Hopefully just a premature birth. And let’s not forget it’s wonderfully easy to have 20/20 hindsight.So the lengthening work is looking like a bit of a white elephant?
A ScotRail style Bike / Surfboard unit would be perfect for some of the branches (think St Ives / Newquay / Okehampton). But given the reaction to similar comment posted elsewhere by GW Drivers, good luck with that.Would it be feasible to acquire an off-lease 153 and couple it between the two 150s? I'm presuming that normally the same pair of 150s stay on the branch all day rather than interworking with other services.
That was why I'd suggested coupling a 153 between the 150s to allow 5 cars to St Ives, so that the set is always driven from a 150 cab. I know that the 153 cabs can be unpopular with drivers (especially tall ones AIUI).A ScotRail style Bike / Surfboard unit would be perfect for some of the branches (think St Ives / Newquay / Okehampton). But given the reaction to similar comment posted elsewhere by GW Drivers, good luck with that.
I don’t even think you’d need to complicate it as much as that to be honest, surely leaving it at one end (big cab outwards) would be enough?That was why I'd suggested coupling a 153 between the 150s to allow 5 cars to St Ives, so that the set is always driven from a 150 cab. I know that the 153 cabs can be unpopular with drivers (especially tall ones AIUI).
I think even the originally-outer cabs are unpopular with some drivers. Plus they'd presumably need traction training unless drivers down there still sign 153s? I've no idea how recently 153s have been used in Cornwall.I don’t even think you’d need to complicate it as much as that to be honest, surely leaving it at one end (big cab outwards) would be enough?
It's not there aren't enough 16xWhen the 150s in Devon and Cornwall are replaced by 16x, perhaps, which doesn’t seem imminent?
They'd still need training on them again- if it's in the formation crews have to be passed out on things like fire extinguishers, fault-finding, etc. Sandwiching a 153 in the middle is all well and good until something goes on one of the outer 150 cabs- a damaged windscreen for example.I think even the originally-outer cabs are unpopular with some drivers. Plus they'd presumably need traction training unless drivers down there still sign 153s? I've no idea how recently 153s have been used in Cornwall.
Switching a damaged cab to the inside needs a shunt with or without the 153, though admittedly the latter makes it a bit more awkward.They'd still need training on them again- if it's in the formation crews have to be passed out on things like fire extinguishers, fault-finding, etc. Sandwiching a 153 in the middle is all well and good until something goes on one of the outer 150 cabs- a damaged windscreen for example.
There's no intention now of replacing all the 150s in Devon and Cornwall with 16xs. There are lines that the turbos can't use such as Gunnislake, plus availability of the units is not the best (nor frankly of a lot of GWR's fleet) and will only get worse with time.When the 150s in Devon and Cornwall are replaced by 16x, perhaps, which doesn’t seem imminent?
I wish they could hire a Heritage DMU or two, for instance from the West Somerset Railway, run it to Looe or St Ives, advertise it as a tourist attraction/observation car and release some 150s for other lines.
I think the only pres 1st Gen DMUs to now have that are the Swanage DMU Fleet and LSL's 121034. The former Cardiff Bay Bubble appears to have had its equipment removed, I'm not sure of the status of the Chiltern blue one at Bodmin though.Would need central door locking as well as full TPWS. Also can you just imagine the cost of staff training/crew familiarisation and that’s without maintainence requirements? Sadly it’s pretty much impossible nowadays.
Can you imagine some of the staff learning vacuum brakes?Would need central door locking as well as full TPWS. Also can you just imagine the cost of staff training/crew familiarisation and that’s without maintainence requirements? Sadly it’s pretty much impossible nowadays.
Can you imagine some of the staff learning vacuum brakes?
I think the only pres 1st Gen DMUs to now have that are the Swanage DMU Fleet and LSL's 121034. The former Cardiff Bay Bubble appears to have had its equipment removed, I'm not sure of the status of the Chiltern blue one at Bodmin though.
A 3 car class 158 & 2 car 150 has been considered but crew knowledge and turn round times at each end preclude this. Some west / HSS train crews don’t sign 158’s. With more entry / exit doors on the 150’s compared to a 158 it’s likely to remain as 2x 150 for the foreseeable future.
Class 165/166 not route cleared west of Plymouth and no plans to do so, I doubt there are enough 150’s to make up a 6 car formation for the St Ives branch.
As a passenger who is used to the St Ives Bay Line being completely full and standing in summer, any additional capacity by way of an extra carriage going to bikes would infuriate me. Just personally.A ScotRail style Bike / Surfboard unit would be perfect for some of the branches (think St Ives / Newquay / Okehampton). But given the reaction to similar comment posted elsewhere by GW Drivers, good luck with that.
Reckon Truro - Falmouth could do with those as well at times. Unfortunately I don’t think any are due to be available soon.I suppose a handful of hybrid 3 car 150s could be formed to allow for 5 car formations?
Reckon Truro - Falmouth could do with those as well at times. Unfortunately I don’t think any are due to be available soon.
"Full and standing" is better than full and standing amongst bikes!As a passenger who is used to the St Ives Bay Line being completely full and standing in summer, any additional capacity by way of an extra carriage going to bikes would infuriate me. Just personally.
As a passenger who is used to the St Ives Bay Line being completely full and standing in summer, any additional capacity by way of an extra carriage going to bikes would infuriate me. Just personally.
Rail transport isn't about individual preferences though, it's about overall compromises.As a passenger who is used to the St Ives Bay Line being completely full and standing in summer, any additional capacity by way of an extra carriage going to bikes would infuriate me. Just personally.
What a very patronising thing to say. It is not wise to use up additional capacity on a packed line for bikes. Sure, lots of people travel with luggage on the CrossCountry route. If provisions were made for an additional carriage to be added to 4-220 CrossCountry services and 3/4 of this was seatless with large luggage racks only, you would not be of the same opinion then, I’m sure.Rail transport isn't about individual preferences though, it's about overall compromises.
Yes, but the plan was already to extend services to 5 carriages without any bicycle carriages like ScotRail’s being introduced as far as I’m aware. To scrap this in favour of a cycle carriage doesn’t seem justifiable on a route that needs all the additional capacity it can get. It’s fine on the West Highland line where the 156s aren’t too badly off, and even if it was a very busy line - additional capacity in the form of more passenger carriages were not planned and then cancelled in favour of cycles.One way or another surely five carriages is better than four?
If bikes are a significant part of the traffic, why not?It is not wise to use up additional capacity on a packed line for bikes.
Luggage takes up different space to bikes though. If an extra carriage was added to Crosscountry stock and this allowed them to put a larger luggage rack in each carriage while still offering an overall increase in capacity, that'd be quite nice. However my point was that a bike space if not being used for bikes can be used by people who are willing to stand or have the tip-up seats, whereas a Luggage rack is much less flexible in being usable for passenger space when not required for luggage.Sure, lots of people travel with luggage on the CrossCountry route. If provisions were made for an additional carriage to be added to 4-220 CrossCountry services and 3/4 of this was seatless with large luggage racks only, you would not be of the same opinion then, I’m sure.
Do you know that they are?If bikes are a significant part of the traffic, why not?
Your post was referring to the St Ives branch, which takes a whole 12 minutes to travel from one end to the other. SWR routes are not part of this discussion.Do you know that they are?
If cycles were as much of a priority as passengers on the railway, then many operators like inner SWR would not ban them at peak hours, and the Intercity operations would not force them to book or reserve. More space is great, but at the expense of capacity where it’s badly needed isn’t.