158/7s? Are they Northern units and what do they actually have?
Yes, they are (there may also be some with other operators, the 158 sub-classes not being something I'm that familiar with). There's an unofficial, but excellent, Northern fleet list at https://merseyrailpep507.blogspot.com/p/unofficial-northern-fleet-list.html which I'm sure you'd find interesting.
The 3 car 158s retain their original seats and haven't had the new seats fitted. Only 158s with the new seats (as opposed to the old ones recovered) iirc are 845, 849, and I think one of the 158/9s too.
I regard them as 158/0s (which is what they are regarded as) but I haven't ever heard anyone ever call them 158/7s before.
I can't remember those sets getting the 'Ironing Board' seats (at least its not been said on here). You must be thinking of the old seats that just got recovered and repainted. I guess if they have then why hasn't it been said on here (or has it?). If they haven't had their seats replaced then I guess either they'll be done later or done last.
It comes from the quirk in Sprinter sub-classification. /0 was reserved for prototypes, /1 & /2 were reserved for 150's, /3 was reserved for 155's, /4 & /5 was for 156's and /7, /8 & /9 were for 158's. The confusing part comes as 153's & 155's were classified as /3 and 156's as /4. 158's followed their own thing as /0's, /1's & /2's for some reason. Sprinter numbering is very confusing unless you read into it.
Its literally confused me reading about it
It's a quirk of BR that still exsits.
It really is not that confusing. Basically all the Sprinter sets have set numbers that follow the 52xxx and 57xxx car numbers (with exceptions like the 150/0s, 158 centre cars and 159s). Each Sprinter set therefore can/could be referred to by the last 3 digits of the set number as a unique number in the Sprinter fleet.
What time is the other unit due to go to Holbeck?
normally the 158s or 170s only go to crewe for refurb from neville hill.
I'm currently on a refurbished 156 (not sure which) with the new moquette style refurbed seats. Not a fan. The flat cloth, whilst more difficult to keep clean, looks and feels much better in my view. The pattern on the moquette is blurry rather than crisp and clear, and the feel of the seats themselves is very 1980s Ford Mondeo...
Surely an easily washable flat cloth would have been available rather than taking this backward step?
View attachment 62106 View attachment 62107 View attachment 62108
Each to their own I guess, but if they were going to use moquette then they could just have re-used the old covers. This isn't even good quality moquette, it looks and feels cheap and tacky, and it's just unpleasent to sit on. It is, genuinely, like what I would expect to find in a grotty horrible 1980s wreck of a car... which I suppose is quite 'Northern'. The seats on the TPE 185s, whilst an odd shape, are a really excellent example of how modern cloth can be used to create something stylish, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing; why more TOCs aren't doing the same baffles me. They even seem to be easy to clean - I can't remember the last time I travelled on a dirty TPE service.
Disbelieve it as much as you want, however my source of this information is someone from northern who is involved with the fleet and is normally 100% correct in what he says!!
If you ve heard it from an inside source then it must be true. Now we have 280 units going for a refurb
So refreshed 333 015s back with 001 and 013. Anyone know which ones now hone to Holbeck?
Depends if one has left for holbeck, it might leave later
Affirmative. These are the seats on the 3 car 158s that have been through the refresh program:
Exactly, proof that the 3 car 158s don't have 'Ironing Boards' (at least not yet)Affirmative. These are the seats on the 3 car 158s that have been through the refresh program:
And in comparison the seats in 158845 and 158849:
(both photos from google)
Not yet, no. The Northern refurbishment programme is, though, phased. My understanding from Northern themselves is that ALL the 158s will, eventually, receive the "ironing board" seats as shown above, to the same spec as the 195s/331s.
