GWR 158 cascade West

[Connor43002]

I heard this week that current plans are for Class 158’s to start crew training in Devon and Cornwall in May.

Will GWR use one of their own for testing or would they hire a SWT unit?

 

[83G/84D]

Will GWR use one of their own for testing or would they hire a SWT unit?

Plan is to use a GWR unit.

 

[Connor43002]

Plan is to use a GWR unit.

Cool, thanks

 

[RPI]

I heard this week that current plans are for Class 158’s to start crew training in Devon and Cornwall in May.

Most of Exeter sign them anyway so only really Plymouth, Par and Penzance that need it

 

[RPI]

763 and 766 made it to Paignton on Thursday

 

[83G/84D]

Most of Exeter sign them anyway so only really Plymouth, Par and Penzance that need it

Some Par drivers have moved down from other depots where they used to work them, possibly the same for Plymouth and Penzance as well.

 

[PHILIPE]

Some Par drivers have moved down from other depots where they used to work them, possibly the same for Plymouth and Penzance as well.

Par and Penzance used to work them in Cornwall up until about 10 years ago.

 

[83G/84D]

Par and Penzance used to work them in Cornwall up until about 10 years ago.

Yes but not necessarily the same drivers that are at those depots now.

 

[jimm]

Stupidly the HST's are not being used on services between Exeter and Taunton. Only on the Cardiff-Taunton and Exeter-Penzance which does'nt make any sense.

Not stupid if more XC services are to be extended from Bristol to Exeter as part of their proposed timetable changes and GWR will running more semi-fasts between Exeter and Paddington from next January. Should be plenty of trains between Taunton and Exeter, one way or another. I can't see any reason to provide even more.

 

[RPI]

Par and Penzance used to work them in Cornwall up until about 10 years ago.

There are very few guards at Par and Penzance who were even on the railway 10 years ago! A lot of the drivers are former guards but obviously won' have had experience of driving 158's.

 

[irish_rail]

We all already sign class 150 so 158 should just be a simple conversion one days training at most I'd guess

 

[nat67]

Not stupid if more XC services are to be extended from Bristol to Exeter as part of their proposed timetable changes and GWR will running more semi-fasts between Exeter and Paddington from next January. Should be plenty of trains between Taunton and Exeter, one way or another. I can't see any reason to provide even more.

It means you dont need to change trains especially if its a voyager the to continue to your final destination. It also means they would probably be using less Trams

 

[Connor43002]

Seen this today...

As of the May Timetable change the following diagram is booked a 2 car 158.

Mondays to Fridays

2C42 05:24 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance

2P84 10:51 Penzance to Plymouth

2C47 14:09 Plymouth to Penzance

2E88 16:44 Penzance to Exeter St Davids

2M72 21:49 Exeter St Davids to Bristol Temple Meads

 

[jmbill]

Looks like there might be a 158 heading down to Penzance right now on the 1C04. I've just seen a 3 car 158 unit on the approach to Plymouth.

 

[thelongestroad]

2E86 is it’s next move, back to Exeter at 1339.

 

[PHILIPE]

Re-posting in correct thread, appreciate mentioned by another poster though. Was previously in GWR Livery Group


Reported on Group that 158956 today is working:-

1C04 07:26 Bristol TM to Penzance
2E68 13:39 Penzance to Exeter St Davids

Presumably Exeter West crew to Penzance and return

 

[Cowley]

Re-posting in correct thread, appreciate mentioned by another poster though. Was previously in GWR Livery Group


Reported on Group that 158956 today is working:-

1C04 07:26 Bristol TM to Penzance
2E68 13:39 Penzance to Exeter St Davids

Presumably Exeter West crew to Penzance and return

Just passed a 158, assuming it was this one, stabled on EX which was quite nice to see for a change.
Does anyone have any info on the 159 being borrowed and tested on the Barnstaple line recently - whether it happened and if it was successful/able to keep timings etc? Thanks folks.

 

[Connor43002]

Seen it at Truro

Just passed a 158, assuming it was this one, stabled on EX which was quite nice to see for a change.
Does anyone have any info on the 159 being borrowed and tested on the Barnstaple line recently - whether it happened and if it was successful/able to keep timings etc? Thanks folks.

Testing on the Barnstaple line did happen, not sure on how well it went though but looking at the timings on RTT it was on time.

 

[Cowley]

Seen it at Truro

Testing on the Barnstaple line did happen, not sure on how well it went though but looking at the timings on RTT it was on time.

Thanks Conner. I was wondering how it compared to classes 143/150/153 in acceleration? But that sort of answers that then.

 

[Dougal2345]

It will be a sad day for the long distance users of the Cardiff - Portsmouth services, getting downgraded to an outer suburban 3+2 seated Turbo, hardly any tables, no seat back tables, counted place reservations most likely for advance tickets...

I'm not familiar with Turbos, but for me the (main) problems with the 158s are capacity, legroom and engine noise.

This thread is suggesting that the Turbos fix the capacity problem. How do they do on the other two?

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

The other key indicator is dwell time. Whereas a Turbo is probably equal to a 150 on this count, a 158 with the slow door cycle and narrow vestibules is not. Hence the Barnstaple line test runs; any seconds that can be shaved off the running times between stations will reduce the impact of lengthened dwell times.

 

[Cowley]

The other key indicator is dwell time. Whereas a Turbo is probably equal to a 150 on this count, a 158 with the slow door cycle and narrow vestibules is not. Hence the Barnstaple line test runs; any seconds that can be shaved off the running times between stations will reduce the impact of lengthened dwell times.

Definitely. I suppose it’ll be difficult to know until they’re put out on a few rush hour services?
Unless GWR can rustle up a load of people to all cram onto a test train one night?
I’m up for it...

 

[LiftFan]

I'm not familiar with Turbos, but for me the (main) problems with the 158s are capacity, legroom and engine noise.

This thread is suggesting that the Turbos fix the capacity problem. How do they do on the other two?

Engine noise on the Turbos is really impressive to me. Even sat directly above the engine it's not that noticeable and at the ends of each carriage you can actually hear yourself think...

 

[dk1]

We all already sign class 150 so 158 should just be a simple conversion one days training at most I'd guess

Yeah it's only a simple conversion. Norwich GA crews go through it to operate the 05:36 Lowestoft & return & any other spot hire use.

 

[JohnRegular]

The other key indicator is dwell time. Whereas a Turbo is probably equal to a 150 on this count, a 158 with the slow door cycle and narrow vestibules is not. Hence the Barnstaple line test runs; any seconds that can be shaved off the running times between stations will reduce the impact of lengthened dwell times.

This is a very valid point, often 150s replace the usual 158s on the Portsmouth-Cardiff service, and although they are less pleasant to travel on (and not really suitable for the route at all) the dwell times seem much much better. It can take an age at Temple Meads or Southampton for passengers to squeeze through the narrow doors and vestibules of a 158 and find their seats, I expect the turbos could seriously help in this regard.

 

[Apedlar12]

158956 on CDF - PGN today so seems as if it is allocated to Exeter for now

 

[ATW158Xpress]

This is a very valid point, often 150s replace the usual 158s on the Portsmouth-Cardiff service, and although they are less pleasant to travel on (and not really suitable for the route at all) the dwell times seem much much better. It can take an age at Temple Meads or Southampton for passengers to squeeze through the narrow doors and vestibules of a 158 and find their seats, I expect the turbos could seriously help in this regard.

Last Wednesday waiting at Bristol TM for the 17:54 service to Cardiff Central and when a refreshed Green GWR 158 rolls into the platform it took passengers to alight 3 whole minutes which is so time consuming and by then it was leaving Bristol TM 8 minutes late due to the excessive dwall times. So a Turbo would suit this route well as it was designed to work high capacity Regional Express services and can work to 90mph max speed.

 

[edwin_m]

Definitely. I suppose it’ll be difficult to know until they’re put out on a few rush hour services?
Unless GWR can rustle up a load of people to all cram onto a test train one night?
I’m up for it...

They should know pretty well what the dwell times will be without going to that amount of trouble, by looking at what happens at other stations with similar passenger numbers. There's probalby also a minimum dwell time in the timetable planning rules.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

The standard minimum dwell time in the planning rules for a 158 is 30 seconds but many locations have specific rules requiring 1-min (or more.) However none of the Barnstaple line stations have 158-specific values, and there are also no DMUE sectional running times (as opposed to DMUA for Pacer or DMUS for 150.)

Hence - the test runs.

 

[Apedlar12]

Could the 2 car 158 on 2C42 on weekdays be part of the training as well as operating a passenger service?