153305 - FGW Refurb!

[Jim]

Ooo - look who went on it today.

ME!

http://jimsphotoallery.fotopic.net/p47629466.html

http://jimsphotoallery.fotopic.net/p47629469.html

http://jimsphotoallery.fotopic.net/p47629474.html

Not a good range of shots I know - but
a)It was quite full at 22.40!
b)I was only on it for 6 mins!


Rest of collection from today at:

http://jimsphotoallery.fotopic.net/c1435743.html

Includes a 142 at Digby, 153361 and 180108 at Exeter.

 

[Coxster]

Ooooh, first shots I've seen of that. Look forward to some daytime ones

 

[me123]

Unusual for FGW to refueb any non-HST stock. Great arty shots!

 

[Respite]

Pink! arrgh.

 

[175001]

Hey not bad at all! How are the seats? Still low, and padded like Northern's 158's?

 

[Jim]

Couldn't get any seat shots as it was very busy - but it has Richmond Seating, as in NT144's.

 

[Jordy]

The same as ex Northern Spirit 153s & 156s in that case then!

 

[Mojo]

I could've travelled on it on Friday as the 1441 from Temple Meads but it was running late so I got the 1446 instead. I got off the train, went to get some petrol and saw it going over the M4 past Parkway at at about 1520, so it must have been running pretty late! I'm surprised they've kept the old door buttons unlike on the other units they've refurbished.

 

[class 313]

Unusual for FGW to refueb any non-HST stock. Great arty shots!

The 158s?

All these First refurbishments are pretty much the same just different kind of lines. Bright lights, Pink/Purple/Blue inside. Not bad though. Maybe when all these have been refurbishments the SW population will stop moaning that they have old tatty trains?

 

[devon_metro]

The 158s?

All these First refurbishments are pretty much the same just different kind of lines. Bright lights, Pink/Purple/Blue inside. Not bad though. Maybe when all these have been refurbishments the SW population will stop moaning that they have old tatty trains?

Mr Loader, may I remind you of the 142s

 

[Mojo]

Maybe when all these have been refurbishments the SW population will stop moaning that they have old tatty trains?

Or not. The point is they are still old trains and the South West region is being short changed when compared to other parts of the country. I will also have to see how long they last. I accidentally removed (but put back afterwards ) the yellow bit around the door open button last week, and another unit I've been on has bits of carpet fluff all over it.

You've also got the same technical problems such as slow doors on 158s and the sticking doors that 150s seem to have whenever I'm on them.

 

[class 313]

Or not. The point is they are still old trains and the South West region is being short changed when compared to other parts of the country.

GOBLIN still uses 150s. FCCTL uses 319s. FCCGN uses 317s. Northern use pacers as do other company's. Oh and isn't the HST a tad old?

 

[devon_metro]

We use pacers

 

[class 313]

We use pacers

Yes, but the SW are crying out like they are the only place that have the units...

 

[devon_metro]

They are?

 

[37402]

Or not. The point is they are still old trains and the South West region is being short changed when compared to other parts of the country.

Well that is down to the incompetent bus company that bid for the franchise.

They thought they could manage without a significant number of units, bid for the franchise on this basis, the stock got allocated elsewhere and then realisation struck that, surprise surprise, they can't cope with what they had left. Oh dear though, the stock they got rid of had been snapped up and they were left with the only stock available on the network that no-one else wanted...ironically stock that was displaced by some of the units they got rid of in the first place.

At least they have a half decent MD in charge now...

 

[Mojo]

Well that is down to the incompetent bus company that bid for the franchise.

They thought they could manage without a significant number of units, bid for the franchise on this basis, the stock got allocated elsewhere and then realisation struck that, surprise surprise, they can't cope with what they had left. Oh dear though, the stock they got rid of had been snapped up and they were left with the only stock available on the network that no-one else wanted...ironically stock that was displaced by some of the units they got rid of in the first place.

No... the Government has decided which units should go where, not First. They even tried to stop the Government reallocation, they warned the local authorities. Four of whom wrote a softly worded letter about three months after. The DfT are almost wholly to blame for the units problem in the SW, from specifying a cheap franchise with no new DMUs for a minimum of ten years, to reallocating stock to the North who were using their highly paid lobbyists to pester the civil servants and politicians.

You should have seen them in Westminster last year, swarming round Ruth Kelly like bees and a hive.

 

[Jim]

The 158s?

All these First refurbishments are pretty much the same just different kind of lines. Bright lights, Pink/Purple/Blue inside. Not bad though. Maybe when all these have been refurbishments the SW population will stop moaning that they have old tatty trains?

We don't just moan about the tatty trains!


Do you not agree for instance, that a passenger should expect to be able to physically fit on a off peak train!

 

[class 313]

We don't just moan about the tatty trains!


Do you not agree for instance, that a passenger should expect to be able to physically fit on a off peak train!

Even in London people have to squeeze of not wait cos of the amount of space left in trains during the peak.

 

[Tom]

Loader, care to rephrase into an understandable sentence??

2 coach trains on an almost 150 mile journey is pathetic. For instance, a comparable journey if it was coming from London would be at least 4 coaches! (London - Portsmouth for instance is about 70-80 miles and has at least 4 coaches)....

 

[class 313]

Loader, care to rephrase into an understandable sentence??

2 coach trains on an almost 150 mile journey is pathetic.

Yes, doesn't get much better for Chiltern though does it.

And what I was saying was that even trains out of the South West get wedged so much people cant get on. Or in some cases off!

 

[Tom]

At least Chiltern can generally manage at least 3 coaches on most routes, and on their Aylesbury route the Metropolitan is an alternative to Amersham (which is where a lot get off, seeing as Chiltern is seen as the 'faster' service).

Chiltern on the Birmingham route is generally 4 coaches at least AFAIK, and that really isn't comparable either!!

 

[Mojo]

And you'll find London radial services tend to be a bit more frequent so if one train is too busy, there's always the next one which generally isn't too long away. Plus, lots of London radial lines are currently at capacity running longish trains, whereas the South West's capacity problems come from running too short, infrequent & unsuitable trains.

 

[class 313]

Chiltern on the Birmingham route is generally 4 coaches at least AFAIK, and that really isn't comparable either!!

I think you will find 3 car even 2 car trains find themselves on the Birmingham runs.

 

[thefab444]

Looking at the formations for this coming weekend's diversions in to Paddington, I see a stopping West Ruislip - Stratford on Avon serviced booked for a 2 car 165!! Was the 13.03 or 15.03, can't remember now.

 

[Tom]

I think you will find 3 car even 2 car trains find themselves on the Birmingham runs.

OK, great, 2 car trains on the Birmingham runs which are every half an hour. Over 60 minutes I believe that would make at least 4 coaches!

Yet in the south west, every hour on the CDF-PMH gets us 2 coaches!

 

[devon_metro]

FGW have 12 more trains than the DafT wanted us to have, so quit moaning

 

[Tom]

12 more failures a day then!

 

[Jim]

so quit moaning

No! Do you not find it ludicrous to stand all the way from Newport to Southampton?

 

[devon_metro]

I shall rephrase...

Quite moaning at FGW, redirect anger at the DafT/Department for Tarmac