Northern Unit Refurbishments

[Andyh82]

I think most people would understand that, as you've said, keeping the service going is the priority. Whilst I'm sure it would have been much easier to just take trains out and do full refurbs all in one go, there's good reasons for not doing that. Not least that PRM mods, for example, need completing asap; WiFi, new seats, digital displays, etc. can wait longer.
I'd also point out two other things: it's not 2020 yet, so they're not actually late and; once new trains start entering service it should speed up the refurbs of everything else.

Will it though? Because you have to also factor in that they need to withdraw the pacers by the end of the year. So even with new trains in service they will probably still be stretched for units this time next year.

 

[Mathew S]

Will it though? Because you have to also factor in that they need to withdraw the pacers by the end of the year. So even with new trains in service they will probably still be stretched for units this time next year.

It should do, if only because of things like each 4 car 769 replacing 2x150s, 3 car 195s displacing a 158+153, and so on. Not saying it'll make an enormous difference, but every little helps.

 

[507021]

a 150/1 is on it's way back to newton heath from doncaster (591P)

150119.

 

[507021]

150113 is at Doncaster for PRM mods.
150145 is at Crewe.

 

[anamyd]

I kept a pdf copy of a presentation given by Alex Hynes, with an additional Powerpoint to back it up. Brave talk and he delivered it powerfully. I'd like to have linked them here but don't think it's possible.

upload it to Google Docs or similar and link to it here, I'm very interested to see it!

 

[M1544]

Not sure if it’s already been reported but 158849 is fully refurbished with new seats etc and was out in service working a York Preston train last night.

 

[since1814]

849 out on the Tyne Valley yesterday and today. WiFi, USB, reservation indicators. Interior looks very smart, legroom is quite generous, cushioning rather less so.

 

[Neptune]

I worked 150103 yesterday with moquette seats and must say the slightly deeper shades of blue looks much better.

Having worked a refurbished 150/2 earlier in the week the seats on that were disgustingly filthy after only a few weeks in traffic.

I think northern have made the right choice.

 

[WYSH]

I worked 150103 yesterday with moquette seats and must say the slightly deeper shades of blue looks much better.

Having worked a refurbished 150/2 earlier in the week the seats on that were disgustingly filthy after only a few weeks in traffic.

I think northern have made the right choice.

Seating looks a lot better. The current seat covers are absolutely awful, on some services it’s been to the point where I’ve seen passengers refuse to sit down because of how filthy they are. If only they had gone for the moquette from the start.

 

[deltic08]

Seating looks a lot better. The current seat covers are absolutely awful, on some services it’s been to the point where I’ve seen passengers refuse to sit down because of how filthy they are. If only they had gone for the moquette from the start.

Because moquet is more expensive to weave and is heavier in material. They were trying to do it on the cheap and it has backfired on them and will now probably cost them more by changing what has already been done.

 

[Andyh82]

I worked 150103 yesterday with moquette seats and must say the slightly deeper shades of blue looks much better.

Having worked a refurbished 150/2 earlier in the week the seats on that were disgustingly filthy after only a few weeks in traffic.

I think northern have made the right choice.

Have they forgotten to do the floor on that one?

 

[George Buckley]

Is there any sign of 333 001 yet?

 

[AMD]

Because moquet is more expensive to weave and is heavier in material. They were trying to do it on the cheap and it has backfired on them and will now probably cost them more by changing what has already been done.

But it's actually costing us the same as the flat cloth, also the the flat cloth costs more long term as it is dry clean only.

 

[Bletchleyite]

But it's actually costing us the same as the flat cloth, also the the flat cloth costs more long term as it is dry clean only.

Somebody needs a metaphorical smack around the head for such an incompetent decision, then.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I believe that at least one class 333 is presently running as a 3 car unit. Does anybody know which unit(s) is/are involved? Originally the 333's were delivered to WY Metro as 3 car units until the SY transport paid for the fourth carriages.

Another correction needed: SYPTE didn't pay for the 4th cars from new, they covered a 25% shortfall in the leasing funds after WYPTE had their funding cut. Because had the 4th cars been removed (and possibly sold to Heathrow Express, as the only other potential user) the shortened 333s would have shifted to the Leeds-Doncaster services, which would obviously affect South Yorkshire.

 

[CC 72100]

Am I right in thinking that Northern are putting ironing boards in their 158s?

There are different seats across the 158 fleets when you take other operators into account, but ironing boards are by far the worst of them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Am I right in thinking that Northern are putting ironing boards in their 158s?

There are different seats across the 158 fleets when you take other operators into account, but ironing boards are by far the worst of them.

Did anyone put those awful Richmond seats with collapsed bases in a 158? They are the worst I've experienced in other stock.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Did anyone put those awful Richmond seats with collapsed bases in a 158? They are the worst I've experienced in other stock.

Surely the bases weren't collapsed to start with?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Surely the bases weren't collapsed to start with?

It took about 6 months if that.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Am I right in thinking that Northern are putting ironing boards in their 158s?

There are different seats across the 158 fleets when you take other operators into account, but ironing boards are by far the worst of them.

I thought the "winner" of the seats roadshow was a combination of the types supplied by the Italian firm FISA rather than Spain's Fainsa?

So, not "ironing boards".

 

[northernchris]

Am I right in thinking that Northern are putting ironing boards in their 158s?

There are different seats across the 158 fleets when you take other operators into account, but ironing boards are by far the worst of them.

The seats on the refurbed 158s aren't too bad and they seem to increase the legroom too

 

[Mathew S]

Am I right in thinking that Northern are putting ironing boards in their 158s?

There are different seats across the 158 fleets when you take other operators into account, but ironing boards are by far the worst of them.

I'm never sure exactly which seats people mean by the different descriptions used on here but, having travelled on the completely returned 158 (849?) I will say that the new seats are excellent. Less padding than on old-style seats, as is the fashion these days, but perfectly comfortable.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm never sure exactly which seats people mean by the different descriptions used on here but, having travelled on the completely returned 158 (849?) I will say that the new seats are excellent. Less padding than on old-style seats, as is the fashion these days, but perfectly comfortable.

Does anyone know if the ScotRail style contoured base has been used, vs the Southern style flat horizontal one? That makes a very noticeable difference to that type of seat.

 

[CC 72100]

I thought the "winner" of the seats roadshow was a combination of the types supplied by the Italian firm FISA rather than Spain's Fainsa?

So, not "ironing boards".

Was just going by a picture I saw in (Possibly a different) this thread.

To be honest I'd take any of the seats over an ironing board- the original seating, grammar as per TFW and EMT examples or the Richmond (?) seating that were in some vehicles of the FGW 158s pre-refurbishment.

 

[DanNCL]

Does anyone know if the ScotRail style contoured base has been used, vs the Southern style flat horizontal one? That makes a very noticeable difference to that type of seat.

It is the ScotRail style base rather than the base used on the 700s and 387s.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Was just going by a picture I saw in (Possibly a different) this thread.

To be honest I'd take any of the seats over an ironing board- the original seating, grammar as per TFW and EMT examples or the Richmond (?) seating that were in some vehicles of the FGW 158s pre-refurbishment.

No seating fitted to 158s has bettered the ones which were fitted from new, and which the majority of Northern's 158 fleet still had at the start of the franchise.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is the ScotRail style base rather than the base used on the 700s and 387s.

Good. To me, that turns what is a fairly average seat (I don't mind it, it's quite adequate for the 2 hours ish end to end East Croydon to Bletchley trip for me) into quite a good one.

The survey favoured the FISA LEAN seat, which is the one being fitted to the Greater Anglia FLIRTs. However Northern spoke of going for a cheaper hybrid, which I guess is the Fainsa "ironing board" but fitted with the ScotRail style base which is more like the LEAN's base.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No seating fitted to 158s has bettered the ones which were fitted from new, and which the majority of Northern's 158 fleet still had at the start of the franchise.

Too low down and no good for muscular-legged blokes who physically can't put their knees together into the "slot". I'd take an ironing board any day.

 

[anamyd]

No seating fitted to 158s has bettered the ones which were fitted from new, and which the majority of Northern's 158 fleet still had at the start of the franchise.

original seats and Chapmans are both good, as long as they're refoamed where necessary (respectively, GWR have done this on their 158s and TfW on their 150/2s)

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Too low down and no good for muscular-legged blokes who physically can't put their knees together into the "slot". I'd take an ironing board any day.

Why are you always moaning about ironing boards then?

There's no pleasing some people!