Class 172 Production Progress

[Class172]

Speaking to a guards trainer tonight on the way home he told me 333 was at Worcester to do a special today to Hereford loaded with high ups and dignitaries from various rail groups and such like

Hereford?? Why that far? They will only be going as far as Malvern Wells won't they.

EDIT: Would the 172s do what the 150s do now in that they run the BHM-HFD services at certain times. If so that would explain why they would need to go that far.

 

[lm321412]

Hereford?? Why that far? They will only be going as far as Malvern Wells won't they.

EDIT: Would the 172s do what the 150s do now in that they run the BHM-HFD services at certain times. If so that would explain why they would need to go that far.

They are only going to Hereford, not Fort William!


I would imagine so, and I would expect 172s will potentially be able to operate any of the following routes:

Snow Hill Lines (obviously)
Birmingham New St - Hereford
Birmingham New St - Rugeley T V
Birmingham New St - Shrewsbury

 

[trains2064]

Hereford?? Why that far? They will only be going as far as Malvern Wells won't they.

EDIT: Would the 172s do what the 150s do now in that they run the BHM-HFD services at certain times. If so that would explain why they would need to go that far.

I think the is one Hereford to Dorridge on a saturday. Also when the is engineering work the Hereford do often run in to Snow Hill as an extention to the Service trains.

 

[Minilad]

He also told me 172 will not be cleared to run into and out of New Street

 

[Class172]

He also told me 172 will not be cleared to run into and out of New Street

Now that just seems silly to me :roll:

 

[MCR247]

Of course they will...

 

[Minilad]

Why will they

 

[Orange Box]

Why will they

If I was a betting man, I'd go that he was talking about traincrew rather than route clearance, as it is planned that New St drivers will not sign them.

 

[Minilad]

Exactly. The problem is the amount of training they would have to do for not much work, If any.
Hardly any, if any at all, crews on the Snow Hill lines now sign New Street

 

[MCR247]

I assumed that you were talking about 172s themselves as above posts were talking about where 172 will be cleared to etc....

 

[Minilad]

I was. The information I was given was that 172s will not be cleared to run into New Street

 

[Techniquest]

150001 and 150002 are used quite a lot; I see them regularly on services.

Oh I know that, I was talking of after the 172s start squadron service.

 

[Class172]

Oh I know that, I was talking of after the 172s start squadron service.

Oh, I thought you meant now

 

[Fincra5]

I was. The information I was given was that 172s will not be cleared to run into New Street

That might be so, but I find that hard to believe. 170s are cleared for it. I can't imagine there are much gauge differences.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

I was. The information I was given was that 172s will not be cleared to run into New Street

Good, then they will not be stolen off the route they are intended for!!!

Having said that ECS through New Street makes sense as will 172's up the Lickey (they are all Worcester crewed as I understand).

 

[trains2064]

Agree it does make sence to Clear them in to New Street for ECS but with only worcester crews having route knowledge it cuts the flexibility down.

I a sure in time things might change but the intention of the Fleet is for Snow Hill lines only.

 

[newtownmgr]

172's will work in/out of New St on current 150 diagrams on Sat/Sun with Worcester crews as these diagrams start/finish on Snow Hill Lines.

150005/7/9 to be reformed as 2 car's 150105/7/9. & staying with LM the middle cars back as /2's and off to FGW or Northern.

150001 & 2 going as LM only keeping 2 cars due to much mentioned platform lengths on Marston Vale line.

172333 back to Tyseley today knackered.

 

[trains2064]

The 3 150 2 cars staying are;

1 unit Bedford to Bletchley.

1 unit on a diagram involving New Street. This is to keep traction Knowledge to get the 150's between Tyseley and New Sreet.

1 spare.

The will be a rewriting of all unit diagrams which will put so 170's on the Snow Hill lines. It may well be at this time that diagrams are changed. This is one thing to remember that on Sundays the are more than enough 170's so 172's will never need to be used on these diagrams.

I do agree though that is would be shortsighted not to run 172's via New Street.

 

[newtownmgr]

Rumoured there will be a diagram from December involving a 6 car 170 from Worcester to Dorridge back to Snow Hill then onto Tyseley using Worcs crews.

As for 150's

1 x Bed - Bletch

1 x New St - Hereford

1 x Spare Tyseley.

The only Drivers retaining 150 knowledge will be Tyseley depot drivers & Bletchley & Worcester drivers. Bletchley drivers work Bed - Bletch and bring unit to New st on friday nights & back to Bletch with fresh unit. Worcester drivers take units to/from Tyseley whilst Bletchley driver as PNB. 150 will be on Herefords for traction retention (all New st - Herefords worked by Worcs).

 

[Techniquest]

172's will work in/out of New St on current 150 diagrams on Sat/Sun with Worcester crews as these diagrams start/finish on Snow Hill Lines.

150005/7/9 to be reformed as 2 car's 150105/7/9. & staying with LM the middle cars back as /2's and off to FGW or Northern.

150001 & 2 going as LM only keeping 2 cars due to much mentioned platform lengths on Marston Vale line.

172333 back to Tyseley today knackered.

Knackered as in broken I guess, or just some random way of saying it's been busy?

The bit about 150 movements confuses me though. You say 150005, 007 and 009 are to be reformed. Fair enough, so that's 150105, 107 and 109 back to their original formations. So that means the middle cars from 005, 007 and 009 will go back to their 150/2 formations (I don't recall what numbers they are, not got the NREA to hand and I can't be bothered looking the formations up), but what confuses me is which of this new lot goes where. Let's see if what I think is happening is what is currently looking likely:

150105, 107 and 109 all shipped off to FGW and Northern, with the 150/2s staying with LM.

I'm also confused with the thing about 150001 and 150002, I'm guessing you're saying they're getting shipped off to another TOC now?

 

[WillPS]

What about the 2 orphaned cars, neither of which contain a toilet?

 

[Class172]

I'm also confused with the thing about 150001 and 150002, I'm guessing you're saying they're getting shipped off to another TOC now?

It's confusing me too. Where would they be going then? Wouldn't they have problems being in a different TOC where all 150s,155s,156s are in 2 car formations; as I understand many northern platforms can only accommodate 4 carriages. Also don't 150001/2 have smaller fuel tanks; that wouldn't be ideal for the routes Northern/FGW use, some if them are quite long.

 

[Nym]

A lot of platforms in Northernland can do 6 car units, some even 8 car units. I don't think it would be too hard to find a home for 150001 and 150002 at Northern.

Victoria - Blackpool North
Preston - Hazel Grove
Oxford Road - Liverpool via Warrington
etc. etc.

 

[150001]

From what i've heard, 150001 and 150002 are staying with London midland. I didn't know 150105, 107 and 109 were staying too. But I like those units, so thats good news.

 

[Nym]

Sorry, but how is another microfleet at LM who have thrown their toys out of the pram again with regards to cascading rolling stock a good thing?

They ordered enough 172s to displace all 150s, so DO IT!

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Sorry, but how is another microfleet at LM who have thrown their toys out of the pram again with regards to cascading rolling stock a good thing?

They ordered enough 172s to displace all 150s, so DO IT!

It seems everyone can have an increase in rolling stock apart from LM, trains in this part of the country run like sardine tins as well!!!!

 

[158722]

Knackered as in broken I guess, or just some random way of saying it's been busy?

The bit about 150 movements confuses me though. You say 150005, 007 and 009 are to be reformed. Fair enough, so that's 150105, 107 and 109 back to their original formations. So that means the middle cars from 005, 007 and 009 will go back to their 150/2 formations (I don't recall what numbers they are, not got the NREA to hand and I can't be bothered looking the formations up), but what confuses me is which of this new lot goes where. Let's see if what I think is happening is what is currently looking likely:

150105, 107 and 109 all shipped off to FGW and Northern, with the 150/2s staying with LM.

I'm also confused with the thing about 150001 and 150002, I'm guessing you're saying they're getting shipped off to another TOC now?

Other way around, I think he's saying only 150105/107/109 staying with LM, with the centre cars (52210/52202/57202 respectively) being reformed as 150/2s and possibly off to Northern. Then we have the other suggestion that 150001/002 are staying with LM... or not. All very confusing! Either way, still leaves around 4 units unaccounted for (9 going to FGW, 18 to NOR, 3 or 5 with LM plus bogless cars 57209/57212 to sort)

 

[150001]

As I like the class 150s, I will miss them. however the good news is that they will actually be refurbished inside for the first time in years! Any staying will miss out

 

[tom1649]

As I like the class 150s, I will miss them. however the good news is that they will actually be refurbished inside for the first time in years! Any staying will miss out

Noo, they aren't taking the original Ashbourne seating out are they?

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Other way around, I think he's saying only 150105/107/109 staying with LM, with the centre cars (52210/52202/57202 respectively) being reformed as 150/2s and possibly off to Northern. Then we have the other suggestion that 150001/002 are staying with LM... or not. All very confusing! Either way, still leaves around 4 units unaccounted for (9 going to FGW, 18 to NOR, 3 or 5 with LM plus bogless cars 57209/57212 to sort)

Common sense (I know it's rare in railways) suggests that 57209 and 57212 should stay sandwiched in their existing three car formations.
LM would (with 001 and 002) then have four 3 car 150's, these could be used on Chase line services to provide badly needed additional seats on that route with the 170's released to strengthen the Shrewsburys and the Herefords.

If LM keep a number of two car 150's as well for Bedford-Bletchley and Coventry-Nuneaton plus the rush hour extras on the chase line the ten 153's could be release to EMT and NT could keep the four 156's they are to give away.
This way everyone gains.