SWT 159s in unusual places

[stuartbaggs]

Has a SWT 159 ever been to Hampton Court for instance?

 

[Parallel]

Not that weird, but as FGW are currently using a two car train from SWT (not sure if 158 or 159 though), it is being used on local routes on the FGW network, I've caught it from Swindon via Melksham, and I've also been on it whilst it's stopped at Avoncliff - the "emergency door only" sparked a lot of confusion at all stations. That train continued to Great Malvern which, however, is quite an unusual place to see one I should imagine.

 

[Qwerty133]

Not that weird, but as FGW are currently using a two car train from SWT (not sure if 158 or 159 though), it is being used on local routes on the FGW network, I've caught it from Swindon via Melksham, and I've also been on it whilst it's stopped at Avoncliff - the "emergency door only" sparked a lot of confusion at all stations. That train continued to Great Malvern which, however, is quite an unusual place to see one I should imagine.

That's a 158, 159s all have 3 coaches and IIRC SWT (well most) 158s have 2 coaches.

 

[SeanG]

Went on a SWT 158 a good few years back from York - Hull.
Lovely bit of declassified 1st class. It was packed on the rest of the train but nobody realised that the 1st class was declassified

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Went on a SWT 158 a good few years back from York - Hull.
Lovely bit of declassified 1st class. It was packed on the rest of the train but nobody realised that the 1st class was declassified

Had presumably the same hired 158 from Huddersfield to Denby Dale- though some passengers seemed worried about being moved even from the standard sections, it being such a step-up from the usual 14x on that route. The declassified first on the Airedale 308s was also usually empty, though that 1st class wasn't quite to the same standard of course!

As for Hampton Court, not sure if a 159 ever made it there, but back when it was my local the last train down the branch of an evening was usually a VEP rather than the usual 455, though on occasions CIGs turned up too. Think there might even have been occasional 442s when the flower show was on!

 

[IanXC]

Went on a SWT 158 a good few years back from York - Hull.
Lovely bit of declassified 1st class. It was packed on the rest of the train but nobody realised that the 1st class was declassified

Ah the visit of Bingo (158888) to the North! For most of a summer it turned up on my regular train home from work, the journey home being from a seaside town had the brilliant effect of the regular commuters (in suits and so on) sitting in 1st in the peace and quiet, and the screaming children being in standard!!

 

[D6975]

Not that weird, but as FGW are currently using a two car train from SWT (not sure if 158 or 159 though), it is being used on local routes on the FGW network, I've caught it from Swindon via Melksham, and I've also been on it whilst it's stopped at Avoncliff - the "emergency door only" sparked a lot of confusion at all stations. That train continued to Great Malvern which, however, is quite an unusual place to see one I should imagine.

158880 was on a local service on 30/12/13 (poss a Gt Malvern). I think they swap the unit over every week.

 

[windnoise69]

The FGW SWT 158 hire in changed on a daily basis, with the diagram given to the unit starting and ending at Salisbury. Pretty sure this hasn't changed since Dexember. I remember the rumour mill working that as part of the agreement of use the unit would never go onto St Phillips marsh

 

[swt_passenger]

What happened to the rumour that FGW were hiring a second unit - the logic being that the DfT's approval of the extra Melksham and Paignton services included the point that they relied on an SWT hire in to release a pair of 153s from something else.

I think people hoped this was going to be as well as the familiar hire-in as it was thought to be already spoken for...

 

[Lrd]

I saw a 159 stopped at Millbrook (Hants) the other day instead of the ususal 158. No idea if it was in service or not though.

 

[swt_passenger]

I saw a 159 stopped at Millbrook (Hants) the other day instead of the ususal 158. No idea if it was in service or not though.

There has been at least one 159 on the Romsey - Salisbury service on a couple of days this week, I used one yesterday.

 

[TEW]

The FGW SWT 158 hire in changed on a daily basis, with the diagram given to the unit starting and ending at Salisbury. Pretty sure this hasn't changed since Dexember. I remember the rumour mill working that as part of the agreement of use the unit would never go onto St Phillips marsh

It does go onto St Phillips Marsh on rare occasions. I'm not sure if the unit does at the moment, but over the Summer on a Saturday night the 158 would stable at Bristol Temple Meads overnight before working for FGW again on the Sunday, rather than returning to Salisbury.

 

[capital12]

There has been at least one 159 on the Romsey - Salisbury service on a couple of days this week, I used one yesterday.

Saw this at Southampton Airport yesterday morning - although front 2 coaches were 159/1 the rear coach was a 158! Sorry can't remember the numbers now!!

 

[Wolvercoter]

159s used to be regular at Reading - platform 3 I recall. I've seen all 22 of the original class at Reading station between 1994 and 2000. I think they used to run between Reading and Brighton.....

Have also seen a pic of a 159 in the Southern Platforms at Reading.

 

[455driver]

Saw this at Southampton Airport yesterday morning - although front 2 coaches were 159/1 the rear coach was a 158! Sorry can't remember the numbers now!!

159108, it has been like that for a couple of weeks now.

 

[starrymarkb]

Isn't the 158 the good vehicle from the ZF trial unit (where the new gearbox is proving a liability?)

 

[TEW]

159s used to be regular at Reading - platform 3 I recall. I've seen all 22 of the original class at Reading station between 1994 and 2000. I think they used to run between Reading and Brighton.....

Have also seen a pic of a 159 in the Southern Platforms at Reading.

Reading-Brighton was obviously a diesel operation for SWT, but AFAIK was booked for a 170 once SWT received them. It is unusual to see a 159 in the Southern platforms but units did do it recently for route learning in connection with SWT winning the MPV drivers contract for the Wessex region.

 

[455driver]

Isn't the 158 the good vehicle from the ZF trial unit (where the new gearbox is proving a liability?)

Yes it is, I cant remember the number!

I dont do dirty diseasels!

 

[TEW]

158885

 

[capital12]

In addition the 158/159 hybrid spotted earlier this week there is a 158 formed of half of 883 & 885 - seen parked in bay platform at Southampton last night.

 

[Lrd]

In addition the 158/159 hybrid spotted earlier this week there is a 158 formed of half of 883 & 885 - seen parked in bay platform at Southampton last night.

I'm guessing that the other vehicles were damaged during the recent poor weather?

 

[bnsf734]

What happened to the rumour that FGW were hiring a second unit - the logic being that the DfT's approval of the extra Melksham and Paignton services included the point that they relied on an SWT hire in to release a pair of 153s from something else.

I think people hoped this was going to be as well as the familiar hire-in as it was thought to be already spoken for...

According to the SWGEN yahoo group there is a 158 hired every day. It gets attached to a Waterloo - Exeter working at Salisbury and arrives in Exeter at 16:42. It gets detached and runs ECS to Exeter Central where it then works to Paignton and back to St Davids. Next train is ECS to Bristol and then back to Salisbury.

 

[swt_passenger]

According to the SWGEN yahoo group there is a 158 hired every day. It gets attached to a Waterloo - Exeter working at Salisbury and arrives in Exeter at 16:42. It gets detached and runs ECS to Exeter Central where it then works to Paignton and back to St Davids. Next train is ECS to Bristol and then back to Salisbury.

So is that definitely in addition to the unit that was already doing a full day hire, the one that IIRC runs from Salisbury to Westbury in the early morning - doesn't that one run in multiple with an FGW 150?

 

[TEW]

According to the SWGEN yahoo group there is a 158 hired every day. It gets attached to a Waterloo - Exeter working at Salisbury and arrives in Exeter at 16:42. It gets detached and runs ECS to Exeter Central where it then works to Paignton and back to St Davids. Next train is ECS to Bristol and then back to Salisbury.

That isn't in place yet, but it is rumoured to be happening. Wouldn't quite work if that was the diagram though, that Exeter Central-Paington-Exeter St Davids round trip is currently worked by a 150 which previously strengthened a service Exeter-Paignton-Exeter to 6 carriages for school traffic from Torre. Unless the 158 also worked that there would be no benefit to hiring the unit, as you'd still need the 150 to strengthen that service but it wouldn't have any other workings afterwards.

 

[bnsf734]

Thanks for correcting that.

I was looking back through SWgen trying to work out that diagram out for a Simsig timetable I am doing and found that message somewhere. I cant find it now though!

There is currently a 5T25 17:39 ECS on Realtime trains from platform 1 at St Davids to Exeter Central but with no forming working, is that the one with the 150 you mention, and so presumably it is ECS off the shed?

 

[TEW]

It currently detaches off 2F45, 1612 Paignton-Exmouth.
The 150 works in Bristol in the morning then:
5E01 1249 Bristol Temple Meads-Exeter TMD, to Exeter St Davids
5T19 1449 Exeter St Davids-Exeter St Davids
2T19 1423 Exmouth-Paignton, from Exeter St Davids
2F45 1612 Paignton-Exmouth, to Exeter St Davids
5T25 1739 Exeter St Davids-Exeter Central
2T25 1745 Exeter Central-Paignton
2E49 1852 Paignton-Exeter St Davids
5E49 1940 Exeter St Davids-St Phillips Marsh

 

[PHILIPE]

Would anybody be able to enlighten me now, please, as to what the other FGW 158 (2 Car) , other than the 08 00 Cardiff to Paignton one, Works now.

 

[bnsf734]

It currently detaches off 2F45, 1612 Paignton-Exmouth.
The 150 works in Bristol in the morning then:
5E01 1249 Bristol Temple Meads-Exeter TMD, to Exeter St Davids
5T19 1449 Exeter St Davids-Exeter St Davids
2T19 1423 Exmouth-Paignton, from Exeter St Davids
2F45 1612 Paignton-Exmouth, to Exeter St Davids
5T25 1739 Exeter St Davids-Exeter Central
2T25 1745 Exeter Central-Paignton
2E49 1852 Paignton-Exeter St Davids
5E49 1940 Exeter St Davids-St Phillips Marsh

Thank you for that information, very much appreciated. I will get my timetable updated now.

Next task is to amend it for the Whiteball tunnel closure....

 

[Railengineer]

Isn't the 158 the good vehicle from the ZF trial unit (where the new gearbox is proving a liability?)

How exactly is the ZF proving a liability? My sources say it is working fine, what do you know that SWT doesn't?

 

[ValleyLines142]

158766 and 158763 worked the 0940 Bristol Parkway to Bristol Temple Meads yesterday, and today 158763 was on the Bristol Parkway to Weston circuit, starting with the 0812 from Bristol Parkway (which is supposed to go to Taunton).