WMR Class 196 - travel plans/experiences

[Techniquest]

196007 and 196010 are on today (Sunday 20th August 2023)'s 1202 Hereford-Birmingham New Street, for anyone interested. I'm posting this live from Worcester on 196010, I'd sort-of hoped for 196011 but this will do!

 

[uniquicity]

196011 is out. Will do the 1050 and 1450 from Hereford, paired with 005 (which nobody needs )

 

[GWVillager]

196011 is out. Will do the 1050 and 1450 from Hereford, paired with 005 (which nobody needs )

Do you mean the 1040 and 1440? There is no departure at 50 minutes past the hour.

 

[uniquicity]

You’re right, couldn’t remember the times never end up in Hereford

 

[Liam L]

005 (which nobody needs )

I do

 

[45076]

I do

me to.

 

[Techniquest]

I want a fair bit of mileage off 005, having not had it for a good while, but otherwise no. I do want 011, and have seen it yesterday on Worcester depot so the 196/0s are done for sight finally. I should be out for it on the 1848 Hereford-Birmingham New Street today, but I have way too much else to do and I need to preserve funds for things like food! There is a good chance I'll be out for it on Friday!

 

[Jacob Porrett]

196011 is out. Will do the 1050 and 1450 from Hereford, paired with 005 (which nobody needs )

I haven't done any 196/0 so it's a required for haulage for me.

 

[Techniquest]

Well today I felt alive enough after work to go for it, and 196011 has now been defeated by the red pen 8 of the 196/1s to go in due course, I had been off to Bromsgrove with 196011+196005, but cancellations this evening made me think twice. Bailing in Worcester for 800306 back to Hereford made much more sense!

 

[SuperLuke2334]

I'm hoping to pick up the 1720 BHM - HFD on Thursday for 196 haulage, hopefully it's not the 2 I've already had !

 

[Kite159]

Well done Jules on clearing the 196/0s, a subclass I've yet to open my book with. Only sampled the 4 coach versions (of which I've had 107 3 times)

I'm waiting for more of the Hereford trains to go over to 196 to do runs between Birmingham & Bromsgrove/Droitwich to push them over ten miles

 

[JonathanH]

I'm waiting for more of the Hereford trains to go over to 196 to do runs between Birmingham & Bromsgrove/Droitwich to push them over ten miles

Are more of the Hereford trains going to switch over? It strikes me that with the 170s gone, there isn't really any need to push up the number of 196 diagrams.

Is the sticking point still that 196/1s can't do Hereford easily?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Are more of the Hereford trains going to switch over? It strikes me that with the 170s gone, there isn't really any need to push up the number of 196 diagrams.

Is the sticking point still that 196/1s can't do Hereford easily?

Yes that's right. If all the diagrams went over to 196/0 now, there would be no spare 2 cars, as they need 2 x 2 cars for Leamington Nuneaton, and 5 pairs of 2 cars for all Hereford diagrams.

 

[jhy44]

Had my first ride on one of these last night Birmingham - Bromsgrove. Wasn't impressed.
The lighting on these is the worst I've ever seen. So bright and blue, it felt like I was in a surgical theatre. I felt the migraine coming on as soon as I stepped on and genuinely considered getting back off again. I'll never complain about the blue-tint/brightness of the lighting in GWR's Class 800s (previously the worst lighting I've seen) ever again, they're like warm candlelight in comparison to these things.

Not only is bright blue light a proven trigger for those with migraines or sensory issues, it also interferes with melatonin production in the body causing sleep issues. Hence why laptop/phone operating systems are introducing warmer orange lighting and filters to avoid the damage caused my blue lights, trains are seemingly going the opposite and harmful direction and making their lighting all cold/blue.

The huge open area by the toilet is also bizarre, feels like loads of furniture is missing and makes it feel more like an empty cargo train than a passenger train.

All in all a very cold, sterile, un-warm and un-welcoming train. I'll wait for the much slower 323 service should I need to make that journey again to avoid having to ride in one of these things. Very much hoping their eventual 730 replacements don't have the same awful new lighting.