Refurbishment or redecoration!!

[superkev]

I'm old enough to remember when BR's DMUs were given a mid-life refurbishment which, as well including new interiors (redecoration), all wearing mechanical components were replaced and various enhancements were made to improve ride, heaters and reliability.

Northern's first refurbished 158 has recently returned although I may be wrong but the impression I get is that it's a redecoration with mechanical components remaining, whether life expired or not.

What a missed opportunity for a true mid life overhaul with perhaps some enhancements to say the air conditioning and engine & transmission.

K

 

[keith1879]

I'm old enough to remember when BR's DMUs were given a mid-life refurbishment which, as well including new interiors (redecoration), all wearing mechanical components were replaced and various enhancements were made to improve ride, heaters and reliability.

Northern's first refurbished 158 has recently returned although I may be wrong but the impression I get is that it's a redecoration with mechanical components remaining, whether life expired or not.

What a missed opportunity for a true mid life overhaul with perhaps some enhancements to say the air conditioning and engine & transmission.

K

I'm interested to see this - but I would say that the class 158 (AirCon apart) has always struck me as a thoroughly comfortable and enjoyable vehicle in which to travel - whereas first generation dmus were anything but - being noisy, rough and always too hot or too cold.

 

[DarloRich]

I'm old enough to remember when BR's DMUs were given a mid-life refurbishment which, as well including new interiors (redecoration), all wearing mechanical components were replaced and various enhancements were made to improve ride, heaters and reliability.

Northern's first refurbished 158 has recently returned although I may be wrong but the impression I get is that it's a redecoration with mechanical components remaining, whether life expired or not.

What a missed opportunity for a true mid life overhaul with perhaps some enhancements to say the air conditioning and engine & transmission.

K

surely it depends what the scope of the refurbishment is. There is a difference between refurbishment & overhaul.

 

[theblackwatch]

surely it depends what the scope of the refurbishment is. There is a difference between refurbishment & overhaul.

Back in 'days gone by', the two would have been done together. I recall that when the HSTs were refurbished and painted into InterCity livery, it was done (in the main) as part of a C2 overhaul. Nowadays, an item of rolling stock could go (for example) to Wabtec for overhaul one month then be sent to Knorr Bremse for refurbishment six weeks later. (All in the name of efficiency. :P )

 

[Rail Blues]

I'm interested to see this - but I would say that the class 158 (AirCon apart) has always struck me as a thoroughly comfortable and enjoyable vehicle in which to travel - whereas first generation dmus were anything but - being noisy, rough and always too hot or too cold.

I agree. There doesn't seem to be that much wrong with them. Didn't they experiment with ZF transmission and the fuel saving gains were marginal?

I also agree that the comparison with 1st generation DMUs isn't particularly relevant. As a nipper I used to travel on 116s on the Birmingham Cross City Line in the early to mid 1980s. They seemed ancient and knackered even after a refurbishment/overhaul and they were just over 20 years old at that stage.

158s are coming up to 30 and still feel pleasant, smooth and modern (and I've never found the air conditioning, but then again I do live in Scotland)

If it ain't broke, why fix it?

 

[yorksrob]

I agree with the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" philosophy.

Sometimes all that's needed is a cosmetic "facelift" to brighten up the passenger environment. As an example, I preferred the facelifted CIG's VEP's and EPB's which consisted of reupholstering and the introduction of fluorescent lighting, to fully refurbished units such as the CEP's and 308's, which had the full works, including hard 1980's style seating.