Long Distance Single Class 153 Working

[andy1571]

I had the misfortune to sample a rather cosy one working a Cardiff - Nottingham service in Central Trains days; I suspect because something it had been paired up with failed.

 

[Sprinter107]

While it wasnt an everyday occurance, they did turn up on Nottingham to Cardiff services every so often. I had a few across the years. The worse train to get a 153 on was the 1400 ex New Street, which made the 1705 ex Cardiff. This was the only train to stop at Caldicot, Chepstow and Lydney for a while, so would have to ask Newport and Severn Tunnel Junction passengers to board a following train, which if i remember correctly was a Westbury train which also called at Newport and Severn Tunnel Junction about 10 minutes later, just so we could get passengers for Caldicot etc on board.

 

[liamf656]

Northern would every so often run a single skateboard on the Leeds-Notts and the Sheff-Scarb services in place of other failed units, however I only remember this happening a handful of times.

I remember one day a few years ago East Midlands Trains sent a single 153 from Notts to Liverpool and back vice a failed 158, I think back in Notts it was swapped again by a more suitable unit, but I remember that might have been quite cosy!!

 

[D6130]

Northern would every so often run a single skateboard on the Leeds-Notts and the Sheff-Scarb services in place of other failed units, however I only remember this happening a handful of times.

I remember one day a few years ago East Midlands Trains sent a single 153 from Notts to Liverpool and back vice a failed 158, I think back in Notts it was swapped again by a more suitable unit, but I remember that might have been quite cosy!!

'Skateboard'....that's a good name for a 153! Another one that I've heard from time to time is 'Runaway carriage'.

 

[SteveyBee131]

'Skateboard'....that's a good name for a 153! Another one that I've heard from time to time is 'Runaway carriage'.

Another I've heard occasionally is 'Sardine Tin'. Quite fitting when one turned up on it's own at peak time standing in for 2+ carriages!

Or regularly as some tales up thread suggest!

 

[Bletchleyite]

'Skateboard'....that's a good name for a 153! Another one that I've heard from time to time is 'Runaway carriage'.

"Doodlebug" (you're OK until the single engine stops) or "Dogbox" (not quite sure why) are the ones I've heard.

 

[Iskra]

I’m sorry, Leeds to where!? How often did that actually manage to run the full route?

To be honest, I'm not sure that's true. I never once saw a 153 attached to the striking liveried WYPTE 158's that normally ran that service and back then the core Carlisle DMU's were 156's in Northern Spirit livery. I can't find any evidence of a 153 at Glasgow Central, but I have previously seen a photo of a Northern 156 at Glasgow Central on that service. I'm not sure a single 153 would be a good idea North of Carlisle on the WCML due to the 75mph max speed and risk of failure blocking the line- a 156 could at least slowly move out of the way. Plus you'd think an ATN class 153 at Glasgow Central would have raised enough eyebrows for someone to photograph it...

 

[43055]

"Doodlebug" (you're OK until the single engine stops) or "Dogbox" (not quite sure why) are the ones I've heard.

Never heard of the "Doodlebug" name for the 153's. The PRM compliant TfW ones could be called "Bogbox"

Done the full joint line from Peterborough to Doncaster via Lincoln a few years ago.

 

[43066]

"Doodlebug" (you're OK until the single engine stops) or "Dogbox" (not quite sure why) are the ones I've heard.

Doodlebug was one I heard in relation to 700s during their (unreliable) introduction: “made in Germany, stops working in London” .