Bar coupling on 150/2?

[SprinterMan]

From my understanding, 150/1s and /2s have BSI couples on all vehicle ends, hence forming up the /9s was possible.

I was at Newport the other day, and saw this:

That is clearly some sort of bar coupling, and I was wondering what it was doing in the middle of a 150/2 :P

Thanks, Adam

 

[Jonfun]

I was under the impression sprinter stock was always bar coupled between vehicles.

 

[SprinterMan]

I was under the impression sprinter stock was always bar coupled between vehicles.

150/0s are, but 150/1s, 150/2s, 153s, 155s, 156s, 158s and 159s have BSI couplers at all vehicle ends.

Adam

 

[ainsworth74]

Are you sure about that? I'm sure I've see bar couplings on 158s between vehicles and was under the impression that all Sprinters were the same.

 

[MCR247]

But if 158s have bar couplings how would 158/9s be possible?

 

[sprinterguy]

Are you sure about that? I'm sure I've see bar couplings on 158s between vehicles and was under the impression that all Sprinters were the same.

It does make you wonder then, how it has been possible to form up all those different hybrid formations with 150/2 vehicles in the middle of 150/1 units, 3-car hybrid 158s, and 153s attached to half of a 150 or a 156. It’s not something that I’d ever really considered before, but now I’m bemused as to how it has been done if they don’t have BSIs throughout.

 

[MCR247]

Yeah thats what I'm thinking :?

 

[SprinterMan]

Are you sure about that? I'm sure I've see bar couplings on 158s between vehicles and was under the impression that all Sprinters were the same.

I am pretty sure all 15x stock aside from 154s/150/0s have BSI couplers on all vehicle ends, the Ian Allan Traction Recognition book agrees with me. If they didn't, FGW's 150/9s and 158/9s would be impossible to form up.

 

[ainsworth74]

But if 158s have bar couplings how would 158/9s be possible?

Ahh yes, now that you mention it they must have BSIs in order to make the mix and match formations, unless there's a converter? Damn it will someone run down to their local station that has sprinters running through and take a look

 

[73001]

I'd have thought that the coupling units could be removed from a train fairly easily... there's not many images I can find of BSI couplers but a couple show a long bar at the back of the coupler. This will presumably mount into the actual train using pins/bolts. It would be relatively easy to fit the other type of 'bar' coupler to the same mounting.

 

[starrymarkb]

From http://members.madasafish.com/~dysgraphyk/156/class156_BSI_coupling.htm


It's a BSI Semi Auto coupler, Top half of an autocoupler with a cable for the electrics

 

[SprinterMan]

From http://members.madasafish.com/~dysgraphyk/156/class156_BSI_coupling.htm


It's a BSI Semi Auto coupler, Top half of an autocoupler with a cable for the electrics

Oh right, that makes a lot of sense, and explains the picture. How would the cable connect with the coupling on /9s though?
Adam

 

[Rich McLean]

Oh right, that makes a lot of sense, and explains the picture. How would the cable connect with the coupling on /9s though?
Adam

If I remember correctly, they were modified

 

[starrymarkb]

Oh right, that makes a lot of sense, and explains the picture. How would the cable connect with the coupling on /9s though?
Adam

It doesn't - there is a socket on the front of the unit for the cable. Have a look at a 158's front and on the fairing to the right of the coupler you'll see a cover. The cable plugs in to a socket behind that cover. On other sprinters the socket is just above the snow plough on the right side.

 

[dosxuk]

Oh right, that makes a lot of sense, and explains the picture. How would the cable connect with the coupling on /9s though?
Adam

From the same pages as linked above :-

Cab-End Couplings
In addition to the automatic coupling, the cab ends of units also have:

an electrical jumper socket (orange colour, right).
This enables 3-car sets to be formed.

an emergency air supply 'Schrader Socket' (red colour, left). Allows an assisting locomotive to restore main reservoir pressure should this be required.
156.404 in 1988, without obstacle deflectors, showing the cab end couplings to advantage.