Marston Vale probs

[A0]

Just seen both units attached running non-stop through Bow Brickhill towards Beltchley.

LM's website has trains cancelled due to a 'train fault'.

Anyone know which unit has failed and why? Seems to be a common occurrence.....

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's a common occurrence because there are only two of them for two diagrams. They really need a spare one to live at Bletchley.

 

[Bungle965]

It's a common occurrence because there are only two of them for two diagrams. They really need a spare one to live at Bletchley.

Although it would be good for a spare one to live at Bletchley, maybe there is not enough units to be able to live as a spare, or perhaps LM see it as a waste to leave a perfectly good unit sat there not doing any thing while waiting for a breakdown.
Sam

 

[Bletchleyite]

Although it would be good for a spare one to live at Bletchley, maybe there is not enough units to be able to live as a spare

It's that one. But it is unacceptable - reliability of the line is appalling at present. Another option needs to be found urgently - D-trains might be a good option to allow a spare to be obtained cheaply enough.

East West Rail will provide an end solution by way of a complete recast of the service and stock, of course.

Even without East West Rail there would be a good argument to wire it just to get rid of the island of diesel operation, then a 319 could be used (and in the event of disruption on the WCML/MML that would mean far better contingencies could be operated).

 

[plastictaffy]

There are no spare units. Even if there were, LM wouldn't allow one to be sat at BLY "just in case".

The 150 failed last week with an engine that wouldn't start. Today, looking at the diagrams, it looks as if the 153 has failed. There is a mobile fitter from Tyesley who is based at Bletchley during the day, I daresay he'll try to coax it back into life, depending of course on what is wrong with it.

 

[Bungle965]

It's that one. But it is unacceptable - reliability of the line is appalling at present. Another option needs to be found urgently - D-trains might be a good option to allow a spare to be obtained cheaply enough.

East West Rail will provide an end solution by way of a complete recast of the service and stock, of course.

Even without East West Rail there would be a good argument to wire it just to get rid of the island of diesel operation, then a 319 could be used (and in the event of disruption on the WCML/MML that would mean far better contingencies could be operated).

I agree with everything that you have said, but unfortunatly allot of what you are saying is in the future and there is something that needs to be done now, and the only thing that i can think of is have a bus company ready to provide adequate cover when the service falls to pieces.

 

[plastictaffy]

have a bus company ready to provide adequate cover when the service falls to pieces.

There is.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There are no spare units. Even if there were, LM wouldn't allow one to be sat at BLY "just in case".

The 150 failed last week with an engine that wouldn't start. Today, looking at the diagrams, it looks as if the 153 has failed. There is a mobile fitter from Tyesley who is based at Bletchley during the day, I daresay he'll try to coax it back into life, depending of course on what is wrong with it.

I'd have thought the linespeeds are low enough that the 150 could soldier on with one engine?

 

[Silverlinky]

The 153 failed with engine problems, the 150 was sent to assist, meaning the cancellation of at least a couple of services.
Once the 150 has assisted and returned to BLetchley it will cover the rest of its diagram.
The spare unit, if there is one, is kept at Tyesley depot......they can't keep a spare of every unit for every line it may work on!!
Or should there be a spare 153 for the Midlands, a spare for the Cov-Nuneaton line and one for the Bletchley line....just in case?

Failed unit was 153356, no spare available until after the West Mids "peak"

 

[DarloRich]

It's a common occurrence because there are only two of them for two diagrams. They really need a spare one to live at Bletchley.

Both units running together isn't common. the 153 broke down at Ridgmont and had to be rescued by the 150

It's a common occurrence because there are only two of them for two diagrams. They really need a spare one to live at Bletchley.

It's that one. But it is unacceptable - reliability of the line is appalling at present. Another option needs to be found urgently - D-trains might be a good option to allow a spare to be obtained cheaply enough.

East West Rail will provide an end solution by way of a complete recast of the service and stock, of course.

Even without East West Rail there would be a good argument to wire it just to get rid of the island of diesel operation, then a 319 could be used (and in the event of disruption on the WCML/MML that would mean far better contingencies could be operated).

I use the line daily (except Sunday when we have no service) and cancellations & failures haven't been been that common recently as we have been on a really good run of reliability. The last fortnight has seen that decline.

LM don't have capacity for a spare unit. It would sit in the carriage sidings most weeks without doing anything.In any event one of the 150's has gone to Doncaster so there is even less slack.

We have a fitter at Bletchley who tends to the recalcitrant units and does a bloody good job kicking them back into life on a regular basis. It is no surprise reliability went up when he started being based down here. Before he came failure was a common occurrence now it is an exception.

IN fairness one afternoon last week one of the units burst and LM scrambled a replacement 153 off a service at New Street and ran it ECS down the WCML and into P5 at Bletchley in time to run the 1736. It came of a service train and meant capacity was reduced in Brum. It wasn't off spare.

I don't believe that E-W will make much if any difference to those of us using the stopping service along the Vale - I still see it as diesel powered hourly service. There is a risk the work on E-W between Bedford & Bletchley wont happen and it certainly wont be wired up as stand alone route

I agree with everything that you have said, but unfortunately allot of what you are saying is in the future and there is something that needs to be done now, and the only thing that i can think of is have a bus company ready to provide adequate cover when the service falls to pieces.

There is! LM control tend to have it rolling quite quickly. I have had a taxi called by the ticket office to get me home.

 

[A0]

It's that one. But it is unacceptable - reliability of the line is appalling at present. Another option needs to be found urgently - D-trains might be a good option to allow a spare to be obtained cheaply enough.

East West Rail will provide an end solution by way of a complete recast of the service and stock, of course.

Even without East West Rail there would be a good argument to wire it just to get rid of the island of diesel operation, then a 319 could be used (and in the event of disruption on the WCML/MML that would mean far better contingencies could be operated).

You'll struggle to use a 319 on there - most of the platforms are too short.

That, as I understand it, is the reason its a 150 and 153 allocated. Anything else is too long - which means, I suspect, D trains will be similarly problematic.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

You'll struggle to use a 319 on there - most of the platforms are too short.

That, as I understand it, is the reason its a 150 and 153 allocated. Anything else is too long - which means, I suspect, D trains will be similarly problematic.

3-car units would be, but 2-car D-trains would be okay at 34m. Would that be satisfactory for peak loadings on the route?

 

[DarloRich]

You'll struggle to use a 319 on there - most of the platforms are too short.

That, as I understand it, is the reason its a 150 and 153 allocated. Anything else is too long - which means, I suspect, D trains will be similarly problematic.

yes the signals are almost all right on the end of the platforms now and the 150 only just fits in some stations

3-car units would be, but 2-car D-trains would be okay at 34m. Would that be satisfactory for peak loadings on the route?

No they are for dirty, poor, northern people not decent folk like us in the south. We will have a nice new train thank you

 

[RobShipway]

Is there not any spare class 170 or 172 units at all that could work the line?

 

[DarloRich]

Is there not any spare class 170 or 172 units at all that could work the line?

they wont fit in the platforms due to signal positions

 

[LowLevel]

I'd have thought the linespeeds are low enough that the 150 could soldier on with one engine?

Doesn't work like that alas. The way the transmission works on 15x the engine works hard at low speeds so the second one will tend to die after a while. Unless LMs units have had a remote supply fitted you'll lose the lights presently as well.