Northern Class 156s

[150sprinter]

Hi all,
at one time I saw Class 156s almost everytime I travelled on the local railway, however I haven't seen one in Northern livery around Leeds for at least half a year and I frequently travel on the railways.
Where are they all?!
Have they all been sold or are they in use somewhere else?
I would like some info because they are reliable units.
Thanks, 150 Sprinter.

 

[150222]

They are not used in yorkshire anymore and are based in manchester and newcastle.

 

[Lampshade]

All based at Newton Heath/Heaton. Just like the 158s are based at Neville Hill

 

[Masbroughlad]

Pity - I used to like a 156 out of Leeds towards Rotherham and Sheffield.

 

[hougtimo]

They are not used in yorkshire anymore and are based in manchester and newcastle.

Not at all? I was driving passed Brough station the other day and there was a two car sprinter heading towards Hull. Def wasn't a 158, the sides didn't taper in.

 

[northwichcat]

The first thing Northern did was to send the Newton Heath 158s to Neville Hill and the Neville Hill 150s to Newton Heath.

The 156s slowly moved across as Northern were allocated extra 158s and 12x142s went in to storage, which then when to FGW are have since returned or are returning to run additional services/add extra capacity compared to 2007.

 

[150sprinter]

Pity - I used to like a 156 out of Leeds towards Rotherham and Sheffield.

I did aswell.

 

[150222]

Not at all? I was driving passed Brough station the other day and there was a two car sprinter heading towards Hull. Def wasn't a 158, the sides didn't taper in.

Was it 2x153?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Someone on here told me the other day that yorkshire crews still sign 156's but they are not used. Now i thought they didn't sign them however this guy worked for northern so i guess he is right. Why are they not used in yorkshire? Seems a bit of a waste of crew knoledge.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
AFAIK 156's last ran in yorkshire in mid 2009. The closest they get to leeds is sheffield on hope valley services and todmorden on weekday morning (07.44) todmorden to manchester working.

 

[northwichcat]

Was it 2x153?

Or a 155.

AFAIK 156's last ran in yorkshire in mid 2009. The closest they get to leeds is sheffield on hope valley services and todmorden on weekday morning (07.44) todmorden to manchester working.

Or Huddersfield on Huddersfield-Manchester Vic workings.

 

[jonesy3001]

I see them mostly on the barrow-lancaster services and morecambe shuttles.

 

[150222]

Or a 155.



Or Huddersfield on Huddersfield-Manchester Vic workings.

Ah yes forgot about huddersfield. It won't have been a 155 as hull crews don't sign them.

 

[142094]

Mainly used on Manc - Liverpool Lime Street, few different services in the Merseyside area, Manc - Buxton, only class used on the Whitby line, one is allocated for Bishop Auckland - Saltburn and some others on the Newcastle - Carlisle trains.

 

[WillPS]

They are not used in yorkshire anymore and are based in manchester and newcastle.

They can still be seen in South Yorkshire on occasion, running Hope Valley stoppers.

 

[strange6]

A lot of the 156's are on the Southport - Wigan Wallgate - Manchester routes as well as the Cumbrian route up North. I must say that I really like these trains but some are beginning to look very tacky inside now which is a shame.

 

[142094]

A lot of the 156's are on the Southport - Wigan Wallgate - Manchester routes as well as the Cumbrian route up North. I must say that I really like these trains but some are beginning to look very tacky inside now which is a shame.

Also there were concerns over the tables after the Sudbury tanker incident. Last time I was on a 156 there were a few tables missing, the rest had damamged tops.

 

[sprinterguy]

I've always been hugely fond of the Northern Spirit interiors of the 156s, but regrettably even I've got to admit that they're now looking well beyond their best and very worn, and it's about time that they saw another interior refurbishment. Though I suppose we'll have to wait until the next Northern franchise for any progress to be made on that front.

 

[driver9000]

A handful of the former RRNW 156s operated by Northern have been refurbished and look quite smart (156423 is one) which has included deep cleaning, repainting of the vestibule walls, new carpets, new seat covers and cushions, removal of the sliding doors to the saloons, provision of a new wheelchair space in the DMSL (a small table is included), new saloon wall covering and the wheelchair ramp moved to a new space behind a cover opposite the toilet.

 

[sprinterguy]

A handful of the former RRNW 156s operated by Northern have been refurbished and look quite smart (156423 is one) which has included deep cleaning, repainting of the vestibule walls, new carpets, new seat covers and cushions, removal of the sliding doors to the saloons, provision of a new wheelchair space in the DMSL (a small table is included), new saloon wall covering and the wheelchair ramp moved to a new space behind a cover opposite the toilet.

Ah, I stand corrected, I don't see so much of the former North West 156s. It's good to hear that some progress is being made.

 

[Bayum]

I was wondering the same thing regarding the 156s.




However - I did see one on the 2nd August at Leeds heading south, so not sure where that was going.

 

[driver9000]

While it's not on the scale of other operators such as EMT, the in house work done to them certainly does tidy them up and they do look smart. I took several photos of the first one a day or two after it was released and you could still smell the new carpet and paint

 

[northwichcat]

new seat covers and cushions.

I don't know if it's a case of a poor refitting job or a case of seats being broken but a lot of the cushions on the ex-FNW 150s and 156s move about a lot since refurbishment.

 

[driver9000]

I don't know if it's a case of a poor refitting job or a case of seats being broken but a lot of the cushions on the ex-FNW 150s and 156s move about a lot since refurbishment.

Can't say I've noticed to be honest. The only loose cushions I tend to find are the ex MerseyRail 142 seats.

 

[185]

I remember some years back, being given a 156 on the Calder Valley was a godsent, compared to the icebox 155s or 150s. The cab heaters in 155s used to just make a sound 'like a heater', as opposed to a 156 which was like a furnace, usually melting your shoe soles

 

[150222]

I remember some years back, being given a 156 on the Calder Valley was a godsent, compared to the icebox 155s or 150s. The cab heaters in 155s used to just make a sound 'like a heater', as opposed to a 156 which was like a furnace, usually melting your shoe soles

Yes those were the days

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Or a 155.



Or Huddersfield on Huddersfield-Manchester Vic workings.

I saw one on 4a at Huddersfield a few weeks ago on a Leeds service. It never left Huddersfield as when the crew came out for it they pointed out they didn't sign 156s any more as they hadn't worked one in over 12 months. It had arrived from Man Vic on a diagram which takes the unit to Leeds and is booked, I'm told, for a 150. A bit of swapping around saw it head back to Vic again.

Mainly used on Manc - Liverpool Lime Street, few different services in the Merseyside area, Manc - Buxton, only class used on the Whitby line, one is allocated for Bishop Auckland - Saltburn and some others on the Newcastle - Carlisle trains.

142s also still crop up on the Whitby line occasionally on Summer Sundays when the timetable is different and there are the through workings from beyond Middlesbrough.

I don't know if it's a case of a poor refitting job or a case of seats being broken but a lot of the cushions on the ex-FNW 150s and 156s move about a lot since refurbishment.

Many of the 158s are similar. The new Northern seat covers are coming off and look very tatty in many units. Quite a few of seat bases are extremely uncomfortable as they feel like they have collapsed or have lost all their stuffing.

 

[142094]

142s also still crop up on the Whitby line occasionally on Summer Sundays when the timetable is different and there are the through workings from beyond Middlesbrough.

Indeed, about 5 years ago I had a trip on one from Newcastle straight through to Whitby. Was at Newcastle 3 years ago and it was a 156 this time, although 142s might still be used. During the week though it is always 156s.

 

[150222]

However - I did see one on the 2nd August at Leeds heading south, so not sure where that was going.

It may have been a heaton to newton heath ECS. It won't have been in service.

 

[142094]

It may have been a heaton to newton heath ECS. It won't have been in service.

No idea why that would have been the case seeing as the only ECS moves to/from Heaton that I know of are the 14xs that come in for exams/maintenance.