Brighton to Great Malvern

[Master29]

It’s not a 2 prefix

You're right. I stand corrected. Thanks

 

[ABB125]

Isn't this the longest 2 prefix local service in the country or does Edinburgh to Mailaig beat it? It covers GWR most South Easterly and North Westerly corners.

It’s not a 2 prefix

What's a 2-prefix?

 

[Stigy]

What's a 2 prefix

Class 2 (or so I assumed that’s what was inferred). So relating to the headcode of the service, so class 1 would be an express passenger service and class 2 is a stopping/local service.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Again this is just a load of local trains strung together for convenience and through journey opportunities in the Bristol area. By far, the predominant use is for short distance journeys for which a Turbo is the perfect train.

If some people want to make five hour through journeys so be it but they have to recognise that this does not govern the rolling stock used.

You see, I think you are incorrect about the vast majority of services on the Brighton - Great Malven trains being local journeys. I have it on good authority from people in the industry, that the Brighton trains are actually normally full of people making long distance journeys from Brighton to the West, and that there are a lot of passengers that specifically choose to travel by train because of the Brighton - Great Malvern services, and otherwise wouldn't travell if they had to change.

 

[ABB125]

Class 2 (or so I assumed that’s what was inferred). So relating to the headcode of the service, so class 1 would be an express passenger service and class 2 is a stopping/local service.

Ah ok, I've never heard headcodes referenced as "prefixes", hence the confusion!

 

[Western Sunset]

Ah ok, I've never heard headcodes referenced as "prefixes", hence the confusion!

Neither have I.

3-car 158956 worked 1V94 0859 Brighton - Great Malvern last Friday.

 

[Master29]

Neither have I.

3-car 158956 worked 1V94 0859 Brighton - Great Malvern last Friday.

Poor wording on my part I'm afraid.

 

[amywok]

Cancelled today between Brighton and Westbury, “issue with train crew”.

 

[swt_passenger]

Cancelled today between Brighton and Westbury, “issue with train crew”.

Also incoming cancelled Portsmouth Harbour to Brighton, and its ECS didn’t run from Fratton. Presumably there’ll be an empty service Fratton to Westbury appear later to keep the stock in the right diagram?

 

[Paula hewson]

216 miles in five and a half hours on a 158? No thanks, however lovely the scenery!

I did Worcester to Weymouth on Saturday. Left 6.52 odd. Nice ten mins break at Temple Meads to get coffee and Cornish pastie. Great scenery..at a snail pace. What more could you want?

 

[PHILIPE]

Also incoming cancelled Portsmouth Harbour to Brighton, and its ECS didn’t run from Fratton. Presumably there’ll be an empty service Fratton to Westbury appear later to keep the stock in the right diagram?

If it was the driver who was missing who would drive the ECS ?

 

[swt_passenger]

If it was the driver who was missing who would drive the ECS ?

Don’t know, it would be a couple of hours later though.

 

[TrainTrackJack]

It is usually a 158/9 however a 158/7 or even a 165/1 - 166 can turn up. In the past if the allocations got messed up a 153 could appear!
The service is usually well populated however usually for short distances e.g Malvern - Worcester leisure traffic. As far as I know not many people travel to Brighton from the Malverns

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I used to catch it about once a week from Brighton to Barnham and very well patronised it was too. Nearly always a 158/9 but I had a 150 on one occasion

 

[route101]

Not noticed any Brighton GWR services when I have been at Southampton Central. Have used a few from Southampton to the west and always been 166s. Then again this was Saturday.

 

[PHILIPE]

Not noticed any Brighton GWR services when I have been at Southampton Central. Have used a few from Southampton to the west and always been 166s. Then again this was Saturday.

There is only one on a Saturday as the afternoon doesn't operate. You can always sus them out from RTT. The Cardiff to Portsmouths run hourly and are a mixture of Turb0s (165+166s) and 2 Car and 3 Car 158s.

Not noticed any Brighton GWR services when I have been at Southampton Central. Have used a few from Southampton to the west and always been 166s. Then again this was Saturday.

There is only one train on Saturdays leaving Brighton at 0900 and the afternoon trip doesn't run. RTT will bear this out.

 

[03_179]

Today - 158957

 

[jackot]

Travelled on it last a few months ago, aiming for Salisbury to Chichester. However, it terminated early at Southampton due to an issue with train crew, and it was a 165. I am hoping to get on it next Saturday, I’ll inform on what unit I get.

Also, I didn’t know the Turbos’ were cleared onwards of Havant, as I thought they had clearance issues getting to Brighton.

 

[Stigy]

Travelled on it last a few months ago, aiming for Salisbury to Chichester. However, it terminated early at Southampton due to an issue with train crew, and it was a 165. I am hoping to get on it next Saturday, I’ll inform on what unit I get.

Also, I didn’t know the Turbos’ were cleared onwards of Havant, as I thought they had clearance issues getting to Brighton.

They’ve been cleared for that route for 18 months or so (maybe a couple of years now?).

 

[jackot]

They’ve been cleared for that route for 18 months or so (maybe a couple of years now?).

Thanks for informing me. I do remember reading a news article on them being clearance tested some years ago.

 

[PHILIPE]

It is usually a 158/9 however a 158/7 or even a 165/1 - 166 can turn up. In the past if the allocations got messed up a 153 could appear!
The service is usually well populated however usually for short distances e.g Malvern - Worcester leisure traffic. As far as I know not many people travel to Brighton from the Malverns

There is no 158/7 sub-class. They are either 158/0 or 158/9



`

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

It is usually a 158/9 however a 158/7 or even a 165/1 - 166 can turn up. In the past if the allocations got messed up a 153 could appear!
The service is usually well populated however usually for short distances e.g Malvern - Worcester leisure traffic. As far as I know not many people travel to Brighton from the Malverns

Incorrect on the 153 front I’m afraid, these were always barred from running beyond Southampton due to a gauging issue at St Denys, something to do with the step boards fitted during conversion from class 155 in the early 1990s.

 

[Eloise]

Incorrect on the 153 front I’m afraid, these were always barred from running beyond Southampton due to a gauging issue at St Denys, something to do with the step boards fitted during conversion from class 155 in the early 1990s.

May have done a set swap en route. Seen that at Leeds with a 142 going out on a Nottingham service back in the day, swapped for a 158 at Sheffield. 142s weren't cleared south of Chesterfield.

 

[ValleyLines142]

There is no 158/7 sub-class. They are either 158/0 or 158/9



`

They're aren't any 158/0s - GWR 158s are either 2 car (158/7) or 3 car (158/9), with the exception of 158798 which is an original 3 car unit.

I regularly see this departing Gloucester (11:41) and it's always full.

 

[PHILIPE]

They're aren't any 158/0s - GWR 158s are either 2 car (158/7) or 3 car (158/9), with the exception of 158798 which is an original 3 car unit.

I regularly see this departing Gloucester (11:41) and it's always full.

Class 158 Express Sprinter Diesel multiple-unit DMU train British Rail images photos pictures photographs

 

[387star]

You see, I think you are incorrect about the vast majority of services on the Brighton - Great Malven trains being local journeys. I have it on good authority from people in the industry, that the Brighton trains are actually normally full of people making long distance journeys from Brighton to the West, and that there are a lot of passengers that specifically choose to travel by train because of the Brighton - Great Malvern services, and otherwise wouldn't travell if they had to change.

Indeed
On Christmas eve evening 2019 the Brighton to Bristol service was stranded at Barnham for three hours due to a cable theft before stopping all stations to Fratton and terminating there. Many needed taxis to Paignton Castle Cary you name it

 

[ABB125]

They're aren't any 158/0s - GWR 158s are either 2 car (158/7) or 3 car (158/9), with the exception of 158798 which is an original 3 car unit.

I regularly see this departing Gloucester (11:41) and it's always full.

The unit numbers are 1587xx, but the subclass is still 158/0. Same for 1588xx (such as the TfW ones): these are 158/0 (with the possible exception of Northern's 158880-890). The reformed 3-car 158s which GWR have are 158/9.
(To add to the confusion, I think SWR's class 158s are 158/8 subclass, despite having no differences compared to a standard 158/0. But I haven't checked, so I may be wrong!)

 

[Stigy]

Incorrect on the 153 front I’m afraid, these were always barred from running beyond Southampton due to a gauging issue at St Denys, something to do with the step boards fitted during conversion from class 155 in the early 1990s.

They took one to Portsmouth by mistaken once I’ve heard.

 

[rf_ioliver]

Hello one and all!

I notice that there is a direct train service between Brighton and Great Malvern.

One train per weekday in each direction, taking forever, and passing through many of the largest cities and towns in South and Southwest England.

It sounds like a great trip, has anyone done it? Does anyone know the reason for this service round the houses?

Long may it continue!

It used to be Brighton-Cardiff in the 90s. I used it fairly often (well, end of term). Generally a two car 158 which always looked very sleek and modern against the NSE and later Connex electrics, though a bit short.
The journey was fine - plenty of variety from the south coast to Southampton and then across to Bath and Bristol, then finally into Wales. Four and a bit hours IIRC which was fine when the train wasn't crowded - usually it was full leaving Brighton.

Lots of memories from those trips.

 

[Taunton]

It's a series of more local services strung together, of course. The extension from Worcester to Malvern was an Orcats Raid on the local West Midlands traffic on this sector, leading to a very tight turnround at Malvern that used to be regularly cut short at Worcester. Does the Orcats calculation take into account any services which are terminated short?

Pre-Covid the 0900 from Brighton got to Malvern at 1429, where it had a TWELVE minute turnround before leaving at 1441 for Weymouth, arriving 1900. Given the number of other main line services it crosses over, what chances an on-time arrival at Malvern.