GWR Class 143 withdrawals

[PHILIPE]

try the pacer withdrawal thread i know that the last 3 units came to landore

I hardly think so. They were withdrawn in 2004 and 2005 following fires for which I have provided a link a couple of posts up

 

[Jamesrob637]

I hardly think so. They were withdrawn in 2004 and 2005 following fires for which I have provided a link a couple of posts up

...thereby actually being withdrawn when Pacer was supposed to be the shelf life was apparently 20 years.

 

[GWRrrr]

Now that the 143s have gone it's interesting to see what's running the Exmouth/Paignton service. It seems to be mostly pairs of 150s, frequently with a single 150, occasional 158, and a 165. The last few days there seems to be another 165 plodding back and forth, today 5Z51, 5Z52, 5Z53 etc. maybe on crew training? I thought that the 165s were going to Bristol to release 158s for Devon and Corwall, but maybe that was Plan A and we're now on Plan F.

Any updates from those 'in the know' much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous10]

Now that the 143s have gone it's interesting to see what's running the Exmouth/Paignton service. It seems to be mostly pairs of 150s, frequently with a single 150, occasional 158, and a 165. The last few days there seems to be another 165 plodding back and forth, today 5Z51, 5Z52, 5Z53 etc. maybe on crew training? I thought that the 165s were going to Bristol to release 158s for Devon and Corwall, but maybe that was Plan A and we're now on Plan F.

Any updates from those 'in the know' much appreciated.

Thanks

i think by this point it might just be oh thats spare and in the area

 

[83G/84D]

166206 working a 5Z55 Exeter to Paignton at the moment.

 

[PHILIPE]

Now that the 143s have gone it's interesting to see what's running the Exmouth/Paignton service. It seems to be mostly pairs of 150s, frequently with a single 150, occasional 158, and a 165. The last few days there seems to be another 165 plodding back and forth, today 5Z51, 5Z52, 5Z53 etc. maybe on crew training? I thought that the 165s were going to Bristol to release 158s for Devon and Corwall, but maybe that was Plan A and we're now on Plan F.

Any updates from those 'in the know' much appreciated.

Thanks

At the moment, there is 166 Diagram working on the Exmouth to Paigntons, the remainder being pairs of 150s with an occasional 158 thrown in. There is also another 166 working training trips to Goodrington and sometimes Pinhoe but these are specials (5Zxx etc) as mentioned in the post above. A 165 worked the specials yesterday which was a one off. All the Turbos are 166s and not 165s.

 

[PhilWakely]

At the moment, there is 166 Diagram working on the Exmouth to Paigntons, the remainder being pairs of 150s with an occasional 158 thrown in. There is also another 166 working training trips to Goodrington and sometimes Pinhoe but these are specials (5Zxx etc) as mentioned in the post above. A 165 worked the specials yesterday which was a one off. All the Turbos are 166s and not 165s.

Just a minor correction to the above...... The training diagrams 5Zxx, whilst booked to go out to Pinhoe, never did reach there. All went straight to Goodrington from Exeter St Davids.

 

[Parallel]

Now that the 143s have gone it's interesting to see what's running the Exmouth/Paignton service. It seems to be mostly pairs of 150s, frequently with a single 150, occasional 158, and a 165. The last few days there seems to be another 165 plodding back and forth, today 5Z51, 5Z52, 5Z53 etc. maybe on crew training? I thought that the 165s were going to Bristol to release 158s for Devon and Corwall, but maybe that was Plan A and we're now on Plan F.

Any updates from those 'in the know' much appreciated.

Thanks

I believe the current aspiration (though I’m not certain) is to send more 165s/166s to Devon and Cornwall to free up 158s to work Bristol area services again

 

[Trainfan061193]

I believe the current aspiration (though I’m not certain) is to send more 165s/166s to Devon and Cornwall to free up 158s to work Bristol area services again

Interesting, I was told the same thing by someone else.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jan 2021 ==

On the other hand I miss the 143s

 

[irish_rail]

I believe the current aspiration (though I’m not certain) is to send more 165s/166s to Devon and Cornwall to free up 158s to work Bristol area services again

Devon and Cornwall obviusley not worthy of the superior 158s, surprise surprise. Send us the rubbish no one else wants even though the Turbos are more suited to the Bristol area. And all the 158 training done down here all for nothing, and a whole load of new training now for staff on Turbos.
Is it any wonder GWR struggle with driver shortages........

 

[davetheguard]

Devon and Cornwall obviusley not worthy of the superior 158s, surprise surprise. Send us the rubbish no one else wants even though the Turbos are more suited to the Bristol area. And all the 158 training done down here all for nothing, and a whole load of new training now for staff on Turbos.
Is it any wonder GWR struggle with driver shortages........

Actually, I wouldn't describe the Turbos as "rubbish" at all. They are perfectly good commuter trains and better than 150's.

They are also more suited, with their doors at one third & two thirds along the coach, to working stoppers between Exmouth & Paignton; 158's with their end doors are better on the longer distance Cardiff to Portsmouth/Brighton route.

The only downside of the 166s is their dodgy air conditioning; but then the 158s are hardly great in that respect either. Reading depot has never been able to get the A/C to work reliably, perhaps Bristol will have more luck with it.

 

[WesternLancer]

Actually, I wouldn't describe the Turbos as "rubbish" at all. They are perfectly good commuter trains and better than 150's.

They are also more suited, with their doors at one third & two thirds along the coach, to working stoppers between Exmouth & Paignton; 158's with their end doors are better on the longer distance Cardiff to Portsmouth/Brighton route.

The only downside of the 166s is their dodgy air conditioning; but then the 158s are hardly great in that respect either. Reading depot has ever been able to get the A/C to work reliably, perhaps Bristol will have more luck with it.

Yes, surely 158s were designed as for (and best used on) limited stop regional services.

I suspect in the eyes of the general public a 150 is the next worst type of DMU after a Pacer - in fact a friend of mine thought 150s were pacers as she thought they were so poor comfort / layout wise etc that this had to be the sort of train the media kept going on about when they ran stories about Pacers still being in service...

My last experience of a Turbo was poor standard of internal condition, as opposed to more fundamental weaknesses.

 

[Apedlar12]

Yes, surely 158s were designed as for (and best used on) limited stop regional services.

Hence why the 158s are suitable for the Tarka Line at present as there is a very low number of stations that services always stop at.

 

[47444]

I have lost track of the location of the GW 143s. I have 603, 612, 617, 618 and 619 at PM and 611, 620 and 621 at LE, but I think more have gone to LE.

Can anyone clarify the situation for me please?

Many thanks

 

[PHILIPE]

I have lost track of the location of the GW 143s. I have 603, 612, 617, 618 and 619 at PM and 611, 620 and 621 at LE, but I think more have gone to LE.

Can anyone clarify the situation for me please?

Many thanks

As you have got it, all 8 of them accounted for and still 3 at Landore

 

[47444]

As you have got it, all 8 of them accounted for and still 3 at Landore

That's good to know - thanks

 

[Scottish-Exile]

Just the 3 at Landore: 611, 620 & 621.

 

[47444]

Just the 3 at Landore: 611, 620 & 621.

Thanks

 

[theblackwatch]

I have lost track of the location of the GW 143s. I have 603, 612, 617, 618 and 619 at PM and 611, 620 and 621 at LE, but I think more have gone to LE.

Can anyone clarify the situation for me please?

Many thanks

612 moved to Wishaw back in December pending transfer to the Vale of Berkeley Railway.

 

[Apedlar12]

612 moved to Wishaw back in December pending transfer to the Vale of Berkeley Railway.

Some information I just found out is that 143603 apparently left SPM on Tuesday with 55658 leaving first followed by 55669 a few hours later, I presume it has gone Wishaw to join 143612.

Of course this now leaves just the franchise asset 143s at SPM (143617/618/619), it has been rumoured that two of these three are to go into preservation but nothing official has been said about this at present that I am aware of.

 

[Spirit555]

I have been told that 143603 is at the Chasewater Railway.

Is it preserved there or just in transit to elsewhere ?.

Mark

 

[RPI]

Yes, surely 158s were designed as for (and best used on) limited stop regional services.

I suspect in the eyes of the general public a 150 is the next worst type of DMU after a Pacer - in fact a friend of mine thought 150s were pacers as she thought they were so poor comfort / layout wise etc that this had to be the sort of train the media kept going on about when they ran stories about Pacers still being in service...

My last experience of a Turbo was poor standard of internal condition, as opposed to more fundamental weaknesses.

Whilst the comments about 150's are mostly true, most of the GWR ones have been refurbished to a respectable standard and have 2+2 seating with tables and arm rests, the 2+2 refurb obviously done by Wessex in the early 2000's. There are three 150's with GWR that still have 3+2 seating though

 

[Anonymous10]

Whilst the comments about 150's are mostly true, most of the GWR ones have been refurbished to a respectable standard and have 2+2 seating with tables and arm rests, the 2+2 refurb obviously done by Wessex in the early 2000's. There are three 150's with GWR that still have 3+2 seating though

same standard with tfw honestly no issue with 150s in that regard they are no more lacking than any other 40 year old train. the cycle of life just means they will say goodbye soon

 

[RPI]

same standard with tfw honestly no issue with 150s in that regard they are no more lacking than any other 40 year old train. the cycle of life just means they will say goodbye soon

Ah yes I forgot about the TfW ones, they were refurbed at the same time by Wales & Borders to the same standard, and they also have some of the ex Wessex ones which annoyingly went off lease from FGW in 2006

 

[Anonymous10]

Ah yes I forgot about the TfW ones, they were refurbed at the same time by Wales & Borders to the same standard, and they also have some of the ex Wessex ones which annoyingly went off lease from FGW in 2006

wales arent complaining they went off lease tho *insert laughing face*

 

[PHILIPE]

Ah yes I forgot about the TfW ones, they were refurbed at the same time by Wales & Borders to the same standard, and they also have some of the ex Wessex ones which annoyingly went off lease from FGW in 2006

I think you will find that it was 7 x 150/2s that went off lease in 2006 and moved to ATW namely:-

230, 236, 240, 241, 242, 253 and 254

 

[greatvoyager]

I think you will find that it was 7 x 150/2s that went off lease in 2006 and moved to ATW namely:-

230, 236, 240, 241, 242, 253 and 254

What about 251?

 

[PHILIPE]

What about 251?

Yes, you are right. I have just checked back and it was 8 that were transferred. Where I was confused was that there 7 identified for particular routes and 1 additional spare. My mistake.

 

[Trainfan061193]

I have been told that 143603 is at the Chasewater Railway.

Is it preserved there or just in transit to elsewhere ?.

Mark

I have heard it’s being kept there currently for warm storage but is earmarked for the Vale of Berkeley Railway.

 

[Apedlar12]

I have heard it’s being kept there currently for warm storage but is earmarked for the Vale of Berkeley Railway.

Yes it is being kept there in store on behalf of the VoBR.