Marston Vale 150s

[HLE]

the stress cant be that high - the speed is low and the journey takes a long time. It is a typical rural route.

I daresay on occasions some the 153's struggle and may not get up to the 60mph line speed before putting the brake in for the next stop. If so it's a plausible theory their engine/drives are being worked hard all day on that route. That's the case for many different types of unit up and down the country of course, but as many know the 153's do seem to struggle under their own weight.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just out of interest, what are the 'peak' traffic flows on the Marston Vale ?



Morning - to Bedford schools ?

Late afternoon - from Bedford schools ?

and is there a significant flow at shift change at the Amazon warehouse at Ridgemont ?

Don't think Ridgmont is that busy. The rest is indeed mainly the Bedford schools.

 

[PHILIPE]

So all 3 150's are out of service?!

150105 was out today on the regular Hereford/Worcester/Birmingham Diagram.

 

[DarloRich]

Don't think Ridgmont is that busy. The rest is indeed mainly the Bedford schools.

Ridgmont is busy at shift change for Amazon

 

[sufian123]

I hear class 150s will be replaced at some point this year? How true is this. What are London Midland getting as a replacement. Thanks in advance.

 

[MatthewRead]

I hear class 150s will be replaced at some point this year? How true is this. What are London Midland getting as a replacement. Thanks in advance.

153's

 

[XCTurbostar]

153's

If this is true then I would be very suprised if some 153s didnt end up back as 155s. A 155 would be very adequate for lines such as Coventry-Nuneaton.

Thanks,
Ross

 

[507021]

If this is true then I would be very suprised if some 153s didnt end up back as 155s. A 155 would be very adequate for lines such as Coventry-Nuneaton.

Thanks,
Ross

A Class 155 unit would be too long for that route.

 

[Kite159]

A Class 155 unit would be too long for that route.

Will it though?

Seeing as weekend services on the Coventry - Nuneaton line are run by pairs of 153s, I think you have mixed it up with the Bedford - Bletchley line where 2x 153s are too long for the platforms.

 

[The Planner]

A Class 155 unit would be too long for that route.

Why? All the platforms are 75m or more.

 

[1179_Clee2]

I hear class 150s will be replaced at some point this year? How true is this. What are London Midland getting as a replacement. Thanks in advance.

RAIL magazine says LM are getting 153325/329/333/361/369 from GWR in the Autumn to release 150105/107/109 to Northern. But someone has said on a different thread that this is rubbish as GWR need to keep the 153's.
So unless anybody can confirm this, we are waiting for Autumn to find out?

 

[507021]

Will it though?

Seeing as weekend services on the Coventry - Nuneaton line are run by pairs of 153s, I think you have mixed it up with the Bedford - Bletchley line where 2x 153s are too long for the platforms.

I have mixed it up with that line, my mistake.

 

[HLE]

A Class 155 unit would be too long for that route.

No it wouldn't. Each platform can accommodate a 3 car train minimum

 

[PHILIPE]

If this is true then I would be very suprised if some 153s didnt end up back as 155s. A 155 would be very adequate for lines such as Coventry-Nuneaton.

Thanks,
Ross

There has been discussion on this and it would be too costly to put them back together again, apparently not as simple as might appear on the surface to the layman. If their days are numbered, as might well be the case, no cost would be justified. There's no problem running round as they are because they can provide flexibility and the possibility then that somebody suggests they be split again.

 

[HLE]

RAIL magazine says LM are getting 153325/329/333/361/369 from GWR in the Autumn to release 150105/107/109 to Northern. But someone has said on a different thread that this is rubbish as GWR need to keep the 153's.
So unless anybody can confirm this, we are waiting for Autumn to find out?

So London Midland may end up getting back 325 & 333, after they were transferred to GWR about 5 years ago.

 

[fgwrich]

RAIL magazine says LM are getting 153325/329/333/361/369 from GWR in the Autumn to release 150105/107/109 to Northern. But someone has said on a different thread that this is rubbish as GWR need to keep the 153's.
So unless anybody can confirm this, we are waiting for Autumn to find out?

So London Midland may end up getting back 325 & 333, after they were transferred to GWR about 5 years ago.

Not just the two ex LM twins, but baring ex FNW/ATW 361, 329 & 369 are also ex West Midlands units as well. Those two were moved across NX subsidiaries Central Trains to Wessex Trains, with the latter two eventually receiving 'Mutual liveries' of 'The St Ives Bay Belle' & the 'Looe Valley Explorer' in 2006.

I wonder where it'll leave 153305 though, as that unit hasn't received the green livery on the premise of it being one of the first to leave. Either way, sending these units away first makes more sense in my opinion, as they are slightly different to the ex Wessex units.

 

[Clarence Yard]

RAIL magazine says LM are getting 153325/329/333/361/369 from GWR in the Autumn to release 150105/107/109 to Northern. But someone has said on a different thread that this is rubbish as GWR need to keep the 153's.
So unless anybody can confirm this, we are waiting for Autumn to find out?

The RAIL article was causing great amusement at GWR today. Those 153 sets are not going off lease this year.

 

[Parallel]

So London Midland may end up getting back 325 & 333, after they were transferred to GWR about 5 years ago.

FGW seat cushions have been added in one of the two units too (153333?) in the last couple of years.

It looks like some 153s will be retained by GWR as they have been relivered.

I'm not so sure the class 153s will be withdrawn soon. I can see possibly the toilets being removed with a more spacious disabled seating space put in. Obviously the lack of toilet would cause a few issues on longer distance services operated by 153s like the HOWL. What will probably happen is someone, somewhere will realise that there is a short fall in units and they will be hastily reformed back to 155s with a disabled bog in one of the carriages, and the smaller toilet in the other carriage either left or removed.

It makes sense for LM to receive 153s to release the 150s as they already have more of the class anyway, and then Northern will eventually operate the entire 150/1 fleet.

2 x 153 or 1 x 155 are/would be fine for some routes operated by LM, GWR, ATW and Northern. I wonder if the LM sets could be fitted with SDO to allow them to work on the Marston Vale line.

 

[PHILIPE]

FGW seat cushions have been added in one of the two units too (153333?) in the last couple of years.

It looks like some 153s will be retained by GWR as they have been relivered.

I'm not so sure the class 153s will be withdrawn soon. I can see possibly the toilets being removed with a more spacious disabled seating space put in. Obviously the lack of toilet would cause a few issues on longer distance services operated by 153s like the HOWL. What will probably happen is someone, somewhere will realise that there is a short fall in units and they will be hastily reformed back to 155s with a disabled bog in one of the carriages, and the smaller toilet in the other carriage either left or removed.

It makes sense for LM to receive 153s to release the 150s as they already have more of the class anyway, and then Northern will eventually operate the entire 150/1 fleet.

2 x 153 or 1 x 155 are/would be fine for some routes operated by LM, GWR, ATW and Northern. I wonder if the LM sets could be fitted with SDO to allow them to work on the Marston Vale line.

See Post #10, too costly to convert back to 155s.

 

[Parallel]

See Post #10, too costly to convert back to 155s.

I did see your post but the railway's outlook may change if there is a poor availability of stock.

 

[richa2002]

Sorry to bump but has it been confirmed that the Marston Vale is losing its 150 come the timetable change?

Also, out of interest, when is the shift change at Ridgmont? Just to know when the nice, quiet periods are.

Cheers!

 

[1179_Clee2]

The RAIL article was causing great amusement at GWR today. Those 153 sets are not going off lease this year.

Should not be causing ANY amusement at GWR.
If trains are due to be released to Northern they should be sent.
But we must remember that GWR have stated there is a 9 month delay on ALL trains coming North.

 

[43096]

See Post #10, too costly to convert back to 155s.

What's your source for that?

 

[43096]

There has been discussion on this and it would be too costly to put them back together again, apparently not as simple as might appear on the surface to the layman. If their days are numbered, as might well be the case, no cost would be justified. There's no problem running round as they are because they can provide flexibility and the possibility then that somebody suggests they be split again.

There is a problem beyond 31/12/2019 though...

 

[HLE]

What's your source for that?

Explain to me why anyone would bother - and what the benefits would be over just joining up 2 153's.

As far as I know trains don't need to have a toilet post 2019 - but if they do then it has to be compliant.

Therefore just lock the current toilets out of use/remove them and put extra seats in, keep the second cab for operational flexibility and carry out the other DDA mods.

 

[northwichcat]

Most franchise specs do require trains with toilets to be used on most routes and the routes where toilet-less trains can be used are mostly electrified.

 

[northwichcat]

Should not be causing ANY amusement at GWR.
If trains are due to be released to Northern they should be sent.
But we must remember that GWR have stated there is a 9 month delay on ALL trains coming North.

The 153s are off lease in July and as we know Porterbrook don't care if the replacement trains aren't yet available - look at what happened to the TPE 170s.

GWR are lucky the 150/1s belong to Angel not Porterbrook.

 

[Clarence Yard]

The 153s are off lease in July and as we know Porterbrook don't care if the replacement trains aren't yet available - look at what happened to the TPE 170s.

GWR are lucky the 150/1s belong to Angel not Porterbrook.

But the GWR Porterbrook 153 units are not coming off lease in July. They are being extended with the backing of the DfT. The lease documentation is in the final stages of being signed off now.

 

[PHILIPE]

What's your source for that?

My source is only from discussions on Forums and Groups, can't be any more specific than that but if people talk about matters re wiring and other technical things I'm not inclined to disbelieve them but accept as face value. In fact, after this time, I can't turn them up without extensive searching at this stage.

 

[HLE]

The body on most units is starting to sag, there are more drafts than on a chessboard, the cab heaters are about as useful as L'Oréal to a bald bloke, and the brakes can take an age to come off. Couple it with sluggish acceleration and that's probably the reason why porterbrook don't want to refurb them. Nobody wants them. The final drives seem to fail on them

However, they are reliable little units round these parts and are probably the only thing BL have built where all of the class are still running. When their days come to an end I would like to think a few would end up preserved, because they are a 'unique' experience for all!