Northern Breakdowns

[strange6]

Waiting for the Kirkby train this morning and it had broken down at Atherton. I have noticed Northern have had quite a few breakdowns lately around my locality and they have all been 150's. Are they getting too long in the tooth now or is it due to poor maintanence? Looking at most of the Northern 150's, I would suggest the later. Dirty, noisy and wearing out.

 

[First class]

2F15 (08:10 from Man. Victoria) and subsequently 2J72 (09:32 from Kirkby Merseyside) were cancelled, so in effect just one unit.

Seeing as Northern have around 40(?) Class 150s, with most in service, I think you were just unlucky recently.

Problem is, though, like Merseyrail and some other TOCs, the units are becoming older and naturally performance of the fleet can sometimes deteriorate. That is not to say that new build stock is the answer. Sometimes maintenance regimes need reevaluating and even driving techniques need improving or changing.

 

[Saxonia]

Waiting for the Kirkby train this morning and it had broken down at Atherton. I have noticed Northern have had quite a few breakdowns lately around my locality and they have all been 150's. Are they getting too long in the tooth now or is it due to poor maintanence? Looking at most of the Northern 150's, I would suggest the later. Dirty, noisy and wearing out.

The air suspension on the 52 car of 150141 went - erm - "twang" at Atherton, resulting in the unit travelling forward to Wigan CS as ECS at 45 mph - quite why it couldn't have run at least to Wigan in passenger service before being coshed is an answer I don't have.
Over the last 6 years, the reliability levels of 150/156 units has plumetted quite alarmingly - I will leave you to draw your own conclusions from this comment............

 

[strange6]

The air suspension on the 52 car of 150141 went - erm - "twang" at Atherton, resulting in the unit travelling forward to Wigan CS as ECS at 45 mph - quite why it couldn't have run at least to Wigan in passenger service before being coshed is an answer I don't have.
Over the last 6 years, the reliability levels of 150/156 units has plumetted quite alarmingly - I will leave you to draw your own conclusions from this comment............

Suspension failure? That's unusual. No surprise though considering the poor quality of the Atherton line in general. But you can tell just by looking and listening at most of Northern's 150's they are not looked after properly. A friend of mine who is a guard for Scotrail has told me in the past that when they have received stock from Northern, Scotrail's fitters have always complained about the poor condition of it

 

[Saxonia]

Suspension failure? That's unusual. No surprise though considering the poor quality of the Atherton line in general. But you can tell just by looking and listening at most of Northern's 150's they are not looked after properly. A friend of mine who is a guard for Scotrail has told me in the past that when they have received stock from Northern, Scotrail's fitters have always complained about the poor condition of it

I can only assume here that your friend is referring to HT class 156 units, that do occasionally stray onto GSWR services via Dumfries - Northern have never passed any of their stock on to FSR, save for 158's that never saw any active service for Northern, thanks to the usual DfT meddling.

 

[strange6]

I can only assume here that your friend is referring to HT class 156 units, that do occasionally stray onto GSWR services via Dumfries - Northern have never passed any of their stock on to FSR, save for 158's that never saw any active service for Northern, thanks to the usual DfT meddling.

I'll ask him and get back to you!

 

[142094]

HT normally does a good job of maintenance, that's why puctuality figures for the Tyne and Tees Region are always one of, if not, the highest for the franchise.

The problem with Northern is that their newest units are the 333s and the 180s (unless I've forgotten something). Everything else is much older, and naturally breakdowns will be getting more and more common.

 

[strange6]

HT normally does a good job of maintenance, that's why puctuality figures for the Tyne and Tees Region are always one of, if not, the highest for the franchise.

The problem with Northern is that their newest units are the 333s and the 180s (unless I've forgotten something). Everything else is much older, and naturally breakdowns will be getting more and more common.

Yes, I agree. I do have sympathy with them in that regard.

 

[Yew]

Not 150141, She was running pretty sweet a few weeks ago

I suppose its just northern having the short straw again, paces and 150's make up miost of the fleet, with the idea to move some newer stock (156's) away, to swap for more 150's

Maybe giving some cash to northern for some heavy refitting of their sprinter fleet? God iknows where from though