London Midland Class 150/1 Refresh

[fgwrich]

Bit of an update on London Midlands 150/1s. 150109 Ran down to Bristol Barton Hill yesterday, where it'll be refreshed for London Midland by Chrysalis rail.

Chrysalis Rail is proud to announce the recent success in securing London Midland Class 150 Fleet Refresh Contract.

The scope is to re-livery the exterior of the units
http://www.chrysalisrail.com/news.html

(From Chrysalis Rails website). Chrysalis rail has also refurbished First Great Westerns 150 Fleet at Barton Hill & the 165/166 Fleet at Reading Depot.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

So that means that LM currently have two operational 150s for two diagrams!

I am off to LM territory later this week on Friday hoping to get 150107 for a ride and photo. Does anyone know where it is at present - i.e. on the Bletchley diagram, on the Hereford turn or sitting at Tyseley?

 

[sprinterguy]

150105 was on the Bletchley workings on Monday, if that helps at all, although there's nothing to say that 150105 and 107 won't be swapped out of course before Friday if anything goes wrong with 105!

 

[87015]

150105 was on the Bletchley workings on Monday, if that helps at all, although there's nothing to say that 150105 and 107 won't be swapped out of course before Friday if anything goes wrong with 105!

And just to show - it collapsed at Monday lunchtime so after yet another afternoon of half a service its 150107 today...!

 

[northernrailer]

yesterday the 150 diagram out of New Street was being run by 170511.

 

[Scud]

Just some updated info, useful to anyone interested in trying to grab a photo or two.
150109 is now finished in LM livery, returning as 5Z51 1412 Bristol Barton Hill - Tyseley T.M.D today.
If it runs on time, it'll be at Bristol Parkway 14:30, Cheltenham 16:05 or Bromsgrove 17:24.
150105 is next up for the new livery, departing Tyseley today at 10:00.

 

[jopsuk]

I realise this is maybe not the right poiint to rant, but why oh why were LM not given the funding/push/whatever to get three further 172/2s? I appreciate the 150s run on a different route, but surely getting rid of a micro fleet would have made sense? I'm sure Northern, FGW or ATW would have happily had the 150s (one each?)

 

[RPM]

I realise this is maybe not the right poiint to rant, but why oh why were LM not given the funding/push/whatever to get three further 172/2s? I appreciate the 150s run on a different route, but surely getting rid of a micro fleet would have made sense? I'm sure Northern, FGW or ATW would have happily had the 150s (one each?)

It would have required training up all the Bletchley drivers & conductors on 172s though. The expense and logistics of that may have been a factor in making the decision.

I did find it surprising that LM retained any 150s though. It strikes me that it might have been easier to keep the 153s that went to FGW and run the Marston Vale service with an all-153 fleet, running in pairs where loadings require it.

 

[westcoaster]

It would have required training up all the Bletchley drivers & conductors on 172s though. The expense and logistics of that may have been a factor in making the decision.

I did find it surprising that LM retained any 150s though. It strikes me that it might have been easier to keep the 153s that went to FGW and run the Marston Vale service with an all-153 fleet, running in pairs where loadings require it.

unfortunatly 172's are to long for the MV line platforms and can't be used, its the same problem with 2x153's. But a 150 does just fit.

 

[sprinterguy]

It would have required training up all the Bletchley drivers & conductors on 172s though. The expense and logistics of that may have been a factor in making the decision.

I did find it surprising that LM retained any 150s though. It strikes me that it might have been easier to keep the 153s that went to FGW and run the Marston Vale service with an all-153 fleet, running in pairs where loadings require it.

It keeps getting mentioned on this forum that some of the platforms on the Marston Vale line cannot accommodate 2 x 23m carriages, which is why 172s or pairs of 153s are out of the question.

 

[RPM]

Doesn't sound like a particularly difficult platform lengthening project. It could probably be done within the existing platform "footprint" (sorry Paul S ) by replacing the end ramp with a gated end. It has been done elsewhere at minimal cost. Surely cheaper than running a handful of non-standard units?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Wrestling the thread back on topic, it also occurs that a "refresh" which is limited to an external repaint is by definition a "repaint" rather than a "refresh"!? Maybe once the contractor has emerged as an adult butterfly it will have gained a better grasp of English.

 

[aylesbury]

Everything will change on the MV line when its electrified ,so unreliable 150,s will not be running probably 350,s from Paddington.

 

[Nym]

It keeps getting mentioned on this forum that some of the platforms on the Marston Vale line cannot accommodate 2 x 23m carriages, which is why 172s or pairs of 153s are out of the question.

Fitting SDO would solve that problem, or simply disabling a door while in service...

 

[150001]

At long last, they are repainting them! Has anyone got any pics? Rather typically I'm off to Iceland tomorrow for six days so sadly won't be able to see it, but looking forward to the trip!

 

[Pumbaa]

109 has come back, 107 went down today.

 

[SprinterMan]

109 has come back, 107 went down today.

Blimey that was quick, any pictures?

Adam

 

[Eagle]

Fitting SDO would solve that problem, or simply disabling a door while in service...

Or waiting a few years until all the upgrades involved with EWR and electrification are done, one or other of which will likely include some form of platform lengthening (even if it's only, say, from 37 metres to 50 metres).

 

[DarloRich]

Doesn't sound like a particularly difficult platform lengthening project. It could probably be done within the existing platform "footprint" (sorry Paul S ) by replacing the end ramp with a gated end. It has been done elsewhere at minimal cost. Surely cheaper than running a handful of non-standard units?

The other issue at many of the stations is that the signal posts are slap bang on the end of the platform - so they would need moving as well. All this costs.

It is much cheaper and easier to wait until EWR pick up all the costs!

 

[BestWestern]

Fitting SDO would solve that problem, or simply disabling a door while in service...

Unfortunately these things are (as always!) far more complex than they at first seem

Fitting SDO on a 20-year old Sprinter would almost certainly be far too expensive to justify, particularly given the long-term uncertainty over the future of Class 153s as a whole. It would be an easier proposition on a newish 172 of course.

Locking out a door at every stop would cause mayhem; a train cannot run with the first or last door used by passengers on either side locked out, unless that whole vehicle is taken out of use (in case there is the need to evacuate and pax are trapped in one end of the coach). So to isolate one door for a station stop requires the Guard to wait until the train is stationary, isolate the relevant door, then move to next door where controls are available, do the station procedure, close the doors then move back to the isolated door, reinstate it and the finally give the Ready to Start. You could say that it's a bit of a kerfuffle! Station stops would take forever!

I'm intrigued by the suggestion that 150s will fit but not 172s. I would have thought that it would be possible to accommodate a 172 with all passenger doors on the platform, even if it meant the cabside door at either end was off. Admittedly it would mean Drivers making a very careful approach, but I don't see why Guards can't simply operate the doors from within the saloon if the cabs are off the platform?

 

[Eagle]

I'm intrigued by the suggestion that 150s will fit but not 172s.

The offending platforms are 37 metres long; I'm not sure of the exact measurements of a 150 versus a 172 with regards to door positioning though.

 

[RPM]

The offending platforms are 37 metres long; I'm not sure of the exact measurements of a 150 versus a 172 with regards to door positioning though.

In that case the cabs are hanging over the ends already with the 150s. Much shorter than I realised. The whole line was modernised about a decade ago. What a shame they didn't tackle the short platforms then.

Any idea which stations have the 37 metre platforms?

 

[87015]

In that case the cabs are hanging over the ends already with the 150s. Much shorter than I realised. The whole line was modernised about a decade ago. What a shame they didn't tackle the short platforms then.

The modernising was exactly when the majority of these short platforms were built... Many were entirely moved and rebuilt brand new during that project.

 

[Eagle]

Any idea which stations have the 37 metre platforms?

Both at Bow Brickhill, Bedford-bound at Aspley Guise and Stewartby, Bletchley-bound at Kempston Hardwick.

 

[RPM]

The modernising was exactly when the majority of these short platforms were built... Many were entirely moved and rebuilt brand new during that project.

You couldn't make it up :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Both at Bow Brickhill, Bedford-bound at Aspley Guise and Stewartby, Bletchley-bound at Kempston Hardwick.

Thanks for that. I did suspect Bow Brickhill would be involved but didn't know about the other three.

 

[Class172]

The 150s going for repainting would explain the recent absence of a class 150 on the BHM-HFD diagram.

I wonder how similar the livery will be to the model that I made for Trainz simulator.

If I can find my picture I'll post it here.

 

[fgwrich]

As posted by SprinterMan in the XC / LM repaints thread, is this rather different looking beast.

I have to admit, that would look rather attractive down in the Largin valley, perhaps along with its exciled brothers - the 153 twins (153325/333).

 

[Lrd]

That look's good, I've always been a fan of LMs livery.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[BestWestern]

Have to say, that looks superb! The best livery currently being carried by these without a doubt. Let's hope they can find somebody to drive them!

 

[Class172]

Now that is one nice looking livery.

*searches for drool icon*

It suddenly makes a 25 year old train look much newer.

 

[GazzaB24]

170502 on 17.59 to Gt Malvern last night(24/10), I was hoping to see 109 Has this permanently gone over to 170's now or just a temporary thing whilst they are being repainted? Like the LM livery on the 150's though, shame they're not doing the insides too.