Odd formations

[CarrotPie]

Does anybody know of any unusual formations of trains (mixed classes or just odd mismatches) caused by accident damage or exams that give the resulting unit a temporary number, e.g. 377165 or 153399? Pictures, numbers and links all welcome.

 

[D6975]

The 2 spare 150 cars that GWR used to have had their own maintenance regimes, so were regularly switched between units as a middle car. The units temporarily changed their 4th digit to a 9 whilst in 3 car formation.

 

[Bonemaster]

In the early 1992, then new class 158s were in the leaf fall season failing to operate track circuits. Neville Hills solution for Transpennine workings was to misform six sets into hybrids with one class 158 vehicle and one class 156 vehicle. These were numbered 158601-603 & 158651-653 and lasted for about three months before being reformed back to the original formations.

Another odd misform was around the same time Network South East reformed around half a dozen class 302s by removing the motor vehicle and replacing it was a class 305 motor vehicle. Making a class 305 EMU that looked at both ends like it was a 302 as it had class 302 driving and trailer vehicles. From memory these were numbered 305594 - 305599 from memory.

 

[PHILIPE]

On a couple of occasions FGW/GWR have had 150/2 vehicles out of traffic for an extended period due to collision damage and have replaced them by a 153 and numbered the hybrid unit 153399 for identity purposes to prevent the 153 from being sent to Portsmouth in error, a route they were not cleared to travel over.

 

[CarrotPie]

On a couple of occasions FGW/GWR have had 150/2 vehicles out of traffic for an extended period due to collision damage and have replaced them by a 153 and numbered the hybrid unit 153399 for identity purposes to prevent the 153 from being sent to Portsmouth in error, a route they were not cleared to travel over.

I mentioned that at the start of the thread

The 2 spare 150 cars that GWR used to have had their own maintenance regimes, so were regularly switched between units as a middle car. The units temporarily changed their 4th digit to a 9 whilst in 3 car formation.

In the early 1992, then new class 158s were in the leaf fall season failing to operate track circuits. Neville Hills solution for Transpennine workings was to misform six sets into hybrids with one class 158 vehicle and one class 156 vehicle. These were numbered 158601-603 & 158651-653 and lasted for about three months before being reformed back to the original formations.

Another odd misform was around the same time Network South East reformed around half a dozen class 302s by removing the motor vehicle and replacing it was a class 305 motor vehicle. Making a class 305 EMU that looked at both ends like it was a 302 as it had class 302 driving and trailer vehicles. From memory these were numbered 305594 - 305599 from memory.

Thanks for those!

 

[PHILIPE]

I mentioned that at the start of the thread




Thanks for those!

How did I miss that

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Back in the 1980s, the old "Southern" were very good at mix 'n matching vehicles and units.

For example, there was a "7700" 4 Vep and a "5800" Class 455 whilst accident damaged vehicles were undergoing repair.

During the EPB facelifting program in the 1980s, pairs of 2 SAP motor coaches were reformed with 4 SUB trailers to form "new" 4 EPB units which were given new unit numbers

There was a "7300" which from memory, was a prototype "facelifted" 4 CIG along with a "7299" before renumbering in the "17xx" series

 

[Speed43125]

In the early 156 days, Scotrail would routinely create 3 car 156s which facilitated easier portion working when combined in six car trains on the WHL

 

[D6130]

In the early 156 days, Scotrail would routinely create 3 car 156s which facilitated easier portion working when combined in six car trains on the WHL

Regional Railways North East did the same for the Settle-Carlisle line in 1989-90 until enough units became available to run four car formations.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A few years back, Serco/Abellio Northern formed a temporary 3-car 150 after one of their 150/2s suffered a derailment near Harrogate which left one of the vehicles needing repairs. I don't think they bothered renumbering it though.

(*at least I think it was a derailment, though I'm now doubting myself. It could have been a level crossing incident, maybe even something else entirely).

 

[Ashley Hill]

The 2 spare 150 cars that GWR used to have had their own maintenance regimes, so were regularly switched between units as a middle car. The units temporarily changed their 4th digit to a 9 whilst in 3 car formation.

57212 was paired almost exclusively with 150121 as 150921,whilst 57209 generally ran with 150127 as 150927.
The two 57 cars did venture out by themselves at least once.

 

[JonathanH]

Most of the GWR 3-car turbo fleet (ie 165101-165114/116/117, 166201-166221) have operated as 2-car units at some point in their history and indeed units have been formed up of cars from mixed units. Also, sometimes a 2-car 165 unit has gained a centre car for a short time. They always get reformed back to the planned formation.

 

[D6130]

57212 was paired almost exclusively with 150121 as 150921,whilst 57209 generally ran with 150127 as 150927.
The two 57 cars did venture out by themselves at least once. View attachment 92778

Tell me about it! I once ended-up on them late one night returning home from meeting some friends in a pub in Manchester, only to find that there was no toilet on the train. I somehow managed to hold it together for the 39 minute all-stations journey, after which the bushes outside Hebden Bridge station were comprehensively irrigated!

 

[norbitonflyer]

The Southern Region were the masters of reforming - but usually used the number of one of the donor units. 2HAL 2700 and 2EPB 5800 were created from an existing motor coach (4 SUB and 4EPB respectively) and new driving trailers. A hybrid 2HAL/2BIL existed for a while - numbered and classified as a HAL - presumably because it had the 2HAL's (non-toilet) power car and thus only one toilet. (Unofficially known as a 2HIL)

 

[adc82140]

Wasn't there a hybrid 156/158 at one point?

 

[Smitham]

377442 became 377342 after a fire at Eastbourne.

 

[CarrotPie]

377442 became 377342 after a fire at Eastbourne.

Yes, I've heard about that. But the damaged vehicle just got removed and sent away; carriages weren't mixed between sets.

 

[Western 52]

In the last days of first generation DMUs there were many mixed class sets. Canton had a 3 car where all the vehicles were brake vans. I put a picture of it in another thread but can't find it now! Didn't Newton Heath have a class 100/105 set?

 

[D365]

Wasn't there a hybrid 156/158 at one point?

Yep, see below:

In the early 1992, then new class 158s were in the leaf fall season failing to operate track circuits. Neville Hills solution for Transpennine workings was to misform six sets into hybrids with one class 158 vehicle and one class 156 vehicle. These were numbered 158601-603 & 158651-653 and lasted for about three months before being reformed back to the original formations.

Another odd misform was around the same time Network South East reformed around half a dozen class 302s by removing the motor vehicle and replacing it was a class 305 motor vehicle. Making a class 305 EMU that looked at both ends like it was a 302 as it had class 302 driving and trailer vehicles. From memory these were numbered 305594 - 305599 from memory.

377442 became 377342 after a fire at Eastbourne.

A three car Class 377 isn't odd, nor is removing an intermediate carriage from a four car EMU particularly odd.

 

[CarrotPie]

Just found a photo of 377165:

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

to prevent the 153 from being sent to Portsmouth in error, a route they were not cleared to travel over.

Why were 153s not cleared to Portsmouth? When these units were delivered from Leyland as 2 car 155s Portsmouth was a key destination

 

[PHILIPE]

Why were 153s not cleared to Portsmouth? When these units were delivered from Leland as 2 car 155s Portsmouth was a key destination

When the 153s were formed from 155s an extra cab had to be added and the steps of the additional or small cab were foul of certain structures

 

[TB]

There have been occasions where FGW paired a 150 car with a 153 and Northern Spirit had a 156 car working with a 153 at one point.

EDIT: Some 156 misformations illustrated here: http://members.madasafish.com/~dysgraphyk/156/class156_misformed.htm )

 

[306024]

London, Tilbury and Southend unit 302 244 was unusual as one end had a straight front and the other a sloping front. The sloped front driving trailer was in fact coach 77164 from a class 504 Manchester - Bury unit, the result of the LTS unit sustaining collision damage.

 

[D1537]

In the last days of first generation DMUs there were many mixed class sets. Canton had a 3 car where all the vehicles were brake vans. I put a picture of it in another thread but can't find it now! Didn't Newton Heath have a class 100/105 set?

53355 and 53812. The set was a regular on the Stalybridge-Stockport shuttle, and I travelled on it many times.

Class 100 DMU at Manchester Victoria

The history of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs / railcars) in Britain.

www.railcar.co.uk

 

[317666]

I seem to remember that for a time in summer 2010, one coach of 156419 (NXEA livery) was paired with a coach from either 156412 or 418 (CT livery).

 

[D6130]

I seem to remember that sometime in the early-mid 'nineties one car from 156 498 (NL) was running with one car from 156 402 (NC) as a result of 498 colliding with a an RES class 47 at Leeds West Junction and 402 being involved in a level crossing incident somewhere in East Anglia. The temporary hybrid unit was working on NL diagrams, including the Settle-Carlisle line - on which I drove it on at least one occasion. The car from 402 was branded "Sprinter" and that from 498 "Super Sprinter".

 

[47444]

In the last days of first generation DMUs there were many mixed class sets. Canton had a 3 car where all the vehicles were brake vans. I put a picture of it in another thread but can't find it now! Didn't Newton Heath have a class 100/105 set?

Mixed formations of first gen DMUs were very common throughout most of their existence.

 

[Roger B]

Yep, see below:

A three car Class 377 isn't odd, nor is removing an intermediate carriage from a four car EMU particularly odd.

There was a rumour last year that 377442 had gained an additional carriage - although I seem to recall it was sighted as a three-car shortly afterwards. Does anyone know whether it's intended to keep 377442 permanently as a 3-car or if it's hoped to restore it to 4-car at some point -and where would the 4th car come from?

 

[43096]

There was a rumour last year that 377442 had gained an additional carriage - although I seem to recall it was sighted as a three-car shortly afterwards. Does anyone know whether it's intended to keep 377442 permanently as a 3-car or if it's hoped to restore it to 4-car at some point -and where would the 4th car come from?

4th car is under repair/rebuild isn’t it?