Weird unit numbering thing today

[MerlinRail 804]

Today I was at Leamington Spa and noticed something weird. According to RTT, 165018 was on the Stratford Shuttle today, a 2 car 165. One end of it did indeed say 165018 on the front (I think vehicle 58818), but the strange thing was that the other vehicle (58868 I think) said 165024. 024 wasn’t out today according to RTT.
Does anyone know what’s going on here?

 

[CR165022]

Half of 165018 (58818) and half of 024 (58868) have been together for months. The other halves of both (58851 & 58874) are stored at Aylesbury, presumably waiting parts

 

[Liam L]

Is the unit officially running as 165018 whilst it's in this formation?

 

[CR165022]

Yes, I seem to remember they use the lowest number of both as the official number

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Should they not temporarily renumber the end number on the higher numbered end until it gets reformed back?

incidentally - these are both DMSL vehicles, making this a unique formation while it lasts.

 

[CR165022]

incidentally - these are both DMSL vehicles, making this a unique formation while it lasts.

They're not. 58818 is the DMSL, 58868 is a DMS

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Ah, I must have misread the vehicle details.

In that case, there's probably no point in reforming them back when the other two vehicles have been repaired is there?

 

[CR165022]

165s can be reformed easily enough that I think they'd reform them back anyway

 

[DBS92042]

Does anyone know the approximate date that 165018/024 were reformed last year please?

 

[CR165022]

Not sure on the exact date but I first saw it reformed on 13th July ast year, so presumably within that month.

From what I can see, 165024 was last in service on 3rd June last year, and failed at Oxford on 1T08, can't find anything after that, so presumably would have run to Banbury Depot after that, as that's where the broken halves of both were stored at first, before moving to Aylesbury a few months ago.

 

[DBS92042]

Not sure on the exact date but I first saw it reformed on 13th July ast year, so presumably within that month.

From what I can see, 165024 was list in service on 3rd June last year, and failed at Oxford on 1T08, can't find anything after that.

Thanks, I noted 165024 down at Oxford Parkway on 8th July last year having only seen one end of the unit so it must've been reformed at that time (I also have a vague memory that 024 wasn't the unit allocated on RTT so that would also back that up)

 

[norbitonflyer]

165s can be reformed easily enough that I think they'd reform them back anyway

Although that would mean that both units would have vehicles due for overhaul at different dates.

 

[CR165022]

I'd imagine they'd want them both fixed before it's their turn to go to Doncaster, they've got quite a few more units to go through first, so presumably they'd go last.
When the 165s were going to Bristol a few years ago, long term stopped at the time 165025 was the last one to go, and was fixed just before it went.

 

[150219]

Although that would mean that both units would have vehicles due for overhaul at different dates.

There have been temporary formations for different lengths of time over the years and as a consequence, the mileages accrued so vary from vehicle to vehicle. It's never been a problem in respect of reforming the units and then their respective maintenance regimes. It's just that it has to be planned properly.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Apr 2026 ==

Should they not temporarily renumber the end number on the higher numbered end until it gets reformed back?

It's not something that's ever been done in the past. It's generally left as it is. It makes little difference internally.

The temporary formations usually have their unit number decided upon which vehicle has the accessible WC. But I'm sure there have been examples where this isn't the case.

 

[CR165022]

018 & 024 are finally back to their original formations.

165024 is currently going to Doncaster, 018 is still presumably at Aylesbury.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Someone at Chiltern must have read this thread!!

 

[CR165022]

165018 is already back out! Re-entered service this evening on 2V45 from Aylesbury.