Longest journey on 'inappropriate' rolling stock

[SprinterMan]

Not mentioned yet, but the 1930 Norwich to London Liverpool Street being a 321 is not great. It is one of the faster Norwich to London trains, calling only at 4 stations between Norwich & London, and is operated by an old clapped-out suburban EMU (unless you get one of the ones with the black seats, which are better). It may not be longest, but all other trains on this line are 90+Mk3 operated so this probably represents the greatest reduction in comfort. Hell, I would say the seats in a 321 are worse than in a 150/1.

Adam

 

[richw]

Hst/ super voyager running early morning/ evening Plymouth to penzance runs, although better for the handful of passengers than having the train running ecs between laira and Penzance.

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[Qwerty133]

Shortest branch line in the world?!

yep they are horrid and only belong in one place- the scrapyard

 

[TEW]

Hst/ super voyager running early morning/ evening Plymouth to penzance runs, although better for the handful of passengers than having the train running ecs between laira and Penzance.

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0702 Plymouth-Penzance is an HST and hardly just carries a handful of passengers. Under Wessex it used to be a 158 and the service was regularly the cause of complaints because of the overcrowding. It's a busy service in to Truro in the morning peak. The return trip run by Voyagers aren't that busy but as you say better than running ECS, it's a good way overall to save resources.

 

[richw]

0702 Plymouth-Penzance is an HST and hardly just carries a handful of passengers.

The 0750(approx) voyager from Redruth to Penzance has been almost empty every day this week.

 

[TEW]

That one is quieter, there are usually some school children who use it though, but obviously not this week.

 

[callum112233]

That certainly has to be up in the top 5. Another has to be the use of some of ATWs 150s on very long distance journeys - Hasnt one even done Milford Haven - Manchester before?

Iv'e definitely seen ATW 150's on Piccadilly-Llandudno. Luckily, I was getting off at Warrington

 

[RobShipway]

Iv'e definitely seen ATW 150's on Piccadilly-Llandudno. Luckily, I was getting off at Warrington

I was up in North Wales a few weeks ago and certainly saw a few Class 150's working on the line, where I am sure it used to be class 158's and 175's doing the services on the North Wales coast routes?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

yep they are horrid and only belong in one place- the scrapyard

Quite useful units though - I noticed on a route near me on Friday morning that the 153 that was added to the usual 150 made all the difference - for the first time in years there was no-one standing!

 

[Lewisham2221]

Quite useful units though - I noticed on a route near me on Friday morning that the 153 that was added to the usual 150 made all the difference - for the first time in years there was no-one standing!

Given the shortage of rolling stock, DMU's in particular, I'd argue that any (and every) unit could be classed as useful!

 

[RAGNARØKR]

313s on Coastway for any journey lasting more than 20 minutes. The seat profile is exactly wrong, with horizontal cushions and there no toilets. Apparently you could find yourself on one all the way from Brighton to Portsmouth.

 

[starrymarkb]

313s on Coastway for any journey lasting more than 20 minutes. The seat profile is exactly wrong, with horizontal cushions and there no toilets. Apparently you could find yourself on one all the way from Brighton to Portsmouth.

Are there not faster services that are not 313 operated?

Though given I get at least one or two enquires a day of people who want to do the direct bus (over 4 hours on a bus seated E400 - things people will do to avoid paying a fare - wonder if they take a bottle/wear a nappy) I guess the 313 may be preferable for comfort.

 

[user15681]

For me, it has to be a 375/9 from Ramsgate to Victoria at midday. The 375/9s have 3+2 seating and the seats are thin, straight up right and not comfy at all.

 

[sprinterguy]

I swear sometime a few years back I had seen a pacer working a York service at Preston. That would have been hell.

A little further north from Preston, Pacers have been the staple traction on the Morecambe to Leeds via Carnforth services for many years, firstly with 142s and more recently using 144s, which must be a service of comparable duration to Preston to York. I think that the route does see 150s as well as Pacers now though.
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Before the 158s entered traffic 156s were booked to work this route

And even in recent times it has not been dramatically uncommon to find a 156 rostered to work a service on the Liverpool to Norwich route. I don't think that they are particularly unsuitable to work the route with regards their general design, although the awful Chapman seats that are fitted to these units might make them so.

 

[aylesbury]

The class 150 is a good unit to travel on,roomy,light,a good tool for the job it does.Yesterday traveled on a Chiltern 168,comfortable seats and extremeley quiet ,also very busy service .

 

[Goatboy]

The class 150 is a good unit to travel on,roomy,light,a good tool for the job it does.

When used properly. I caught one on a local service to Dawlish Warren yesterday - perfectly suited. It's when they turn up on long distance routes thats the problem. Just where you are supposed to get comfortable for a 2+ hour journey in 3+2 seating with no tables etc?

 

[AndyLandy]

And they'll probably finish up on the Liverpool-Birmingham services instead, for which people do end to end travel - for the reason of it being the only direct train between the 2 cities and not just for the purpose of getting cheap fares.

Urgh, I hope not! I occasionally get a 350/2 on that service, not fun at all. The 350/1s are pretty reasonable trains, as it goes, but I have no love for the /2s on longer distance services.

As for the OPs question, I'm with the 450 crew. They should never be used for WAT-WEY or WAT-PMH services!

 

[Goatboy]

stourbridge town to stourbridge junction was too far for 153s

I honestly don't mind 153's. I can appreciate the smaller cab at one end makes them a pain for train crew but from a passenger perspective a 153 is a much nicer train than a 150 for a journey of any real distance - probably because it has doors in seperate vestibules and nicer seats with tables etc.

I'd be more than happy with a 153 on some of the longer FGW runs I currently suffer a 150 on yet used to enjoy a 158 on

I noticed FGW were running a 3x153 formation yesterday.

 

[BestWestern]

The class 150 is a good unit to travel on; roomy, light, a good tool for the job it does.

I'd have to agree with Goatboy above, they are acceptable for short journeys but really not for a lot of what they are currently used for. The 150 is ostensibly a commuter train, and the design and layout of the units is as such. Those that have been refurbished with tables and improved seating are obviously better, but they remain noisy, draughty and plainly very dated. In addition there are some comfort issues on long journeys, most obviously the limited (and often unpleasant) toilet facilities, and the saloon heating which is very 'hit and miss' with certain areas (usually the ends of each coach) which get uncomfortably warm even on a cold day, and other parts of the train which never really get warm at all.

The units which retain their low back 3 + 2 seating are utterly unacceptable for anything other than suburban use.

 

[TEW]

The units which retain their low back 3 + 2 seating are utterly unacceptable for anything other than suburban use.

150921 and 150216, both with the original low back 2+3 seating were out on the Portsmouth-Cardiff route today. They really aren't suitable at all to the route. The lack of luggage space on the 150s is a big problem as well. 158s have actually got pretty decent luggage racks.

 

[junglejames]

Liverpool to Norwich with a 158.

With the current seats EMT have fitted, you arent far off. However bring an FGW or SWT example up, and all of a sudden, its a very suitable train. You just dont like the cab

As for my vote. Well I shall promise not to say 'Voyagers are crap on every journey'.
99% of journeys made on XC is on wholly innapropriate rolling stock. Phew, think I just got round that one.
Can I just say, the OP would make an awesome politician/ Civil Servant. When asking for opinions, make sure you know what the answer is going to be to start with, and if necessary, alter the question to suit your own needs

 

[317666]

I'm not a fan of 379s being used on Liverpool Street - Cambridge services. On a Saturday there are hardly any first class passengers (well, legal anyway!) yet most of one coach is taken up by first class. There is lots of luggage space which is good for the Stansted Express services, but isn't really needed otherwise. They just don't have enough standard class seats, proved by the fact that they're only run in 4-car formation on a Saturday and normally end up full and standing. After the 379s arrived but before the December 2011 timetable change, most trains were 8-car on a Saturday. I think some units should be re-fitted with a smaller first class section, and more standard class seats put in, designated just for use on Cambridge services, with the other units retaining their large first class section and luggage spaces for Stansted Airport services. Or better yet, just go back to how it was before December 2011 on a Saturday, with 8-car trains!