Northern Unit Refurbishments

[Fisherman80]

If they dont then that is really poor. New buses have them and in my part of the world so do the refurbished buses.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Only the new ones - direct quote from their twitter.

 

[507021]

But the rest of the fleet dont have them?

No, not yet.

 

[Fisherman80]

Wouldn't it make sense fitting USB ports during refurbishment?

 

[jan5468]

Not sure if it has been mentioned before guys but are any of the refurbished Northern fleet fitted with USB ports?

158845certainly does have USB sockets

 

[Fisherman80]

Thanks for that Jan. It may seem a trivial thing but they all should have them in my opinion.
When I use the X6 bus between Bradford and Leeds a good third of the passengers are using the USB ports on the Streetdecks that operate that route.
It just got me thinking as I regularly use the 333s and by what I can make out on the video of refurbished set it seems not to have them.

 

[superkev]

Blackpool buses removed there USB sockets due to vandalism. Care is needed as to where they are located.
K

 

[Skiptonjohn]

I believe that at least one class 333 is presently running as a 3 car unit. Does anybody know which unit(s) is/are involved? Originally the 333's were delivered to WY Metro as 3 car units until the SY transport paid for the fourth carriages.

 

[Bantamzen]

I believe that at least one class 333 is presently running as a 3 car unit. Does anybody know which unit(s) is/are involved? Originally the 333's were delivered to WY Metro as 3 car units until the SY transport paid for the fourth carriages.

I can't say I've seen any 333s running around as 3 cars ever since the 4th cars were added? What makes you believe this?

 

[Skiptonjohn]

The pantograph on a four car formation is in the middle of the train. The train I saw had the pantograph next to one of the driving cars and the train was shorter that usual.

 

[Bantamzen]

The pantograph on a four car formation is in the middle of the train. The train I saw had the pantograph next to one of the driving cars and the train was shorter that usual.

When was it in service? I've been on pretty much all but the two refurbished 333s in the last few weeks so if one is short formed it must have happened very recently.

 

[Tractor37]

We don't have any 333's running around as 3 cars, they're all running around as 4 car sets.

 

[Skiptonjohn]

It was yesterday I thought I saw the 3 car 333 between Keighley and Skipton. Mind you i was driving on the Aire Valley road and it was a brief sideways glance:
--------------±----------------------------------------------------±----------
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX Normal 4 car formation XXXX-XXXX-XXXX What I thought I saw

 

[jonesy3001]

another one for refurbishment?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K91617/2019/02/28/advanced

 

[Stevoj3026]

another one for refurbishment?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K91617/2019/02/28/advanced

It's 153305 going for conversion to be a bike van I believe

 

[xotGD]

Personally, I've never had an issue with the seats on the 333s.

I am currently on a 321 on an Airedale turn and the seats are much more comfortable.

Mind, I am in the middle of a 3 so still not ideal.

 

[anamyd]

There was a refurbished 150 at Dewsbury earlier that smelled like it had an issue with the tank (or the outlet for said tank). Was fine inside, I rode in the toilet car from Batley to Dewsbury... but stepping off at DEW it absolutely reeked to high heaven. At first I thought it was just Dewsbury, but the smell went once the service headed off to Wigan.

sounds smelly

 

[aiden_g1]

Not sure if it has been mentioned before guys but are any of the refurbished Northern fleet fitted with USB ports?

Refurbished 158's should have them. I was led to believe that only those trains planned to run on "longer distance" and be part of the "Northern Connect" services will have USB charging points installed.

 

[Mathew S]

Refurbished 158's should have them. I was led to believe that only those trains planned to run on "longer distance" and be part of the "Northern Connect" services will have USB charging points installed.

Yes, this is also what I have heard; the Connect standard trains will have USB sockets, but not the others. So that means 331s, 195s, and 158s only.

 

[Liverpool 507]

150220 is undergoing digital mods at the minute

 

[AMD]

I can't remember the unit number but 1x 150/1 has gone digital with USB ports.

 

[CJ]

Noticed that 150133 has been PRM'd and has the new Northern livery applied to it, but is missing the Northern logo and vinyl decoratives (seats look to be the same Northern purple colour too).

 

[Liverpool 507]

Noticed that 150133 has been PRM'd and has the new Northern livery applied to it, but is missing the Northern logo and vinyl decoratives (seats look to be the same Northern purple colour too).

It will be sent to Arriva TrainCare Crewe in due course for an interior refurbishment and logos applied.

 

[jonesy3001]

A class 170 has gone to neville hill refurbed (5q17) from crewe, 150103 is also on it's way back to newton heath (592P) refurbed and still in old northern colours a 150/1 is on it's way back to newton heath from doncaster (591P)

 

[sd0733]

170477 is on its way back certainly in new livery presumably refurbished.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K97580/2019/03/02/advanced

 

[mikemcniven]

170477 has indeed returned to Neville Hill today from Crewe C.S. I got it at Cheadle Hulme

Northern 170477 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

 

[Killingworth]

Remembering all the hype when Arriva were taking over the franchise, with much blowing of trumpets about new rolling stock and all retained trans being indistinguishable from new, performance hasn't been great.

The trouble with refurbishment seems to be that much of the stock is being refurbished piecemeal while effectively still in use, so parts have been done and others not. Is it complete or isn't it? Can you tell from inside or out? Like painting the house's outside window frames first then a new bathroom next month, rewiring 3 months later, decorate internally, new sets of furniture to follow - then we fix the central heating boiler - all while living in the house. Ah, forgot the wi-fi!

In the rail context, 3 years in we aren't getting the impression we were led to expect of all new trains - or looking like new. I know, it was an unrealistic expectation, but by not completing ALL the work on each unit before putting it back into service we aren't getting that feel of new trains, and services - promised for later this year, latest 2020.

I kept a pdf copy of a presentation given by Alex Hynes, with an additional Powerpoint to back it up. Brave talk and he delivered it powerfully. I'd like to have linked them here but don't think it's possible. Maybe by the end of 2020 that vision will look like it's almost been delivered.

 

[Mathew S]

Remembering all the hype when Arriva were taking over the franchise, with much blowing of trumpets about new rolling stock and all retained trans being indistinguishable from new, performance hasn't been great.

The trouble with refurbishment seems to be that much of the stock is being refurbished piecemeal while effectively still in use, so parts have been done and others not. Is it complete or isn't it? Can you tell from inside or out? Like painting the house's outside window frames first then a new bathroom next month, rewiring 3 months later, decorate internally, new sets of furniture to follow - then we fix the central heating boiler - all while living in the house. Ah, forgot the wi-fi!

In the rail context, 3 years in we aren't getting the impression we were led to expect of all new trains - or looking like new. I know, it was an unrealistic expectation, but by not completing ALL the work on each unit before putting it back into service we aren't getting that feel of new trains, and services - promised for later this year, latest 2020.

I kept a pdf copy of a presentation given by Alex Hynes, with an additional Powerpoint to back it up. Brave talk and he delivered it powerfully. I'd like to have linked them here but don't think it's possible. Maybe by the end of 2020 that vision will look like it's almost been delivered.

In fairness to Northern/Arriva, the one actually completed unit that's been around (a 158 with all the digital bits, displays, seats, sockets, etc.) is certainly "as new". I've only been on it once but I was genuinely massively impressed with the job that had been done on it. As long as everything gets to that standard eventually, personally, I'll be happy.

 

[Killingworth]

In fairness to Northern/Arriva, the one actually completed unit that's been around (a 158 with all the digital bits, displays, seats, sockets, etc.) is certainly "as new". I've only been on it once but I was genuinely massively impressed with the job that had been done on it. As long as everything gets to that standard eventually, personally, I'll be happy.

Yes, that's great, but one after 3 years, with many units running round in varying stages of the work being done (or not done at all) isn't creating the impression sold 3 years ago. Never mind, getting us all aboard and trying to provide us all a seat is possibly a higher priority at present.

 

[Mathew S]

Yes, that's great, but one after 3 years, with many units running round in varying stages of the work being done (or not done at all) isn't creating the impression sold 3 years ago. Never mind, getting us all aboard and trying to provide us all a seat is possibly a higher priority at present.

I think most people would understand that, as you've said, keeping the service going is the priority. Whilst I'm sure it would have been much easier to just take trains out and do full refurbs all in one go, there's good reasons for not doing that. Not least that PRM mods, for example, need completing asap; WiFi, new seats, digital displays, etc. can wait longer.
I'd also point out two other things: it's not 2020 yet, so they're not actually late and; once new trains start entering service it should speed up the refurbs of everything else.