Class 180's to.....Northern?

[Philip]

I've read on another forum that Northern are apparently going to bid for some class 180's - for use on Manchester-Blackpool services..

Anyone in the know about this? I didn't think they'd end up at Northern at all, let alone on a route that is 75 mph most of the way and less than 90 minutes journey time! Stranger things have happened I suppose.

 

[P156KWJ]

I heard about this a while ago, and apparently according to a friend at Northern thay have decided against it. And that's good because it was a stupid idea

 

[driver9000]

Ive heard this rumour circulate the depots and been denied Northern are even thinking about taking them - for what possible use other can they have for a 125mph DMU other than a short stretch of the ECML and even then Northern services are usually slow lined.

As with all rumours on the railway I'll beleive it when it turns up on the sidings

 

[bluenoxid]

Its OK, Northern aren't getting them, they are now going to be put on Gospel Oak - Barking's

I don't wait for them to turn up in the sidings. I don't believe it until they are sitting in the platform with the doors open and staff on board

 

[Galvanize]

Its OK, Northern aren't getting them, they are now going to be put on Gospel Oak - Barking's

I don't wait for them to turn up in the sidings. I don't believe it until they are sitting in the platform with the doors open and staff on board

I don't believe this! Can we expect to see them on the Island Line then too?

 

[class 313]

they are now going to be put on Gospel Oak - Barking's

That has to be a joke

 

[P156KWJ]

I don't believe this! Can we expect to see them on the Island Line then too?

or Stourbridge town shuttles hock: well better than a Parry shoebox

 

[Coradia]

I've read on another forum that Northern are apparently going to bid for some class 180's - for use on Manchester-Blackpool services..

Well even if this isn't going to happen ad is just a rumour, would sure look a strange operation if it did happen, since TPX are the express Blackpool services. Would be a nice suprise for people in Buxton if a 180 turned up though it probrably wouldn't be allowed on that line.

 

[driver9000]

Actually the true express service between Preston & Blackpool North is the services to/from Liverpool Lime St as they run non-stop and can travel at 70mph between Kirkham & Poulton. The TPE service call at Poulton and is restricted to 60mph between Kirkham & Poulton

I said Id believe it when they turned up on the sidings because they will need to train crews up on them first before letting them out into traffic - it would be good to be allowed to drive a 180 but I still cant see it happening.....

 

[bluenoxid]

Yes, to me its a joke. To some others, its is a legitimate possibility :neutral:

At the end of the day, their top speed is only one part of their arsenal. They are a 5 car train and there are plenty of places where a small number of 5 carriages would be appreciated.

However, it will either be East Coast or Liverpool - Norwich in my opinion. Northern may have had a quick chat about it and done some checks but I don't realistically see them taking them on.

 

[Coradia]

Actually the true express service between Preston & Blackpool North is the services to/from Liverpool Lime St as they run non-stop and can travel at 70mph between Kirkham & Poulton. The TPE service call at Poulton and is restricted to 60mph between Kirkham & Poulton

Very true indeed. Also the 10:55 ManPicc and 10:13 ManVic services are good examples of express types with limited stops. Though at least TPX have improved on stopping patterns since FNW, remember they used to make the ManAirport 175s to Blackpool stop at about 18 stations (more or less equiverlent to the Buxton sprinters) and the National Rail online booking system classed it as 'express'. Definitely a decision between comfort and speed.

 

[EE Type 3]

Surely there isn't enough 180s though? With HT and GC taking them all?

 

[Philip]

Very true indeed. Also the 10:55 ManPicc and 10:13 ManVic services are good examples of express types with limited stops. Though at least TPX have improved on stopping patterns since FNW, remember they used to make the ManAirport 175s to Blackpool stop at about 18 stations (more or less equiverlent to the Buxton sprinters) and the National Rail online booking system classed it as 'express'. Definitely a decision between comfort and speed.

Slightly off topic but do you know the exact off peak stopping patterns FNW used for Man Airport-Blackpool/Barrow/Windermere with 175's?

Were all these north west routes programmed into the PA on 175's when with FNW/TPE? I don't remember the automated PA being used on TPE 175's, but not sure about when FNW operated them.

 

[Phoenix]

This is getting really stupid this whole class 180 game of monopoly.........

 

[37402]

Surely there isn't enough 180s though? With HT and GC taking them all?

GC won't be getting any now that they are the 'in' thing. They may have stood a chance if nobody wanted them...

> HT have 4 assigned to them currently (110/111/113/114) with 110/111 in service.
> Virgin (allegedly) have 2

with more announcements to come...

 

[Phoenix]

GC won't be getting any now that they are the 'in' thing. They may have stood a chance if nobody wanted them...

> HT have 4 assigned to them currently (110/111/113/114) with 110/111 in service.
> Virgin (allegedly) have 2

with more announcements to come...

So exactly how many do FGW still have.

 

[Bayum]

Im thinking 8??
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Actually, according to Wiki - 4

 

[Mintona]

3 to Northern...
2 to Virgin...
Newton Heath for maintenance...

 

[Bayum]

I thought Northern couldn't afford them??

 

[The Planner]

Virgin arent having any. They have decided against it. Rumour has it is that they are hiring the Stobart Pullman and keeping the 90s on the front.

 

[Bayum]

Virgin arent having any. They have decided against it. Rumour has it is that they are hiring the Stobart Pullman and keeping the 90s on the front.

Last I heard, the signing had been done??

 

[Coradia]

Slightly off topic but do you know the exact off peak stopping patterns FNW used for Man Airport-Blackpool/Barrow/Windermere with 175's?

Were all these north west routes programmed into the PA on 175's when with FNW/TPE? I don't remember the automated PA being used on TPE 175's, but not sure about when FNW operated them.

The Blackpools' used to be on the xx:27 departure from the Airport (now swapped to Scotland/Barrow services) calling at Heald Green, ManPicc, OxRd, Deansgate, SalfordCrscnt, Bolton, Lostock, Blackrod, Adlington, Chorely, Leyland, Preston, Kirkham, Poulton, Layton from what I can recall.

Windermere/Barrow ran one every two hours on each route, making a Preston hourly, departed the Airport at xx:48 called all stations to Manchester Picc, then a similar stopping pattern to now.

I don't know if the Lake District ones had PA automated but the Blackpool route certinately did on the 175s.

 

[class 313]

Last I heard, the signing had been done??

It wouldn't make any sense at all to run a 180 up a 100% electrified line.

 

[Bayum]

It wouldn't... But im just saying - the last I heard was that they had done the signing, and were waiting for something

 

[SPielow]

Virgin arent having any. They have decided against it. Rumour has it is that they are hiring the Stobart Pullman and keeping the 90s on the front.

Any more news about Virgin hiring the ex-Stobart Pullman?

 

[EE Type 3]

FGW still have 2 for the Hereford and Oxford services IIRC.

One thing I don't get is how Arriva weren't allowed to have any. With the whole fleet of 175s to hand, RA wouldn't be a problem for the 180s as they are passed wherever 175s are, and vice versa. I know that the Marches isn't 125mph capable, but the 180s excellent acceleration would put pay to that. Plus it could free up 175s which inturn would release 158s, the 175s could work the Chester - Birminghams, and the 158s can go towards increasing capacity on the Cambrian Coast Line.

 

[The Planner]

180s are only cleared south of Shelwick at the mo on paper.

 

[16CSVT2700]

FGW still have 2 for the Hereford and Oxford services IIRC.

3 at last count.
2 do the first Oxford-Padd and then Padd-Oxford-Padd then split. One unit does a Worcester diagram, the other sticking to Oxfords I seem to remember.
One is spare too

 

[driver9000]

From what I recall all the FNW patterns were available on the 175s for the routes they were permitted over. The system seemed to fall out of use in the later days of the franchise, I dont remember the auto-announcers being in use under TPE.

 

[Snapper]

Surely there isn't enough 180s though? With HT and GC taking them all?

Those bids haven't been approved (yet). The Northern story is true. If you ignore the fact that they're 125mph units, they certainly have the capacity to add a lot more seats. And the plan is that Northern wouldn't keep them forever.