SWT 158's

[341o2]

another point which has just come to me is that the Lymington branch is worked by a 450 weekends & bank holidays. The 158 works weekdays (working days) only

 

[83G/84D]

Talking of SWT 158's - 158881 hired by FGW and in use in Exeter area this afternoon for a short time. It went St David's - St James' Park - St David's - Paignton - St David's.

I presume it was due to FGW unit shortages unless anyone knows differently.

 

[TEW]

It was on a standard FGW 158 diagram. Haven't heard whether it's going to be long term arrangement, with a 158 hired in everyday like before.

 

[83G/84D]

It was on a standard FGW 158 diagram. Haven't heard whether it's going to be long term arrangement, with a 158 hired in everyday like before.

Didn't know there was such a 158 diagram in the Exeter area. Thought everything based around Exeter with FGW was Classes 143, 150 & 153. Just found out that 158766 done the same short workings on the 4th & 6th so I have learnt something new today - thanks TEW.

 

[PHILIPE]

There is an FGW 158 Diagram in the Exeter and this has been discussed fairly recently on this Forum. If you turn back to a thread "0600 Penzance to Cardiff" and which the last post was on 12th May you will see a copy of the Diagram. It starts with ECS from Westbury to Salisbury so I presume the Westbury crew would have been taxied to Salisbury for it. It can return attached to the late Bristol to Salisbury at night.
Also a 3 Car one is booked on 21 59 Bristol TM to Exeter St Davids on a Saturday night and then 08 01 Exeter to Cardiff on a Sunday morning thence to Portsmouth work.`

 

[TEW]

It's not an ECS from Westbury-Salisbury, it's a service train. What used to happen is 2O01, 0524 Westbury-Salisbury would be formed of a 150. The SWT 158 would then attach at Salisbury for the return, 2C04, 0602 Salisbury-Westbury. The 150 would then work a service to Cheltenham via Melksham with the 158 going off to Weymouth.

 

[PHILIPE]

It's not an ECS from Westbury-Salisbury, it's a service train. What used to happen is 2O01, 0524 Westbury-Salisbury would be formed of a 150. The SWT 158 would then attach at Salisbury for the return, 2C04, 0602 Salisbury-Westbury. The 150 would then work a service to Cheltenham via Melksham with the 158 going off to Weymouth.

Sorry, my mistake. Was ECS in the past. FGW 158 now works on own on 05 24 Salisbury thence to Weymouth so I presume something else worked Westbury to Salisbury today, attached 158 and then another Diagram starting from Westbury.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Wow, that's insanely bad design. Why can't it be opened from the inside? Surely a person being inside should override it?

Yes it does seem a very strange was of working, or not.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If the water tank is nearly empty then the toilet will lock itself out of use automatically (fault code is 7309, we see it quite a lot ) to prevent damage to the vacuum flush system.

If that is the case, it was not working properly as I should not have been able to enter the loo in the first place. I'll use one with a manual lock next time. (or not have a drink before I travel.) The guard was very apologetic about the incident though.

 

[TEW]

Sorry, my mistake. Was ECS in the past. FGW 158 now works on own on 05 24 Salisbury thence to Weymouth so I presume something else worked Westbury to Salisbury today, attached 158 and then another Diagram starting from Westbury.

Yeh, it would be the 150 for 2M11, 0704 Westbury-Cheltenham Spa I imagine as it's booked off the same platform. In the past when FGW hired a SWT 158 a 150 worked the Weymouth and the SWT 158 2M11.

 

[CC 72100]

Advance notice for Tuesday 11 June:
1L13 is due to be a 5 car formation (159 + 158) throughout, instead of the 158 being detached at Salisbury. (There is an open day at Exeter University, so presumably increased loadings being anticipated)

Take it this the 07:10 Waterloo - Exeter, arriving at 10:40? If so, was actually 2 x 159 in the end, just seen it arrive. Quite well loaded too.

 

[455driver]

If that is the case, it was not working properly as I should not have been able to enter the loo in the first place. I'll use one with a manual lock next time. (or not have a drink before I travel.) The guard was very apologetic about the incident though.

The sensor can change its status because water sloshes around the tank as the train moves.

 

[SprinterMan]

Were vacuum loos fitted to the 158s/159s when they had retention toilets fitted, or are they still conventional toilets like in all other 158s? That thing with the dooe on the 444 sounds a bit scary, I will be wary of GA's 360s now.

Adam

 

[PHILIPE]

Re SWT 158 on hire to FGW, appears to have been just Monday only ad hoc rather than long term lease. FGW 158 working Diagram today so probably just exceptional shortage of FGW Units on Monday.

 

[northernrailer]

FGW are hiring a SWT 158 on a daily basis, the SWT class 158 works the 0602 Salisbury to Westbury with a 150 where it detaches and then forms the 0754 to Cheltenham Spa, then forms:

0940 Chelt to Swind
1154 Swind to Chelt
1340 Chelt to Swind
1554 Swind to Chelt
1740 Chelt to Southampton
2120 Southamton to Westbury
2308 Westbury to Salisbury

The class 150 that is then cascaded, displaces the 2x class 153s the work the Barnstaple to Exmouth route all day, so the other services can be strengthened by the 2 class 153s - but these are allocated on a daily basis.

 

[TEW]

Back to the old diagram then. Conveniently if it's on the wrong end of the 0602 SAL-WSB it can work that diagram instead, as happened on Monday, and still get back in time to go on the last SWT Salisbury service. The 158 did used to occasionally go on a different diagram.

 

[455driver]

Were vacuum loos fitted to the 158s/159s when they had retention toilets fitted, or are they still conventional toilets like in all other 158s? That thing with the dooe on the 444 sounds a bit scary, I will be wary of GA's 360s now.

Adam

No vacuum toilets on 158/159s, they just empty the waste from the toilet into a big tank which is then emptied out at the depot.

They do use a lot more water than a vacuum toilet though.

 

[thaitransit]

Ah, the Thai '158-alike' units! These things fascinate me. I understand that they have begun to be withdrawn from service? Half expecting some of the leasing co's to buy them for further use over here; we could do with some more

For the curious, these were (I believe) built by BREL and are essentially a 158 shell fitted out to very basic standards. There are no gangway connections (or tail lamps, hence the red circle in the cab window), 'hole in the floor' toilets and very spartan interiors. The usual fibreglass skirting panel on the front end is omitted, leaving just the bare framework as sometimes seen on a UK 158 undergoing maintenance. They were also painted a very similar livery style to the original Regional Railways 'Express' colours on the 158s.

Photos of these units seem to be rare, does anybody on here have some?!

Today these 158 DMUs are still used on 2 services a day in 3 car sets.

Depart 10.50am to Sila At arriving 7.15pm
and
Depart Sila At 7.50pm to Bangkok arriving at 4.00am

Both services operate 7 days a week with a single 3 car set that sees around 1100km per day of travel. The service is cancelled for any major maintance on the Class 158 as there is no other spare working rolling stock that can cover this trip at the required speed.

About 5 years ago there was a twice daily commuter service between bangkok and Chachoengsao. This was operated with a 4 car Class 158 DMU however was withdrawn after decades of use and the extreme rust levels throughout the railcar. It basiclly was so weak structurely that it could not hold loading gauge properly. Today its commuter services are operated by a 50 year non aircon DMU from japan.

As for the toilet issue. That never happened on the thai 158s as it was a drop to the track style that would still work even if the water had run out in the tanks a rather common issue in thailand.

 

[thaitransit]

Here are some pictures of the thai 158s

The pictures were taken in 2010.

 

[CC 72100]

Here are some pictures of the thai 158s

The pictures were taken in 2010.

Haha, they're reformed into 3 cars in exactly the same way as the FGW 158/9s!

 

[SprinterMan]

Haha, they're reformed into 3 cars in exactly the same way as the FGW 158/9s!

Nahh, they have proper centre cars, just all vehicle ends are painted yellow for some reason.

Adam

 

[BestWestern]

Today these 158 DMUs are still used on 2 services a day in 3 car sets.

Depart 10.50am to Sila At arriving 7.15pm
and
Depart Sila At 7.50pm to Bangkok arriving at 4.00am

Both services operate 7 days a week with a single 3 car set that sees around 1100km per day of travel. The service is cancelled for any major maintance on the Class 158 as there is no other spare working rolling stock that can cover this trip at the required speed.

About 5 years ago there was a twice daily commuter service between bangkok and Chachoengsao. This was operated with a 4 car Class 158 DMU however was withdrawn after decades of use and the extreme rust levels throughout the railcar. It basiclly was so weak structurely that it could not hold loading gauge properly. Today its commuter services are operated by a 50 year non aircon DMU from japan.

As for the toilet issue. That never happened on the thai 158s as it was a drop to the track style that would still work even if the water had run out in the tanks a rather common issue in thailand.

That's very interesting, thanks As for the rust issue, I thought 158 shells were aluminium, or did I just dream that up?! Shame to see these being run into the grave, I rather like 158s - and their foreign cousins!

 

[thaitransit]

That's very interesting, thanks As for the rust issue, I thought 158 shells were aluminium, or did I just dream that up?! Shame to see these being run into the grave, I rather like 158s - and their foreign cousins!

I believe it was the internal framework and sub floor area that rusted out not the panels on the outside. Basically the outer skin was holding it together in the end. However that line it ran on was quite close to the sea and prone to flooding with a mixture of fresh and salt water. When they could not run they sat in upto the floor in standing water for days on end which did not help.

As they are not diesel hydrulic powered railcars they could not operate through flood waters only the diesel hydrulic locos could continue to operate services during flood times.

Here is a video from 2011 of diesel hydrulic locos operating special flood area services to northern bangkok.

http://youtu.be/ftPBz0a9FJg

and another video showing a local service in deep flood waters

http://youtu.be/PFR6-tYfRxE

These videos explain what the 158s are up against and the rust they suffered from.

The services that they run are considered special express which is a high speed premium train service. That can be up 50% faster that the locomotive hauld services. The interior of the SRT 158s is rather comfortable and clean with reasonable aircon if it is working properly. They are the 2nd highest standard of SRT DMU services. The max speed of these DMUs is 120kph. Which is 30kph faster than the loco hauld services.

 

[ainsworth74]

The max speed of these DMUs is 120kph.

Interesting. Our 158s top out at 90mph (about 145kph) so that's a bit of a difference between the two fleets. Though I imagine line speeds in Thailand are a lot lower than they are for our railway on the whole.

 

[159jim]

FGW are hiring a SWT 158 on a daily basis, the SWT class 158 works the 0602 Salisbury to Westbury with a 150 where it detaches and then forms the 0754 to Cheltenham Spa, then forms:

0940 Chelt to Swind
1154 Swind to Chelt
1340 Chelt to Swind
1554 Swind to Chelt
1740 Chelt to Southampton
2120 Southamton to Westbury
2308 Westbury to Salisbury

The class 150 that is then cascaded, displaces the 2x class 153s the work the Barnstaple to Exmouth route all day, so the other services can be strengthened by the 2 class 153s - but these are allocated on a daily basis.

Does the SWT 158 go to FGW on Saturdays?

 

[Drsatan]

Does the SWT 158 go to FGW on Saturdays?

It used to: the SWT 158 used to form the 0827 from Southampton Central to Worcester Foregate Street on Saturdays. Not sure if it's still booked for that service though.

 

[159jim]

It used to: the SWT 158 used to form the 0827 from Southampton Central to Worcester Foregate Street on Saturdays. Not sure if it's still booked for that service though.

Yeah it then went to Weymouth and back to Bristol for the SWT service.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Yeah it then went to Weymouth and back to Bristol for the SWT service.

You mean back for the evening Bristol - Westbury stopper? Forget if that was Saturdays only or Saturdays excluded, but I've done it about 5-10 times before. 158 would join the 159 at Westbury for a lift home IIRC

 

[SprinterMan]

As they are not diesel hydrulic powered railcars they could not operate through flood waters only the diesel hydrulic locos could continue to operate services during flood times.

158s do have hydraulic transmission though, don't they?

Adam

 

[heart-of-wessex]

158s do have hydraulic transmission though, don't they?

Adam

They do, but don't know if the exported ones are the same engine/transmission?

 

[159jim]

158880 was noticed passing through Trowbridge at around 19:40 tonight empty stock.