Northern Unit Refurbishments

[xotGD]

I got to sample refurbished 155345 this morning. New seats, bright interior, very nice.

Incidentally, this was the first time I've had a 155 on a Pontefract Line service - it subbed for a fagged bendy.

 

[Mathew S]

Incidentally, this was the first time I've had a 155 on a Pontefract Line service - it subbed for a fagged bendy.

Alright, I have to ask... what on earth is that slang for?

 

[Rail Blues]

Alright, I have to ask... what on earth is that slang for?

It is slang for 'i want to demonstrate how much more in the know I am by using hardcore nerd chat.'

I've tried to convince friends that having an interest in railways isn't some tragic preserve of pedants with their own daft and exclusionary argot, but it is abundantly clear I am fighting a losing battle.

Really, what is wrong with standard English so everyone can understand what you are trying to say?

 

[xotGD]

Subbed: Substituted, replaced, operated in the place of.
Fagged: Failed, broken down, not working.
Bendy: Bendy-bus, a Pacer train of classes 142/143/144.

Since 'ironing board' has now entered the mainstream, perhaps these terms will follow. It would be dreadful* if they did.

*I use this word in the railway enthusiast manner, rather than in standard English.

 

[jonesy3001]

what are the latest movements this week in refurbishment,repainting and how is 150102 coming on?

 

[MG11]

what are the latest movements this week in refurbishment,repainting and how is 150102 coming on?

Had axlebox issues so been delayed slightly.

 

[Rail Blues]

Subbed: Substituted, replaced, operated in the place of.
Fagged: Failed, broken down, not working.
Bendy: Bendy-bus, a Pacer train of classes 142/143/144.

Since 'ironing board' has now entered the mainstream, perhaps these terms will follow. It would be dreadful* if they did.

*I use this word in the railway enthusiast manner, rather than in standard English.

Ironing board hasn't entered the mainstream. Most sane people who aren't enthusiasts don't give the seat a second thought, let alone give them pet names.

Plus fagged means exhausted not broken down and bendy isn't a recognised nickname for a pacer, so you just come off as being a daft and self congratulatory.

 

[pemma]

Ironing board hasn't entered the mainstream. Most sane people who aren't enthusiasts don't give the seat a second thought, let alone give them pet names.

The Sunday Times recently said the new Thameslink trains had ironing board style seats.

 

[Flyingsprinter]

Ironing board seats are the future, they are designed for the average commuter who doesn’t have much time in the morning, so they can save time in their morning routine by ironing their clothes on the train! Revolutionary.
Irons will be available to rent from the trolley for a fee and will fit into the chager scockets!

 

[YorkshireBear]

Seeing a lot of class 319s in new Northern Livery now, got to say it really really suits them.

 

[xotGD]

Ironing board hasn't entered the mainstream. Most sane people who aren't enthusiasts don't give the seat a second thought, let alone give them pet names.

Plus fagged means exhausted not broken down and bendy isn't a recognised nickname for a pacer, so you just come off as being a daft and self congratulatory.

"Recognised nickname"?!? I didn't know there was an official list! I had the misfortune to travel on Class 143 units from the day they were first introduced in the north east, and the name bendybus / bendy was used to describe them way back then.

Describing a broken down train as "fagged" has always been common parlance in enthusiast circles.

When "The Times" and BBC refer to ironing board seats, I consider that to be fairly mainstream. I would contend that regular passengers (aka "normals" in enthusiast parlance) are more concerned about the seats than are enthusiasts, would would (mostly) be happy to sit on empty beer crates if there was some decent traction on the front of their train.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm currently sat on a refurbished 158. The existing seat backs have been repainted and the cushions re-upholstered. The impression, together with the new carpet and repainted walls is a very good one.

I hope that this is now the preferred solution for 158/6's, as opposed to replacement of seats with inferior designs.

 

[MG11]

I'm currently sat on a refurbished 158. The existing seat backs have been repainted and the cushions re-upholstered. The impression, together with the new carpet and repainted walls is a very good one.

I hope that this is now the preferred solution for 158/6's, as opposed to replacement of seats with inferior designs.

Sorry to bring you bad news but these seats are to be replaced with high backed ones. More details are available up thread.

 

[pemma]

Irons will be available to rent from the trolley for a fee and will fit into the chager scockets!

Irons can only be used when stopped at stations though.

 

[yorksrob]

Sorry to bring you bad news but these seats are to be replaced with high backed ones. More details are available up thread.

I daresay this is due to some sort of survey of the clueless public.

Why don't Northern fit out a carriage with some refurbished 158 seats alongside some of the new ones, then ask the public which ones they prefer.

They might save themselves a lot of wasted money.

 

[Mathew S]

I daresay this is due to some sort of survey of the clueless public.

Why don't Northern fit out a carriage with some refurbished 158 seats alongside some of the new ones, then ask the public which ones they prefer.

They might save themselves a lot of wasted money.

I presume it's the outcome of the consultation roadshow, where passengers were asked to try a selection of different seats and rate them. Sounds a reasonable method of testing to me.

 

[pemma]

I presume it's the outcome of the consultation roadshow, where passengers were asked to try a selection of different seats and rate them. Sounds a reasonable method of testing to me.

Either Northern ignored the outcome or the purpose was actually to find out what passengers disliked the most about the ironing board so they could offer an improved version.

 

[yorksrob]

I presume it's the outcome of the consultation roadshow, where passengers were asked to try a selection of different seats and rate them. Sounds a reasonable method of testing to me.

We weren't given the choice of the existing seats, and they didn't go with the public's favourite anyway !

 

[northernchris]

150204 is now back from refurb

 

[jonesy3001]

whats at WABTEC for refurbishment?

 

[Crossforth]

I can’t say I’ve seen it mentioned but 319363 is back in ARN colour so and has the new style seat covers. They seem a bit scratchy for my liking

 

[Goldfish62]

Ironing board hasn't entered the mainstream. Most sane people who aren't enthusiasts don't give the seat a second thought, let alone give them pet names.

Plus fagged means exhausted not broken down and bendy isn't a recognised nickname for a pacer, so you just come off as being a daft and self congratulatory.

I disagree. Using the term "ironing board seat" is becoming increasingly common among "normals" here in the SE. Even the BBC used it in their news item about the poor comfort of the 700s.

 

[Mathew S]

I disagree. Using the term "ironing board seat" is becoming increasingly common among "normals" here in the SE. Even the BBC used it in their news item about the poor comfort of the 700s.

As others have said, though, they do look remarkably like an ironing board. From a media/journalistic pov, it's as much a handy descriptive term to help people understand what you're talking about as anything else.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interestingly the term "tombstone seats" which was used for a bit to refer to the Grammer IC3000 used on GWR HSTs doesn't seem to have stuck around half as much. Possibly because those seats are not universally unpopular unlike the "ironing boards", at least the version without armrests.

 

[superalbs]

Re: the 153 sag, I caught this photo which shows the shape of a 153 really well due to lighting.

There is definitely a distinctive amount of sag. For reference, the red line is straight btw.

 

[MG11]

Re: the 153 sag, I caught this photo which shows the shape of a 153 really well due to lighting.

There is definitely a distinctive amount of sag. For reference, the red line is straight btw.

View attachment 43197

Yes, the bolts show the sag pretty well. If you looklat some of the roofs too, they sag at the same point as the body, it gives a visual effect of being melted.

 

[Rail Blues]

Interestingly the term "tombstone seats" which was used for a bit to refer to the Grammer IC3000 used on GWR HSTs doesn't seem to have stuck around half as much. Possibly because those seats are not universally unpopular unlike the "ironing boards", at least the version without armrests.

Universally unpopular?

Speak for yourself, I find them perfectly comfortable.

 

[156443]

Sunderland MP ‘disappointed’ that new trains will not run through city

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news...ew-trains-will-not-run-through-city-1-9033769

(Admins, Please move to appropriate section if this is in the wrong place)

 

[Halish Railway]

Sunderland MP ‘disappointed’ that new trains will not run through city

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news...ew-trains-will-not-run-through-city-1-9033769

(Admins, Please move to appropriate section if this is in the wrong place)

Can't believe they just found that out, anyway the article is littered with errors.

What they won't tell you is that Northern are going beyond the requirements and are installing new seats and getting rid of the Richmond seats which have plagued the Northeast.

 

[DanNCL]

Can't believe they just found that out, anyway the article is littered with errors.

What they won't tell you is that Northern are going beyond the requirements and are installing new seats and getting rid of the Richmond seats which have plagued the Northeast.

Why on earth would they want to be positive about the new seats when the new seats will be worse than the ones they are replacing? Richmond seats might not be the best seats, but they're certainly better than ironing board seats. When it comes to the North East Northern are not going beyond the requirements, they're doing the bare minimum that they can get away with without breaching their franchise agreement.

As someone that uses Northern in the North East on a regular basis I do feel that the North East is being left behind compared to other parts of the North, where 170s, 195s and 331s will soon be operating. All the North East will have are 156s and 158s.