Network West Midlands Class 150 on the GOBLIN

[CCF23]

Yesterday London Overground were using a Network West Midlands Blue liveried 150, (150132) on the Gospel Oak to Barking line.

 

[transportphoto]

Any Pics of this unit on the GOBLIN?

This sounds to odd to be true - got to see it to believe it !

 

[CCF23]

I was on the District Line when it passed outside Barking yesterday morning.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Yesterday London Overground were using a Network West Midlands Blue liveried 150, (150132) on the Gospel Oak to Barking line.

You are welcome to the Sh** thing, we have another 70 of these vehicles were stuck with until the 172's get sorted!!!!

 

[CCF23]

You are welcome to the Sh** thing, we have another 70 of these vehicles were stuck with until the 172's get sorted!!!!

You should be thankful that you have sprinters rather than pacers and that you will have brand new fleet soon.

 

[Donny Dave]

You are welcome to the Sh** thing, we have another 70 of these vehicles were stuck with until the 172's get sorted!!!!

And once you've got your shine new fleet, we get some of the crappy 150s, which means more pacers around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It's on loan to ensure LOROL have the 7 units they require to cover 6 diagrams.

 

[87015]

Any Pics of this unit on the GOBLIN?

This sounds to odd to be true - got to see it to believe it !

why is it so odd? Its only a different colour. Happened plenty times before (well a Central set) which were regular hires to Silverlink (and vice versa).

When 33103+TC comes back, then I might think about getting excited....

 

[Old Hill Bank]

You should be thankful that you have sprinters rather than pacers and that you will have brand new fleet soon.

OK agreed pacers are worse, just!!! but I'm not so sure about soon!

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

It's been out most of the week. I saw it last Wednesday I think but didn't have my camera handy. I saw it yesterday at Willesden Depot parked up outside. Will try and get a few pictures this week.

 

[466.networkers]

You are welcome to the Sh** thing, we have another 70 of these vehicles were stuck with until the 172's get sorted!!!!

I'd rather have a Class 150 than any Pacer anyday. The 150s are going to be sorely missed.

 

[Crossforth]

As I saw someone post else where:
Nothing will get preserved in the next decade, it will all go to Northern.

So if you still want to see Pacers and 150s, just come to Yorkshire

 

[37401]

As I saw someone post else where:
Nothing will get preserved in the next decade, it will all go to Northern.

So if you still want to see Pacers and 150s, just come to Yorkshire

Anyone that thinks preserving a pacer or a sprinter is a good idea needs their head seeing too

 

[Crossforth]

Anyone that thinks preserving a pacer or a sprinter is a good idea needs their head seeing too

As much as I agree with you, people probably said the same about slam doors when they started to replaced steam

 

[37401]

why is it so odd? Its only a different colour.

Personally, I think everything should be in Grey/silver undercoat, that would stop all this livery noncence

 

[northwichcat]

And once you've got your shine new fleet, we get some of the crappy 150s, which means more pacers around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Where do you get that from? 7x142s are replacing 3x180s and 8x150s are replacing 4x156s so the changes will affect the FNW area mostly and could if anything see more 150s in Sheffield opposed to Pacers.

However, I don't see Old Hill Bank can complain as Northern Rail have 82 Pacers (inferior to 150s) and 41 150s, which will increase to 89 Pacers and 49 150s as other operators get new trains to allow the oldest ones to be sent to Northern Rail.
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OK agreed pacers are worse, just!!! but I'm not so sure about soon!

Spend two to three hours on a Merseytravel 142 with very cramped seating and excruaiting noise on every sharp bend and see if you still say that.

Plus do you actually realise how much they do bounce compared to 150s that don't? See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJHwbgk3ynU&feature=related 4:19 for a Northern (FNW) Pacer and 1:39 for a LM (CT) 150.

 

[Fincra5]

That is stupidly bouncy

 

[northwichcat]

That is stupidly bouncy

They don't bounce if they remain on a 0 gradient but that is a bit if for any rail line.

 

[Donny Dave]

Where do you get that from? 7x142s are replacing 3x180s and 8x150s are replacing 4x156s so the changes will affect the FNW area mostly and could if anything see more 150s in Sheffield opposed to Pacers.

Hmm .... Getting some seriously crap units back that have been loaned out to replace units that have been on loan to Northern. Magnificent deal :roll:

I'm predicting that the 150s will go on to Manchester - Blackpool and routes where Northern lose the 156s, so that means, wait for it, no more 150s around Sheffield.

I'm also predicting that the few 15x diagrams around Sheffield go over to Pacer operation, as the 15x can then go to Leeds or Manchester to strengthen existing diagrams. Oh, the Hope Valley to go over to Pacers only as well ....

 

[northwichcat]

I'm also predicting that the few 15x diagrams around Sheffield go over to Pacer operation, as the 15x can then go to Leeds or Manchester to strengthen existing diagrams. Oh, the Hope Valley to go over to Pacers only as well

The extra seating by replacing the 4x156s with 8x150s is intended to benefit some peak services in Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield as per the official announcement. So if Sheffield does see 142s replacing 150s or 156s they should be in double formation to increase passenger numbers.

The 7x142s will likely replace 150s and 156s on routes where a PTE subsidy is not involved to cascade Sprinters to Manchester to Blackpool.

The Hope Valley line was diagrammed to be all 142s at one point so if does have Sprinters on it now then they've seen improvements.

 

[tbtc]

The 7x142s will likely replace 150s and 156s on routes where a PTE subsidy is not involved to cascade Sprinters to Manchester to Blackpool

I'm expecting these "new" trains to mean no *new* services, but to be used to strenthen existing ones.

The best way round would be to stick all Pacers on lines that don't require any doubling up, and Sprinters on lines where there is potential for multiple working.

Bear in mind that as part of this "swap", Northern won't be getting our 158s back from Scotrail (currently on loan), which would have been more useful than more Pacers

 

[northwichcat]

I'm expecting these "new" trains to mean no *new* services, but to be used to strenthen existing ones.

The best way round would be to stick all Pacers on lines that don't require any doubling up, and Sprinters on lines where there is potential for multiple working.

Bear in mind that as part of this "swap", Northern won't be getting our 158s back from Scotrail (currently on loan), which would have been more useful than more Pacers

The 180 diagrams will need to replaced by 2x156 diagrams so I could imagine a couple of the busier single Sprinter diagrams will become 2x142s diagrams, then it'll be a case of one service loses out as there's 7x142s not 8x142s so at least one Sprinter diagram will be replaced by a single 142 until at least the 150 cascade.

The problem with single 142s is they are very crowded on most lines at peak times as some have 30 less seats than 150s and 142s have less standing room compared to 150s as well as excess weight on a 142 causing more problems than on other units.

 

[455driver]

Anyone that thinks preserving a pacer or a sprinter is a good idea needs their head seeing too

Tell that to the-
Weardale Railway with 141103,
the Colne Valley Railway with 141108 or
the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley who have 141113.

Surely we should ensure that at least one of every type of train is preserved!

 

[NSEFAN]

Surely we should ensure that at least one of every type of train is preserved!

Only to prevent future generations from making the same mistakes

Will this 150 be on the GOBLIN until the introduction of the 172s?

 

[northwichcat]

Only to prevent future generations from making the same mistakes

Will this 150 be on the GOBLIN until the introduction of the 172s?

London Midland were supposed to hand over all their 150s to other operators when they got the 172s. However, now they're saying they want to keep some 150s as well as the 172s.

 

[devon_metro]

Hmm .... Getting some seriously crap units back that have been loaned out to replace units that have been on loan to Northern. Magnificent deal :roll:

You'll be getting them back in a far better state than they were received in the south west, internally refreshed and mechanically much more sound.

Makes a change from the days when they weren't to be run solo for fear of break down!

 

[northwichcat]

You'll be getting them back in a far better state than they were received in the south west, internally refreshed and mechanically much more sound.

Makes a change from the days when they weren't to be run solo for fear of break down!

That's very strange as the only problem with them when they went down were when they were running in multiple the conductor frequently struggled to get the doors to open on both units - so FGW must have fixed that problem and maintained them poorly otherwise in the first instance.

I don't know why they would run in multiple to cope with a engine failure. I was once on a 142+150 where one engine on the 142 failed and it had to be detached and sent back empty as it was losing too much time.

DfT had said that those 142s would be going to FGW soon after Northern took over so why would Northern been bothering to keep them look pretty on the inside? From the pictures I've seen the FGW refurb is the same standard as the Northern refurb.

 

[devon_metro]

That's very strange as the only problem with them when they went down were when they were running in multiple the conductor frequently struggled to get the doors to open on both units - so FGW must have fixed that problem and maintained them poorly otherwise in the first instance.

I don't know why they would run in multiple to cope with a engine failure. I was once on a 142+150 where one engine on the 142 failed and it had to be detached and sent back empty as it was losing too much time.

DfT had said that those 142s would be going to FGW soon after Northern took over so why would Northern been bothering to keep them look pretty on the inside? From the pictures I've seen the FGW refurb is the same standard as the Northern refurb.

There were numerous riots on the first few days of operation, apparently half of them had been sat in some sidings in Blackpool rusting away for a number of weeks prior to the move which probably didn't help.

 

[455driver]

That's very strange as the only problem with them when they went down were when they were running in multiple the conductor frequently struggled to get the doors to open on both units - so FGW must have fixed that problem and maintained them poorly otherwise in the first instance.

Not to mention the scrap sized tyres and knackered engines that wouldnt start.

 

[northwichcat]

There were numerous riots on the first few days of operation, apparently half of them had been sat in some sidings in Blackpool rusting away for a number of weeks prior to the move which probably didn't help.

They did go to FGW in batches. I don't remember the exact date but five of the ones that went to FGW were in operation until September 2007 for the purpose of strengthening Manchester-Chester via Altrincham services during Altrincham-Manchester Metrolink engineering works. Those 5 had been removed from service as they been replaced by 156s cascaded from the old ATN area and were put in to service for 3 months. I travelled on the Manchester to Chester via Altrincham line 5 days a week at the time and the only cancellations I remember that affected me at around that time was one where there wasn't a driver available. However, I remember at least every other day there being some kind of problems with doors jamming and I've since been told by a member of Northern staff that the couplers were effectively worn out.

There were other units kept in sidings at Blackpool. I remember seeing them there one evening before I knew they were going to FGW and thought what are they all doing out-of-service in the evening peak period. The 142s did make it from Blackpool to the West Country, had a lot of engines failed they wouldn't have got south of Shrewsbury but I imagine doing a journey like that doesn't help the condition the unit is in.
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knackered engines that wouldnt start.

142 engines have been troublesome in the winter for as long as I can remember and First North Western (FGW's former subsidiary) used to taxi drivers to the depot one hour early in the winter for the purpose of getting the 142s started and warmed up before they went out.