GWR Turbo cascade progress to Bristol region services

[PHILIPE]

I guess from your comment that 166218 is now in service at Bristol? The other four (201,211,217,221) were definitely all in service at Reading earlier this week,

I'm not sure about individual numbers just totals but I'm sure I've seen mentions of 218

 

[FGW_DID]

This is where I think the turbo fleet is currently, but I would appreciate any corrections to my mistakes

166
Reading(non-RHM) 201,217,221
Reading(RHM) 211
Bristol(RHM) 202-210,212-216,219,220
Bristol(undergoing C4/RHM) 218

165(3)
Reading(non-RHM) 101-114,116,117

165(2)
Reading(non-RHM) 118,120-124,126-128,130,133-136
Bristol(RHM) 119,129,131,132
Wolverton 125,137
Long Marston 123

165 fitted with air-cooling 110,116-119,123,124,128,130,131,134,135

Only active unit in FGW Dynamic lines livery is 165136

165126 is also at Long Marston, 123 is awaiting return.
166218 is at Bristol, don’t know if work is complete and it’s in service.
166211 - plans are afoot to send it back to SPM, a 165 2 car would return to RG in its place.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Thank you for that update. It is difficult to keep track so I knew the chances were that I be would not be 100% correct.

 

[TJDevon]

Many thanks to everyone for the updates, much appreciated.

Two quick questions, when is week 31 (sometime in November?) and once the Portsmouth work is finished do we know how soon the Turbos will take over the Cardiff services?

 

[PHILIPE]

Many thanks to everyone for the updates, much appreciated.

Two quick questions, when is week 31 (sometime in November?) and once the Portsmouth work is finished do we know how soon the Turbos will take over the Cardiff services?

They won't be able to work the route until the Newbury Electrification is complete and further units can be released to the West. RHMods will be required first

 

[D1009]

They won't be able to work the route until the Newbury Electrification is complete and further units can be released to the West. RHMods will be required first

There are sets theoretically already transferred to SPM which are yet to enter service. Will these sets simply take over more trains on the routes on which Turbos are currently working?

 

[PHILIPE]

165126 is also at Long Marston, 123 is awaiting return.
166218 is at Bristol, don’t know if work is complete and it’s in service.
166211 - plans are afoot to send it back to SPM, a 165 2 car would return to RG in its place.

166218 worked 2F53 1646 Bristol Parkway to Warminster on Wednesday, 15/08

 

[Blytheski]

Can anybody confirm if there are still plans to internally refurbish the 165 and 166s?

Have the all had mods to comply with 2020 legislation?

 

[TEW]

Nearly all have now, just 165136 in Dynamic Lines livery still that needs the PRM mods. The 2-car 165s are getting some limited internal work, with the installation of some luggage racks and a cycle storage area, conversion of the ex First Class seating area to 3+2 Standard Class seating, installation of 3-pin and USB sockets throughout, installation of air cooling, and new brighter interior lighting (I assume LED).

 

[Clarence Yard]

Can anybody confirm if there are still plans to internally refurbish the 165 and 166s?

Have the all had mods to comply with 2020 legislation?

166 refurbishment, having been kicked back twice by the DfT, is likely to be done under the forthcoming GWR DA3 award and hopefully they (and Angel) will at last agree to the Chiltern air cooling kit being fitted on these units.

 

[ATW158Xpress]

166 refurbishment, having been kicked back twice by the DfT, is likely to be done under the forthcoming GWR DA3 award and hopefully they (and Angel) will at last agree to the Chiltern air cooling kit being fitted on these units.

The 166 units are in desperate need of refurbish as the interiors are aging badly. The carpets are covered in mud strains that are moulded into the fabric. And I agree with ripping out the unreliable air con with a modern air cooling system.

 

[TJDevon]

Looking further forward, once the Newbury electrification is done and dusted how many Turbos will be needed at Reading to cover Thames Valley Branches, Gatwick, Basingstoke and Oxford services? Will the retained units all be 165s?

In due course the introduction of Flex trains will change the maths considerably but that is for the future.

 

[ATW158Xpress]

Bedwyn uses 3 diagrams (off peak) and Newbury stoppers have 2 diagrams (off peak) unsure about peak time diagrams? So I expect at least 5 units to cascade to Bristol once Electrostars and IET start operating.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Looking further forward, once the Newbury electrification is done and dusted how many Turbos will be needed at Reading to cover Thames Valley Branches, Gatwick, Basingstoke and Oxford services? Will the retained units all be 165s?

In due course the introduction of Flex trains will change the maths considerably but that is for the future.

26. If all the branch lines had been electrified and Oxford had been reached with the wires, it would have been 18. Hence the need for the HST GTi sets in the West to allow for the shuffle round of Turbos to achieve full Turbo working of Pompey-Cardiff.

Duties are as follows, 9 x North Downs (if 3TPH ever gets allowed), 3 x Basingstoke (Green Park station causes it to go from 2 to 3), 5 x Reading/Didcot- Banbury (including Cotswolds "shacks" AM/PM trains), 1 x Greenford "Car", 1 x Windsor, 1 x Marlow "Donkey", 1 x Bourne End Peaks, 1 x Henley, 1 x Newbury/Bedwyn peak extra shuttle (connects with the EMU's, not through 802's).

14/16 x 165/1 3 car and 9/10 x 165/1 2 car is your fleet availability, all RG based.

 

[Starmill]

I may need to travel from Gloucester to Bristol tomorrow afternoon. If I were to choose the stopping service (perhaps the 1242), would I be likely to hit on a Turbo?

 

[JN114]

I may need to travel from Gloucester to Bristol tomorrow afternoon. If I were to choose the stopping service (perhaps the 1242), would I be likely to hit on a Turbo?

1242 is diagrammed a 3 car 166

 

[Starmill]

That sounds positive, than you

 

[ATW158Xpress]

Is there any more updates about engineering work around Fareham next Sunday whether is anything to do with Turbos to work into Portsmouth?

 

[PHILIPE]

Is there any more updates about engineering work around Fareham next Sunday whether is anything to do with Turbos to work into Portsmouth?

I should hardly think a 24 hour occupation from 2215 Saturday to 2215 Sunday would be required when testing paths normally take place on a weekday within the normal timetable. GWR regularly don't have crews to work scheduled trains over that route on a Sunday without any extras.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is there any more updates about engineering work around Fareham next Sunday whether is anything to do with Turbos to work into Portsmouth?

Unlikely as since reports a few weeks ago the only limitation is in the Portsmouth Harbour approaches. See this recent post by Clarence Yard: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...l-region-services.146681/page-20#post-3597204

The Engineering Access statement (subject to change) has Southampton half closed, P1&2 only available, and Cosham to Swanwick and Eastleigh closed for all the usual engineering maintenance reasons.

 

[cactustwirly]

Looking further forward, once the Newbury electrification is done and dusted how many Turbos will be needed at Reading to cover Thames Valley Branches, Gatwick, Basingstoke and Oxford services? Will the retained units all be 165s?

In due course the introduction of Flex trains will change the maths considerably but that is for the future.

North Downs is about 4 units?
2 for Basingstoke
2 for Marlow
1 for Henley
1 for Windsor
I think it's about 3 units for the Cherwell valley services?

So about 12-15 units, taking into account spares

 

[Clarence Yard]

No - it's more than that. The numbers and duties post Newbury electrification are listed in post 615 above.

Sorting out the GPS heads at Portsmouth Harbour is now going to be done in week 37 but clearing the Brighton route is coming along nicely. Brighton Platform 1 is an issue towards the stops but a " stop short" solution is being agreed for that platform.

 

[Apedlar12]

No - it's more than that. The numbers and duties post Newbury electrification are listed in post 615 above.

Sorting out the GPS heads at Portsmouth Harbour is now going to be done in week 37 but clearing the Brighton route is coming along nicely. Brighton Platform 1 is an issue towards the stops but a " stop short" solution is being agreed for that platform.

When is week 37 out of interest?

 

[swt_passenger]

When is week 37 out of interest?

Last week before Christmas. NR financial/planning year week numbering.

 

[Apedlar12]

Last week before Christmas. Financial year week numbering.

ah ok thanks for the info

 

[swt_passenger]

ah ok thanks for the info

In fact digging deeper it might be the week two weeks before Christmas this year. It varies slightly year by year.

 

[uxm]

Where are the 158s going?

 

[PHILIPE]

Where are the 158s going?

Barnstaple to St James Park and sharing Cardiff/Bristol TM/Taunton/Penzance with Short HSTGTis

 

[uxm]

Barnstaple to St James Park and sharing Cardiff/Bristol TM/Taunton/Penzance with Short HSTGTis

Why are they moving them? They need to be on the current routes, and does this mean we will have HSTs from cardiff to locations other than london?

 

[JN114]

Why are they moving them? They need to be on the current routes, and does this mean we will have HSTs from cardiff to locations other than london?

To replace the 150/1s and 143s those routes have lost. Why do they need to be on the current routes?

Ultimately the only HSTs at Cardiff will be going to Taunton/Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance - the London services will be entirely IET worked within the next 6 months.