2 Car 166 Formations

[coxy]

Over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed 2 class 166 units running in 2 car formations rather than the normal 3 cars (the middle coach was missing).

Units were 166210 and 166220.

Just wonder if anybody knows why ?

 

[455driver]

Maintenance!

The elastic band broke.
If there is a serious fault with the middle coach then they will remove it and run the remaining coaches as a 2 coach set, an option not available if its one of the driving coaches that are broken.

 

[TEW]

166220 has been running as a 2 carriage unit for a fair while now. There is, or at least was, a 166 middle coach dumped in a siding at Reading Depot.

 

[fordylad]

There is a nice helpful notice inside the cab. Incase you are stupid enough not to notice the middle coach is missing

 

[12CSVT]

When Didcot Railway Centre had a multiple unit event in 2011, 166215 was on display as a 2 car.

 

[swt_passenger]

166220 has been running as a 2 carriage unit for a fair while now. There is, or at least was, a 166 middle coach dumped in a siding at Reading Depot.

It was there a week or so ago. I wonder if it will still be there in a year's time, completely cut off from the rest of the railway as it is totally altered...

 

[TEW]

It's been there for a good 2 months then if its still there now.

 

[fgwrich]

When Didcot Railway Centre had a multiple unit event in 2011, 166215 was on display as a 2 car.

That being because of a incident where the unit had hit a tree. As most of the damage that had occurred ended up happening to (58615), said coach was out of service for a good few months awaiting the replacement parts - and a new 'banana beam' (beam that sits around the engine / transmission area holding something up (it's been a while, sorry - can't remember which!). However, 166215 did end up as a two car unit after a while and as you say, ended up at Didcot.