When the 16:10ish left Crewe for Carmarthen it looked busy but I think people were waiting to sit in their seats. Any 2-car 175 on that route would be due to maintenance requirements as ATW may say.
I'm told the 13:08 is normally 3 coaches. There are some 2-car sets about silly me . Sorry I know it's slightly off subject but I wonder what ATW (soon to be KeolisAmey Wales) would send out on a Manchester run if it was a choice between a 1-coach Class 153 with table seating and around 75 seats or a 2-coach Class 142 or 143 Pacer with no table seat, around 105 seats I guess, slightly slower acceleration and not well received by most passengers.
Hopefully that decision never happens.
I've begun to like the 14x Pacers more since Northern's 16:22 from Manchester Piccadilly to Bolton on the 21/03/18 but it will be good when they're withdrawn!
There are also no ATW staff in the North currently trained on them.It would have to be the single 153 because Pacers are restricted beyond Craven Arms
Every route currently operated by a 158 (including the ERTMS Cambrian) will see a new Civity taking over by 2022, just like the 175 routes. That's why the 175s are due to go off-lease.It's at a push do-able for a 2-car 175!
I had a 2-car 175, 175004, on the 13:08 from Hereford to Crewe. Very good trains these are! When they're withdrawn in the next W&B franchise, I will be a shame. However I hope some can be cascaded to some long-distance routes currently run by Class 158's.