185102 out and about

[Simming]

The 158s, for all they are put through, are not suited to TPE work they have to do.

and ere, where are you meant to sit, in that interia shot, there is a mass of wires and computer, bit bad for the health and safty aint it?

 

[AJP]

Thanks 91119 shame I missed them :cry:

This time in two years we will be fed up of them

 

[Mojo]

I heard that a 3-car 185 has about the same number of seats as a 2-car 158. Does anyone know if this is true?

 

[Dennis]

The 158s, for all they are put through, are not suited to TPE work they have to do.

and ere, where are you meant to sit, in that interia shot, there is a mass of wires and computer, bit bad for the health and safty aint it?

http://chris-wall.fotopic.net/p24618568.html

Well, at least they are wireless enabled

 

[Sprog]

I heard that a 3-car 185 has about the same number of seats as a 2-car 158. Does anyone know if this is true?

Yes, it is.

 

[AJP]

Why does the Cleethorpes-Man airport TPE always two car? They are always full espeically in peak times, between Donny-Sheffield then onto Manchester. I usually have to stand :cry:
Between Donny-Clthorpes is usually ok

 

[Mojo]

I heard that a 3-car 185 has about the same number of seats as a 2-car 158. Does anyone know if this is true?

Yes, it is.

Well, in that case, I think TPx users can expect some mega overcrowding on 3-car 158 routes that have been replaced with 3-car 185s, and I predict that the crowding on the 2-car routes will not be eased.

 

[Simming]

Sea wall fotter states that there will be the possibilty of a 4th car being added to the rakes.

Im sure these units though will be better for the commuter traffic they will have to do, something the 158s are rubbish at, at least in these there will be standing room. It is a pain on the Leeds - Hudderfield line at around 4 to 5 pm!

 

[Sprog]

Yep, TPx have the option for a 4th car.

I should imagine theyll see how buisiness goes, then play this card.

I think they have a few more seats, but the differance is not significant. Its the comfort and the speed and the enviroment i think they are concentrating on at the moment.

 

[Simming]

I think the 1/4 3/4 doors are one of the reasons why there are less seats, but there is the advantage of getting into and out of trains quicker, and more standing, as previously stated

 

[metrocammel]

Yep, TPx have the option for a 4th car.

They also had the option of a "buffet" car and reclining seats in first class when being desgined - but did they opt for that (which would be better for the pax) did they heck! they chose the cheapo solution, carrying on with the unsuitable trolley (they call themselves an IC service- but what IC service relies on a trolley for it's sole catering service- plus the mk2 Transpennine sets had buffets in them, and the mk1 class 124's even had pullman-style griddle cars- progress-huh?)

Also, 185's are possibly more unsuitable than the 158's in some ways, a) when having a say a 5 -car set, they are non-gangwayed, so at Piccadilly "lemmings" will pile into the first 3-cars, whereas the on a 158 people can move through the units. Also will their revenue suffer, as it is an idea situation for one-station stop fare-dodgers (unless they have a gripper on each unit). So, OK, gangways may affect aesthetics, but they are exteremly practicle - and I think TPE are foolish for dispensing with them (especially seen as the trains are so-short at 2 or 3 cars - with alot less capacity than 158's.

 

[Sprog]

It is a shame...hopefully they will get a follow up order of units if they find capacity an issue. This is a small idea of mine, which i think might work:

Theoretically, they could order more units. The new 'batch' could be similar to the 450s/444s/350/1s, in that they have gangways. These could become TPx's 'commuter' units-hence the gangways (class 184 anyone!?) and the 185s could be promoted to 'Express' units.

They could make these as 4-car units, with an identicatal interior to the first 'batch'. The '4th' car of these new units could have a buffet facility (and a Train managers office??) in it. When they arrive at the UK, they could marshall out this buffet 'car' out of the set and added to the consist of a 185, making it a 4-car unit, with buffet facilities!?

It would seem like a good idea. Then TPEx would have a better fleet, with devoted units for each of its 'genre' of routes. Also, they are compatible, so they can cover each other for failiures, etc.

Actually, thinking about it, that would be a flippin brilliant idea!!

 

[Techniquest]

That's a dream and a half...

Still, we could donate to the Help FTPX Get A 4th 185 Car Fund...

 

[tramboy]

My apologies for the bump, but I thought someone out there might be interested that a 185 was heading south over Durham viaduct at about 11am this morning. It was incredibly loud, so a silencer must have gone...louder than Voyagers and the 66 that followed it!

Couldn't get the number, as I was on my way to a lecture, and at the top of Redhills Lane (close the railway, but not close enough!) as it passed!

Cheers

Dave

 

[Ben]

Thats all the Built 158s Going back to Germany then!

 

[DescendingSadly]

Am I the only one who will be sad to see the 158's say goodbye?

I remember when I was little looking out of my grandad's flats telling him 'those new trains with a big gold N on the side'

One of my last memories of him

 

[devon_metro]

158's are going?

 

[Guinness]

From TPE, yes. Except a few maybe staying for the possible Liverpool Lime Street - Nottingham via Sheffield service when Central splits up.

 

[Tom]

The TPE 158s will be moving to SWT to replace the Turbostars.

 

[metrocammel]

So it looks like TPEx's plan to use HST's on certain peak Manchester to Newcastles is well and truly out of the window... It would definately sort the problem of overcrowding though - which the 185's wont be able to do - infact I predict, due to their design, they will make overcrowding worse on the Transpennine routes - (and I refuse to call Man Airport to Barrow "Transpennine" - because it doesn't travel through - or anywhere bloody near the Pennines! - It's stupid!

 

[yorkie]

Am I the only one who will be sad to see the 158's say goodbye?

I remember when I was little looking out of my grandad's flats telling him 'those new trains with a big gold N on the side'

One of my last memories of him

They won't have been new then, as the 'N' came with privatisation (Northern Spirit, remember them?!). When they were new (1990-91) enthusiasts would have been avoiding them as they were replacing 47s & Mk2s. A 'proper' train on TPE - imagine that!

So it looks like TPEx's plan to use HST's on certain peak Manchester to Newcastles is well and truly out of the window... It would definately sort the problem of overcrowding though - which the 185's wont be able to do - infact I predict, due to their design, they will make overcrowding worse on the Transpennine routes - (and I refuse to call Man Airport to Barrow "Transpennine" - because it doesn't travel through - or anywhere bloody near the Pennines! - It's stupid!

The new solution to peak time overcrowding is to raise prices and abolish some savers into Manchester and put complicated saver restrictions in for those savers that are still available. Remember, the privatised railway is here to make profits for the franchise holders, not to provide a public service

As for calling the Barrow/Windermere "Transpennine", the reason it is part of TPE is actually for accountancy reasons. The most 'lucrative' (or should that be least loss making) routes in the north were creamed off and labelled as TPE, and that route was included for that reason. In contrast other routes that do cross the Pennines are not included because they are not considered to be as 'lucrative'. This was all decided by the SRA, but we can't complain now because the SRA - conveniently - no longer exists!

 

[86242]

. Remember, the privatised railway is here to make profits for the franchise holders, not to provide a public service

And who was it that built the 158s in the first place to replace a proper length train with a 2 or 3 car DMU. That was British Rail not a private company. If the railways were privatised in a better way (without the labour government trying to control them) privatisation may have worked...

 

[ikar]

Although in theory the 185s will replace all TPE 158s there is a view
that there will not be enough units, particularly if they operate many
6-car trains, so watch this space.