Why don't northern join their sprinters?

[LUKAnorthwest]

It would make much more sense to permanently join their 150/2 and 156 units as I always see these around where there is a 150/1 and 150/2 working in multiple and see 150/2 on their own.

I've also seen a 142 joined to a 156.

It just seems logical to join units of the same type as they seem to be joined up quite often. Is it cost that is stopping it or is it just laziness?


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[MCR247]

Because quite often doesn't mean always? What would the point be? They'd end up with more cancellations/short forming as a fault in the cab of one unit would mean 4 carriages out of service instead of two.

 

[507 001]

Flexibility for one, 2x 2 car trains that can be joined as required are more flexible than one 4 car train.

Second reason is that Northern don't have enough slack in their fleet to start permanently coupling sets together.

 

[LUKAnorthwest]

Ah I see my question hasn't been written well.

What I meant was why do they never join the gangways, meaning so people can walk through to find space more easily


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[455driver]

If a unit with a gangway is coupled to another unit with a gangway then they will be opened up, if one of them doesnt have a gangway then there isnt much you can do.

 

[FQ]

If a unit with a gangway is coupled to another unit with a gangway then they will be opened up, if one of them doesnt have a gangway then there isnt much you can do.

Cool, next time I am on a pair of something with gangways (Proboally an ATW 158 ) I will walk through to 'cab' them*

*I will Probably forget though*

 

[northwichcat]

Remember 142s, 150s and 156s are all different sizes. Some services are 2 x 142s or a 142+150 and it wouldn't be fair on the busier services which are single 150s to be downgraded to single 142s so that another service can be 150+150 just for simplicity.

 

[LUKAnorthwest]

If a unit with a gangway is coupled to another unit with a gangway then they will be opened up, if one of them doesnt have a gangway then there isnt much you can do.

I understand that it's logical but it seems that northern never join their gangways when it is possible. I've been on many 150/2 that are joined with another 150/2 and also 156s that have not had their gangways opened up. It really annoys me when I board a unit at one station only to find that I could of sat down as the other unit is empty when I exit at another station


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[NotATrainspott]

How much longer does it take to join the gangways rather than just the couplers?

 

[dk1]

Somebody once suggested on here that a 153 should be inserted into the middle of a 156 as it would look better :roll: dear oh dear!!

 

[455driver]

Somebody once suggested on here that a 153 should be inserted into the middle of a 156 as it would look better :roll: dear oh dear!!

Stick it in the middle of a 150/1 and run as a permanent 3 coach train would make sense when more units become available, only one of the (150/1)coaches would need a universal/disabled/whatevertheyarecalledthisweek toilet fitting and the 153 coach could keep its small toilet. You could also semi-permanently couple a 153 to a 156 and run them as a 3 as well

 

[Crossover]

How much longer does it take to join the gangways rather than just the couplers?

A number of the rolling stock we have in the north isn't gangwayed, so there is no gangway to join

On stock with gangways, it "couples" (loosest sense of the term possible) along with the mechanical coupler so the only time it takes is opening the doors to block off the middle cabs. That said, on some TOC's I have seen this not done so staff can use the middle cabs as storage etc

 

[PermitToTravel]

Cool, next time I am on a pair of something with gangways (Proboally an ATW 158 ) I will walk through to 'cab' them*

*I will Probably forget though*

That doesn't count!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I don't think I've ever been on any Northern units that could've been linked but weren't. Even 150/2s where it might be more understandable due to the door position. They regularly run in pairs on Harrogate services.

 

[dk1]

Stick it in the middle of a 150/1 and run as a permanent 3 coach train would make sense when more units become available, only one of the (150/1)coaches would need a universal/disabled/whatevertheyarecalledthisweek toilet fitting and the 153 coach could keep its small toilet. You could also semi-permanently couple a 153 to a 156 and run them as a 3 as well

Looking at it from the point of view of the costly DDA then yesif Scuds are no longer permitted. Before that we where looking at just reducing flexibility for vanity.

 

[PHILIPE]

If joined, the 2 units would be on different maintenance schedules.

 

[dk1]

If joined, the 2 units would be on different maintenance schedules.

That can be soon matched if semi-permanent in the same way as hybrids.

 

[Starmill]

I think the thing that's being gotten at here is why are two coupled trains with gangways not having the doors opened throughout. The answer is that they usually are, but not always for various reasons.

I came across one recently (not on Northern) where there were some other traincrew still in the middle cabs, so they didn't open them.