150285 to Northern

[driver9000]

As I remember it some of the evening services were operated under contract by Northern. I can't remember the reason why though. There was a very early morning Blackpool -Manchester Airport worked by TPE under contact from Northern but this has now ended.

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

Anyone know what 150285 is up to today?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pemma]

When ever previous 175 or Chester depot duties are mentioned it gets complicated.

About 6 months before the end of the Wales and Borders franchise the Chester depot, North Wales routes and 175s were transferred from First North Western to Wales and Borders. However, in reality nothing changed other than which train operator was advertised as running a service. The unit diagrams remained exactly the same as did the crew diagrams.

Gradually changes were made so that ATW routes became exclusively operated by ATW crews and FNW routes were operated by just FNW crews. However, until the very last day of the FNW franchise there remained a morning service on the Manchester-Chester via Warrington line that was run by a FNW 150 and what was advertised as a Chester-Altrincham-Manchester Oxford Rd service that was 175 operated with a timetable footnote in the FNW printed timetables that on arrival at Manchester Piccadilly it formed an Arriva Trains Wales Llandudno service.

On the North West routes to add to the confusion Blackpool-Manchester Airport routes became Northern operated and then were transferred to TPE, while Windermere/Barrow routes were transferred to TPE before the Northern franchise started.
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Anyone know what 150285 is up to today?

A Northern guard has posted on another forum it is on exactly the same diagram as yesterday and that 150285 is only expected to be used on Victoria-Clitheroe services.

 

[Philip]

just thought, if atw are prepared to let northern loan a 150, what are the chances of northern loaning a 175 in similar circumstances? They could only be used on the manchester blackpool run if it happened.

 

[ukrob]

Northern crews sign 150s, they don't sign 175s.

 

[Philip]

Northern crews sign 150s, they don't sign 175s.

They sign 180s - practically the same.

 

[ainsworth74]

They sign 180s - practically the same.

Not good enough, they would have to sign 175s which they don't.

 

[pemma]

just thought, if atw are prepared to let northern loan a 150, what are the chances of northern loaning a 175 in similar circumstances? They could only be used on the manchester blackpool run if it happened.

In the unlikely event of 175s being used on Northern routes it would likely be worked by ATW crews and then for route knowledge reasons they would only be seen on Crewe-Manchester or/and Chester-Altrincham-Manchester.

Likewise if Northern loaned a 156 to ATW it would probably be worked by Northern crews and only appear on Manchester-Warrington-Chester (not continuing in to Wales.)

 

[ukrob]

They sign 180s - practically the same.

It doesn't matter. They don't sign them and that is all there is to it.

 

[voyagerdude220]

150285 is today once again on the Clitheroe line!!

12:00 Manchester Vic to Clitheroe
13:40 Clitheroe to Manchester Vic
15:00 Manchester Vic to Clitheroe
16:40 Clitheroe to Manchester Vic
18:00 Manchester Vic to Clitheroe
19:40 Clitheroe to Manchester Vic
21:00 Manchester Vic to Clitheroe
22:40 Clitheroe to Manchester Vic

Disclaimer: I do not take responsibility for any unit swaps which may take place during the day.

 

[Yew]

Could this be anything to do with the adwick => lincoln rough being full of 150's?

Nice change from pacer it was

 

[willas00]

FGW have just a couple of ATW 150s kicking about now, I think they're loaned on a daily basis? They seem to return west on the back end of a late Portsmouth - Cardiff run most nights so I presume they go back to Canton. ATW are lucky to be in a position to be able to loan out several units, can't be many TOCs who could spare them?! SWT of course would be another!

One 150 comes down attached to the first Arriva service of Cheltenham Spa. The 150 leaves at Gloucester ready for the day and heads back in the evening, not sure how it gets back.

Then another 150 comes down the following day...

 

[TEW]

The ATW 150s attach to a late evening Portsmouth-Cardiff service before detaching and going ECS to Cardiff Canton.

 

[37372]

Lots of people are saying that 150285 has been restricted to Clitheroe diagrams due to it being slightly different from Northern 150s.

 

[MCR247]

I thought it was due to also needing to go back to the depot every night

 

[driver9000]

Lots of people are saying that 150285 has been restricted to Clitheroe diagrams due to it being slightly different from Northern 150s.

All depots have received the traction brief on 150285s differences so in theory there is nothing to stop it appearing anywhere on the Northern network cleared for 150s. It seems to be being restricted to the Clitheroe service (for now) because Northern want it back at Newton Heath every night which may or not have been caused by memory of 158888 being vandalised at Scarborough and Newton Heath is seen a secure place to keep it. The only real differences 150285 has to the 'home' fleet is sanders, modified butterflies and CCTV, it's driven in an identical manner to every other 150.

 

[WillPS]

Another forum seems to suggest an LM 153 will come down on loan, too.

 

[Saxonia]

Personally, I believe that 285 is being kept on exactly the same diagram every day due to GMPTE's obsession with seating capacity - after Manchester/Salford, its only calls within GM boundary are Bolton, Hall I' Th' Wood & Bromley X - it is also booked to be coupled to a class 153 for the duration of its present diagram. This is also quite probably why, given the lack of progressive thinking within GMPTE, that we are most unlikely to see the class 144 units diagrammed to NH work.
Of course, those of us that work these trains, & those who ride the Northern network on a regular basis, know only too well that GMPTE's cherished 3rd seats on NH 142/150 units are never used to full capacity, & that a unit with a bigger gangway allows for far more standing passengers, + a little more breathing space for all on board. Unfortunately, Northern is at the mercy of the PTE in this pathetic respect, & if we don't meet with their dictat, we get heavily fined.
Given GMPTE's "amazing" record as regards to investment in heavy rail, who are we to argue, eh ??? :roll::roll::roll::roll:

 

[WillPS]

Personally, I believe that 285 is being kept on exactly the same diagram every day due to GMPTE's obsession with seating capacity - after Manchester/Salford, its only calls within GM boundary are Bolton, Hall I' Th' Wood & Bromley X - it is also booked to be coupled to a class 153 for the duration of its present diagram. This is also quite probably why, given the lack of progressive thinking within GMPTE, that we are most unlikely to see the class 144 units diagrammed to NH work.
Of course, those of us that work these trains, & those who ride the Northern network on a regular basis, know only too well that GMPTE's cherished 3rd seats on NH 142/150 units are never used to full capacity, & that a unit with a bigger gangway allows for far more standing passengers, + a little more breathing space for all on board. Unfortunately, Northern is at the mercy of the PTE in this pathetic respect, & if we don't meet with their dictat, we get heavily fined.
Given GMPTE's "amazing" record as regards to investment in heavy rail, who are we to argue, eh ??? :roll::roll::roll::roll:

I thought 285 had 2+2?

 

[fgwrich]

I thought 285 had 2+2?

Yep! 150285 is one of the Ex Scotrail 150s, so it would have been reseated with those plastic Champman seats in 2+2 formation during ATW's Refurb.

 

[Saxonia]

I thought 285 had 2+2?

Yes - the unit is 2+2 seating throughout, & that is precisely why it is on that particular diagram, given that it is also the only unit diagram on the Clitheroe line that starts/ends its day at NH, & does not go off wandering around the Northern operating area, as per other diagrams on the route.
Were the unit to find itself allocated to other work, especially so on a regular basis, this would incur the wrath of GMPTE, as the unit has inferior seating capacity for the requirements of GMPTE, & Northern would find itself being heavily fined on a regular basis. The particular diagram that the unit is booked to work has mimimal calling points in the GMPTE area, & is also booked to have a class 153 coupled to it for the duration of the diagram, although this very rarely seems to happen - quite often, the 153 is absent until the 1500 ex Man Victoria.

 

[samj1]

150285 on the same diagram today.

Does anyone know when the 180s are supposed to be leaving Northern and when are the Fgw 142s coming back?

 

[fgwrich]

150285 on the same diagram today.

Does anyone know when the 180s are supposed to be leaving Northern and when are the Fgw 142s coming back?

May? But then again, seems to be anyones guess at the moment! Largely thanks to a certain manufacturer of course....

 

[Class20]

150285 fitted with Northern destination blinds and Northern posters inside, so looks to be staying for a while.

 

[Saxonia]

Mm - worked 285 myself today for the 1st time. Undoubtedly in a totally different league to Northern 150's, except for one thing - the cycle, pram, heavy luggage, wheelchair, etc etc capacity is absolutely pitiful. Today, we had the booked 153 as company - at weekends, however, 285 is booked to run on its own on Clitheroe diagrams, & as we edge closer towards spring & summertime, this lack of capacity is going to prove seriously embarassing - in that respect, a Northern 150/1 stands head & shoulders above all other units.
That moan out of the way, 285 really is a cracker, & it certainly made an extremely pleasant change to have a unit with all saloon heaters functioning in BOTH carriages...........
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150285 on the same diagram today.

Does anyone know when the 180s are supposed to be leaving Northern and when are the Fgw 142s coming back?

All of the present info coming from NH & senior drivers point to the 180's leaving Northern in time for the December 2011 timetable change - as for the 142's, they are supposed to be (finally) returning from FGW in time for the May 2011 timetable change. As for LM 150's. how many we are actually going to get, & when NH finally takes control of them, is quite frankly anyone's guess - personally, I would be extremely surprised to see Northern getting many, if indeed any at all, over the originally agreed quota with DfT - we succeeded in letting FGW take all the LO 150/1's, & we will undoubtedly be gazzumped by all & sundry with the LM batch of units. Only time will tell, eh.

 

[Anvil1984]

Its like most of the units we see when they come on hire though Saxonia, they have actually been refurbed and everything seems to work. Remember 158 888 when it came across and it had white lights instead of the yellowy stuff we have. The 158 I took tonight was disguting thinking about it (not being a true enthusiast didnt take number), it was one of the ones with the bluey carpet which was manky and worn in so many places, I could only look and shake my head and its prevailent. I think Northern are the only TOC to have not done a full 'refresh' internally or internal refurb in the last 7 years on the majority of their fleet (I don't count new seat covers as a refresh) except on the 321s, I think everything else is from the previous incumbants of the franchises.

Do you really think that a current 150/1 is best set up, I seem to think their are less seats on those than possibly even a 2+2 service could be wrong though and don't like the longitudinal bench at one end. Having 2+2 might encourage some of my punters to go into the vestibule. Saying that I don't like the ex ATN 150/2s still with orignal seating pattern. Would like to see something like this including the interior as it fits current livery

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seadipper/309800252/in/photostream/

 

[Saxonia]

My reference to 150/1 units, my good friend, was purely in relation to their worthiness as a suburban dmu, & their capacity for carrying cycles, prams, heavy luggage, etc - aside from the cavernous former parcels area in the 57 car, there is also an excellent space in the vicinity of the toilet in the 52 car. With these 2 spaces in mind, these units really do come into their own when it comes to the "pram/cycle specials" that we are all so "fond" of working (sic), & also when it comes to packing the commuters in at the height of the rush hour - with this kind of capacity, there is not a single unit within the Northern fleet that comes anywhere near a 150/1.
Yes - they are hopeless for long distance journeys, but when they were built, they were only intended for such work as a short term measure, until the arrival of the 156/158 units. Likewise, when it comes down to purely suburban work, which forms the vast majority of the work at my depot, a class 156 is quite simply useless. They are a good unit, but they are now performing duties for which they were never built, & the cracks really do show - you only need to look at Liverpool LS-Wigan NW stopping services at the height of the rush hour or during school holidays to see their chronic shortcomings on such services. Regrettably, Merseytravel has now been saddled with them on wholly inappropriate duties - give me a pair of 142's on that line anytime. Wherever possible (TOC's please take note.........), suburban units (14x + 150) should be diagrammed to suburban duties, & regional express/inter-city units (155/156/158) should also be diagrammed to appropriate duties, & class 153's should ONLY be used for strengthening purposes, given that they are as much use as a chocolate teapot - either that, or bolt the festering little sods together in pairs, so that they cannot be split, with obvious results.
Job sorted...........

 

[Yew]

My reference to 150/1 units, my good friend, was purely in relation to their worthiness as a suburban dmu, & their capacity for carrying cycles, prams, heavy luggage, etc - aside from the cavernous former parcels area in the 57 car, there is also an excellent space in the vicinity of the toilet in the 52 car. With these 2 spaces in mind, these units really do come into their own when it comes to the "pram/cycle specials" that we are all so "fond" of working (sic), & also when it comes to packing the commuters in at the height of the rush hour - with this kind of capacity, there is not a single unit within the Northern fleet that comes anywhere near a 150/1.
Yes - they are hopeless for long distance journeys, but when they were built, they were only intended for such work as a short term measure, until the arrival of the 156/158 units. Likewise, when it comes down to purely suburban work, which forms the vast majority of the work at my depot, a class 156 is quite simply useless. They are a good unit, but they are now performing duties for which they were never built, & the cracks really do show - you only need to look at Liverpool LS-Wigan NW stopping services at the height of the rush hour or during school holidays to see their chronic shortcomings on such services. Regrettably, Merseytravel has now been saddled with them on wholly inappropriate duties - give me a pair of 142's on that line anytime. Wherever possible (TOC's please take note.........), suburban units (14x + 150) should be diagrammed to suburban duties, & regional express/inter-city units (155/156/158) should also be diagrammed to appropriate duties, & class 153's should ONLY be used for strengthening purposes, given that they are as much use as a chocolate teapot - either that, or bolt the festering little sods together in pairs, so that they cannot be split, with obvious results.
Job sorted...........

I have to say, those 150/1's are very nice units, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip on them, Much better than having pacers run from sheffield to Lincoln,

 

[Philip]

Has a class 144 ever been further west than Manchester Victoria - to Salford, Bolton, Wigan etc? Also has one been seen in Piccadilly since Northern started using them to Manchester?

 

[175001]

A 155 has worked a Clitheroe once!