 but have a horrible feeling it will be a 165, which is it gonna be?

Here's Realtime Trains' service and train formation info, from Fareham today 6am until 8pm. GWR sets are shown on here:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...26-10-03/0600-2000 stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

158 2-car set is allocated to 09:47 dep Fareham for Cardiff.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W34983/2026-10-03/detailed#allox_id=0

158 4-car set is allocated to 10:47 dep Fareham for Cardiff.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C42260/2026-10-03/detailed#allox_id=0

158 4-car set is allocated to 11:47 dep Fareham for Cardiff.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W34995/2026-10-03/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[structos]

166/5 are far better, in my opinion, than the 158s when you sit in the declassified first class, it is normally at either end, some have only one end after refurbishment

 

[Kite159]

.

166/5 are far better, in my opinion, than the 158s when you sit in the declassified first class, it is normally at either end, some have only one end after refurbishment

166s have declassified 1st class at both ends
3 coach 165s have it at one end
2 coach 165s no longer have it, as it was replaced by an oversized cycle rack which gets ignored

 

[JonathanH]

2 coach 165s no longer have it, as it was replaced by an oversized cycle rack which gets ignored

Strictly the oversized cycle rack is at the former standard class end, with the first class end reseated with standard class seating.

 

[AdamWW]

166/5 are far better, in my opinion, than the 158s when you sit in the declassified first class, it is normally at either end, some have only one end after refurbishment

Unless there is some piece of equipment in there making a horrible racket as has happened to me more than once.

Best to check RTT in the morning as the 158s interwork with the 165 & 166s on those services, in varying coach lengths (can have a mix of a 2 coach running one service followed by 5 coaches the hour later)

It seems to me that the same type of train is generally allocated to a given service, but they don't always stick to that.
And they aren't always as long as they should be (e.g. a 2 car 158 allegedly splitting at Bristol, which rather suggests an intention for it to be two units).

 

[fgwrich]

Unless there is some piece of equipment in there making a horrible racket as has happened to me more than once.



It seems to me that the same type of train is generally allocated to a given service, but they don't always stick to that.
And they aren't always as long as they should be (e.g. a 2 car 158 allegedly splitting at Bristol, which rather suggests an intention for it to be two units).

I’m not sure where or what it is, but there seems to be a fan mounted up on the ceiling which on some 166s make a horrible ear piercing squeaking noise, and somewhat ruins travelling in that compartment.