153's for the bedford- bletchley service

[westcoaster]

heard the other day that london midland are to replace 150's on the marston vale line with single car 153's, all fine nice to see a bit of variety but the 0739 ex bletchley and iirc the 1636 ex bedford are both full and standing during term times due to school kids, would there be three 153's sent down to bletchley, 2 running the services and the extra as a spare and added to the above two services for the extra capacity as a single unit would be full by bow brickhill.

153334 is/was currently on crew learning runs and familliarisation.

 

[Bonemaster]

Seems like a logical move, when I have traveled on the route off peak its been near empty, and a single unit would easily suffice, if there is a spare unit down to support the peak services it would be an ideal solution to freeing up class 150s for West Midlands local services where they are urgently needed, to add capacity

 

[87015]

http://www.geocities.com/nickrossa2002/Locals120108.htm four or five phots down.

Branch passengers (what few are left of them) not happy at prospect of being 'bratted out' on said school trains. No plans to have a third unit so probably even more taxis than at current??

You'll all be very surprised :roll: to know that on Tuesday whilst 153334 was doing driver training runs, one of the service diagrams was being covered by taxis. At one stage due to the incompetence of the local taxi firm (ok not the railways fault, but) due to said cabby asking for directions on phone passenger in front seat forced to take wheel to avoid collision with tree....

Personally, if the 153s are reliable enough and a spare is provided so the branch actually has a full service most days, I'm all for the 153s as I very rarely use the school trains and a 153 is much much better internally than a 150.

 

[richa2002]

A shame really but I guess the capacity is needed eleswhere. They should definitely do something about those two trains which are already at capacity though!

 

[Tom]

Passengers are advised to travel at different times to suit your journey better sound familiar?

Bet you that's all they'll say.

 

[AlexS]

Can't be that desperately needed by us WMers - we've sent 150s to FGW recently and we have 170s booked on suburban diagrams!

 

[37402]

When I had cause to talk to a Silverlink (as was) traction inspector a while back, he said that there would be 3 units per day and the third would be added to whichever train needed the extra capacity during the day and the rest of the time it would be a spare 'thunderbird' unit...

 

[87015]

When I had cause to talk to a Silverlink (as was) traction inspector a while back, he said that there would be 3 units per day and the third would be added to whichever train needed the extra capacity during the day and the rest of the time it would be a spare 'thunderbird' unit...

When its serviceable! When it jacks how long is it going to take for a spare unit to be found to tow it back to Tyseley?

 

[O L Leigh]

That's normal operating practice, and certainly no different to what would happen if it was Cl150's on the route.

I personally don't see the problem. 2 x units for operating the service plus 1 x spare. There should be the right number of seats during the off-peak with the option to expand the capacity by doubling up the units during the peak (2 x Cl153 carries more than 1 x Cl150). A unit going sick is a problem no matter what class it is and, while Cl153's don't have the back-up of a second powered vehicle, their reliability isn't so bad that it would jeopardise the service.

one TN

 

[87015]

153 should start tomorrow, even hours off Bletchley. Other diagram to remain a 150, "this will apply for some months". No shooting me if it doesn't happen!

 

[O L Leigh]

Aww...!!

*Puts rifle down*

one TN

 

[Nym]

*puts his shotgun down, takes his sidearm off and unstraps his SMG*

I want em back, the big men took them off me, lol, (actualy I signed them back in I'm not a gun nut)