333s are just modifed 332s (which were prototypes) so there is no way the 333s will last into the 2030s, I think the 333s will be replaced before then.
Given 323s bodyshells are made of aluminium alloys the 323s won’t have long left in them, after all production on the 323s started in 1992.
The reason for the withdrawal of the Heathrow Express units however was an excess of 387 units and the fact that there wasn't a depot for the 332s anywhere nearby where they could be maintained.
I've never heard 332s were prototypes before
I don't see how that follows. It was a completely different situation with the 332s.
That really wasn't a major reason. If they wanted to they could have been kept going. It was easier and cheaper to use 387s than find a new depot.
Could have sworn I read somewhere the 332s were prototypes, can’t remember where though.
It follows because the 333s are just modified 332s, as far as I know the only difference is the interior (seating) and that the 332s had ATP whereas the 333s have TPWS. Luckily Northern 333s have been taken better care of hence why they were not recalled in 2016 when the 332s were. I still just can’t see the 333s lasting until the 2030s they may be the next fleet to go following the 319 withdrawal next year of course.
True, at the time though I saw a lot of people say the corrosion was a big part of the reason the 332s were replaced by 387s. Shame the 332s were owned by Heathrow airport and were therefor never offered to Northern (but that bit off topic).
No they were new build units, like almost any new type of train today. Prototypes have been the exception rather than the rule for many years.
The plans are for the 333’s to see out their minimum life expectancy of 40 years which takes us to 2040. There’s no reason why they can’t.
As mentioned above there were an excess of 387’s and the specific Heathrow Express depot was demolished so replacing them with 387’s was the sensible option.
Let’s not go down that route yet again please. The reason Northern didn’t need the 332’s has been gone through so many times.
But why? The 333s are perfectly fine?
People on here are certainly determined to find a home for them. They're the new 442s, the new 365s, etc. etc.
Have they been offered them in the first place to rule them out?
Sure, but that is still speculation. I do wonder if they had never run those services in their early years, would anyone think to suggest they go there now?
Replacing the rather new 195s with 20+ year old 175s on any routes would not be a good look for Northern. Any sprinter replacements will most likely ether be more 195s or hydrogen 195s/331s.
Also relacing anything that has currently got 1/3 & 2/3 doors with end only is going to cause problems.
Confirmation that that has happened?
Oh if only they weren’t working on Hull Botanic Gardens to become the depot base for 155/170’s. I’ve mentioned it several times before how people conveniently forget that fact due to their desire to withdraw 155’s and remove 170’s to elsewhere immediately.
Nether of those will be leaving Northern anytime soon as Northern are getting more 156s from EMR, and the 158s are the youngest of the Sprinters so I can’t see them going anytime soon.
It’s nowhere near enough, there are 27 175s and with 20 195s that’s 47 units. Northern have 78 150s.
Hang on.
Confirmed where?
Yea I had only thought of the door issue on the Oxford Road stop etc not the Middlesborough area.
Given that the 155s are staying for now, that's the best way to handle a microfleet of seven. Though I'm still somewhat surprised they have stuck around and seem secure- given that they are still a microfleet however you slice it- even more so with the 153s long gone. With additional 156s being released from elsewhere (EMR) I could see a case for reducing the number of different types operated.
They're a microfleet but they use loads of the same mechanicals as the majority of the existing diesel fleet, can work in multiple with 15x and 170s and are an easy conversion course from other 15x for crew. Because of all the similarities, it doesn't really matter there is only 7 of them.
Of course. At the start of the last Northern franchise when the fleet strategy was devised, the current solution was the "least-worst" way of making the numbers add up. There were no easy alternatives as few Sprinters were known to be coming off-lease in the near future. However if you were planning things now, there would be a case for ditching the Leyland units for either 156s or 158s simply because there are more of them. As much as the 155s might share many components with a 156, another 156 will share more (I'm thinking of things like door mechanisms which are obviously different on the 155s).
