SWT 158 & 159 Refurbishments

[Kite159]

With 159103 back from Loughborough spotting a new livery, and in service (spotted at the tail end of a trio of units passing Winchfield at 19:00 (so 18:20 departure from Waterloo)), anybody got any images of what the refurbishment is like on the inside, i.e. the new accessible toilet?

 

[Manchester77]

How long ago was it that they were last refurbished? They seem to still be quite good inside although it was last year when I last travelled on them.

 

[superalbs]

I really really sincerely hope the seats used on the Class 387 are not in there, they seem to be the go to seating for train refurbs now.

If it is these wretched seats, I'm going to go with FGW from here on out.

 

[MCR247]

They've not changed the seats

 

[455driver]

I really really sincerely hope the seats used on the Class 387 are not in there, they seem to be the go to seating for train refurbs now.

If it is these wretched seats, I'm going to go with FGW from here on out.

So you have no idea if the seats have been changed or if they have been changed, what they have been changed to but felt the need to criticise anyway! :roll:

 

[superalbs]

So you have no idea if the seats have been changed or if they have been changed, what they have been changed to but felt the need to criticise anyway! :roll:

I read on a photo of the refurb that they have been changed, but I'm not sure if they have to be quite honest.

 

[MCR247]

This is my source btw, couldnt remember where I'd seen it! (From the 'End of SWT franchise' thread)

Not sure which thread to put this into without creating a new one. But SWT's 159103 has finally returned to Salisbury Depot within the past week, It has received a Newer Revised livery, New Seat Covers, New Carpet and New Disabled Bog but that's it. Basically a C6 and no new talked about seats or plug sockets.

 

[455driver]

Thanks for posting the info MCR.

 

[fgwrich]

This is my source btw, couldnt remember where I'd seen it! (From the 'End of SWT franchise' thread)

Indeed. There was a lot of murmurings that SWT did want to use the same Grammer Seating as currently used in the Desiro & BR EMU fleets, this both to increase seating capacity within the 158 & 159 fleets, and to standardise the SWT fleet - some of this coming from Modern Railways. But visibly none of this has actually happened, as it has basically only received the equivalent of a C6 overhaul at Brush. I'm not sure when WIFI roll out will be reaching the 159s yet, that may be on hold.

Kite - South West Trains's Sprinter Fleet were last refurbished in two batches around 2006-2007 for the converted 159/1 Fleet and 2007-2008/9 for the 159/0 Fleet. Some of them certainly are starting to show that they're in need of some interior attention, with the areas around the vestibules wearing badly in some of the /1s. I'd just wish they didn't go for that rather stupidly designed handwash / hand dryer module thing behind the door though, FGWs are better designed in that respect allowing to you actually manage to open the door then without banging into the sink!

 

[TEW]

The interior is largely unchanged, but it has been restored to brand new condition. It feels and smells like a new train inside. There have been some minor changes to the interior layout for PRM-TSI compliance, as well as new door hustle alarms, modifications to the disabled toilet and a Call for Aid system has been fitted.

 

[iantherev]

I really really sincerely hope the seats used on the Class 387 are not in there, they seem to be the go to seating for train refurbs now.

If it is these wretched seats, I'm going to go with FGW from here on out.

Good job they haven't changed the seats then given your comments on the new FGW stock today.

 

[bnm]

If they'd changed the seats on the 159s and following introduction of the AT300s superalbs would have had no rail choice left to travel to London on based on his confused hyperbole.

Switching to FGW if SWT had changed the Class 159 seats.

Switching to SWT when the AT300s are introduced.

 

[physics34]

a little modification to the livery though.... interesting

 

[455driver]

a little modification to the livery though.... disgusting

Fixed that for you!

 

[Manchester77]

any photos?

 

[fgwrich]

any photos?

Very few of the exterior so far. Nothing of the interior.

Not sure why the orange on the doors has been replaced with what I can only describe as Pineapple Yellow. Nor for the replacement of the Swoosh - Perhaps VTEC have stolen them? with a First Bus (The Zip) Zig Zag Go Faster pattern.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/colin_outandabout/19589950491/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ukbuses/18057853595/

 

[Blindtraveler]

Glad about non replacement of seats, not so impressed at the lack of plugs, still gives Megabus the edge.

 

[superalbs]

If they'd changed the seats on the 159s and following introduction of the AT300s superalbs would have had no rail choice left to travel to London on based on his confused hyperbole.

Switching to FGW if SWT had changed the Class 159 seats.

Switching to SWT when the AT300s are introduced.

I'd have to walk.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Very few of the exterior so far. Nothing of the interior.

Not sure why the orange on the doors has been replaced with what I can only describe as Pineapple Yellow. Nor for the replacement of the Swoosh - Perhaps VTEC have stolen them? with a First Bus (The Zip) Zig Zag Go Faster pattern.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/colin_outandabout/19589950491/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ukbuses/18057853595/

Thanks for these. Odd that EMT and SWT have similar DMU's and an identical corporate colour palette, but still end up with different liveries for the two companies.

 

[swt_passenger]

Thanks for these. Odd that EMT and SWT have similar DMU's and an identical corporate colour palette, but still end up with different liveries for the two companies.

Before this latest change the various EMT/SWT 158s and 159s did have the same livery surely? Perhaps this new variation will eventually appear on EMT as well?

 

[CC 72100]

I've got to say it given that it seems to be in fashion at the moment for repainting... First class doesn't seem that well labelled from the outside.

 

[cactustwirly]

Before this latest change the various EMT/SWT 158s and 159s did have the same livery surely? Perhaps this new variation will eventually appear on EMT as well?

No the SWT and EMT liveries were subtly different, the EMT one was more 'wavy' towards the front.

 

[dosxuk]

Before this latest change the various EMT/SWT 158s and 159s did have the same livery surely? Perhaps this new variation will eventually appear on EMT as well?

SWT

EMT

(images from Wikipedia)

 

[al.currie93]

Very few of the exterior so far. Nothing of the interior.

Not sure why the orange on the doors has been replaced with what I can only describe as Pineapple Yellow. Nor for the replacement of the Swoosh - Perhaps VTEC have stolen them? with a First Bus (The Zip) Zig Zag Go Faster pattern.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/colin_outandabout/19589950491/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ukbuses/18057853595/

That change looks odd to me... probably because I'm so used to the existing one and it's not a major change! I'd have stuck with the old one personally but oh well :P

 

[swt_passenger]

SWT

That's a 10 year old picture on wiki, one of the two original 158s that went to Scotrail. The red doors are now orange, I reckon the only real difference is the 'bow wave' on the EMT unit, and that's a detail rather than a completely different livery...

 

[WillPS]

How long ago was it that they were last refurbished? They seem to still be quite good inside although it was last year when I last travelled on them.

Amazing what you can do with so much slack in the fleet!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

That's a 10 year old picture on wiki, one of the two original 158s that went to Scotrail. The red doors are now orange, I reckon the only real difference is the 'bow wave' on the EMT unit, and that's a detail rather than a completely different livery...

Don't SWT regularly have the front set of doors out of use? Which would explain the lack of a different colour on the doors nearest a cab (though as you say, they were repainted orange quite early on). EMT units are less likely to work in multiple, so that way of working wouldn't be practical. Changes to SWT livery are somewhat jarring, simply because they've held the franchise for so long. It seems that they may not retain it at the next renewal, so we stick-in-the-mud enthusiasts need to get used to it!

 

[CC 72100]

Don't SWT regularly have the front set of doors out of use? Which would explain the lack of a different colour on the doors nearest a cab (though as you say, they were repainted orange quite early on).

Yes, the set of doors immediately behind the driver are locked out of use, although I do not see the link between that and the colour, given that they can only be out of use 50% of the time if they are working alone, with most workings in multiple, and therefore a different colour to denote being locked out of use (perhaps) would be very drastic!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That change looks odd to me... probably because I'm so used to the existing one and it's not a major change! I'd have stuck with the old one personally but oh well :P

They don't look quite the same - the first photo looks like "teeth", the second one more of a blur. Possibly camera differences.

 

[387star]

Not sure why south west trains are bothering to tinker with a good livery but 159101 now wears yet another variant of the mainline livery
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11414...o4-oFrZ4g-oT8vQY-oP7f8e-okGstb-odx2YM-otep2F/