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Northern 323s refurbishment and cascade

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Xenophon PCDGS

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Dull?! Centro was bright green and yellow, it was anything but dull!

How many of the Centro liveried Class 323 units still to come northwards still bearing that livery if any and how many of the Class 150 "already-relocated" units now residing in the area of the Northern franchise are still bearing that vivid livery now?
 
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Did a round trip yesterday from Wigan to Hadfield so naturally had two trips on cl.323s, this being my first significant journey on a 323 in several years. I have to agree with others here who note the poor, tired state of them. Absolutely these need a refurb and repair works: toilets either out of order or with doors with locks that jam/stick when operated, toilets not flushing (and no soap, i mean that's just lazy!), hopper window bay frames showing signs of corrosion, seat padding worn away, panels on electrical equipment under seats rusting, floor coverings ripped/adhesive failed. Though despite all these kinds of issues, it was still nicer travelling on them than on the grotty, dirty, knackered cl.142 from Wigan before them and the (even though fully refurbished and clean) cl.150 after them!

Roll on the refurbishment and I'm glad more 323s are coming, too.
 

DI1964

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Did a round trip yesterday from Wigan to Hadfield so naturally had two trips on cl.323s, this being my first significant journey on a 323 in several years. I have to agree with others here who note the poor, tired state of them. Absolutely these need a refurb and repair works: toilets either out of order or with doors with locks that jam/stick when operated, toilets not flushing (and no soap, i mean that's just lazy!), hopper window bay frames showing signs of corrosion, seat padding worn away, panels on electrical equipment under seats rusting, floor coverings ripped/adhesive failed. Though despite all these kinds of issues, it was still nicer travelling on them than on the grotty, dirty, knackered cl.142 from Wigan before them and the (even though fully refurbished and clean) cl.150 after them!

Roll on the refurbishment and I'm glad more 323s are coming, too.

Reason why the 323s are running around full of rubbish with locked out / blocked / no water in toilets is because most of the units do not go near a depot for tanking or a proper clean for upto 4 days. The water tanks are quite small and sometimes only just last a full day.
I do not know how Northern are being allowed to get away with this.
 

D6975

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I was looking where Wolverton was. Having found it on google maps, I was perplexed by how the units entered and exited the works back onto the main line.
I solved it eventually. F or those who are curious, see if you can find the path.

What was difficult about it?
I found it almost immediately.
 

Bovverboy

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Reason why the 323s are running around full of rubbish with locked out / blocked / no water in toilets is because most of the units do not go near a depot for tanking or a proper clean for upto 4 days. The water tanks are quite small and sometimes only just last a full day.
I do not know how Northern are being allowed to get away with this.

It depends what you call a 'depot'. I'd be very surprised, indeed, if water were not available at Stockport CMD, for instance. After all, it is titled a 'Carriage Maintenance Depot'. Observation says that water is available, not only at depots, but in terminal roads (at least) at major stations, and stabling sidings, so there's no excuse for water tanks not being kept topped up. As to toilets being 'locked out', the toilet on a 323 would not lock out automatically, it would have to be locked out of use by a rail operative. I've personally never known the toilet on a 323 to be 'locked out', but I admit to not travelling by 323 all that often. I've known a significant number of toilets to be locked out on more modern/refurbished stock.
The stabling points do seem to have a reputation for sending out unclean units - who do we blame?
 

CJ

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234 at Wolverton...

Feel a sense of nostalgia looking at that livery, can't believe it still exists underneath the old Northern livery.

Wonder if the Centro livery still exists underneath the LM livery for the WM 323s.
 

43096

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Wonder if the Centro livery still exists underneath the LM livery for the WM 323s.
No - the West Mids units were repainted at Wolverton into London Midland colours.
 

childwallblues

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How many of the Centro liveried Class 323 units still to come northwards still bearing that livery if any and how many of the Class 150 "already-relocated" units now residing in the area of the Northern franchise are still bearing that vivid livery now?
150109 still in LM livery was noted lat Tuesday on the Leeds to Nottingham service.
 

Bovverboy

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Six days might not be long enough for a unit to disappear and reappear in a new livery, but it is long enough for it to disappear in the first place. I think that is the point.
 

sprinterguy

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How many of the Centro liveried Class 323 units still to come northwards still bearing that livery if any and how many of the Class 150 "already-relocated" units now residing in the area of the Northern franchise are still bearing that vivid livery now?
None, as all of the 323s were repainted from the Centro livery they were delivered in into London Midland livery, and have all now subsequently received West Midlands Railway orange vinyls over the London Midland base livery.

The 150s additionally received the Central Trains green/blue livery between the original Regional Railways Centro scheme and the unbranded London Midland scheme that they currently wear with Northern.
it was dull as in boring. In all honesty the livery didn’t fit the unit well.
Personally I thought that the Regional Railways Centro livery looked superb on the 323s, and suited them perfectly. Better than either of the two liveries that have followed on the West Midlands area units.
 
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Geeves

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According to a colleague of mine 323234 is outside of Wolverton now all painted up, I don't think its easy to see except from passing trains unfortunately
 

AMD

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Might be repeating the same question but does anyone know how the refurbishment of 323234 is going on and when it's due back at allerton?
The line internally is 'soon'. Looking at what still needs to be done, it will probably be back second week of October
 
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