FGW starts to reform more 158s

[Blindtraveler]

an easier job with the 166 as they already are designed for express work and are doing it today. New seats, pannles, carpets, plugs in first and improved DDA compliant toilets and your laughing!

 

[BestWestern]

The Turbo fleet have had an interior refurbishment fairly recently as part of the FGW franchise agreements. So whether they'd redo the whole lot again is debatable, would depend on the timescale I would think.

 

[Schnellzug]

Well, new seat coverings. But I expect they'd probably consider that was good enough.

 

[Helvellyn]

The Turbo fleet have had an interior refurbishment fairly recently as part of the FGW franchise agreements. So whether they'd redo the whole lot again is debatable, would depend on the timescale I would think.

That's more of a refresh (facelift) than a refurbishment, as original items have pretty much been retained.

As another poster said, the Class 166 units could be refurbished with new aircon, new 2+2 seating, crapets and a DDA complient toilet in one of the DM coaches. All-in-all a pretty major job could be done on them, giving a fleet of 21-refurbished long distance units.

 

[BestWestern]

That's more of a refresh (facelift) than a refurbishment, as original items have pretty much been retained.

As another poster said, the Class 166 units could be refurbished with new aircon, new 2+2 seating, crapets and a DDA complient toilet in one of the DM coaches. All-in-all a pretty major job could be done on them, giving a fleet of 21-refurbished long distance units.

...is that a term for toilets?!

Sorry, just kidding I've not been on one in years so I have no idea about the quality of their 'new' interiors, obviously not as good as has been suggested by FGW! There might well be a sound argument for using these sets on the Portsmouth - Cardiff and the Brighton runs then, if they were sorted to a decent standard. The addition of First Class would be a bonus, and the 'suburban' door layout would probably be a good thing here since the service gets incredibly crowded during the peak journeys. I wouldn't be suprised though if they'd prefer to retain the 158s for these runs and operate them in four car format (four cars has been mentioned as part of the NR control period plans), with the Turbos providing a standardised fleet throughout the rest of the 'West' operation.

 

[Goatboy]

FGW have aquired MORE 150's? Great, they need less of the damn things not more of them given they refuse to use them in an appropriate manner.

I'm getting thoroughly sick of finding a 150 in place of the usual 150 on my 2.5 hour journey from Bristol Temple Meads to Great Malvern. It's a noisy, cramped unit suited for commuter use not long distance work. I pity any of the pax who had been on the unit from its originating point at Southampton Central!

They are increasingly using 150's on numerous 5-6 hour journeys where previously a far more suitable 158 would be diagrammed.

 

[anthony263]

FGW have aquired MORE 150's? Great, they need less of the damn things not more of them given they refuse to use them in an appropriate manner.

I'm getting thoroughly sick of finding a 150 in place of the usual 150 on my 2.5 hour journey from Bristol Temple Meads to Great Malvern. It's a noisy, cramped unit suited for commuter use not long distance work. I pity any of the pax who had been on the unit from its originating point at Southampton Central!

They are increasingly using 150's on numerous 5-6 hour journeys where previously a far more suitable 158 would be diagrammed.

dont you mean a class 150 in place of a class 158?



Anyway does anyone know how many 2 carriage class 158's FGW had before the were re-formed into 3 carriage sets?

 

[tbtc]

but that's utterly meaningless as Portsmouth-Cardiff, and indeed nowhere that FGW DMUs are used outside the London District, is going to be electrified, is it? So that's completely meaningless

London - Bristol Parkway - Cardiff is being electrified

Bristol Parkway - Bristol is being electrified (as the additional two/hour from London to Bristol will run this way).

So I'd expect the short chord through Patchway will get wired too.

Therefore I think that's a decent chance that the Cardiff - Portsmouth will be split into:

• Cardiff - Bristol (four coach EMU)
• Bristol - Portsmouth (DMU)

(thus allowing the Portsmouth service to maybe be doubled up?)

Frustratingly its not *that* far to electrify from Bath to Southampton, but I guess that depends on Basingstoke - Exeter electrification

 

[anthony263]

London - Bristol Parkway - Cardiff is being electrified

Bristol Parkway - Bristol is being electrified (as the additional two/hour from London to Bristol will run this way).

So I'd expect the short chord through Patchway will get wired too.

Therefore I think that's a decent chance that the Cardiff - Portsmouth will be split into:

• Cardiff - Bristol (four coach EMU)
• Bristol - Portsmouth (DMU)

(thus allowing the Portsmouth service to maybe be doubled up?)

Frustratingly its not *that* far to electrify from Bath to Southampton, but I guess that depends on Basingstoke - Exeter electrification

Nice idea putting the wires between Bath & Southampton especially if you include the line between Romsey & Eastleigh via Chandlers ford especially if SWT can replace the class 158/159's with some emu's allowing the class
158's to be cascaded to boost capacity elsewhere.

I wouldnt really bother splitting the Cardiff - portsmouth service , however I would split the Cardiff - Taunton route so that it becomes an hourly Cardiff - Bristol TM stopping service using an EMU and a hourly Taunton - Bristol dmu service which could be extended to Gloucester if enough DMU's are available

 

[tbtc]

Nice idea putting the wires between Bath & Southampton especially if you include the line between Romsey & Eastleigh via Chandlers ford especially if SWT can replace the class 158/159's with some emu's allowing the class
158's to be cascaded to boost capacity elsewhere.

I wouldnt really bother splitting the Cardiff - portsmouth service , however I would split the Cardiff - Taunton route so that it becomes an hourly Cardiff - Bristol TM stopping service using an EMU and a hourly Taunton - Bristol dmu service which could be extended to Gloucester if enough DMU's are available

Electrification of Basingstoke - Exeter, Bath - Southampton and the "six" would free up a lot of DMU coaches (due to the three coach 159s), but its needs to be done fully or nothing at atall.

I'm only suggesting splitting the Cardiff - Portsmouth service so that there are more DMUs to use on the unelectrified section, due to the capacity issues at the Portsmouth end. Am not saying its ideal, but it would give both ends a four coach length

 

[TEW]

166s are 2 plus 2 and not bad considddering. I quite like them

166s are mainly 3+2 seating with a small area of 2+2 seating with tables in the middle coach. The interior is basically identical to 165s otherwise and not really the best for a long distance journey. The FGW refurb has made them a lot nicer inside, they were looking very shabby, the air-con on 166s is being replaced as well but they still aren't long distance trains.

 

[150222]

Do 165/166's have BSI couplers?

 

[swt_passenger]

Anyway does anyone know how many 2 carriage class 158's FGW had before the were re-formed into 3 carriage sets?

FGW have one 'proper' three car, 158798, and I reckon 20 x 2 cars.

Corrections welcomed...

 

[ainsworth74]

Wiki have it as 21 x 2 car units and 1 x 3 car unit.

 

[adc82140]

166s are mainly 3+2 seating with a small area of 2+2 seating with tables in the middle coach. The interior is basically identical to 165s otherwise

Not exactly. There is twice as much First Class provision on a 166. There is also much more space for luggage on a 166 due to them theoretically being used on Gatwick runs and longer distance Great Malvern runs.

The recent refresh has been nothing more than new seat covers, carpets and a coat of paint on the interior panels, and possibly a repaint of the toilets. The faulty CIS has been replaced with a new one that's faulty in a different way. The faulty window seals that cause the windows to be permanenetly steamed up have not been fixed, nor have the latches on the emergency ventilators on the 166s.

 

[Schnellzug]

The ten 1589xx (158950-959) were each formed of a 2-car + a third car from another unit; therefore made up of 15 x 2-car, before the latest ones as detailed at the beginning of this Thread, + 3-car 159798. The remaining 2-car unit appear to be 763/766.

 

[swt_passenger]

Wiki have it as 21 x 2 car units and 1 x 3 car unit.

I think there's a possible error in that footnote under the table in wiki, why would they need to use 16 x 2 cars to form 10 x 3 cars? :roll:

 

[TEW]

Not exactly. There is twice as much First Class provision on a 166. There is also much more space for luggage on a 166 due to them theoretically being used on Gatwick runs and longer distance Great Malvern runs.

The recent refresh has been nothing more than new seat covers, carpets and a coat of paint on the interior panels, and possibly a repaint of the toilets. The faulty CIS has been replaced with a new one that's faulty in a different way. The faulty window seals that cause the windows to be permanenetly steamed up have not been fixed, nor have the latches on the emergency ventilators on the 166s.

Indeed, but the actual seating areas are largely the same.

The 166 windows are being fixed as they are fitted with the new air-con system, which is not at the same time as they are refurbished.

The new CIS is better, not seen it being faulty particularly.

 

[Goatboy]

dont you mean a class 150 in place of a class 158?

Yes, thats what I mean't. Doh!

 

[andyc20050]

158960 was running as a 2 car unit yesterday seen on the 0628 Cardiff to Portsmouth Hbr.

Andy

 

[Schnellzug]

It still is! has the other coach broken or something?

 

[387star]

According to Rail FGW are converting some of the five remaining 2-car 158s into 3-car however they are using 57749 and 52749 which I thought were in the 3-car units 158954 and 158955 respectively unless they were swapped? The new 158s are 158960 and 158961 formed from 158767, 158769 and the above coaches. This leaves 158745, 158763 and 158766. There are 40 coaches ignoring 158798 so presumably two will remain 2-car. The SWT 158 should be returned soon I imagine.

Looking forward to the ex LM 153s painted into the plain dark blue!

 

[g4mby]

According to Rail FGW are converting some of the five remaining 2-car 158s into 3-car however they are using 57749 and 52749 which I thought were in the 3-car units 158954 and 158955 respectively unless they were swapped? The new 158s are 158960 and 158961 formed from 158767, 158769 and the above coaches. This leaves 158745, 158763 and 158766. There are 40 coaches ignoring 158798 so presumably two will remain 2-car. The SWT 158 should be returned soon I imagine.

Looking forward to the ex LM 153s painted into the plain dark blue!

From my own records, which partly agrees with both http://www.thejunction.org.uk/ and http://www.abrail.co.uk/

158950   57751  52761  57761
158951   52751  52764  57764
158952   57745  52762  57762
158953   52745  52750  57750
158954   57747  52760  57760
158955   52747  52765  57765
158956   57748  52768  57768
158957   52748  52771  57771
158958   57746  52776  57776
158959   52746  52778  57778
158960   57749  52769  57769
158961   52749  52767  57767

So only 158763 and 158766 remain as 2-car.

 

[Schnellzug]

Well, I was on (as you can see) 961 yesterday, which is 52749-52767-57767, and '960' was still running as 52769-57769, so there appears to have been some rearranging going on somewhere.
That or I made an error in my notes, which I do hope not, since that would mean it wasn't the unit I thought I was in

 

[g4mby]

so there appears to have been some rearranging going on somewhere.

I think there has as I seem to remember updating my own lists from an official print out posted somewhere on the 'net.

My list has been updated. If anyone has any updates or corrections then please post them.

 

[DesiroDom]

Will FGW have any "orphan" 158 driving cars after the reforms are complete, and if they did could they give the one existing real central car they have to northern?

Lol I wish that will happen but never will.

 

[David Goddard]

I have never been that much of a fan of these constant reformations - I believe that CT did it for a while and also GW have done it in the past, before reverting sets back again later.

The GW sets have been mainly reformed for the Portsmouth route (one of GW's withered arms that should never have been incorporated into the franchise in the first place.
I am firmly of the belief that when the TPE 158s were displaced by 185s, they should have all come straight down to Salisbury, with SWT taking over the Cardiff - Portsmouth and Bristol - Weymouth services at the same time. Salisbury is ideally placed to service the stock on the route, and has long been recognised for its high standards of maintenance.

Likewise, it is about time that the missing links of Wokingham to Ash and Guildford to Reigate were electrified, enabling the Reading to Gatwick service to also be transferred to SWT where it can be better integrated with other electric services in the area, and potentially open up new opportunities.

 

[PHILIPE]

From my own records, which partly agrees with both http://www.thejunction.org.uk/ and http://www.abrail.co.uk/

158950   57751  52761  57761
158951   52751  52764  57764
158952   57745  52762  57762
158953   52745  52750  57750
158954   57747  52760  57760
158955   52747  52765  57765
158956   57748  52768  57768
158957   52748  52771  57771
158958   57746  52776  57776
158959   52746  52778  57778
158960   57749  52769  57769
158961   52749  52767  57767

So only 158763 and 158766 remain as 2-car.

I thought the remaining two 2 Car 158s were to be formed into 158962 and a Spare vehicle which be exchanged in the event of a problem with 1 Coach of a 3 Car set

 

[SprinterMan]

I thought the remaining two 2 Car 158s were to be formed into 158962 and a Spare vehicle which be exchanged in the event of a problem with 1 Coach of a 3 Car set

No, i thought the plan was to reform the 2 2-car 158s into a semi-permanent 4 car unit to work the Brighton trains.

 

[TEW]

The plan changes every week. We'll probably only know when they actually get reformed. The plan originally was for one spare vehicle, which would be useful since it is quite normal for at least one three-car 158 to be a carriage short.