GWR Class 143 withdrawals

[Express380]

Can anyone tell me how many are out today and on what workings please thank you

 

[Apedlar12]

Can anyone tell me how many are out today and on what workings please thank you

I believe these are all the Exmouth to Paignton diagrams for today:

Diagram #1 - 150 x2
2T02 04:58 Exeter St Davids to Paignton
2F06 06:10 Paignton to Exmouth
2T09 07:55 Exmouth to Paignton
2F13 09:50 Paignton to Exmouth
2T16 11:24 Exmouth to Paignton
2F20 13:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T23 14:57 Exmouth to Paignton
2F27 16:52 Paignton to Exmouth
2T30 18:26 Exmouth to Paignton
2F34 20:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2E37 21:54 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids
2F38 23:13 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth
2E41 23:49 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids

Diagram #2 - 150 x2
2T03 05:30 Exeter St Davids to Paignton
2F07 06:37 Paignton to Exmouth
2T10 08:25 Exmouth to Paignton
2F14 10:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T17 11:56 Exmouth to Paignton
2F21 13:41 Paignton to Exmouth
2T24 15:25 Exmouth to Paignton
2F28 17:18 Paignton to Exmouth
2E31 18:24 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids

Diagram #3 - 150 + 143
2T04 05:58 Exeter St Davids to Paignton
2F08 07:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T11 08:55 Exmouth to Paignton
2F15 10:55 Paignton to Exmouth
2T18 12:24 Exmouth to Paignton
2F22 14:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T25 15:55 Exmouth to Paignton
2F29 17:50 Paignton to Exmouth
2T32 19:25 Exmouth to Paignton
2F36 21:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2E39 22:54 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids

Diagram #4 - 150 + 143
2T05 06:32 Exeter St Davids to Paignton
2F09 07:50 Paignton to Exmouth
2T12 09:25 Exmouth to Paignton
2F16 11:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T19 12:57 Exmouth to Paignton
2F23 14:55 Paignton to Exmouth
2T26 16:27 Exmouth to Paignton
2F30 18:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2E33 19:58 Exmouth to Exeter St Davids

Diagram #5 - 150 + 143
2F03 05:45 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth
2T06 06:15 Exmouth to Paignton
2F10 08:15 Paignton to Exmouth
2T13 09:55 Exmouth to Paignton
2F17 11:54 Paignton to Exmouth
2T20 13:24 Exmouth to Paignton
2F24 15:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T27 16:56 Exmouth to Paignton
2E40 18:52 Paignton to Exeter St Davids

Diagram #6 - 150 x2
2F04 06:08 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth
2T07 06:55 Exmouth to Paignton
2F11 08:40 Paignton to Exmouth
2T14 10:24 Exmouth to Paignton
2F18 12:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T21 13:56 Exmouth to Paignton
2F25 15:52 Paignton to Exmouth
2T28 17:27 Exmouth to Paignton
2F32 19:20 Paignton to Exmouth
2T35 20:58 Exmouth to Paignton
2A38 22:42 Paignton to Newton Abbot
2T38 23:02 Newton Abbot to Paignton
2E61 23:25 Paignton to Exeter St Davids

Diagram #7 - 150 + 143
2F05 06:48 Exeter St Davids to Exmouth
2T08 07:25 Exmouth to Paignton
2F12 09:22 Paignton to Exmouth
2T15 10:56 Exmouth to Paignton
2F19 12:52 Paignton to Exmouth
2T22 14:24 Exmouth to Paignton
2F26 16:18 Paignton to Exmouth
2T29 17:56 Exmouth to Paignton
2E42 19:38 Paignton to Exeter St Davids

 

[TEW]

From your list:
Diagram 1 150234+150233
Diagram 2 150202+150249
Diagram 3 150266+143621
Diagram 4 150261+143620
Diagram 5 150219+143617
Diagram 6 150248+150232
Diagram 7 150246+143603

 

[Apedlar12]

From your list:
Diagram 1 150234+150233
Diagram 2 150202+150249
Diagram 3 150266+143621
Diagram 4 150261+143620
Diagram 5 150219+143617
Diagram 6 150248+150232
Diagram 7 150246+143603

150246 + 143603 were replaced by 150244 + 143618 at around 11am earlier on. Also 143603 appears to have now lost it's end logos when I saw it in the depot earlier this afternoon...

 

[7 Ingleborough]

143612 and 619 already at SPM, will hopefully be joined by 603 on Monday. They are to be 'kept in reserve' until 31/12/20. Currently the plan is for the examples in the worst condition wheelset wise, 143611, 143620 and 621 to go to Sims for scrapping on the 17th. 611 has to be coupled in the middle. Two from the 617, 617, 618 group, franchise assets have found a buyer allegedly.
In the new year the transfer of 9 more two car 158s will begin to Exeter as the new depot capability builds up.

 

[superalbs]

Well that's it! Very sad to see them go, they were excellent units for the area.

 

[Murray J]

143612 and 619 already at SPM, will hopefully be joined by 603 on Monday. They are to be 'kept in reserve' until 31/12/20. Currently the plan is for the examples in the worst condition wheelset wise, 143611, 143620 and 621 to go to Sims for scrapping on the 17th. 611 has to be coupled in the middle. Two from the 617, 617, 618 group, franchise assets have found a buyer allegedly.
In the new year the transfer of 9 more two car 158s will begin to Exeter as the new depot capability builds up.

just seen a photo on facebook of a debranded 603 at SPM.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Well that's it! Very sad to see them go, they were excellent units for the area.

Not done a TfW and sent some out today then?!

 

[PHILIPE]

Not done a TfW and sent some out today then?!

That is TFW 142s out today

 

[Jamesrob637]

That is TFW 142s out today

What I meant was TfW 142s were meant to be gone yesterday and some have had a reprieve today and possibly until New Year's Eve. Have GWR's 143s definitely all gone yesterday?

 

[PHILIPE]

What I meant was TfW 142s were meant to be gone yesterday and some have had a reprieve today and possibly until New Year's Eve. Have GWR's 143s definitely all gone yesterday?

Those that are fit may be used in an emergency until the end of the year.

 

[Apedlar12]

Those that are fit may be used in an emergency until the end of the year.

That would be 143603, 612 & 619

 

[RPI]

Well that's it! Very sad to see them go, they were excellent units for the area.

Clearly you didn't have to work on the things!

 

[Parallel]

GWR's 143s never received the same political stigma as the pacers in Wales or the North. I guess 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN DEVON' doesn't have the same effect as 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN WALES' or ''PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN THE NORTH'.

I quite liked GWR's pacers. Exeter seems to have maintained them well, from a passenger's perspective at least. They always appeared clean with everything (lights, toilets etc) working when I used them. I used one between Westbury and Taunton a couple of years ago on the previous Fridays only service - that was an experience, it was bouncing around a lot! Another highlight was on the Tarka line between Portsmouth Arms and Umberleigh before part of the track was renewed - it'd throw everyone around the carriage a fair bit! The GWR green actually ended up suiting the 143s quite well (in my opinion) and made them look quite smart externally. The internal refreshes in a few of the units also helped to smarten them up for their last couple of years. I always quite liked the Ruth Mitchell safety announcements that play every so often, but that's just me. I'd imagine they get annoying to crew after a while!

Had there not been a PRM deadline, it wouldn't have surprised me if the last pacers to go would've been the ones that spend their days trundling along the Devon branch lines.

 

[RPI]

GWR's 143s never received the same political stigma as the pacers in Wales or the North. I guess 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN DEVON' doesn't have the same effect as 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN WALES' or ''PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN THE NORTH'.

I quite liked GWR's pacers. Exeter seems to have maintained them well, from a passenger's perspective at least. They always appeared clean with everything (lights, toilets etc) working when I used them. I used one between Westbury and Taunton a couple of years ago on the previous Fridays only service - that was an experience, it was bouncing around a lot! Another highlight was on the Tarka line between Portsmouth Arms and Umberleigh before part of the track was renewed - it'd throw everyone around the carriage a fair bit! The GWR green actually ended up suiting the 143s quite well (in my opinion) and made them look quite smart externally. The internal refreshes in a few of the units also helped to smarten them up for their last couple of years. I always quite liked the Ruth Mitchell safety announcements that play every so often, but that's just me. I'd imagine they get annoying to crew after a while!

Had there not been a PRM deadline, it wouldn't have surprised me if the last pacers to go would've been the ones that spend their days trundling along the Devon branch lines.

Certainly out of all the pacers they seemed to be turned out well, in 10 years at Exeter depot I've yet to fail on one either! Even the 142s we had ended up getting tidied up to a respectable standard by Exeter depot and went back to Northern in a better state than we received them in

 

[bramling]

Certainly out of all the pacers they seemed to be turned out well, in 10 years at Exeter depot I've yet to fail on one either! Even the 142s we had ended up getting tidied up to a respectable standard by Exeter depot and went back to Northern in a better state than we received them in

I always thought the Exeter 143s were pretty suited to their work, especially Exmouth to Paignton. The GWR green livery really suited them well too.

 

[Ashley Hill]

When I first worked them they were based at Bristol. They were ideal on the WSM stoppers. Running down Cogload at speed they used to occasionally hunt giving the passengers a fright. We rescued a failure once with one between Bathampton and Freshford,the handful of passengers on board jumped out of their skin when we ran over the shots. I suppose I should have warned them.

 

[7 Ingleborough]

GWR's 143s never received the same political stigma as the pacers in Wales or the North. I guess 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN DEVON' doesn't have the same effect as 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN WALES' or ''PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN THE NORTH'.

I quite liked GWR's pacers. Exeter seems to have maintained them well, from a passenger's perspective at least. They always appeared clean with everything (lights, toilets etc) working when I used them. I used one between Westbury and Taunton a couple of years ago on the previous Fridays only service - that was an experience, it was bouncing around a lot! Another highlight was on the Tarka line between Portsmouth Arms and Umberleigh before part of the track was renewed - it'd throw everyone around the carriage a fair bit! The GWR green actually ended up suiting the 143s quite well (in my opinion) and made them look quite smart externally. The internal refreshes in a few of the units also helped to smarten them up for their last couple of years. I always quite liked the Ruth Mitchell safety announcements that play every so often, but that's just me. I'd imagine they get annoying to crew after a while!

Had there not been a PRM deadline, it wouldn't have surprised me if the last pacers to go would've been the ones that spend their days trundling along the Devon branch lines.

It was considered. Unlike the 142s, it was technically possible to PRM the 143s and 144s, indeed Porterbrook carried out one conversion and marketed the idea at a time when there was a serious shortage of DMUs. I have the literature in a cupboard somewhere at work. When the 142s and 143s were working off Exeter, we had sent an experienced 142 engineer down there to help the depot 'hammer' the loaned units into shape. Some had been stored for a while and were missing quite a few items. Went into one and found just a big hole in the floor vice a toilet!
Exeter did an excellent job in getting the 142s into service, and they were popular with passengers because of the excellent vision out. I personally preferred the 142s, but the 143s were for quite a while the most reliable DMUs in the fleet, and were the most reliable Pacers in the UK. One depot, small class and on depot 9 nights out of 10 can do that. Sad to say, we can no longer refer to Exeter Depot as the Donkey Sanctuary.

 

[northernbelle]

Clearly you didn't have to work on the things!

I'm with you there - their days of being suitable for the summer loadings in the area are long behind us! Those awkward outward-opening cab doors and the step wells by the doors are probably my least favourite aspects of them!

They've served their purpose well (after receiving new brakes, engines, gearboxes and door equipment....), but I'm glad to see them moving on now.

 

[7 Ingleborough]

Update. The scrap move of 143620 and 621, with 611 coupled in the middle may now take place on the 16th or the 17th dependant on staffing.

 

[Jamesrob637]

GWR's 143s never received the same political stigma as the pacers in Wales or the North. I guess 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN DEVON' doesn't have the same effect as 'PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN WALES' or ''PUBLIC FORCED TO USE OLD TRAINS IN THE NORTH'.

I quite liked GWR's pacers. Exeter seems to have maintained them well, from a passenger's perspective at least. They always appeared clean with everything (lights, toilets etc) working when I used them. I used one between Westbury and Taunton a couple of years ago on the previous Fridays only service - that was an experience, it was bouncing around a lot! Another highlight was on the Tarka line between Portsmouth Arms and Umberleigh before part of the track was renewed - it'd throw everyone around the carriage a fair bit! The GWR green actually ended up suiting the 143s quite well (in my opinion) and made them look quite smart externally. The internal refreshes in a few of the units also helped to smarten them up for their last couple of years. I always quite liked the Ruth Mitchell safety announcements that play every so often, but that's just me. I'd imagine they get annoying to crew after a while!

Had there not been a PRM deadline, it wouldn't have surprised me if the last pacers to go would've been the ones that spend their days trundling along the Devon branch lines.

Great shot of Cockwood Harbour. I guess the stigma of using Pacer in Devon is that Devon is a) a lower-populated region than South Wales or the North of England for 80% of the year, and b) it's considered by many to live a bit in the past (the M5 ends at Exeter) so suits the Pacer better.

 

[aquae39]

Hi I'm visiting Devon tomorrow, are there still any possibilities to see some class 143?

 

[Apedlar12]

Hi I'm visiting Devon tomorrow, are there still any possibilities to see some class 143?

All withdrawn now I am afraid.

 

[Anonymous10]

Hi I'm visiting Devon tomorrow, are there still any possibilities to see some class 143?

only place to see 143 now is in south wales

 

[7 Ingleborough]

...or on the M32 this evening after 143612 is allegedly being collected from St. Philips Marsh.

 

[Apedlar12]

...or on the M32 this evening after 143612 is allegedly being collected from St. Philips Marsh.

I assume it will be going to wherever it is being preserved (Berkeley)?

 

[7 Ingleborough]

I assume it will be going to wherever it is being preserved (Berkeley)?

Yes.

Was Saturday the last day? Hearing that 617 and 618 are being kept on as emergency spares at Exeter.

 

[Apedlar12]

Yes.

Was Saturday the last day? Hearing that 617 and 618 are being kept on as emergency spares at Exeter.

Yes, Saturday was the last day and I have seen that a couple of them have been de-branded now.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Yes.

Was Saturday the last day? Hearing that 617 and 618 are being kept on as emergency spares at Exeter.

Are they??? I think I suggested that about a few months back - they'd be handy as capacity busters to 4-car Class 150's on match days (that's if platforms along the Exeter to Exmouth line can just take a 4-car 150 + 2-car 143 combo)?

Also, useful for Exeter to Newton Abbot shuttles if in an emergency during wet weather too!

Looks like the Pacers live on - I thought that the GWR 143's looked tider / better than the Northern ones.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Those 143 units are only being retained as emergency spares until 31/12/20, at the latest, then they are withdrawn.