Reading Sprinter?

[LE Greys]

Having not been down the Great Western way for a while, I was rather surprised to see a Sprinter arrive at Reading with the Basingstoke shuttle this evening. 150002, so one of the oldest units. Does this happen much?

 

[fordylad]

Every bloody day unfortunately

 

[tom1649]

Every bloody day unfortunately

Sprinters not good enough for you eh? Lucky they didn't send you some 142 Pacers then!

 

[12CSVT]

150001 and 150002 are diagrammed to work the Reading to Basingstoke shuttle Monday to Friday. Normally 165 units at weekends.

 

[LE Greys]

150001 and 150002 are diagrammed to work the Reading to Basingstoke shuttle Monday to Friday. Normally 165 units at weekends.

Seems a bit odd. I presume that's to release some extra Turbos for the Thames Valley. Where are they based?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Yep, they were cascaded down there last year to release the previously-used 165s for Thames Valley strengthening.

 

[12CSVT]

The two 150s are allocated to Reading. They use 165s at weekends to allow the 150s to have planned maintenance

 

[TGV]

Those 150s are 3 car units and the 165s are only 2 car, am I right? So the 150s do add capacity in the week? Or did/do they double up the 165s? I have never been on a sprinter/150. Google images helped out.

 

[fgwrich]

Those 150s are 3 car units and the 165s are only 2 car, am I right? So the 150s do add capacity in the week? Or did/do they double up the 165s? I have never been on a sprinter/150. Google images helped out.

Slightly more capacity. And now, whenever a 150 is not availible, we even seem to get 166s now doing the branch too! But these two 150s have been in service since February, working only Monday to Friday from morning till 9 pm.

 

[gamster46]

Every bloody day unfortunately

Once your passed out you won't have to worry about them for a while

 

[150001]

150001 and 150002 are 3 car units; virtually the same as 150/1 apart from the centre car has no cab door, the cab doors are sliding and finally the engines are slightly different. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31339850@N06/6336160711/ The front 3 cars are 001s. By the way if you don't want them at FGW where they don't seem to be happy, LM wouldn't mind them back!

 

[Pen Mill]

On 1st August , a Wednesday, the 2 sets in use were 150001 and 165137 (2 car).I'm presuming that 150002 was in for maintenance ?

 

[swt_passenger]

On 1st August , a Wednesday, the 2 sets in use were 150001 and 165137 (2 car).I'm presuming that 150002 was in for maintenance ?

Planned maintenence, corrective maintenance, or just out of service. All are possible.

It was only ever a reasonable assumption that they would have to get used all day every day on SX services. They might not need to use both all day for various reasons, it does seem pretty random at times, with them changing over during the day...

 

[Nym]

Only in NSE would they moan about having additional capacity that in the GM Commuter belt is one of the better quality rolling stock we have...

 

[tom1649]

It seems odd that 150001 and 150002 are apparently so unreliable now they're with FGW. I was under the impression that 150s were pretty dependable units on the whole.

Perhaps they feel unloved by both the TOC and the commuters! Any train with proper sliding doors, bogies and heating is welcome up here in Northern land.

 

[DarloRich]

Every bloody day unfortunately

diddums - did the nasty FGW man not send you a nice new train to increase the service on your line? awwwwwwww.

Take a journey with me to the dark north, where my fellow citizens would snap your left arm off for a 150. Tell you what. Why dont i arrange a swap. 3x142 for your 3x150. Lets see you moan then. Dont know they are born..............

 

[YorkshireBear]

It seems odd that 150001 and 150002 are apparently so unreliable now they're with FGW. I was under the impression that 150s were pretty dependable units on the whole.

Perhaps they feel unloved by both the TOC and the commuters! Any train with proper sliding doors, bogies and heating is welcome up here in Northern land.

They are slightly different to the standard 150 fleet and haev always been the most unreliable of 150s. So it doesn't come as a shock as reading.

And DarloRich Exactly, i am actually happy in a morning when i get a 150 rather than the usual 144.
I dont mind pacers (well i like the old ATN 142s.. ) buts its always nice when a 150 shows up for my commute just a nicer train.
Dont know there born.

 

[150001]

The 150/0 didn't seem to have many issues whilst at Tyseley. Tyseley knew the units inside out and cared for them very well but Reading just doesn't know the tricks perhaps to keep them in good shape. I know I read somewhere they were meant to go to Bristol at the weekends for a check but apparently they've not been over as of yet... The 150s are much better than the 142s, the only thing with a 150 is that I'd gut out the old interiors and fit a SWT 455 styled one.

 

[louis97]

Both units don't operate all day in the week.

The xx39 from Reading is a 165 between 1039 and 1339 (inc.) Same for the return working of that xx07 from Basingstoke booked 165 between 1107 and 1407.

 

[swt_passenger]

Both units don't operate all day in the week.

The xx39 from Reading is a 165 between 1039 and 1339 (inc.) Same for the return working of that xx07 from Basingstoke booked 165 between 1107 and 1407.

Thanks for confirming that that is the normal situation.

It's what I was trying to get across in my earlier post above. It seems to me that people are incorrectly assuming problems with reliability just because they don't see them both out together all day.

Others have presumed (in earlier threads as well) that they'd be maintained at the weekend, and therefore concluded they'd work all day SX, but there is no evidence for that ever being required, as the originally declared purpose was to allow mainline Turbo services to be strengthened in the peaks only.

 

[monty9120]

i have had many a dark dingy winters day in a 150. if you dont like them send them back im sure we can use them

to be honest 001 has had a hard life being the prototype. imagine when it was new pushing them to the limits in testing

 

[TEW]

Thanks for confirming that that is the normal situation.

It's what I was trying to get across in my earlier post above. It seems to me that people are incorrectly assuming problems with reliability just because they don't see them both out together all day.

Others have presumed (in earlier threads as well) that they'd be maintained at the weekend, and therefore concluded they'd work all day SX, but there is no evidence for that ever being required, as the originally declared purpose was to allow mainline Turbo services to be strengthened in the peaks only.

They were diagrammed to be out all day for a while. It was only in May that one unit started going back to the depot for the middle of the day. Both 150s stop running about 2100 as well.

 

[RobShipway]

I thought that the 150/0's do some services at weekends in the Bristol area or has that now stopped?

 

[TEW]

Never started, although it was originally rumoured when they first moved to Reading.

 

[swt_passenger]

Never started, although it was originally rumoured when they first moved to Reading.

That would be 'rumoured' as in 'unfounded speculation by armchair fleet planners' on RailUK forums?

Just like the rumour that they couldn't possibly be maintained at Reading, and they'd run west every weekend for maintenance?