GWR Turbo cascade progress to Bristol region services

[D2007wsm]

any idea what they have been diagramed to work?

I'm sure I seen a class 165 pulling out of Weston-super-Mare Platform 2 towards Bristol Temple Meads at around 21:00 last night. It was a Turbo and seemed to be 2 cars.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

For a few days last week a 2-car set worked 2A99 07xx Gloucester-Swindon via Bristol, did a couple of Stroud Valley round trips then swapped diagrams with the morning Melksham shuttle unit (which was a 3-car) in order to ensure a bigger unit worked the 1754 Swindon-Cheltenham which is a rather popular service and tends to struggle with anything less than a 166.

 

[PHILIPE]

Are you sure ? I thought the 2F97 0850 Great Malvern changed over at Westbury with the Melksham shuttle according to observations picked up

 

[Apedlar12]

166206 ran 2D02 to Bristol Parkway from Exeter St Davids this morning

 

[Siemens Staines]

Possibly slightly off-topic but Bristol's 166211 was seen on 2O46 1604 Reading - Redhill this evening, complete with its RHM yellow triangle.

Reminiscent of a B5xx turning up on the North Downs instead of L5xx

 

[FGW_DID]

166211 came back to Reading in place of 166218 (C4 work).

The RHM units are now cleared for all routes in LTV land apart from:

RHM 165s not cleared for the Henley Branch
RHM 166s not cleared between Aldermaston & Westbury.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Thank you for the update on the routes cleared for RHM units. It must improve operational flexibility no end.

 

[absolutelymilk]

When are the GWR pacers planned to go off-lease? I was wondering whether they could go to Wales to cover for units to get PRM mods if the 769s don't come into service soon.

 

[jimm]

When are the GWR pacers planned to go off-lease? I was wondering whether they could go to Wales to cover for units to get PRM mods if the 769s don't come into service soon.

According to the latest Modern Railways, they are going to be available to GWR as long as they are required up to the end of next year. With GWR also waiting for 769s, without which more Turbos cannot be released from the Thames Valley, those 143s don't look like being available for any other work any time soon..

 

[PHILIPE]

When are the GWR pacers planned to go off-lease? I was wondering whether they could go to Wales to cover for units to get PRM mods if the 769s don't come into service soon.

The 769s are becoming something of a pipe dream now. If you read the dedicated 769 threads there seems little constructive work has been done on them yet. Northern & ATW are before GWR at the moment

 

[D1009]

According to the latest Modern Railways, they are going to be available to GWR as long as they are required up to the end of next year. With GWR also waiting for 769s, without which more Turbos cannot be released from the Thames Valley, those 143s don't look like being available for any other work any time soon..

I thought there were enough Turbos released to Bristol by the 387s to in turn release the 150/2s and 158s to Exeter to enable the 143s and remaining 150/1s and 153s to go off lease, but this also depends on a full fleet of 2+4 HSTs.

 

[FGW_DID]

I thought there were enough Turbos released to Bristol by the 387s to in turn release the 150/2s and 158s to Exeter to enable the 143s and remaining 150/1s and 153s to go off lease, but this also depends on a full fleet of 2+4 HSTs.

I think that was the original plan based on the full electrification being delivered, i.e Oxford & Newbury. As then the only Turbos required in LTV land would have been for the Branches and the North Downs. As it stands there are still Turbos doing the Kennet Valley services, the Oxford - Didcot shuttles etc.

 

[D1009]

I suppose another question is, is the 2+4 HST programme likely to be complete before the first 769 sees use.

 

[Clarence Yard]

No, but it will be close, allegedly!

 

[Siemens Staines]

166211 came back to Reading in place of 166218 (C4 work).

The RHM units are now cleared for all routes in LTV land apart from:

RHM 165s not cleared for the Henley Branch
RHM 166s not cleared between Aldermaston & Westbury.

166211 was on the Henley branch yesterday so I presume the branch has been RHM approved within the last few days

 

[JN114]

166211 was on the Henley branch yesterday so I presume the branch has been RHM approved within the last few days

It’s been approved for quite a while, just no need to put a RHM unit on it - the RHMs don’t have many restrictions in LTV land now; just can’t couple to non-RHMs

 

[FGW_DID]

As post #577:

RHM 166s are cleared for the Henley Branch, RHM 165s are not.

What’s the difference between the two? I hear you ask!

Answers on a postcard please…………

 

[Siemens Staines]

Ah, my mistake. I hadn't noticed that you specified 165s as it never crossed my mind that there would be any difference in the profile of a 165 and a 166

 

[TJDevon]

Things seem to have gone quiet on the cascade front. Would appreciate an update from anyone 'in the know':-

How many 166s due to transfer to Bristol still remain at Reading?

How many 165s have so far been transferred to Bristol?

As the Turbos have yet to be allowed to work the Pompey services are some lying idle?

I am referring to the original cascade plans, not to anything that may happen after 769s are introduced - whenever that might be!

 

[FGW_DID]

Things seem to have gone quiet on the cascade front. Would appreciate an update from anyone 'in the know':-

How many 166s due to transfer to Bristol still remain at Reading?

How many 165s have so far been transferred to Bristol?

As the Turbos have yet to be allowed to work the Pompey services are some lying idle?

I am referring to the original cascade plans, not to anything that may happen after 769s are introduced - whenever that might be!

1. 4x 166 still at Reading.
2. 4x 165 2 cars have transferred to SPM.
3. Don’t know, not my patch.

 

[Siemens Staines]

This is where I think the turbo fleet is currently, but I would appreciate any corrections to my mistakes

166
Reading(non-RHM) 201,217,221
Reading(RHM) 211
Bristol(RHM) 202-210,212-216,219,220
Bristol(undergoing C4/RHM) 218

165(3)
Reading(non-RHM) 101-114,116,117

165(2)
Reading(non-RHM) 118,120-124,126-128,130,133-136
Bristol(RHM) 119,129,131,132
Wolverton 125,137
Long Marston 123

165 fitted with air-cooling 110,116-119,123,124,128,130,131,134,135

Only active unit in FGW Dynamic lines livery is 165136

 

[PHILIPE]

Things seem to have gone quiet on the cascade front. Would appreciate an update from anyone 'in the know':-

How many 166s due to transfer to Bristol still remain at Reading?

How many 165s have so far been transferred to Bristol?

As the Turbos have yet to be allowed to work the Pompey services are some lying idle?

I am referring to the original cascade plans, not to anything that may happen after 769s are introduced - whenever that might be!

I don't think the Turbos have been cleared for Fratton Depot yet. There are certainly none lying idle, with the present availability position they could be used umpteen times over. They won't be able to transfer to the Portsmouth yet as they are defendant on the introduction of electric services to Newbury enabling more Turbos to be transferred from LTV to West

 

[PHILIPE]

This is where I think the turbo fleet is currently, but I would appreciate any corrections to my mistakes

166
Reading(non-RHM) 201,217,221
Reading(RHM) 211
Bristol(RHM) 202-210,212-216,219,220
Bristol(undergoing C4/RHM) 218

165(3)
Reading(non-RHM) 101-114,116,117

165(2)
Reading(non-RHM) 118,120-124,126-128,130,133-136
Bristol(RHM) 119,129,131,132
Wolverton 125,137
Long Marston 123

165 fitted with air-cooling 110,116-119,123,124,128,130,131,134,135

Only active unit in FGW Dynamic lines livery is 165136

There are 17 x 166s at Bristol

 

[pompeyfan]

They’ve done guague clearance runs on all the roads that the Turbos might end up.

As far as I’m aware they haven’t done all the platforms at Southsea or the run through to the harbour. There is a suspicion (although unfounded) that they may be too fat for the high level, but I doubt it.

 

[Clarence Yard]

The work at Harbour is planned for week 31 and consists of moving or replacing some GPS heads. There are no other obstructions left to clear on the Pompey-Cardiff. The test runs at Fratton depot a few weeks back didn’t turn up any show stoppers.

 

[Siemens Staines]

There are 17 x 166s at Bristol

I guess from your comment that 166218 is now in service at Bristol? The other four (201,211,217,221) were definitely all in service at Reading earlier this week,

 

[swt_passenger]

The work at Harbour is planned for week 31 and consists of moving or replacing some GPS heads. There are no other obstructions left to clear on the Pompey-Cardiff. The test runs at Fratton depot a few weeks back didn’t turn up any show stoppers.

Route clearance always seems to be subject to a lot of unfounded rumour. Mountains regularly made out of molehills - the default sort of post here always seems to assume the worst...

 

[pompeyfan]

Route clearance always seems to be subject to a lot of unfounded rumour. Mountains regularly made out of molehills - the default sort of post here always seems to assume the worst...

“They won’t fit because my mates neighbour who’s a train diver for Southern said he was told by someone at a different company that network rail said so”

 

[swt_passenger]

“They won’t fit because my mates neighbour who’s a train diver for Southern said he was told by someone at a different company that network rail said so”

Nice one. How deep can they go?

 

[pompeyfan]

Nice one. How deep can they go?

Bit personal!