• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Northern Unit Refurbishments

Killingworth

Killingworth

Established Member
Joined
30 May 2018
Messages
4,882
Location
Sheffield
AMD said:
Oh dear, this refurb the 153 idea has raised it's head again. It's not happening.
As it stands the 155s have been refurbished as despite the issues found it was still cheaper than buying 7 more class 195 units. That was a 'standard' refurb however, any ideas of dealing with the 153s are either impractical (keeping as single unit) or horribly expensive (converting back to 155s).
So unless someone stumps up a lot of money they only have a future as an experimental base (eg Scotrail bike units) or the scrapyard.
Click to expand...

We could use a 153 bike, luggage, backpack carrier as an addition to weekend Hope Valley stopping services. Thanks to Northern's price cutting on Sheffield-Manchester they currently undercut the already rammed full TPE services by a big margin. Local users are being squeezed out by those end to end users and the West Highland solution seems apposite here. Certainly helpful until 4 car trains can be run when Network Rail complete their platform lengthening - due by end of November.

Back in the 1950's I recall single car old Tyneside electric stock being used as pram coaches on busy weekends and bank holidays. Of course in those day every pram and bike would have had to have a ticket. There were porters, guards vans and luggage in advance. It seems extravagant to scrap 153s when we're short of units of any sort at present, sufficiently short that passenger can't get aboard some trains..
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

H

Harvey B

Member
Joined
11 Mar 2019
Messages
999
AMD said:
Oh dear, this refurb the 153 idea has raised it's head again. It's not happening.
As it stands the 155s have been refurbished as despite the issues found it was still cheaper than buying 7 more class 195 units. That was a 'standard' refurb however, any ideas of dealing with the 153s are either impractical (keeping as single unit) or horribly expensive (converting back to 155s).
So unless someone stumps up a lot of money they only have a future as an experimental base (eg Scotrail bike units) or the scrapyard.
Click to expand...
At least someone knows the rumour about the 153s is false and thats the confirmation i've needed
 
P

Paul_10

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2011
Messages
743
simon7929 said:
Just seen 156451 at Stockton. Got new seat covers from what I could see from the outside. Just back from an internal refresh.
Click to expand...

How come it was out of service for so long? Im guessing the carpet was also ripped out and a lino flooring was added like the rest of the 156s?

Although i never travelled on a former LM 150, the photos shows too me that the interior looks just as drab as Northerns pre refurbished 150s with just the green seat covering adding a bit of colour?
 
simon7929

simon7929

Member
Joined
27 Sep 2011
Messages
692
Location
Stockton South
I only saw it from the outside unfortunately. It definitely had the new Light Blue seat covers and a forward facing camera in the front cab. That's all I could see.
 
B

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,829
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
Paul_10 said:
Although i never travelled on a former LM 150, the photos shows too me that the interior looks just as drab as Northerns pre refurbished 150s with just the green seat covering adding a bit of colour?
Click to expand...

One man's drab is another man's subdued and welcoming. The Northern colour scheme is brash and unpleasant and the cheapo LED tubes harsh on the eyes, particularly the one that shines in your face from the bog end on a 153/155.

They were fully repainted inside, though (e.g. they had grey doors and not the original dark red) - just the colour scheme used was quite reserved.
 
jonesy3001

jonesy3001

Established Member
Joined
13 Jul 2009
Messages
3,258
Location
Otley, West Yorkshire
superkev said:
Thanks. Do Doncaster just do the PRM or plus repaint, or the full monty.
K
Click to expand...
PRM work and the undercoat, some of the former WMT 150s (103/5/7/9-19/32) are only having the toilet and PIS screens fitted as well as LED blinds as they got done when they was 3 cars.
They go to crewe for the refurb, depending on the ROSCO.
 
jonesy3001

jonesy3001

Established Member
Joined
13 Jul 2009
Messages
3,258
Location
Otley, West Yorkshire
Also 510P 0829 Loughborough Brush to Neville Hill T&R.S.M.D this morning followed by 5B99 1251 Neville Hill T&R.S.M.D to Loughborough Brush later today.
 
L

Llama

Established Member
Joined
29 Apr 2014
Messages
1,955
simon7929 said:
I only saw it from the outside unfortunately. It definitely had the new Light Blue seat covers and a forward facing camera in the front cab. That's all I could see.
Click to expand...
Northern refurbs aren't adding forward facing cameras to any units. What you think is FFCCTV will be the external indicator for safety system isolation (AWS/TPWS/TIS).
 
B

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,829
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
Went on one of the Northern Connect-ised 158s today.

First of all the good bit - the "ironing board" seats with contoured bases were comfortable enough, and due to being much thinner than the original seats had tons of legroom despite basically being in the original layout.

Now onto the rest of it...the quality of the job is shockingly bad. Lots of overspray, paint already worn/stained, fabric seats stained and worn, the new electronic reservation conduit is a cheap bit of bent metal with some paint badly slapped on it and an already yellowing seal around the edges.

Cheap rubbish. Very poor. They'd have done better keeping the old seats (as GWR did) and spending the money on a proper job of the rest (as GWR did).
 
simon7929

simon7929

Member
Joined
27 Sep 2011
Messages
692
Location
Stockton South
Llama said:
Northern refurbs aren't adding forward facing cameras to any units. What you think is FFCCTV will be the external indicator for safety system isolation (AWS/TPWS/TIS).
Click to expand...



Looked too big for that. But when I get it at some point I'll be able to confirm. Like I say it was raining and visibility was poor.
 
L

Llama

Established Member
Joined
29 Apr 2014
Messages
1,955
The ex-FGW 150s (/1s at least) have an empty square housing in the secondmans side window, the FFCCTV (and internal saloon) cameras were gone as soon as the FGW units arrived. The housing for it was left in situ though.
 
E

Erimus

New Member
Joined
22 Jun 2019
Messages
1
Does anyone know if the Thornaby to Carlisle service via Newcastle is now using the new refurbished 158’s or are the pacers STILL being used?
I’m asking because I’m travelling to Carlisle from Thornaby on Sunday July 21st and May alter my plans if the pacer is still on this route, thanks in advance everyone
 
jonesy3001

jonesy3001

Established Member
Joined
13 Jul 2009
Messages
3,258
Location
Otley, West Yorkshire
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top