What are the worst rolling stock subsitutions you've experienced?

[py_megapixel]

Sometimes a TOC will substitute rolling stock either for something completely inappropriate for the route, or something which just in general is a bit rubbish.

I'll start with the time Transport for Wales put a 2 car 150 with a broken toilet on a Swansea to Crewe service.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, most trains without a working bog - especially of an evening !

In the olden days when I had an evening commute, when the 3-carriage 144 was substituted with a 2 carriage 144/142, it would send an exodus of dissappointed commuters down the platform.

Cross country HST with a short voyager as well

 

[bramling]

Sometimes a TOC will substitute rolling stock either for something completely inappropriate for the route, or something which just in general is a bit rubbish.

I'll start with the time Transport for Wales put a 2 car 150 with a broken toilet on a Swansea to Crewe service.

The obvious one is when a 150 turns up on a long-distance service booked for 158 or 175, so that’s GWR and TfW.

Another is 5-car IEP when booked for a 9 or 10 car.

 

[D2007wsm]

GWR substituting a mini HST just after they were introduced by a single 153.

Also, on occasion part of a Exeter St Davids to London Paddington FGW HST service was replaced by a 142.

 

[jopsuk]

321s for Mark IVs?

 

[yorksrob]

321s for Mark IVs?

Absolutely - they should have substituted 308's instead !

 

[THC]

I've seen an IE 29000 Class DMU fill in for Enterprise LHCS on the Dublin-Belfast run. During the last few months NIR 3000 and 4000 Class DMUs have substituted instead but they are far more suited to the job.

THC

 

[158841]

When 153320 had its updated ‘Lamborghini’ engine as quoted in the cab, it was put onto a Llandudno - Manchester Piccadilly? Service full and standing the whole way? ‍♂️

 

[Richard Scott]

I've seen an IE 29000 Class DMU fill in for Enterprise LHCS on the Dublin-Belfast run. During the last few months NIR 3000 and 4000 Class DMUs have substituted instead but they are far more suited to the job.

THC

Oh crikey - 29000s are horrid. Quite possibly the most annoyingly noisy train I've ever been on. Constant drone from auxiliary engine is just painful.

 

[xotGD]

Any time a DMU turns up instead of loco and stock.

 

[Halish Railway]

Prior to the introduction of the ex-ScotRail Class 322s, it was very common for a 333 to be substituted for a two-car 142/144. Fortunately the 333-land services weren’t as busy as they are now - In fact I believe that the 10:10 Ilkley to Leeds service was intentionally diagrammed to be a two-car 144 before being dragged away to Neville Hill to be substituted with a 333 that had worked a rush-hour train.

Until recently, there was a morning diagram in which a three-car went from Bradford to Skipton and back, then for it to go to Leeds and eventually Neville Hill instead of a 333/Dusty Bin. Another example occurs annually when the Airedale line is closed between Shipley and Skipton to facilitate works at the Bingley feeder station, resulting in a DMU substitution on the Bradford to Leeds/Ilkley services - Most of the time they are worked by 158s, but one time I had a refurbished 150 which gave me a migraine thanks to the astonishingly bright lighting and the fact that it was dark outside.

Here’s a picture of said 150 to feast your eyes upon:

333 002 & 150 220 at Ilkley

www.flickr.com

 

[London Trains]

5 car Voyager replacing an 11 car Pendolino

 

[PHILIPE]

Once when an overcrowded West of England XC Voyager terminated at Bristol TM due failure, XC advised passengers to catch an Exeter bound GWR (FGW at time) local which was worked by a single 153

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I've seen an IE 29000 Class DMU fill in for Enterprise LHCS on the Dublin-Belfast run. During the last few months NIR 3000 and 4000 Class DMUs have substituted instead but they are far more suited to the job.

THC

Horrid little units that give off the distinct impression of being 20 years older than they really are. Totally unsuited to some of the stuff they get allocated to, such as the longer Intercity services.

 

[hexagon789]

Back when 156s were covering for the as yet undelivered 158s on ScotRail Express services, I've seen a photo of a 150/2 on a Glasgow-Aberdeen diverted via Cumbernauld and they did at least provide the trolley service apparently!

(But then those same 150/2s were doing the Edinburgh-Dundee semi-fasts at the time so I suppose Glasgow-Aberdeen wasn't hugely different).

 

[DannyMich2018]

Going back a very long time in Central Trains days on either a summer Saturday or Sunday it was quoted a single Class 153 was used on a Skegness-Crewe service. Needless to say relief bus (s) had to be brought in...

 

[CBlue]

A four-car 321 replacing an 8-car 365 on a peak time Cambridge express working back in First Cr*pital Connect days wasn't pleasant at all. First time I'd had a 321 up the ECML, not a pleasant experience getting chucked about every time something else passed us at line speed...

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

The worst substitution I had was on the 17:28 from Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford on Friday 6th October 2017.

I was with my kindle on I think platform 1 (the platform where the small cafe is) about to press the record button to video an Adelante come in (first due at nearly 16:45 before going round the corner to Shrub Hill for like 25 minutes) given they were due to be gone soon - imagine that awful feeling when, the second after seeing a glimpse of purple, a Turbo came in. Didn't video it. 2-car 165 as well.

I sat in the declassified First Class section at the rear of the train.

Hats off to the train manager announcing onboard for apologising for the replacement 2-car train though.

Strangely the capacity was fine - from Oxford I noticed it was pretty full.

Thankfully all services on the North Cotswolds line that run to and from London are entirely IET's - 5 and 9 coaches and not the mixture of the previous 5 or so years.

There was a good explanation (Direct Message) from GWR - the driver had problems prepping (or preparing) the train which couldn't be rectified in time so therefore they used a 165.

Luckily I was travelling Standard Class (had a rover ticket) - the passenger on the aisle seat opposite me booked First Class to London Paddington.

Even the member of staff at Slough about a month later when I was on the way from Oxford to Windsor (videoed the 180 leave Slough after catching it on the 11:30ish from Oxford) was like "Oh God!"

 

[fgwrich]

Another is 5-car IEP when booked for a 9 or 10 car.

Can fully agree there, having had the not so pleasurable experience of having to stand in a very full vestibule of a 800 from Reading to Cardiff last year. I would actually have to say it was worse than the equivalent Basingstoke to Coventry / Birmingham International and New Street standing on a 4 car 220 (which are at least / sadly booked for 4/5 car Voyagers).

 

[Mag_seven]

Going back to loco hauled days, obviously when your favoured form of traction was substituted by something else.

 

[CW2]

A couple of times (a long time ago) I saw a late-running Cross Country service replaced from Birmingham by a high-density Mett-Cam 3-car set which vibrated its way to Reading, and terminated there. Thrashing along the Thames Valley with all windows and doors vibrating must have been quite an experience.

 

[vlad]

The worst substitution I had was on the 17:28 from Worcester Foregate Street to Oxford on Friday 6th October 2017.

I was with my kindle on I think platform 1 (the platform where the small cafe is) about to press the record button to video an Adelante come in (first due at nearly 16:45 before going round the corner to Shrub Hill for like 25 minutes) given they were due to be gone soon - imagine that awful feeling when, the second after seeing a glimpse of purple, a Turbo came in. Didn't video it. 2-car 165 as well.

I sat in the declassified First Class section at the rear of the train.

Hats off to the train manager announcing onboard for apologising for the replacement 2-car train though.

The only time a train manager has ever apologised for the rolling stock was in the early days of Virgin XC when the Voyager we should have been on broke down so was substituted by 86+Mk2s. I think I was a bit peeved at the time as I'd never been on a Voyager before, which is proof of the benefit of hindsight.

 

[170TurboFan]

2 car 170 to LST from NRW!!!

 

[py_megapixel]

2 car 170 to LST from NRW!!!

I mean... your username indicates that you may have actually enjoyed that, but it nevertheless sounds utterly ridiculous.

Was it crowded?

 

[NoMorePacers]

When a single 142 substituted for a 170 on Scarborough-Sheffield services which happened a couple of times last year.

 

[Halish Railway]

A single 153 on a Leeds to Lincoln service. Another terrible experience was when the 09:45 Leeds to Kings Cross service was cancelled, only for a 5-car Azuma to roll up to operate the following 10:15 service.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

The only time a train manager has ever apologised for the rolling stock was in the early days of Virgin XC when the Voyager we should have been on broke down so was substituted by 86+Mk2s. I think I was a bit peeved at the time as I'd never been on a Voyager before, which is proof of the benefit of hindsight.

Strange one - electric but older (so ok if stuck in a tunnel) or newer but diesel !!!!!

 

[yorksrob]

Strange one - electric but older (so ok if stuck in a tunnel) or newer but diesel !!!!!

Not a worse substitution at all (assuming all carriages were working properly - which let's face it was by no means a given with VXC's Mk2 fleet in those days )

 

[Jamesrob637]

Not a worse substitution at all (assuming all carriages were working properly - which let's face it was by no means a given with VXC's Mk2 fleet in those days )

Especially as the Voyagers had already been introduced so we're talking 2002 here. Voyagers and Mk2s only lived side-by-side for under a year on Virgin.

 

[rower40]

IET (any number of cars) replacing class 57 and mark 3 sleepers.
Yes GWR I'm looking at you...