Heading off to be scrapped

[pemma]

Off it goes:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/userpix/483_DAS274092_1.jpg

or more seriously:

http://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/p377636066/h3390f041#h3390f041

 

[185]

When the people of the Oldham loop get Metrolink, give it a week before they are screaming for their 142s back.

 

[pemma]

When the people of the Oldham loop get Metrolink, give it a week before they are screaming for their 142s back.

While it was 5x142s that were always seen as being freed up when the Oldham Loop was closed, the Loop did see 150s as well.

 

[Lampshade]

I only travelled on the Oldham Loop once - on a 156 hock:

 

[northernrail]

and it was a 156 on the last service, and i once saw a 158 on there

 

[pemma]

and it was a 156 on the last service

That was being filmed by TV crews. They found a 156 for Stockport-Stalybridge the day BBC filmed a report on it.

Any unit can appear on any route subject to clearance and crew knowledge.

 

[Yew]

am I the only Person who thinks the second train looks more comfortable than the first?

 

[150222]

is it true that when the oldham line closed northern wanted to withdraw 5x142's however gmpte sponsored their continued usage? on an unrelated note were those chinese dmu's a serious proposal or just a sort of fantasy by northern?

 

[pemma]

is it true that when the oldham line closed northern wanted to withdraw 5x142's however gmpte sponsored their continued usage?

Yes. The passengers in the main transferred to Calder Vale line services instead of the replacement bus services but Northern refused to strengthen the Calder Vale services until GMPTE threw some money at them.

on an unrelated note were those chinese dmu's a serious proposal or just a sort of fantasy by northern?

They had rough specifications for them drawn up and had cost estimates so they were a serious option.

 

[150222]

Yes. The passengers in the main transferred to Calder Vale line services instead of the replacement bus services but Northern refused to strengthen the Calder Vale services until GMPTE threw some money at them.

i presume that is why calder valley services are often packed between rochdale and manchester.

 

[driver9000]

is it true that when the oldham line closed northern wanted to withdraw 5x142's however gmpte sponsored their continued usage?

Not quite. After the loop closed the 142s booked for the loop fell outside of the franchise agreement and thanks to red tape they had to be stopped. GMPTE expected all passengers from the loop to transfer onto the existing and unenhanced bus services serving the area and all publicity leading up to the abandonment detailed bus services. However most of the passengers simply moved onto the alternative rail service leading to mass overcrowding and passengers being left behind. GMPTE initially said they would not pay for the reinstatement of the stored units (still under the belief passengers would use the bus) until around a week or two later when they had a change of heart after Northern went to the DfT. The funding was restored and the units returned to service enabling strengthening of other services.

 

[Lampshade]

Not quite. After the loop closed the 142s booked for the loop fell outside of the franchise agreement and thanks to red tape they had to be stopped.

I don't understand that, was Northern prohibited from having spare stock of any sort?

 

[driver9000]

I'm not an expert in the murky world of franchising but as I understand it, the fleet quota is enough to run the service with a small maintenance buffer. If a route is closed the stock used on it is also removed from service. When Northern began it was delayed by 2 months because the loop was originall going to close before Northern took over and the bid was submitted on that basis, it was then reprieved so the numbers needed looking at again. Northern needed x units to run all service including the loop but then it was closed so it became 5 over it's allocation (possibly something to do with 'no growth?). Like I said, I'm no expert in franchise clauses but this is the way I remember it being described and being the reason why the 5 units were stopped.

 

[pemma]

I'm not an expert in the murky world of franchising but as I understand it, the fleet quota is enough to run the service with a small maintenance buffer. If a route is closed the stock used on it is also removed from service. When Northern began it was delayed by 2 months because the loop was originall going to close before Northern took over and the bid was submitted on that basis, it was then reprieved so the numbers needed looking at again. Northern needed x units to run all service including the loop but then it was closed so it became 5 over it's allocation (possibly something to do with 'no growth?). Like I said, I'm no expert in franchise clauses but this is the way I remember it being described and being the reason why the 5 units were stopped.

It gets very difficult to understand with Northern. They've secured extra units but they've gained extra routes to run and the units they have are more intensely used than back in 2004. They've also got the 3 temporary 180s.

I think the 5 x Northern 142s were always going to stay in the Northern area and the only question was whereabouts in the Northern area would benefit. I think they were actually going to be split between Greater Manchester and the North East either 3-2 or 4-1 but the passengers transferring to Calder Vale changed that. The local media made it sound like Northern were saying that strengthening a service is less profitable than running two.