py_megapixel
Established Member
Yes, the ones in the south west always feel a nicer to me than up north, probably because of the diffused lighting and the slighly more spacious seating layout with tables. They still make a terrible noise though.
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Wacky formations
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Strathclyder
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Likely what the ECS pic at Wormit in post #87 was related to, given the date. An all-SPT combo still stands out though.
150s with tables! That must look weird.
Not a fan of tables on trains to be honest, I'd rather have more seating, hate having to stand up.
ungreat
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I did work a 12 car 313 once ....albeit a 6 car rescuing another 6 car failure from Moorgate.
py_megapixel
Established Member
On Northern's 150s, unless I can get an entire bay of facing seats to myself, I almost always stand up anyway because the seats are so small and close together. (I have long legs and travelling with my legs rammed up against the seat in front or awkwardly positioned to avoid kicking the person opposite me is not much fun). Still better than a Pacer though, at least.
In my opinon the refurbishment should have involved replacing the seats with something thinner (Fainsa 'ironing boards' would be fine), and if that was out of budget, the existing seats should have at least been arranged into a better layout.
Not that wacky, but here's one from the 1981 SWD carriage working books which certainly features very unusual stock for the given service.
1318 Waterloo-Portsmouth '82' semi-fast, only 10 mins or so slower than the '81' fast in reaching Portsmouth so liable to be used by some long distance passengers. Booked 4VEP + 4EPB (with the EPB being the unusual unit for such a service). This would likely have been an SR-style 4EPB as I don't think the SWD had any BR-style examples.
Perhaps the furthest from London on a booked, regular weekday (as opposed to summer-only) service for a purely suburban unit? Doubly unusual given it's a fast-ish service, calling only at Woking before Guildford and skipping the smaller stations on the Direct.
Ironically the same year featured a 4CIG on one daytime Chessington South and an 8CIG on a shoulder-peak Shepperton service!
The year after (and the first year I actually had first-hand knowledge of workings on this line) it went over to an 8CIG - looks like this was the same 8CIG that formed the Shepperton in 1981 as both wound up eventually on the 1758 Waterloo to Alton. Indeed in 1982, IIRC there were no EPB workings south of Guildford. By contrast in 1981, in addition to the above, there were a number of stopping services on the Direct with 2EPBs as part of the formation.
1318 Waterloo-Portsmouth '82' semi-fast, only 10 mins or so slower than the '81' fast in reaching Portsmouth so liable to be used by some long distance passengers. Booked 4VEP + 4EPB (with the EPB being the unusual unit for such a service). This would likely have been an SR-style 4EPB as I don't think the SWD had any BR-style examples.
Perhaps the furthest from London on a booked, regular weekday (as opposed to summer-only) service for a purely suburban unit? Doubly unusual given it's a fast-ish service, calling only at Woking before Guildford and skipping the smaller stations on the Direct.
Ironically the same year featured a 4CIG on one daytime Chessington South and an 8CIG on a shoulder-peak Shepperton service!
The year after (and the first year I actually had first-hand knowledge of workings on this line) it went over to an 8CIG - looks like this was the same 8CIG that formed the Shepperton in 1981 as both wound up eventually on the 1758 Waterloo to Alton. Indeed in 1982, IIRC there were no EPB workings south of Guildford. By contrast in 1981, in addition to the above, there were a number of stopping services on the Direct with 2EPBs as part of the formation.
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I wouldn’t be surprised at all they are/were all compatible, didn’t a 320/318 combination take the last one back from Yoker CSD to Shields Rd?
318/320 depot moves are quite common, though a 314 has dragged a 318 before, see here:
The consist I remember was the 314 at the front, the 320 in the middle, and the 318 at the rear. I think the set came from Sheilds, and arrived at Central Station, as I was at there at the time when I saw it.
The 314 (I think it was either 314 203 or 314 208 from what I can remember, as it was in Saltire Blue) was split off at Central, and would later work a train to Gourock. While the 318 & 320 departed at the front in the 6-car formation to Lanark.
nlogax
Established Member
And to think the Portsmouth crowd moan about 450s now..they have no idea how lucky they are
And to think the Portsmouth crowd moan about 450s now..they have no idea how lucky they are
Well it was midday, so if people didn't fancy sitting in the EPB they could have chosen the VEP and still got a seat.
Mind you even the VEPs were unpopular with some commuters (my dad was not a fan, he complained about them almost as much as he did about Labour, the unions and 80s pop music), in the same way that 450s were with later generations.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
A bit OT but are all of the 'Mk-III series' EMUs (313-322) all in fact compatible with each other?
I note you mention the 318 + 320 went on a service train to Lanark. I'm really not au fait with Scottish workings (though I am aware of the various unit classes) but did mixed-class formations regularly work Scottish passenger services?
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150249
Established Member
Where was this?
I have a dim and distant memory of a mixed rake of 508's when operating the Waterloo - Kingston - Richmond Waterloo circulars, and the Waterloo - Hampton Court and Waterloo - Shepperton services. The 508's were attractive trains, and they were replaced by a less well-proportioned type of train which had a narrower profile. I recall rakes made up of a mixture of 508's and their replacement, and the irregular profile of the rake used to jar with me. Does this make sense to anyone?
I think it was Lime Street, I was very little. I was born I 97 if that narrows it down.
Perhaps, but it's still weird.
Scotrail84
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9 car 117 DMU on a fife circle years and years ago circa 1995/96, a 6 car rescued a 3 car failure.
sprinterguy
Veteran Member
Yeah, the 508s were replaced by class 455s: The class 455/7s were delivered as 3-car units and had one of the intermediate trailers from the departing class 508s inserted into them to make them up to 4-car units (Which they still retain to this day), as the 508s were only needed as 3-car trains on Merseyside.
Thanks for confirming my thoughts. I last used them about 40 years ago - can't believe they are still in use! This view shows the 455 + 508 formation (third carriage). https://www.flickr.com/photos/12625...-2mh6GQ2-PhKTLf-QW9ZZ9-8M6Kxf-2bQmnbN-2j4NCrH
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