Metrocars may well be a simpler piecer of kit but the principle is the same. If both units have been put in the same place in the exam cycle, there’s no need to split them unless one develops a fault, so the same pairs of units could remain coupled for a long period. I struggle to see how this wouldn’t work for 185s or indeed any other type of multiple unit.
It’s a fantasy to equate the engineering and operational challenges of running an inter-urban diesel unit with a metro car on a self contained network.
As previously mentioned, there was a points failure between Leeds and York that caused service disruption on the morning of 27.12.2022, something TPE couldn’t realistically be expected to plan for.
Regarding the specific problem of 1K14 being a 3 car set on 27.12.2022, I’ve listed below the chain of events that led up to that.
185 137 was paired with 185107 until the morning of 23.12.2022. That morning 1K08 0653 Hull-Liverpool Lime Street was cancelled, which would have left no unit for 1K15 0954 Liverpool Lime Street-Hull.
At this point, 185 137 and 185 107 were split, with 185 137 working 1K13 0854 Liverpool Lime Street-Hull as booked and 185 107 working 1K15 09 54 Liverpool Lime Street-Hull, which would have been cancelled, along with subsequent workings, had the units not been split.
From this point onwards, 185 137 didn’t visit Ardwick prior to working 1K14 from Hull on 27.12.2022.
As previously mentioned on the thread, running empty stock moves is currently unlikely to happen. I think it also highlights how being able to split the Class 185 sets does give great flexibility during service disruption.
21.12.2022
185137
5F48 0511 Ardwick-MCV
1F48 0552 MCV-LIV
185 137 joined with 185 107
1K09 0654 LIV-HUL
Stabled Hull (service disruption on the day due to problems with rostering software).
22.12.2022
185 137 paired with 185 107
1K08 0653 HUL-MCV
1K13 0930 MCV-HUL
5K13 1207 HUL-Botanic Gardens-HUL
1K26 1603 HUL-LIV
1K33 1854 LIV-HUL
Stabled Hull
23.12.2022
185 137 paired with 185 107
1K06 0601 HUL-LIV
185 137 split from 185 107 at LIV
*1K08 0653 HUL-LIV (0933) CANCELLED*
185 107
1K15 0954 LIV-HUL
185 137
1K13 0854 LIV-HUL
5K13 1207 HUL-Botanic Gardens-HUL
1K24 1503 HUL-LIV
1K31 1754 LIV-HUL
Stabled Hull
24.12.2022
185 137
1K10 0755 HUL-LDS
1K11 0927 LDS-HUL
1K18 1203 HUL-LDS
1K19 1327 LDS-HUL
Stabled Hull
25.12.2022 and 26.12.2022 no service
27.12.2022
185 137
1K14 1000 HUL-LIV
1K21 1254 LIV-HUL
185 137 joined with 185 119
1703 HUL-MAN
MCV = Manchester Victoria
LIV = Liverpool Lime Street
HUL = Hull
LDS = Leeds
TPE today: the first train from Leeds to Manchester (Victoria) at 11.00 was a 3-car 185 from Hull (dep 10.00) to Liverpool Lime Street. The next alternative was 45 minutes later and quite a few later services were cancelled.
I caught this first service at Selby (dep 10.32) and it was already full and standing from there. From Leeds it was carrying at least double the number of passengers (compared to seats) and it was difficult to board. Boarding at Huddersfield and Stalybridge was clearly impossible for some people who were left behind and the loading must have been over 200%. Over three quarters of people got off at Manchester Victoria, where we had arrived 8 minutes late.
I then caught the 12.24 TPE service from Manchester Victoria to Liverpool LS (but only as far as Newton-le-Willows). Although this arrived in the platform at 12.09, it was left idling but locked and not opened for passenger use until about 12.20 - there were about 30 people waiting on the platform.
Finally caught a TfW service from Newton-le-Willows to Warrington Bank Quay. This was about a third full.
In general this journey would have been fine (if stilll crowded and with people standing from Huddersfield to Manchester) if the 10.32 Hull to Liverpool (the first train for 2.5 days) had been a six-car 185.
I expect about 200+ people are not going to try rail travel again anytime soon. And they are going to tell at least the same amount of people about how difficult / poor it all was.
Later trains from Leeds to Manchester really fared even worse though, at least in so far as cancellations went:
11.00 - ran (8 minutes late at Manchester V)
11.45 - ran (2 minutes late at Manchester V)
12.00 - ran (35 minutes late at Manchester V)
12.30- cancelled
12.45 - cancelled
13.30 - ran (expected 70 minutes late at Manchester V)
13.45 - ran (expected 60 minutes late at Manchester V)
13.59 - ran (only 17 minutes late at Manchester V!)
So a 90 minute gap roughly in departures from Leeds to Manchester.
I'd probably suggest just cancelling a shedload of trains after running a 3 car first thing, then another 3 car, then some more cancellations.