Manchester to South Wales Sunday Services

[Jez]

Can anyone provide an up to date list of which Saturday and Sunday South Wales to Manchester services and return journey are booked for 158s and 150s? (on a normal weekend when there isn't engineering works disrupting everything).

I found myself on a 150 all the way from Manchester to Port Talbot yesterday! A journey of 4 hours 25 minutes! I didn't actually find the 150 that bad to be honest, just not much space for luggage. It was the lack of plug sockets that would have been on a 158 that bothered me most but that annoys me more that the 175s still don't have then. It was the 1430 Manchester to Port Talbot (terminated there due to engineering works) and was 2x150. Isn't this booked for a 150/158? So I'm guessing the front 150 was subbing for a 158 as that one was full of seat reservations.

I know the Saturday 0630 Manchester to Milford and return was booked for a 158 but whenever I've seen it in recent times its been a 150. Is it still officially booked as a 158 with a 150 covering? Are there issues with 158s at the moment as often the Fishguard 158 on a weekday is a 150 too.

 

[Spartacus]

Seems that and the 1530 from Pic are the only booked sprinters, last week the 1530 was 3 153s!

 

[Jez]

I think id rather travel long distance on a 153 than a 150 to be honest. A single 153 is usually fine for HOW line but it definitely needs 3 cars from Manchester-South Wales. On a 153 the seats are more comfortable than a 150 I find, plus there is space for luggage. I've seen a 150/153 on a Sunday before now and a 158/153. I guess it depends what's available. I think on a Sunday only the HOW and Cardiff Bay require 153's and the rest are spare? Unless some are used on Ebbw Vale?

I should add my comment about the Fishguard train on weekday. I was referring to both the daytime boat train and the evening Gloucester-Cardiff-Fishguard. Seems to be almost 50/50 between a 150 or 158 these days.

 

[Jez]

Was quite surprised today to see a pacer on the 1254 Swansea to Manchester! Obviously it was swapped for a 175 at Cardiff Central!

 

[PHILIPE]

I think id rather travel long distance on a 153 than a 150 to be honest. A single 153 is usually fine for HOW line but it definitely needs 3 cars from Manchester-South Wales. On a 153 the seats are more comfortable than a 150 I find, plus there is space for luggage. I've seen a 150/153 on a Sunday before now and a 158/153. I guess it depends what's available. I think on a Sunday only the HOW and Cardiff Bay require 153's and the rest are spare? Unless some are used on Ebbw Vale?

I should add my comment about the Fishguard train on weekday. I was referring to both the daytime boat train and the evening Gloucester-Cardiff-Fishguard. Seems to be almost 50/50 between a 150 or 158 these days.

The Hereford to Fishguard is a 150+153 and the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton shuttle is a 153

 

[craigybagel]

On a Saturday, 0630 and 1930 off Manchester are booked for 158, but as you mentioned are frequently substituted for a 150. The 2010 off Cardiff is the same (as it is on weekdays when it leaves at 2017).

It's been so long since we've had a normal Sunday I don't feel like I can say with any authority any more! The 1430 is booked for 150+158 in theory - and in reality it needs to be two units as it splits at Whitland (half to Milford and half to Pembroke - it's been like that for years but they've only started advertising the Pembroke as a through service recently). There is also a 158 that stables overnight in a bay at Piccadilly and gets attached to another unit arriving from Cardiff. The service it leaves on seems to change quite a lot but recently it's been used on the 1330. It should attach to another 158 but again, 150s are common. There's at least one diagram for 2 X 150s but again, as to which train it turns up on.....

Between the Cwmbran blockade and various bits of work going on West of Cardiff, and other things over the last year like Hereford and Cardiff area resignallings, it's really hard to say what a normal Sunday is actually meant to look like these days!

 

[175001]

Caught the 1330 MAN-CDF on the Sunday the 3rd of June and it was a 2 car 175

 

[PHILIPE]

Caught the 1330 MAN-CDF on the Sunday the 3rd of June and it was a 2 car 175

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