Northern 323s refurbishment and cascade

[jonesy3001]

Seen the post earlier today on the WNXX forums,
so northern are getting 17 out of the 26 323s from WMT that would leave WMT with 9 sets, i would guess, but could be completely different;
323201- 209 for WMT (9)
210-222/240-243 to northern (17)
or depending on whats had the PRM mods.

 

[td97]

@nodrogchannel has shared images on Twitter of the refurb interior;
https://twitter.com/nodrogvlogs/status/1188814310044295168

The seats now have an entirely navy seat base (previous refurbs were light blue with a navy centre)
The PIS isn't the awful scrolling LEDs (as seen on 319s) but instead an LCD panel, still TrainFX.
Seems one of the fluorescent tubes has already failed on the first image.
Overall looks adequate and clean. Who knows how long it will stay like that?

 

[Mollman]

The seats now have an entirely navy seat base (previous refurbs were light blue with a navy centre)
The PIS isn't the awful scrolling LEDs (as seen on 319s) but instead an LCD panel, still TrainFX.
Seems one of the fluorescent tubes has already failed on the first image.
Overall looks adequate and clean. Who knows how long it will stay like that?

Thanks for sharing. TBH the seats on the bottom photo look dirty already - is that why they've gone for all navy base?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is it moquette or flat cloth? I hope the former.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Is it moquette or flat cloth? I hope the former.

All refurbs from now on will have moquette. All cloth will be replaced when units are fitted with Wi-Fi and plug sockets.

 

[py_megapixel]

@nodrogchannel has shared images on Twitter of the refurb interior;

I guess those LCDs are slightly preferably to scrolling dot matrices, but honestly, if you're going to all that trouble, why just put text on them? Maybe show a nice diagram of the next few stops, or an arrow indicating which side the doors will open or something.

Presumably the nice old clunky door controls are gone in favour of the standard EAO ones. That probably also means that they will make that awful screeching noise when the doors open. Hopefully they haven't changed the motor controllers too much; I would miss the noise they make when accelerating!

I notice they've gone for a different type of PRM toilet module than the 15x and 319, but that may be a positive thing. I hear the manufacturer of the old ones went bankrupt?

 

[northernchris]

Thanks for sharing. TBH the seats on the bottom photo look dirty already - is that why they've gone for all navy base?

One of the 333s has the same navy blue base and they look really smart, even after a few months on the Airedale line!

 

[Mordac]

Seem like the same LCDs on the WMT units.

 

[323 Class]

Some of the refurbished Northern 158's have the same LCD display

 

[323 Class]

Duplicated

 

[Neptune]

Some of the refurbished Northern 158's have the same LCD display

The Porterbrook and Eversholt owned units (158752-759 & 158901-910). Angel owned units have the scrolling displays which are much better.

 

[Harvey B]

@nodrogchannel has shared images on Twitter of the refurb interior;
https://twitter.com/nodrogvlogs/status/1188814310044295168

The seats now have an entirely navy seat base (previous refurbs were light blue with a navy centre)
The PIS isn't the awful scrolling LEDs (as seen on 319s) but instead an LCD panel, still TrainFX.
Seems one of the fluorescent tubes has already failed on the first image.
Overall looks adequate and clean. Who knows how long it will stay like that?

Thanks for sharing, bear in mind that the seat covers being like that could change to the blue and navy centre. 333001 has seats in some of the carriages with the style above and I think thats the only 333 unit (that I know of anyway) with moquette that doesn't have blue at each side

 

[Harvey B]

One of the 333s has the same navy blue base and they look really smart, even after a few months on the Airedale line!

I know 333001 has them, 013 doesn't but im not sure about any of the others that have been in since

 

[Mr Fenton]

Northern is doing a South Western Railway and refurbishing their 323s with LED lighting (and LED lighting destination boards too) and new seats and a universal access toilet (to comply with 2020 accessibility regulations).

 

[Harvey B]

Northern is doing a South Western Railway and refurbishing their 323s with LED lighting (and LED lighting destination boards too) and new seats and a universal access toilet (to comply with 2020 accessibility regulations).

SWR? Are you sure you don't mean West Midlands Railway/Trains? Since WMT are the only other company to operate them.
Or are you referring to what SWR are doing with the "Plastic Pigs"

 

[387star]

Are 323s replacing the 319s now ? Or is wiki wrong. Originally they were rumoured to be leaving
Thought 319s (aside from 769 conversion examples) had been refurbished

 

[Bovverboy]

Are 323s replacing the 319s now ? Or is wiki wrong. Originally they were rumoured to be leaving
Thought 319s (aside from 769 conversion examples) had been refurbished

Almost all of Northern's 319s have indeed been refurbished, but they're still going to be displaced by 323s (and 331s, of course) over the next couple of years or so. This does represent a change of plan over the original.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are there any plans to once-again use the Class 323 units on the Styal Line, where they long plied their trade or is it now the case that the now-defunct Airport Shuttle service into the bay platforms at Manchester Piccadilly railway station will no longer ever be seen again?

 

[sd0733]

323234 is out today, it's just left Stockport 8 believe on 10:01.manchester to Crewe

 

[Greybeard33]

Are there any plans to once-again use the Class 323 units on the Styal Line, where they long plied their trade or is it now the case that the now-defunct Airport Shuttle service into the bay platforms at Manchester Piccadilly railway station will no longer ever be seen again?

323s can be seen daily on the Styal line, working some of the Crewe - Liverpool via Airport services.

Two Airport services daily, the 1716 and 1817 from Crewe, terminate in Piccadilly Platform 12 instead of continuing to Liverpool. The return workings, 1834 to Crewe and 1935 to Wilmslow, both via the Airport, start from P12.

These workings are set to continue into next year, although reportedly 331s may take over some of the diagrams.

 

[NoMorePacers]

323s can be seen daily on the Styal line, working some of the Crewe - Liverpool via Airport services.

Two Airport services daily, the 1716 and 1817 from Crewe, terminate in Piccadilly Platform 12 instead of continuing to Liverpool. The return workings, 1834 to Crewe and 1935 to Wilmslow, both via the Airport, start from P12.

These workings are set to continue into next year, although reportedly 331s may take over some of the diagrams.

I suspect 331s would take over the 319 diagrams on that route, but again, we have to wait and see.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

323s can be seen daily on the Styal line, working some of the Crewe - Liverpool via Airport services.

I only use the Styal line when travelling from the Manchester Airport station on North Transpennine TPE services, my usual line being that which goes via Poynton to Macclesfield, but I do remember the hourly Manchester Airport all-stops Styal Line shuttle into the main train shed of Manchester Piccadilly station which no longer runs being well patronised.

 

[themiller]

@nodrogchannel has shared images on Twitter of the refurb interior;
https://twitter.com/nodrogvlogs/status/1188814310044295168

The seats now have an entirely navy seat base (previous refurbs were light blue with a navy centre)
The PIS isn't the awful scrolling LEDs (as seen on 319s) but instead an LCD panel, still TrainFX.
Seems one of the fluorescent tubes has already failed on the first image.
Overall looks adequate and clean. Who knows how long it will stay like that?

Bearing in mind the announcements telling passengers to keep belongings in sight, those 2 + 3 seats aren't much of an incentive to people with suitcases to travel by train.

 

[Goldie]

Out in the wild at Liverpool Lime Street this afternoon, and looking really crisp too:

On its way to or from Warrington Bank Quay according to the destination screen at the other end. There was a freshly painted 323 at Allerton yesterday afternoon when we passed too.

 

[py_megapixel]

Out in the wild at Liverpool Lime Street this afternoon, and looking really crisp too:

On its way to or from Warrington Bank Quay according to the destination screen at the other end.

Nice, did you manage to get any interior photos?

 

[Goldie]

Nice, did you manage to get any interior photos?

One, but it was astonishingly bad (I was on my way to catch my train, which you can just see pulling into the opposite platform...) and got deleted...

 

[childwallblues]

Out in the wild at Liverpool Lime Street this afternoon, and looking really crisp too:

On its way to or from Warrington Bank Quay according to the destination screen at the other end. There was a freshly painted 323 at Allerton yesterday afternoon when we passed too.

That would have been 323234.

 

[Jamesrob637]

It's just passed me near Stockport looking very tidy!

 

[agbrs_Jack]

It's just passed me near Stockport looking very tidy!

It was on the 07:15 Congleton - Stoke this morning.
Very smart and looks great!

 

[_toommm_]

First time out on 323234 today (completely by chance) and it is a very nice refurb IMO!

The seats are the ironing board style seats original seats, but have been redone and include actual fabric as opposed to the harder style material found on the early refurbs. They do get a bit thin towards the middle of your spine, but the seat bases are perfectly comfortable.

The TrainFX screens are nice and big (much bigger than on the 158s), but it either wasn't programmed or not working today as it just showed a blank blue screen and there were no automatic announcements.

The only unfortunate thing is that the inside door open and close buttons haven't been replaced, so even though they may possibly be PRM-compliant, it does feel like a bit of an oversight as they're quite bruised and battered. Minus the slightly patchy overhead lighting, I do feel that it is a great refurb, and especially from the outside, most punters would be hard pressed as to whether it is a new train or not!