FGW Class 158s

[DaveHarries]

Hi,

Presumably First GW have had a spare Class 158 or two to spare. Twice during the week commencing 10th February I have used the 0754 Severn Beach - Bristol Temple Meads and have had a nice and comfy ride on a 3-car Class 158!

I gather that this working is now booked as a 3-car train but I have usually seen something like a 150 + 153 or a 3-car 150 (2-car 150 + half of another 150 added on). I have had 2-car 158s on there in the past but never a 3! The train, in both cases, has been 158961 which has transferred onto the Portsmouth - Cardiff services by the time I go home.

Either the problems at Dawlish have made a spare 158 available somewhere or somehow it has been possible to diagram a 158 into the workings of the SBL and it will stay like that. Hopefully the latter: it is nice to have a commute into work that does not involve a train comprising of 150s and 153s!

That 0754 is normally very busy anyway and is a squash by the time it gets to Stapleton Road. Thanks FGW!

Dave

 

[Parallel]

They definitely must have a spare 158 or two - bearing in mind they also have the SWT example at the moment (although that seems to get operated on services where 150s are usually used so maybe not) - but I do see 158s (two car and three car) running services to Weymouth at times as well - I can't imagine the Dawlish wall has had an affect on the 158s much as as far as I am aware the nearest they (occasionally) go to is Taunton.

At peak times in the morning, we usually get a 158 with a 153 stuck onto the front that go to Cardiff, though I imagine the 153 comes off at Bristol.

 

[BestWestern]

It won't be permanent I'm afraid, 158s lose time considerably on the Beach line due to their slower doors leading to increased dwell times. It's also not a sensible use of the best - and only long distance spec - units on the West fleet! There are two 150 sets which are three cars, 921 and 927. Both are formed of a standard Class 150/1 with a spare 150/2 vehicle in the centre, all ex London Midland. The story of the spare coaches is fairly well known, they were both orphaned when the other half of each set was written off after collisions. LM used both in the same way, though possibly with different 150/1's attached!

 

[richw]

They definitely must have a spare 158 or two - bearing in mind they also have the SWT example at the moment (although that seems to get operated on services where 150s are usually used so maybe not) - but I do see 158s (two car and three car) running services to Weymouth at times as well - I can't imagine the Dawlish wall has had an affect on the 158s much as as far as I am aware the nearest they (occasionally) go to is Taunton.

At peak times in the morning, we usually get a 158 with a 153 stuck onto the front that go to Cardiff, though I imagine the 153 comes off at Bristol.

Doesn't one of the sets go to Paignton though?

 

[TEW]

The working to Paignton is a 2-car 158. Both the Severn Beach line trains in the morning are booked 3-car 150s now and there is no spare 3-car 150 but there are spare 3-car 158s, so it isn't unusual for a 3-car 158 to replace a 3-car 150. Until recently though 3-car 158s weren't permitted on the Severn Beach line because of a problem with the platform length at Avonmouth.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Seems like such a waste of an long-distance unit, especially when a 150/1 ends up on a Cardiff to Portsmouth job!

There have also been two 158s on the Cardiff to Taunton route lately, one on the normal diagram starting with the 1100 from Cardiff, but also the 1200 from Cardiff on Friday was 158959. This starts with the 0945 W-s-Mare to Cardiff, which is formed off the (usually) extra 150 in front of the 158 which works the 0730 Cardiff to Portsmouth as far as Bristol. Going on that basis, the 0730 CDF - PMH on Friday must have been a 6-car 158, unless a unit swapped?

158961 has done some mega travelling of late, it also worked a Great Malvern to Brighton service as well last week!

Also the 1655 Filton Abbey Wood to Westbury was a 158/9 at some point last week too!

 

[vicbury]

Well last Thursday I had a 150 from Southampton to Bath so in my eyes there are certainly no spare 158s!

 

[TEW]

On a day-to-day basis there are spare 158s, 158s that are not diagrammed to be in service. Now they may well be in for maintenance but sometimes they will be available for traffic too which means they can get put out on any diagram. There are services from Southampton to Bath which are booked for 150s as well; the 0823 and 1227 Great Malvern services.

 

[Parallel]

There are services from Southampton to Bath which are booked for 150s as well; the 0823 and 1227 Great Malvern services.

Is the 0823 service the one that starts at Southampton after having come from Gloucester via Melksham? And the 1227 one that comes from Westbury on its last journey?

 

[TEW]

Those are the ones. The 1227 until fairly recently was booked a single Class 153.

 

[NX]

Three car 158s won't fit into Avonmouth, the rear vehicle needs to be locked out.

NX

 

[thelongestroad]

Actually (as mentioned already) 158/3s are now allowed on the Severn Beach line. Recent modifications to the infrastructure has allowed this. They are not however practical units due to dwell times increased by slow doors and passenger loading.

Don't expect them to become a regular feature because they are unpractical for the style of working and rack up the delay minutes.

 

[sprinterguy]

There are two 150 sets which are three cars, 921 and 927. Both are formed of a standard Class 150/1 with a spare 150/2 vehicle in the centre, all ex London Midland.

Only the 150/2 vehicles are ex-London Midland. The 150/1 units in these formations are ex-Silverlink (Though both West Midlands allocated units before that).