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Temporary transfer of Turbostars from Chiltern to West Midlands Trains

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LowLevel

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Rumour I heard is 4 x Chiltern 172s to WMR on loan to cover for 170s to EMR. Dunno if it is true or not.
 
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OTRail

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Rumour I heard is 4 x Chiltern 172s to WMR on loan to cover for 170s to EMR. Dunno if it is true or not.
Makes sense given lack of work due to Covid and 3 already being off-lease - should it happen, it will be interesting to see the whole 172 fleet together for the first time
 

172007

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Rumour I heard is 4 x Chiltern 172s to WMR on loan to cover for 170s to EMR. Dunno if it is true or not.
Would only be compatible with themselves and would problematic therefore if they require rescuing / assistance. A rewire would solve the issue but how much would it cost?
 

Energy

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Would only be compatible with themselves and would problematic therefore if they require rescuing / assistance. A rewire would solve the issue but how much would it cost?
They are near identical to the /0s they already have.
 

172007

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They are near identical to the /0s they already have.
Correct, /0's have had their couplers rewired. Is the cost worth say a lease of a couple of years however. If 4 class 196's somehow managed to get into service if might only be to the end of the year as a lease.
 
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newtownmgr

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Believe the 172/1’s are coming according to a conversation at work. Led to believe they will initially be in pairs on the Herefords working off Worcester depot. Rewiring of couplers is an easy job, think it’s just a matter of altering a couple of pins on each side. Not sure how soon this is happening. Also led to believe they will remain with WMT on a permanent basis as this will remove the need for 196’s to be used on snow hill services. Chiltern don’t like them as they don’t play nicely with the 168’s due to the different gearboxes/transmission
 
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Believe the 172/1’s are coming according to a conversation at work. Led to believe they will be in pairs on the Herefords working off Worcester depot. Rewiring of couplers is an easy job, think it’s just a matter of altering a couple of pins on each side. Not sure how soon this is happening. Also led to believe they will remain with WMT on a permanent basis as this will remove the need for 196’s to be used on snow hill services. Chiltern don’t like them as they don’t play nicely with the 168’s due to the different gearboxes/transmission
scrap that comment i made earlier, i read the above properly about not knowing when.
 
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Chiltern006

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highly highly doubt they'll stay with WMT permanently. chiltern don't have enough stock as it is
 

LowLevel

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highly highly doubt they'll stay with WMT permanently. chiltern don't have enough stock as it is

Plenty to be said for it - gets rid of a micro fleet and puts all the 172s in one place and maybe Chiltern's fleet needs will be different post COVID.
 

ABB125

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Plenty to be said for it - gets rid of a micro fleet and puts all the 172s in one place and maybe Chiltern's fleet needs will be different post COVID.
Quite - this seems to be a very sensible transfer of stock between operators.

If Chiltern need a replacement, they could always get another Mk3 rake... <D
 

OTRail

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I did hear a rumor before the 170 move to EMR was confirmed that there were plans to transfer an equal amount of 170s to Chiltern to convert them to 168s and exchange them for the 172/1s for use on the Snow Hill Lines due to the lack of tripcock equipment for use on the Amersham to Aylesbury route, so wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest with this move. Although as mentioned above, Chiltern will be left with stock shortages as a result.
 

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highly highly doubt they'll stay with WMT permanently. chiltern don't have enough stock as it is

They didn't pre-COVID, but their commuter demand comes from the "stockbroker belt" of primarily well-off, middle-class office workers, the precise sort of people who won't want to go back to daily commuting, so it might be that post COVID they can easily cope with fewer units.
 

Chiltern006

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unless chiltern gets some more LHCS (ex GC mk4s with 67s?) to allow for some 168s to transfer this won't be happening anytime soon im afraid

I did hear a rumor before the 170 move to EMR was confirmed that there were plans to transfer an equal amount of 170s to Chiltern to convert them to 168s and exchange them for the 172/1s for use on the Snow Hill Lines due to the lack of tripcock equipment for use on the Amersham to Aylesbury route, so wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest with this move. Although as mentioned above, Chiltern will be left with stock shortages as a result.
correct, this was going to happen.
 

43096

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unless chiltern gets some more LHCS (ex GC mk4s with 67s?) to allow for some 168s to transfer this won't be happening anytime soon im afraid


correct, this was going to happen.
Why would Chiltern need more stock to cover? Demand has dropped massively: Chiltern, like every operator, will have spare capacity.
 

87015

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unless chiltern gets some more LHCS (ex GC mk4s with 67s?) to allow for some 168s to transfer this won't be happening anytime soon im afraid


correct, this was going to happen.
Well given they have already offloaded the "new" slam door set and now 4x172 are going, they disagree with you.
 
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I presume they would be put with 172/0's, 172/2's and 172/3's. i guess not with 170's as not only will they be gone by the end of the year but they have different transmissions.
also if Chiltern was to get any more loco hauled sets, they wouldn't use 67's for the reason they got rid of them: too slow (thus unable to keep to the 68 timings) and they are very hungry machines.
 
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TT-ONR-NRN

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Well given they have already offloaded the "new" slam door set and now 4x172 are going, they disagree with you.
I will wait until I’ve seen a proper source before asserting that the 172s are definitely going
 

FordFocus

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The Chiltern 172s are not top of the reliability charts at the minute, put it that way. All 4 of them have been sat at Wembley for few weeks. So for them to be on their way out either on loan or permanently does not come as a surprise.

Only two depots sign them, they can't visit their home depot often and will have major Aylesbury issues once HS2 closes the line between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury. Their current workings put them onto Birmingham and Oxford services 100mph services but unsuitable interiors.

Chiltern is end of franchise fodder, they may get a decent extension which could bring clarity to the future fleet and it's maintenance.

When lockdown is lifted, I suggest the loco fans get their mileage in. They're next for the chop.
 

Silverlinky

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Believe the 172/1’s are coming according to a conversation at work. Led to believe they will initially be in pairs on the Herefords working off Worcester depot. Rewiring of couplers is an easy job, think it’s just a matter of altering a couple of pins on each side. Not sure how soon this is happening. Also led to believe they will remain with WMT on a permanent basis as this will remove the need for 196’s to be used on snow hill services. Chiltern don’t like them as they don’t play nicely with the 168’s due to the different gearboxes/transmission
172102 and 104 moving Wembley to Ilford today for coupler modifications. First unit at Tyesley by/on April 30th.
 

43102EMR

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Someone feel free to quote the unit numbers, but the Chiltern 172/1 units at Ilford behind the MK3 barrier coach.
 

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43102EMR

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Are they going to receive temporary branding?
I can imagine they will as this avoids confusion with Chiltern (with whom WMR share a large bulk of their network with), but I think when one was on loan to LO in 2012 it remained with Chiltern branding, so I guess it’s a “wait and see” scenario.
 

greatvoyager

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I can imagine they will as this avoids confusion with Chiltern (with whom WMR share a large bulk of their network with), but I think when one was on loan to LO in 2012 it remained with Chiltern branding, so I guess it’s a “wait and see” scenario.
That makes sense.
 
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