Two coach class 165 on the Gatwick Airport to Reading line.

[swt class 450]

Yesterday (8/7/2016) 165 128 (a two coach 165) was being used on the Gatwick Airport to Reading line services. I personally saw it working the 18:34 Reading - Gatwick Airport 19:56 and 20:03 Gatwick Airport - Reading 21:19 services. But i presume that it probably did other journeys yesterday as well. Does anyone know why this was used? It was certainly nice to see.

I have travelled on this line for many years (for a wide variety of journeys. I usually often travel from Betchworth to Chilworth) and i have never known of this to happen before. From my experience it is usually a three coach 165 or a 166 (about 30% three coach 165 and 70% 166). Has anyone else on this forum known of this to have ever happened before?

I have attached some photos. It caught me by surprise so they are a bit rushed.

 

[JonathanH]

Until fairly recently 2-coach 165s did plenty of workings on the line (on stopping services - they have never to my knowledge had booked workings on the daytime semi-fast Reading to Gatwick services).

Usually the use of a 2-coach 165 on the line follows a train failure of the booked 3-coach unit.

 

[swt class 450]

Until fairly recently 2-coach 165s did plenty of workings on the line (on stopping services - they have never to my knowledge had booked workings on the daytime semi-fast Reading to Gatwick services).

Usually the use of a 2-coach 165 on the line follows a train failure of the booked 3-coach unit.

Ok. Thanks for the info. I didnt realise that. Out of interest when was that until? It must have been quite a few years ago? I certainly havent seen a 2 coach train on this line ever before and i have been using this line for many years.

Also i have noticed that there are no 2 coach stop boards at most of the stations on this line so they have to use the 3 coach stop boards instead (or of course S coach stop boards at certain stations where the stopping position is the same for all trains).

 

[Deepgreen]

So, you're the other user of Betchworth! I use it every day and occasionally see a 2 car unit in service, but only on the stoppers. On the Gatwicks, I imagine it must have been pretty cosy!

 

[swt class 450]

So, you're the other user of Betchworth! I use it every day and occasionally see a 2 car unit in service, but only on the stoppers. On the Gatwicks, I imagine it must have been pretty cosy!

Yes indeed. I live in Betchworth and i work in Chilworth so i use this line quite a lot (pretty much every day) as well. Yes i imagine that this unit must have gotten very busy as even the three coach units can get very overcrowded in peak times (especially on the Redhill to Reigate section).