ATW Bubble Car 121

[CardiffKid]

Would it not be possible to run through services to Cardiff Bay after electrification?

Not really from somewhere that isn't electrified.

I know some people on here love it, but as a regular-ish user of it, it was economically crazy to keep it as every other week there was something wrong with it and it to me characterises the decades of under investment on our railways that in 2013 we ae still travelling on some rickety old thing that was built in the 1960s.

 

[Ivo]

Where there not through services from further up the Valleys - possibly Rhymney? - a few years ago? Is there any reason why these could not be reinstated? But having said that, is the pull of Central so great that all services that physically can go there must go there...?

Whatever happened to the previous tram-train idea anyway?

I know some people on here love it, but as a regular-ish user of it, it was economically crazy to keep it as every other week there was something wrong with it and it to me characterises the decades of under investment on our railways that in 2013 we ae still travelling on some rickety old thing that was built in the 1960s.

Sad but true

Bye bye Bubbles, I'll miss you...

 

[PHILIPE]

Where there not through services from further up the Valleys - possibly Rhymney? - a few years ago? Is there any reason why these could not be reinstated? But having said that, is the pull of Central so great that all services that physically can go there must go there...?

Whatever happened to the previous tram-train idea anyway?



Sad but true

Bye bye Bubbles, I'll miss you...

The reason the route became self contained was largely for performance reasons at instigation of SRA (pre DFT). It would be OK Rhymney, or whereever, to the Bay but on the return it would have to go up the Valleys and cross the throat of Queen St incurring potential delay. I know this happened in the past but the service was less frequent and performance is now more robust.
Re the comments about Bubbbles out of action every other week, please read months instead.

 

[12CSVT]

Fair enough, but surely a 313/315 will be overkill on the Butetown?

Same could be said about a 317 on the Romford - Upminster shuttle or a 321 on Watford - St. Albans

 

[Ivo]

Same could be said about a 317 on the Romford - Upminster shuttle

Not during the peak it isn't Regularly full-and-standing. Although a 317 instead of a 315 does seem a bit pointless to me.

 

[CardiffKid]

Re the comments about Bubbbles out of action every other week, please read months instead.

Point of clarification.

Are you saying it was only taken out of service every few months or for months at a time?

Given the fact that the unit was bought (the only unit ATW actually owns) for that line it was away from that line a lot.

 

[anthony263]

Point of clarification.

Are you saying it was only taken out of service every few months or for months at a time?

Given the fact that the unit was bought (the only unit ATW actually owns) for that line it was away from that line a lot.

True enough the 121 was unreliable but it did its job when it was working although its reliability did take a major drop over the last year or two where it spend months out of action rather than a few days/weeks when it first arrived in south wales.

Shame it was nice unit but I just don't think it was up to being used on such a intensive service over a short distance

 

[PHILIPE]

Over the last couple of years it was out of service for months at a time.

 

[Michael.Y]

It got some vile abuse on Twitter from some pax, so there will be some glad to see it gone.

Just for fun I reckon they should third-rail it and put a Class 483 on it....

 

[Searle]

If it's of any interest, I saw a bubble car stabled in the sidings just outside Cardiff today, didn't look like it had been moved for a while, it was sandwiches by a couple of sprinters iirc. Very sad that it'll be gone, I really need to at least have one ride on a bubble car before they all disappear

 

[Boothby97]

If it's of any interest, I saw a bubble car stabled in the sidings just outside Cardiff today, didn't look like it had been moved for a while, it was sandwiches by a couple of sprinters iirc. Very sad that it'll be gone, I really need to at least have one ride on a bubble car before they all disappear

Go to the Aylesbury-Princes Risborough line, it still has two Class 121s.
Does anyone know what is happening to 960302/303, they are bubble cars in NR yellow modified for use as Severn Tunnel emergency units but now stored at Cardiff Canron and owned by ATW.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks, Sam

 

[anthony263]

Go to the Aylesbury-Princes Risborough line, it still has two Class 121s.
Does anyone know what is happening to 960302/303, they are bubble cars in NR yellow modified for use as Severn Tunnel emergency units but now stored at Cardiff Canron and owned by ATW.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks, Sam

If there is any useful parts still left on them then they will be stripped down before heading for scrap.

 

[Michael.Y]

The line's cursed I tell ya.

twitter
The #CardiffBay line will be closed today due to a train fault. Please use @Cardiffbus BayCar or the no 1, 2 or 8 bus to/from Cardiff Bay
@ArrivaTW

 

[Searle]

Go to the Aylesbury-Princes Risborough line, it still has two Class 121s.
Does anyone know what is happening to 960302/303, they are bubble cars in NR yellow modified for use as Severn Tunnel emergency units but now stored at Cardiff Canron and owned by ATW.

Thanks, Sam

ah ok, I think there's only one or two services now, so I'll need to try and catch it/them before that depletes to zero

 

[PHILIPE]

The line's cursed I tell ya.

twitter
The #CardiffBay line will be closed today due to a train fault. Please use @Cardiffbus BayCar or the no 1, 2 or 8 bus to/from Cardiff Bay
@ArrivaTW

We can't blame Bubbles now.

 

[krus_aragon]

We can't blame Bubbles now.

Unless she's derailed herself half way down Bute Road... :P

 

[anthony263]

Seen leaving Canton on a low loader to Tyseley:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/turners_pics/8722880955/in/photostream

End of the road for Bubbles

 

[ValleyLines142]

Seen leaving Canton on a low loader to Tyseley:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/turners_pics/8722880955/in/photostream

End of the road for Bubbles

This is like ten minutes away from my house! Where is Bubbles going?!

 

[tiptoptaff]

Seen leaving Canton on a low loader to Tyseley:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/turners_pics/8722880955/in/photostream

End of the road for Bubbles

:cry:

 

[YorkshireBear]

This is like ten minutes away from my house! Where is Bubbles going?!

I believe to tysley where Chiltern are taking the spares from her.

 

[High Dyke]

True enough the 121 was unreliable but it did its job when it was working although its reliability did take a major drop over the last year or two where it spend months out of action rather than a few days/weeks when it first arrived in south wales.

Shame it was nice unit but I just don't think it was up to being used on such a intensive service over a short distance

Did it still have the Leyland engines or had they been replaced? If not had anyone considered such a replacement - or would it have been deemed as 'not cost effective'?

 

[ValleyLines142]

I believe to tysley where Chiltern are taking the spares from her.

Sorry, I didn't make my post clear :P Anthony263 did say Tyseley. I just wasn't sure what was going to happen to her. I only travelled on her once, such a shame!

 

[anthony263]

Did it still have the Leyland engines or had they been replaced? If not had anyone considered such a replacement - or would it have been deemed as 'not cost effective'?

Yes it had a leyland engine. Especially since I dont know of any engine that sounds like a leyland National/Alantean.

 

[High Dyke]

Yes it had a leyland engine. Especially since I dont know of any engine that sounds like a leyland National/Alantean.

I couldn't remember if they had the 0.680, as fitted to Leyland Coaches and buses dating from the same era or the later 510 as fitted in the Leyland National bus. Gone were the days of them fitted with AEC, Gardener or BUT engines; even though many of those firms were eventually taken over by Leyland.

 

[RPM]

I've heard a rumour today, from a normally reliable source, that the ATW bubble car is not going to be stripped for spares but is going to be repaired, repainted and put into passenger service by Chiltern. Slightly surprised by this because I can't see why we need a third passenger bubble car. Unless 121020 is going to be retired? Anyway, if I hear anything more I will update this thread.

 

[Rhydgaled]

I think yellow units that look like 121s (presumably the Severn tunnel ones others have mentioned) were still at Canton last Friday when I passed. If ATW's 121 has gone to Chiltern why didn't the Severn tunnel ones go too, as ATW surely no longer have any need for 121 spares?

 

[anthony263]

I think yellow units that look like 121s (presumably the Severn tunnel ones others have mentioned) were still at Canton last Friday when I passed. If ATW's 121 has gone to Chiltern why didn't the Severn tunnel ones go too, as ATW surely no longer have any need for 121 spares?

Maybe they havent finsihed stripping them down or maybe they are just waiting for road transport to take them away. Maybe Colas might want them for something.

I will be very surprised if 121032 is kept operation unless of course it is better condition than one of chilterns ther 121's

Again as has been mentioned I cant see any reason why chiltern will need three class 121's especially since they have that route learner one which was also supposed to be facing the scrapheap.

 

[RPM]

Not sure where the rumour came from regarding scrapping of the route learner (960014). This is completely at odds with everything I have heard at Aylesbury. It is about to undergo a major exam and is contracted to go on hire for more route learning in the next few months.

 

[anthony263]

Not sure where the rumour came from regarding scrapping of the route learner (960014). This is completely at odds with everything I have heard at Aylesbury. It is about to undergo a major exam and is contracted to go on hire for more route learning in the next few months.

Well It looks like things could get interesting.

Certainly I do hope 121032 is given a reprieve since it was brilliant when it worked. The Cardiff Bay branch I thinkwas just too intensive for 121032 and the way some drivers used to change gears on it didnt do the gearbox any favours.

At least the Aylesbury - Princess Risborough branch gives the units a good run to stretch their legs.

Maybe chiltern are planning on using the 121's off peak on weekdays as well perhaps?, I say this as FGW are looking at hiring in rolling stock to cover for their 165/166's to go away for refurbishment so pierhaps Chiltern could hire a 165 to FGW to work on the Thames Valley branches.

 

[MK Tom]

Not sure where the rumour came from regarding scrapping of the route learner (960014). This is completely at odds with everything I have heard at Aylesbury. It is about to undergo a major exam and is contracted to go on hire for more route learning in the next few months.

Is that the only one they have now? I thought there were two... I don't know the departmental numbers but I mean 55022 and 55024.

I always found it odd that Chiltern bought and refurbished 55034 when they could've just used one of the several that were lying around Aylesbury.