Grand Central Class 180 formations

[ANDYS]

Having seen a number of GC 180's in Doncaster last week and trying to number up my photos, can anyone help with the current formations for these. They do not seem to be any logical order and do not have the numbers on front as they used too.

Any help gratefully received.

Thanks, Andy S

 

[fgwrich]

I would certainly ignore 180112 (the unit with the hybrid power green stripe) as that seems to be carrying a variety of different numbers.

 

[ANDYS]

FGWRICH,

that is one of the ones I have problems with. I saw it twice, once going south then north. Just like your photos, one end has 50903 and the other end is the green 'JAMES HERRIOT' 59912 with old set number 180109 showing through the grime !

Andy S

 

[43096]

FGWRICH,

that is one of the ones I have problems with. I saw it twice, once going south then north. Just like your photos, one end has 50903 and the other end is the green 'JAMES HERRIOT' 59912 with old set number 180109 showing through the grime !

Andy S

The formations of all 180s are believed to be as below. Cars in bold are not in their correct set.

180101 50901 54901 55901 56901 59903
180102 50902 54902 55902 56902 59902
180103 50912 54903 55906 56903 59905 This set believed to be a collection of demic cars and is not in service.
180104 50904 54904 55904 56904 59904
180105 50905 54905 55905 56905 59901
180106 50906 54906 55903 56906 59906
180107 50907 54907 55907 56907 59907
180108 50908 54908 55908 56908 59908
180109 50909 54909 55913 56909 59909
180110 50910 54910 55910 59910
180111 50911 54911 55911 56911 59911
180112 50903 54912 55912 56912 59912
180113 50913 54913 55909 56913 59913
180114 50914 54914 55914 56914 59914

Not in a set: 56910

 

[Merle Haggard]

Moving away from the original subject, I know; but does anyone know whether 56910 is under repair or is it the intention that 180110 will remain 4 car?

The problem with that coach is said to be corrosion; it would be odd if that's a problem unique to this coach. In a recent accident report corrosion affecting structural strength seemed to be regarded as important in that it affected safety.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Generally speaking, if the 180 has two or more coaches with the same last two digits then that is the unit number.

 

[ANDYS]

Thanks everyone for your input. I will relabel my photos and put them on Flickr with a note about the formations.

Andy S

 

[QSK19]

Moving away from the original subject, I know; but does anyone know whether 56910 is under repair or is it the intention that 180110 will remain 4 car?

I spoke to EMR staff when onboard 180110 with my son for a trip down to Wellingborough. They said the intention was to repair the corroded car and get 110 back to a full 5 car set asap.

 

[Leeds1970]

slightly off topic - who was responsible for the internal layout as i find it a bit odd that the first class was not positioned in the driving trailer next to the buffet counter.

 

[sbrignall72]

The formations of all 180s are believed to be as below. Cars in bold are not in their correct set.

180101 50901 54901 55901 56901 59903
180102 50902 54902 55902 56902 59902
180103 50912 54903 55906 56903 59905 This set believed to be a collection of demic cars and is not in service.
180104 50904 54904 55904 56904 59904
180105 50905 54905 55905 56905 59901
180106 50906 54906 55903 56906 59906
180107 50907 54907 55907 56907 59907
180108 50908 54908 55908 56908 59908
180109 50909 54909 55913 56909 59909
180110 50910 54910 55910 59910
180111 50911 54911 55911 56911 59911
180112 50903 54912 55912 56912 59912
180113 50913 54913 55909 56913 59913
180114 50914 54914 55914 56914 59914

Not in a set: 56910

Do we know what is wrong with the device coaches making up 180103 and will they all revert back to normal formations

 

[ainsworth74]

slightly off topic - who was responsible for the internal layout as i find it a bit odd that the first class was not positioned in the driving trailer next to the buffet counter.

First Great Western. If first class had been in a driving vehicle (note there are no trailer vehicles on a 180, all are motored) that would have reduced the first class capacity as the cab and space behind the cab takes up a reasonable chunk of room on the 180.

 

[Leeds1970]

First Great Western. If first class had been in a driving vehicle (note there are no trailer vehicles on a 180, all are motored) that would have reduced the first class capacity as the cab and space behind the cab takes up a reasonable chunk of room on the 180.

keep forgetting that modern units are pretty much all powered vehicles

 

[DannyMich2018]

First Great Western. If first class had been in a driving vehicle (note there are no trailer vehicles on a 180, all are motored) that would have reduced the first class capacity as the cab and space behind the cab takes up a reasonable chunk of room on the 180.

In fact the area behind the cabs in both driving vehicles of the 180s takes up very little space compared to Voyagers, Meridians, in IETs in first class end vehicles it's about 2/3 of the coach taken up by cab, staff area, kitchen.

 

[50002Superb]

Does anyone know which 180 is running on the Old Dalby line today please?

 

[Spirit555]

I have been told that 180107 is running around as a 4 car. Can anyone confirm this.

MTIA

Mark

 

[skyhigh]

I have been told that 180107 is running around as a 4 car. Can anyone confirm this.

MTIA

Mark

Appears so.
59907-56907-55907-50907.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Appears so.
59907-56907-55907-50907.

Hope they're not advertising first class!!

 

[driverd]

I was just about to make a similar thread as I noted the 4 car GC 180 around a week ago. Missing first class, I recently saw it heading to London just after an earlier cancel. Must have been cosy!

Does anyone know why GC seem to be having such issues? There's also one at Crofton minus a sizeable chunk of the front end.

 

[Prestige15]

I was just about to make a similar thread as I noted the 4 car GC 180 around a week ago. Missing first class, I recently saw it heading to London just after an earlier cancel. Must have been cosy!

Does anyone know why GC seem to be having such issues? There's also one at Crofton minus a sizeable chunk of the front end.

Maybe had the same significant corrosion issues as EMR had with 180110

 

[Roger B]

Appears so.
59907-56907-55907-50907.

Seen with this formation at Kings Cross platform 1 on 25th July working 1D81 16.27 KGX to Bradford Interchange. It looked pretty rammed.

The formations of all 180s are believed to be as below. Cars in bold are not in their correct set.

180101 50901 54901 55901 56901 59903
180102 50902 54902 55902 56902 59902
180103 50912 54903 55906 56903 59905 This set believed to be a collection of demic cars and is not in service.
180104 50904 54904 55904 56904 59904
180105 50905 54905 55905 56905 59901
180106 50906 54906 55903 56906 59906
180107 50907 54907 55907 56907 59907
180108 50908 54908 55908 56908 59908
180109 50909 54909 55913 56909 59909
180110 50910 54910 55910 59910
180111 50911 54911 55911 56911 59911
180112 50903 54912 55912 56912 59912
180113 50913 54913 55909 56913 59913
180114 50914 54914 55914 56914 59914

Not in a set: 56910

Thanks for this update 43096 - very interesting ....

180109 and 180113 swapped the same cars in 2018, but then appeared in the 2021 (and 2022) P5 Locomotives and Coaching Stock books back in their original formations - ie having swapped the cars back again.

Seeing the above makes me wonder whether they did swap back then or not - perhaps they have remained in the same formations since their initial car swaps in 2018.

If anyone can shed some light on whether they're newly swapped again or have remained in the same formations since 2018 I'd be very grateful, many thanks.

 

[Gordonman]

Seen with this formation at Kings Cross platform 1 on 25th July working 1D81 16.27 KGX to Bradford Interchange. It looked pretty rammed.


Thanks for this update 43096 - very interesting ....

180109 and 180113 swapped the same cars in 2018, but then appeared in the 2021 (and 2022) P5 Locomotives and Coaching Stock books back in their original formations - ie having swapped the cars back again.

Seeing the above makes me wonder whether they did swap back then or not - perhaps they have remained in the same formations since their initial car swaps in 2018.

If anyone can shed some light on whether they're newly swapped again or have remained in the same formations since 2018 I'd be very grateful, many thanks.

I have not seen either set for a while but Trust still lists both sets as mis-formed as above since 2018.

I vaguely remember seeing a post a while ago stating that the external numbers on each set were all numbered ending in 09 and 13 respectively but when I checked inside the units,the internal coach numbers indicated they were still mis-formed.

Any recent sightings anyone?

 

[XCTurbostar]

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned that ROG operated 5Q72 from Crofton to Willesden on the 9th Aug with what appeared to be five GC 180 coaches. I am guessing these are the demic cars 43096 listed?

 

[Royston Vasey]

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned that ROG operated 5Q72 from Crofton to Willesden on the 9th Aug with what appeared to be five GC 180 coaches. I am guessing these are the demic cars 43096 listed?

50912 54907 55906 56903 59905

So that is the demic "set" listed above, with the exception of 54907 from 180107, rather than 54903.

Big chunk of the front valance missing on 59905 too, but doesn't look like corrosion as speculated above, more like low level collision damage to the fibreglass.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Thanks for the information @Royston Vasey . Given that the coaches are clearly in a serious condition (55906 appeared to have flame marks?) and two had wheel flats, are these off-lease?

 

[Royston Vasey]

Thanks for the information @Royston Vasey . Given that the coaches are clearly in a serious condition (55906 appeared to have flame marks?) and two had wheel flats, are these off-lease?

Could be wrong but I think all coaches had a streak of something sooty in about the same place, some kind of exhaust or vent lurking below. Does seem worse on that vehicle though.

 

[skyhigh]

Thanks for the information @Royston Vasey . Given that the coaches are clearly in a serious condition (55906 appeared to have flame marks?) and two had wheel flats, are these off-lease?

They are all going for repair.

 

[glasgowtripper]

Does anyone know why the 180 is in the sidings at Newark Northgate with the yellow contraption around one of its wheel sets?

 

[43096]

Does anyone know why the 180 is in the sidings at Newark Northgate with the yellow contraption around one of its wheel sets?

It failed earlier this week with a reported final drive fault. It's planned to be moved tonight (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:72404/2022-08-26/detailed) and needs the wheelskate on the affected axle.

 

[357]

Does anyone know why the 180 is in the sidings at Newark Northgate with the yellow contraption around one of its wheel sets?

Sounds like a wheelskate

 

[Tynwald]

corrosion on coradia and junipers has been a big problem.