XC Class 170 Refurb

[Class 92]

Looks like CrossCountry are getting a new livery and refurbed class 170s

http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk...bishment-of-class-170-turbostar-trains-begins

Refurbishment of Class 170 Turbostar trains begins

CrossCountry has begun the refurbishment of its 29 Class 170 two and three-car Turbostar trains with entry into service today, Wednesday 30 January, of the first two-car set in the company's striking and distinctive new livery.

The warm black front ends, red doors and bold logo branding will make the trains easily recognisable to customers at stations on the routes between Cardiff and Nottingham and Birmingham New Street and Stansted Airport. Exterior repainting, due as part of scheduled overhaul, is being carried out at the EWS Toton Depot, near Nottingham and Marcroft Depot, Stoke-on-Trent, and will be completed by December this year.

Interior refurbishment to provide bright and fresh accommodation with more seats and luggage space will begin in April at Transys Projects Ltd's depot in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Seats will be retrimmed, new carpets fitted and at-seat power points installed in the two-plus-one seating of the First Class accommodation on every train.

To avoid train shortages while they are being refurbished the work is being phased to coincide with scheduled maintenance, so some coaches will be in service temporarily with reworked exteriors or interiors only until the programme is completed.

CrossCountry Managing Director Andy Cooper said: "Our Class 170 trains, which serve some of our busiest routes through Birmingham, are being refurbished to a standard of the highest quality. They will make a significant contribution to our commitment to provide up to 35 percent more seating and additional luggage space across our network."

 

[ExRes]

Me no understand .......

This 'news' is a XC announcement dated 30 January 2008, I guess even XC will be on top of the job by now

 

[Qwerty133]

Well they have recently started fitted (extra) bins in the /1 sub class
But other than that this refurb was completed years ago, and even if certain examples could do with a refurb and all the seat coverings are too dark they aren't doing it again.

 

[ExRes]

I think all the 170/1s ought to be painted in teal green and orange and have something like a leaping deer logo on them, oh yes, and have a bar fitted ............

 

[valentaman]

170520 arrived at brush loughborough today 29 march for c6 work ....

 

[Harbon 1]

Surely any refurb of these Turbostars should start with at least tightening all the panels up so they don't rattle as much!

 

[ExRes]

That's a highly technical ploy to stop the punters from hearing the engines rattling ....

 

[387star]

Surely any refurb of these Turbostars should start with at least tightening all the panels up so they don't rattle as much!

Once was on a children 170 the rattling gave me a headache
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Don't these units suffer lack of leg room?

2cars are also hardly sufficient

Perhaps they can have the ex london overground 172s to bolster the fleet when electrification under way

 

[dk1]

Once was on a children 170 the rattling gave me a headache
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Don't these units suffer lack of leg room?

2cars are also hardly sufficient

Perhaps they can have the ex london overground 172s to bolster the fleet when electrification under way

Greater Anglia 3-car 170s offer the best seats & leg room by far. Some of the ex-Central/MML are awful.

 

[387star]

oops typo I meant Chiltern of course!

 

[Masbroughlad]

170s with buffet counters were great. Enjoyed them on MML.

 

[Rich McLean]

Some of the LM 170s could do with a refresh at least (or a deep clean). Just take a look at the ceiling above the luggage racks to see what I am talking about

 

[Class 92]

Me no understand .......

This 'news' is a XC announcement dated 30 January 2008, I guess even XC will be on top of the job by now

Oh yes, so it is. Whoops :roll:

 

[ExRes]

The 170s were a source of, shall we say, frustration. When I started with MML they were about 2 years old and still all in 2 car formation, it was about evens whether you would get from A to B with both engines running

When the centre cars were delivered for 101-110 things did improve markedly although it wasn't until the original engines were sorted that you finally had a unit that would deliver a reliable performance

One of the fun problems was that, unlike the later 222s, when an engine shut down you had to actually stop before a restart could be attempted, did you wait until the next station stop ?, what was the track like ?, inclines or slippery ?, it was often best just to labour on until the next booked stop

I remember one day on the early Sheffield when I'd lost the front engine by Luton and the rear before Bedford, the rear restarted but then I lost it again approaching Sharnbrook, needless to say the centre engine couldn't manage on it's own and I had to stop on the climb and hope that the rear would restart, it did as far as Wellingborough but they had to put me away at Kettering and attach the following Nottingham to the back so that we could make it to Leicester, I finally made it to Derby by about 1015 where the 170 and myself sneaked off red faced into Etches Park, you've just got to admire a 4+ hour service to Derby ........

There was a rumour that a group of fitters were sacked for selling all the original engines when the sets were 2 car, it came to light when the police tracked down a batch of stolen Qualcast lawnmower engines to Etches Park

 

[BestWestern]

Interesting. What was the main problem behind those engine failures?! Having to pull up before restarting I think is common on most DMUs; certainly the ex BR stuff?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Interesting. What was the main problem behind those engine failures?! Having to pull up before restarting I think is common on most DMUs; certainly the ex BR stuff?

The early Turbostars (pre-Bombardier I think) all had engines that I think were supplied by Cummins. Whoever it was, there were repeated problems with them such as described by Ex-Res.

Eventually, all engines were replaced with new MTU units.

 

[ExRes]

Thanks for reminding me, Cummins engines they were although cummins and goings weren't their best attribute

IIRC the main problems included coolant leaks , actually leaks of anything that wasn't solid and couldn't leak ......

 

[XCTurbostar]

For reference, the following have been so far refurbished;

Dates are estimated but were the first time I saw the units
(I travel 5 days a week to Birmingham from Leicester)

170 101 - 28-10-2014
170 112 - 02-12-2014
170 113 - 05-01-2014

I also predict that 170 102 and 170 110 are also in for refurb as I type due to the fact that I haven't seen them at all since Christmas!

Does anyone know if the 170/5s or 170/6s will be included?

Thanks,

Ross

 

[40129]

I understand that the 170/5s and 170/6s are now starting to go through C6 overhauls, Improvements include new rubber door seals on the cab doors so that if they are closed too fast they bounce back very slightly. This bouncing is not necessarily visible to the naked eye but does stop the interlock engaging. Also rumoured that at least one unit (can't remember which) has had its ceiling cleaned

 

[Bletchleyite]

I understand that the 170/5s and 170/6s are now starting to go through C6 overhauls, Improvements include new rubber door seals on the cab doors so that if they are closed too fast they bounce back very slightly. This bouncing is not necessarily visible to the naked eye but does stop the interlock engaging. Also rumoured that at least one unit (can't remember which) has had its ceiling cleaned

It does hack me off that cleaning the ceiling isn't a daily cleaning matter. The filth that builds up in aircon ducts is a disgrace, and could in many cases be kept in check with a quick sweep from a brush on a stick.

Neil

 

[Murph]

It does hack me off that cleaning the ceiling isn't a daily cleaning matter. The filth that builds up in aircon ducts is a disgrace, and could in many cases be kept in check with a quick sweep from a brush on a stick.

Ahh, but that will probably have to be a health and safety approved brush and stick. It will need to have a detailed specification created, then put out to competitive tender. After procurement, the approved brushing procedure will need to be published, and staff will need to be trained in its use.

 

[fgwrich]

It does hack me off that cleaning the ceiling isn't a daily cleaning matter. The filth that builds up in aircon ducts is a disgrace, and could in many cases be kept in check with a quick sweep from a brush on a stick.

Neil

Ahh, but that will probably have to be a health and safety approved brush and stick. It will need to have a detailed specification created, then put out to competitive tender. After procurement, the approved brushing procedure will need to be published, and staff will need to be trained in its use.

Especially on the ABB/BREL/Bombardier Turbo & Turbostar family it seems. One downside of using the same design pattern across the family. That said, a fair amount of dust does seem to be attracted to the light fittings of SWTs Desiro fleets and can certainly create a slightly more dingy atmosphere underneath them.

I presume that the refurbishments will also include the interior panels being repainted? Something that let's a lot of the Bombardier family products down I feel, are the easily stained or dirty appearance to the interior panels.

 

[cjmillsnun]

I think all the 170/1s ought to be painted in teal green and orange and have something like a leaping deer logo on them, oh yes, and have a bar fitted ............

Oh yes and have far too many first class seats

 

[XCTurbostar]

Especially on the ABB/BREL/Bombardier Turbo & Turbostar family it seems. One downside of using the same design pattern across the family. That said, a fair amount of dust does seem to be attracted to the light fittings of SWTs Desiro fleets and can certainly create a slightly more dingy atmosphere underneath them.

I presume that the refurbishments will also include the interior panels being repainted? Something that let's a lot of the Bombardier family products down I feel, are the easily stained or dirty appearance to the interior panels.

The interior panels have not been repainted (Only Hand rails) Rattling Panels have been made even worse now. I will get some images when I next travel on a refurbished one.

One disappointing point is that the fold tables in the back of the seats have not been cleaned and are slightly orange tinted from use (originals from MML)

Oh and the holes where the news paper holder things used to be from Midland Mainline are still there..

This is 170112 at New Street 02-12-2014

Bigger Image: Here

 

[Grumpy]

The early Turbostars (pre-Bombardier I think) all had engines that I think were supplied by Cummins. Whoever it was, there were repeated problems with them such as described by Ex-Res.

Eventually, all engines were replaced with new MTU units.

Surely the Turbostars have never had Cummins engines. MTU from the start.