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Northern Unit Refurbishments

xc170

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9 Feb 2008
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Any of these 158's actually come back from refurbishment yet?
 
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47802

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Any of these 158's actually come back from refurbishment yet?

Well I'm curious to see although from what Arriva have said so far it sounds below what I would have expected, from the wording in the ITT, apart from maybe the Northern Connect 158's so I'm not expecting great things, it is the Northern franchise after all :lol:
 

380101

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18 Feb 2015
Messages
996
Help yourself, as despite flood dammage repair, new bog etc the bluddy things still got orrigional Ashborn seating! No sense in this at all IMO.

I too would like to know about Northerns units, esp interested in how theyve come back

I think that as Brodies own the unit, they have decided to spend as little as possible to get it back out working. Hopefully it'll be out soon. Seats look good in the new Scotrail colours. fingers crossed they've installed better driving seats!
 

61653 HTAFC

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Another planet...
Hope they can sort out the PIS on 150220 at some point, on it now to Blackpool South with the display reading "Colne" and flickering a bit...

Btw I thought for PRM compliance an external display on the side was required? Neither this unit or the 156 I saw at Victoria earlier have any side displays.
 

pemma

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Hope they can sort out the PIS on 150220 at some point, on it now to Blackpool South with the display reading "Colne" and flickering a bit...

They've shortened the Manchester station names so they can fit on the display even though the display scrolls regardless. :oops:

Last time I was on that unit it was attached to another 150 so I'm not sure what would have happened if they had the automated announcements programmed in and were using them.
 

61653 HTAFC

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They've shortened the Manchester station names so they can fit on the display even though the display scrolls regardless. :oops:

Last time I was on that unit it was attached to another 150 so I'm not sure what would have happened if they had the automated announcements programmed in and were using them.

It was working with another today, does being coupled to a non-fitted unit cause the system to trip out?
 

J-2739

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Are they installing toilets in the 150? If so, I really don't see the point since they are working commuter services. In fact, what they really should do is remove the existing toilets, get rid of those awful 3+2 seats, and add extra grab poles for extra standing capacity.
 
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Are they installing toilets in the 150? If so, I really don't see the point since they are working commuter services. In fact, what they really should do is remove the existing toilets, get rid of those awful 3+2 seats, and add extra grab poles for extra standing capacity.

There are many people, myself included, with conditions such as IBS who would disagree with you very strongly.
 

yorksrob

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Are they installing toilets in the 150? If so, I really don't see the point since they are working commuter services. In fact, what they really should do is remove the existing toilets, get rid of those awful 3+2 seats, and add extra grab poles for extra standing capacity.

Plus they're likely to stray a lot further than commuter services anyway.
 

pemma

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Are they installing toilets in the 150? If so, I really don't see the point since they are working commuter services. In fact, what they really should do is remove the existing toilets, get rid of those awful 3+2 seats, and add extra grab poles for extra standing capacity.

Don't forget Northern serve a lot of stations without station toilets or a frequent service. Delays/cancellations could easily result in some passengers not having access to a toilet for 3 hours if one is not provided on the train.

If you are going to run trains without toilets then station toilets will need to be enhanced. Merseyrail don't provide toilets on Liverpool to Southport services and after the busier services arrive at Southport the queues for the station toilets at Southport can be very long!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There are many people, myself included, with conditions such as IBS who would disagree with you very strongly.

Last year I boarded a Northern 150 not feeling brilliant but not feeling too unwell to travel. Just after the train pulled out of a station I started to feel much worse and had to rush to the toilet to be sick. Given the next station was 10 minutes away it was fortunate that the train did have a toilet!

It was working with another today, does being coupled to a non-fitted unit cause the system to trip out?

I don't think they've programmed in automated announcements yet but I was thinking when units are operating in multiple manual announcements are heard over each portion, would the same apply to automated announcements even if a unit in the formation doesn't have CIS?
 

J-2739

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That all makes sense, thanks. I suppose they could still install new 2+2 seating and add extra grab poles, but maybe the average loadings of the lines they will serve doesn't justify the extra standing capacity?
 

chrisdmadd

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10 May 2010
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ECML
It was working with another today, does being coupled to a non-fitted unit cause the system to trip out?

No, if a PIS train, 156 for example is coupled to a 142, the same auto announcements are made throughout all portions of the train.

The PIS was working fully with auto announcements but since last month we have been ordered not to use it and only use the destination feature on it. Which of course just shows the trains destination on all screens. No idea why we can't use it, it needed tweaking, the volume was too loud but in the end it was ok. Just went on a bit much, sometimes only just finished welcoming people aboard and then went straight into 'the next stop is...'

I'm sure it will be back soon with hopefully less talking.
 

chrisdmadd

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Thats anoying, I as a visually impaired person welcomed the auto announcements on Northern and am a tad angry youve been told not to use them. IMO it wasnt too loud, just a bit wordy!


The guard should still be announcing all stops however!!
 

simon7929

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27 Sep 2011
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Stockton South
One or two pics off the Shed. Not brilliant though..[/ATTACH]
 

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simon7929

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The 'Shed' is a northern forum for staff, the unit is the 158 which is currently being refurbished for the said company. And what's it all about? Well the thread title is the clue.
 

507021

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It does look good so far, I agree. I'm looking forward to it returning, especially as it's one of the Northern 158s that I still need for haulage.
 

507021

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So I'm guessing this is the new base colour scheme minus any final branding vinyls?

Certainly looks like it, hopefully this and the other two units will return to service soon.
 
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sprinterguy

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4 Mar 2010
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Macclesfield
Oh dear, a drab facsimile of the old Wales & Borders colour scheme, which looked shockingly unappealing after a few years of limited attention.

Although of course the greater concern is what has been done to improve the interior.
 

TH172341

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22 Aug 2010
Messages
392
Oh dear, a drab facsimile of the old Wales & Borders colour scheme, which looked shockingly unappealing after a few years of limited attention.

Although of course the greater concern is what has been done to improve the interior.

Exactly what I was thinking. Hopefully there will be some attractive vinyl application - I know the CAF Civity CGIs seem to feature a fair bit of blue.

Hopefully the interior has had the panelling resprayed, seats revamped, new roof lighting style fitted (similar to the ATW 158s), and proper PIS installed.
 

J-2739

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Exactly what I was thinking. Hopefully there will be some attractive vinyl application - I know the CAF Civity CGIs seem to feature a fair bit of blue.

Hopefully the interior has had the panelling resprayed, seats revamped, new roof lighting style fitted (similar to the ATW 158s), and proper PIS installed.

And maybe new air-con systems?!
 

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