I believe this is intended for staff use with wheelchair ramps, ensuring that they do not close after a certain period of time.
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WMR Class 196 Build and Implementation
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Liam L
Established Member
I didn't know that worked on the 172s, Will have to try next time I'm on one.
Halish Railway
Established Member
I believe that this is a feature of the Aventras as well where holding the button down disables auto-close.
/2 & /3's only. The ex London overground and Chiltern don't allow it.
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
I think it's so the doors don't close with a wheelchair ramp in them.
Also if the air con is broken on a hot day I see this also being useful.
Precisely, staff will do this when using the ramp. Not just because people fancy disabling it.
True, but is it broken everytime those that now know this hack decide to do it?
I honestly can’t believe people do this just because they can although I shouldn’t be surprised.
Spaceship323
Member
172338 doing Nuneaton to Leamington at the moment as a 196 has been taken off this morning
I do it on every train I travel on by default, leave the open button held so as soon as the driver / comductor release the doors my door opens immediately. Far easier than having to look for a flashing button or a pinging sound. Save the few seconds that usually allows me to beat the rush and queue for the platform lift, barriers escalator etc.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
196009+196012 coming off the reversing siding in Hereford, ready to work the 1040 Hereford-Birmingham New Street earlier today (12/07/2023) 
I was going to post these earlier, but I got a bit busy with other tasks. Some big changes coming up here, lots of preparations while watching one of the dullest Tour de France stages of the race so far this year.
All being well, the 196s will work back to Hereford to do the 1848 to Birmingham and I will score 009
I was going to post these earlier, but I got a bit busy with other tasks. Some big changes coming up here, lots of preparations while watching one of the dullest Tour de France stages of the race so far this year.
All being well, the 196s will work back to Hereford to do the 1848 to Birmingham and I will score 009
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GWVillager
Member
196012 is now running alone despite starting service with 009. Another door fault?
Birmingham
Member
Not sure what unit but the 1750 from New Street was cancelled yesterday due to a fault with a cab door. Fitter attended but couldn’t be rectified.
SuperLuke2334
Established Member
Got confused with times... ignore.
Purple Train
Established Member
Currently on my first 196 (004), goodness they pick up speed quickly! Lots of room under tables as well.
The seat does feel hard though - definitely doesn't have as much give as a 720 seat. Unit keeping to time and then some, although they are only running Bermuda Park-Leamington Spa today.
The seat does feel hard though - definitely doesn't have as much give as a 720 seat. Unit keeping to time and then some, although they are only running Bermuda Park-Leamington Spa today.
Attachments
Not sure what it is about these, they should be the same as the 755 seats but they do feel harder. The 755s also have a (possibly fake) leather headrest while the 196s don't so I suspect the seat got cheapened a bit.
It’s worth noting that the 755 seats have had some time to “wear in.” I have sat on some 196 seats that have worn in well, and are of identical comfort to those on 755s, but not many have yet.
py_megapixel
Established Member
I'm on one now (for the first time) and I have some thoughts.
First impressions were excellent. The interior materials and lighting give, in my opinion, a really classy and modern appearance without feeling overly harsh (I think this is my favourite interior "ambience" in the UK aside from perhaps the TPE 397). The windows are large and the seats line up with them properly. There are well-positioned USB and plug sockets which you can actually see from your seat (take note, IET designers), as well as coat hooks, massive overhead luggage racks, and plenty of PIS screens. They also accelerate quickly and aren't too loud (they sound, unsurprisingly, identical to 195s). Only obvious issue is the PIS wasn't actually working, but faulty PIS is quite common anyway.
The real disappointment is the seats themselves. Aside from the limited legroom by the standards of modern builds, they have a strange curvy shape that digs into my back unless I sit bolt upright, but I can't comfortably sit bolt upright as the headrest is too low and digs into my shoulders. They've also committed an annoying faux pas I thought we'd finally seen the back of: having seat-back tables which are too small to properly use a laptop on!
If they'd just gone with the same seats as Northern, I'd be calling these a massively improved 195. As it is, I'd much rather do a long journey on a 195 or even a 172 than one of these. Hopefully these seats will "wear in" as suggested above and become more comfortable (though there's no solving the small tables and low headrest) as they are, in my opinion, a massive let-down to an otherwise very good piece of rolling stock design.
First impressions were excellent. The interior materials and lighting give, in my opinion, a really classy and modern appearance without feeling overly harsh (I think this is my favourite interior "ambience" in the UK aside from perhaps the TPE 397). The windows are large and the seats line up with them properly. There are well-positioned USB and plug sockets which you can actually see from your seat (take note, IET designers), as well as coat hooks, massive overhead luggage racks, and plenty of PIS screens. They also accelerate quickly and aren't too loud (they sound, unsurprisingly, identical to 195s). Only obvious issue is the PIS wasn't actually working, but faulty PIS is quite common anyway.
The real disappointment is the seats themselves. Aside from the limited legroom by the standards of modern builds, they have a strange curvy shape that digs into my back unless I sit bolt upright, but I can't comfortably sit bolt upright as the headrest is too low and digs into my shoulders. They've also committed an annoying faux pas I thought we'd finally seen the back of: having seat-back tables which are too small to properly use a laptop on!
If they'd just gone with the same seats as Northern, I'd be calling these a massively improved 195. As it is, I'd much rather do a long journey on a 195 or even a 172 than one of these. Hopefully these seats will "wear in" as suggested above and become more comfortable (though there's no solving the small tables and low headrest) as they are, in my opinion, a massive let-down to an otherwise very good piece of rolling stock design.
GWVillager
Member
I find the seat shaping similarly uncomfortable, but I can also attest that the cushions are indeed significantly softening with time. Even sets just a few months old are noticeably softer than their new counterparts, so this should hopefully make the situation better!
william.martin
On Moderation
Not sure if anybody here has noticed however on the seat back tray tables there are little grooves so you can stand up a device - a clever idea that I have never seen before (or haven't took any notice.)
GWVillager
Member
These have become relatively common on modern trains - and rightly so, it’s a good idea as you say.
py_megapixel
Established Member
Yes, I noticed these. It's a nice idea, but it looks like it would be rather easy for the grooves to become traps for dirt and grime - time will tell, I suppose.
Still annoying that you can't fit a laptop on them though!
Spaceship323
Member
172215 substituting on LMS - NUN today, and good to have a train with working aircon, it was sweltering on 196004 the other day...
uniquicity
Member
1720 from New Street to Hereford has a pair of 196s today, one off or scheduled for the diagram?
The 196 air con does seem to be awful, after holding my hand over the vents I discovered that there are actually only a few holes behind the vents that air actually comes out of, the rest of the vents are mere decoration - I don't know if there's any other manufacturers that do this, but it seems awfully cheap. It's a shame, I really like these units, but their performance in the summer hasn't been the best.
newtownmgr
On Moderation
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Booked as of yesterday. Should be 3 diagrams off Worcester. 003 & 012,004 & 008,005 & 007 were the 3 pairs today although i believe one set was split at New St earlier.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I did wonder if that was the case, I went past the station yesterday and saw a 196 on the reversal siding. I couldn't see for sure if it was a single or a pair, looked like a single 196 and I'm sure it was due to do the 1950 (or thereabouts) out of Hereford.
Hoping to pop down and have a play on some 196s later this week, depends on many other things though. I'm just glad another diagram has finally launched!
Hoping to pop down and have a play on some 196s later this week, depends on many other things though. I'm just glad another diagram has finally launched!
uniquicity
Member
1650 to Hereford is my usual train home, went to get it today and it was initially 196005 alone, at around 1640 196001 was joined on to it
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
If someone from WMR is reading, please put 002 and 011 on the 1650 diagram on Friday so I can clear all the 2 cars
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
If someone from WMR is reading, please put 002 and 011 on the 1650 diagram on Friday so I can clear all the 2 cars
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I'd like to see 010 and 011 together personally, to get all the /0s done. Mind you, I'd also like to see the /1s finally get to Hereford in service!
Liam L
Established Member
The air con also reacts to the environment inside the carriage. Unsure how this system works but may play a factor.
Presumably it should work like a climate control system in a car, in that it keeps the air at a constant temperature, unlike simpler systems where it just blows out either hot or cold air without taking into account the current temperature - it’s certainly seemed hot. I haven’t noticed this on any other civities, though, admittedly, I’ve been on many more 196s than any other civity!
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