EMR Class 170 updates

[QSK19]

It all depends when they're due to be painted in accordance with the maintenance schedule. If the paint is under warranty they're not going to rub it down and do it again, hence vinyl. The 170/2s were only painted a few years ago hence not being done again.

Makes complete sense!

 

[The_Train]

Anybody know when any of 505, 512, 513, 532 and 535 commenced service with EMR please?

 

[Pippy1505]

latest update 170206/207/208 likely to remain with TFW until Mid 2024 170421 likely to remain with GTR until Dec 2024!

 

[Jez]

latest update 170206/207/208 likely to remain with TFW until Mid 2024 170421 likely to remain with GTR until Dec 2024!

Mid 2024! They may out-last the 175's with TFW.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Mid 2024! They may out-last the 175's with TFW.

No may about it, they will definitely, if that date is to believed. Absolutely no chance of 175s working for TfW in Mid 24.

 

[Jez]

No may about it, they will definitely, if that date is to believed. Absolutely no chance of 175s working for TfW in Mid 24.

Well I suppose it depends how long they take for the 197s being rolled out to West Wales ! I expected the 175s to be gone by now but they are still here

 

[animationmilo]

Well I suppose it depends how long they take for the 197s being rolled out to West Wales ! I expected the 175s to be gone by now but they are still here

But not many 175s out of 27 sets

 

[The_Train]

latest update 170206/207/208 likely to remain with TFW until Mid 2024 170421 likely to remain with GTR until Dec 2024!

Is 170421 roaming the Southern region under this guise or is it running as 171201?

 

[43102EMR]

Is 170421 roaming the Southern region under this guise or is it running as 171201?

Still 171201

 

[The_Train]

Still 171201

Thanks, I think I will just remove 170421 from my records for now

 

[TheBigD]

I travelled on a couple of EMR's 170s today...

The 170/4 on a Skegness to Nottingham service was pretty tatty inside. The seats I grabbed both had broken flip down tables pointed downwards. Passenger load was around 75% but with a serious amont of luggage everywhere (and prams, prams, prams!)

The 170/5 on a Doncaster to Peterborough service which was very tatty inside, with a number of seats near the disabled bog taped up and out of use, a number of collapsed seat bases, and a distinctly grimey interior "feel".

 

[43102EMR]

I travelled on a couple of EMR's 170s today...

The 170/4 on a Skegness to Nottingham service was pretty tatty inside. The seats I grabbed both had broken flip down tables pointed downwards. Passenger load was around 75% but with a serious amont of luggage everywhere (and prams, prams, prams!)

The 170/5 on a Doncaster to Peterborough service which was very tatty inside, with a number of seats near the disabled bog taped up and out of use, a number of collapsed seat bases, and a distinctly grimey interior "feel".

Wait until you try their 360s…

 

[Techniquest]

I travelled on a couple of EMR's 170s today...

The 170/4 on a Skegness to Nottingham service was pretty tatty inside. The seats I grabbed both had broken flip down tables pointed downwards. Passenger load was around 75% but with a serious amont of luggage everywhere (and prams, prams, prams!)

The 170/5 on a Doncaster to Peterborough service which was very tatty inside, with a number of seats near the disabled bog taped up and out of use, a number of collapsed seat bases, and a distinctly grimey interior "feel".

Wow things have got bad then, the 170/4 I did was in a less than great state but the 170/5s I had were still not too bad. They weren't in their best condition, but also not their worst. This was January 2022, but you'd like to hope things haven't got that bad. Apparently they have!

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Will all the 170s get an interior refurbishment at some point at all?

Sounds like they need it...

 

[QSK19]

Will all the 170s get an interior refurbishment at some point at all?

Sounds like they need it...

It’s been said on the forum that one is in the planning; however I’ll only believe it when I see it - too many delays and empty promises thus far in EMR’s life to believe anything unless one actually sees it in reality.

 

[duffield]

I'd be happy if they could just fix the flip down tables so there's somewhere to put a drink down. Much more important than tatty decor!

 

[Skymonster]

Typically I have the misfortune to travel in EMR 170s twice a week and a number of them are pretty disgusting inside - worn out, broken, very dirty. Just a few examples from 170517 (not isolated, pretty representative of the whole unit), which is by no means the worst.









Added to the fact that EMR doesn’t seem to bother much with train presentation and cleaning (litter on floor, food remnants on tables on the first train of the day for the unit - departing from the company’s main base station) the fleet makes travel a pretty grim experience. Of course, they’ve almost all got the new paint job, but inside is usually a model of neglect and lack of care about passenger comfort. EMR management needs to be reminded about putting lipstick on pigs, and start delivering on its refurbishment promises.

 

[Techniquest]

Wow that's not a great look, they weren't that bad when they were shipped off from the West Midlands. Not perfect, but not that bad idea! EMR have a lot to do to make the 170s good again, I get that they've been desperate for ages for more trains but it's going to help drive passengers away if they don't get on and sort their trains out!

 

[RailWonderer]

They were looking tattered even last year when I had a few of them but this is far worse than anything I saw. Culturally EMR need to focus on clanliness, this extends to their 360s and their admittedly outgoing Meridians. Even if refurbishments are delayed or put off completely they need to make sure seats, tables and carpets are cleaned and sanitised. Their look is sloppy and lazy so far, which does not bode well. An operator needs to have pride in their fleets, and that doesn't cost the earth and the moon.

 

[rjames87]

Do train companies routinely clean / shampoo their carpets? I’m going to assume not by the fact most just seem to get worse over time.

 

[fgwrich]

They may be careworn, but they’re nowhere as near as bad as the state that Great Westerns 165 and 166s had become until around 2020/21.

 

[Mzzzs]

Emr have been blasted a while back for their lack of care it's no surprise.

 

[adc82140]

They may be careworn, but they’re nowhere as near as bad as the state that Great Westerns 165 and 166s had become until the around 2020/21.

That's the best evidence I've seen so far for getting rid of carpets. It's just a shame the replacement hard floors are a light colour with a texture difficult to mop properly.

 

[Skymonster]

They may be careworn

Careworn carries with it an implication that EMR management cares - I’m not convinced that they do. In fact if I was EMR I’d be ashamed of these units.

Sure they do fancy marketing, stuffed toys, exterior re-liveries so the brand stands out. But when it comes to the nitty gritty of the interiors it’s pretty abysmal. And don’t even get me started on the promises of Wi-fi on every train and other franchise commitments which haven’t even started, let alone been completed.

[yes yes I know on board Wi-fi is getting less and less important but that’s not the point - it is another franchise commitment which shows no sign of being started, let alone completed]

Anyway back to the 170s. I actually like the units but between the ex-WMR, ex-Southern, ex-GA, and ex-Wales units they’re very grotty. One only needs to look to Northern and see what they did to realise that a 170 can be reasonably well turned out.

 

[Robin Edwards]

I took a train out of Nottingham a couple of weeks back and found that the door sensor to the compartment would only work for entering and not exiting! People leaving the train hurriedly relied on someone the otherwise of the door to let them out. 170418 I believe.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Typically I have the misfortune to travel in EMR 170s twice a week and a number of them are pretty disgusting inside - worn out, broken, very dirty. Just a few examples from 170517 (not isolated, pretty representative of the whole unit), which is by no means the worst.

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Added to the fact that EMR doesn’t seem to bother much with train presentation and cleaning (litter on floor, food remnants on tables on the first train of the day for the unit - departing from the company’s main base station) the fleet makes travel a pretty grim experience. Of course, they’ve almost all got the new paint job, but inside is usually a model of neglect and lack of care about passenger comfort. EMR management needs to be reminded about putting lipstick on pigs, and start delivering on its refurbishment promises.

The 222's have also had 'neglected' interiors for some time, certainly before the present TOC - seat cushions loose in frame, adjustment broken, ripped and torn, vestibule door buttons don't work.
So 170s neglected inside; 222s neglected inside; but HSTs always seemed to be looked after, smart and tidy inside. I think I can see a pattern here...

 

[duffield]

I took a train out of Nottingham a couple of weeks back and found that the door sensor to the compartment would only work for entering and not exiting! People leaving the train hurriedly relied on someone the otherwise of the door to let them out. 170418 I believe.

Assuming you mean the door to 1st Class (declassified on EMR), with a lot of them waving your hand as close as possible to the ceiling mounted sensor above the door usually works.

 

[QSK19]

My alarm bells rang as soon as the DfT awarded the franchise to the only bidder left standing after disqualifications and bidders withdrawing to go for other, more fruitful franchises. It was an absolute farce, especially so given that the DfT labelled the competition as having been rigorous and well fought.

In reality, there has never been any incentive for the TOC to perform at all - the DfT will simply hand over the management fee no matter how much the operation is being running into the ground. So, in a sense, who can blame them - why put in extra work when there is no additional benefit. Nevertheless, that is absolutely no justification for treating the operation and its passengers with such disrespect and contempt.

EMR does not deserve the 810s* - having looked at these pictures and also the 360 debacle thus far, god knows what they’ll be like after even just a year in service! As for the 170s, again EMR doesn’t deserve them* if they’re going to be neglected that badly. They are good solid trains that need some TLC to get them up to a decent, comfortable standard; but, given EMR’s attitude of not giving a damn about the upkeep and cleanliness of stock, they should have kept the 156s and received some additional knackered 15x units from elsewhere - the 170s could have gone to somewhere that would look after them properly.

* I mean the TOC specifically here. Its passengers do absolutely deserve stock upgrades.

 

[STINT47]

The current situation is reminiscent of when Central Trains had the ex Midland Mainline 170s cascaded over.

Within a year or so they had taken nice trains and trashed them. Whilst the general cleanliness and presentation went down hill quickly.

Sadly no one seems bothered about services in the East Midlands anc it never seems to change.

 

[Clansman]

As for the 170s, again EMR doesn’t deserve them* if they’re going to be neglected that badly

Are the ex ScotRail 170s still in their original 1998 interiors?