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What do class 166s actually do??

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4SRKT

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In 2013 I've set myself an aim to get at least one move on each TOC, and at least one move on each class of unit/loco with booked passenger workings (although not every TOC/unit combination).

So far all's going well with the TOCs, and with the traction almost as well except I'm struggling with 166s. Every time I turn up for something I think may produce a 165 turns up. Or a 180. Or even a HST. I used to live in the Thames Valley in Thames Trains days, and getting them was easy, but I can't tell what they do now.

Help!
 
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bronzeonion

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They usually mix in with the 165's. FGW (like previous TOCs) don't bother arranging so they go on longer distance/limited stop so you'll find them doing whatever the 165's do, you've just got to be lucky
 

bb21

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Mostly Oxfords, Worcesters and beyond. However it is not a separate pool iirc as already mentioned so there is no guarantee that they would turn up on any particular diagram.

The 180 diagrams have been updated here so you could quite easily avoid them.
 

4SRKT

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Oh dear, that's a bit of a bummer. Looks like hanging around Paddington seeing what drops then.
 

jimm

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Good bets for 166s, though a 165 will occasionally appear, are the three weekday off-peak trains that turn round at Moreton-in-Marsh to head back to London. Saturday and Sunday non-HST services to Worcester and Great Malvern (there are still no weekend 180s) are meant to be 166s, and usually are, but again a 165 may stand in.

If you don't want to go out to the Cotswolds, then the Oxford-Reading-Paddington semi-fast services are another favourite stamping ground for 166s and with two trains per hour each way, and some appearances on some of the more lightly-used off-peak Oxford fasts as well, you're bound to encounter a 166 sooner rather than later.
 

Class172

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Mostly Oxfords, Worcesters and beyond. However it is not a separate pool iirc as already mentioned so there is no guarantee that they would turn up on any particular diagram.
Unless a Class 180 fails, you are very unlikely to see a class 166 up in Worcestershire — since the 180s have returned, I have only ever seen one once.
 

4SRKT

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Good bets for 166s, though a 165 will occasionally appear, are the three weekday off-peak trains that turn round at Moreton-in-Marsh to head back to London. Saturday and Sunday non-HST services to Worcester and Great Malvern (there are still no weekend 180s) are meant to be 166s, and usually are, but again a 165 may stand in.

If you don't want to go out to the Cotswolds, then the Oxford-Reading-Paddington semi-fast services are another favourite stamping ground for 166s and with two trains per hour each way, and some appearances on some of the more lightly-used off-peak Oxford fasts as well, you're bound to encounter a 166 sooner rather than later.

Ta. Are these semi-fasts the xx:27/xx:57 off Paddington?
 

TEW

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Reading-Redhill/Gatwick is another good route to find them on. Usually a fairly random mix of 165s and 166s though. You wouldn't normally have to wait too long for a 166 to turn up though.
 

4SRKT

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Easiest move looks like hanging around Paddington until a semi-fast produces one, for some insect mileage to Ealing Broadway. Thanks folks.
 

CC 72100

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Probably a question that I ought to know, but I'll ask anyway: What's the difference between a 165 and a 166? I think some are 2 cars and others have 3, but apart from that I don't know what makes one different from the other...
 

4SRKT

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165s are either 2- or 3-cars, but 166s are all 3-car. I think the difference is that 166s are air conditioned, and were intended as a sort of 'Express 165'.
 

TEW

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They're air-conditioned, have some large luggage racks fitted, have a small area of 2+2 seating with full size tables, have bigger tables in the 3+2 seated areas (FGW 165s now have no tables at all), have First Class at both rather than one end, have tables in First Class and have carpets fitted throughout.
 

D6975

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Probably a question that I ought to know, but I'll ask anyway: What's the difference between a 165 and a 166? I think some are 2 cars and others have 3, but apart from that I don't know what makes one different from the other...

Visually - 165s have hopper windows, 166s have a mix of hopper windows and single unit windows.
Chiltern 165s have been modified and fitted with air-con and now don't have any hopper windows any more.
 

tsr

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165s are either 2- or 3-cars, but 166s are all 3-car. I think the difference is that 166s are air conditioned, and were intended as a sort of 'Express 165'.

There's also a single 2-car 166 going round, IIRC, and back in January there was a 4-car 166 doing the rounds. It looked very weird and nobody believed me until they saw it...
 

4SRKT

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There's also a single 2-car 166 going round, IIRC, and back in January there was a 4-car 166 doing the rounds. It looked very weird and nobody believed me until they saw it...

Is the 2-car set due to accident damage on the centre car?
 

455driver

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Is the 2-car set due to accident damage on the centre car?

Why does everyone assume that trains are only out of service because of accident damage!

Its probably because something big broke so it is waiting for a new bit.
 

Eagle

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Visually - 165s have hopper windows, 166s have a mix of hopper windows and single unit windows.
Chiltern 165s have been modified and fitted with air-con and now don't have any hopper windows any more.

Also Chiltern 165s have a top speed of 75 mph, whereas FGW 165s and 166s all can do 90.
 

4SRKT

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Why does everyone assume that trains are only out of service because of accident damage!

Its probably because something big broke so it is waiting for a new bit.

I think you may be confusing an 'assumption' with a 'question'......;)
 

455driver

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I think you may be confusing an 'assumption' with a 'question'......;)

A "question" is-

Does anyone know why the centre coach of 166220 is out if service?

An "assumption" is mentioning one of the many possible reasons such as-

Is the 2-car set due to accident damage on the centre car?

;)
 

4SRKT

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A "question" is-

Does anyone know why the centre coach of 166220 is out if service?

An "assumption" is mentioning one of the many possible reasons such as-

Is the 2-car set due to accident damage on the centre car?

;)

A question in its most literal sense is anything that ends in a question mark..... ;)
 

FGW_DID

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The 166s are diagrammed seperately from the 165s. The diagrams are as follow:

Diag N' 2xx = 165 (2 car)
3xx = 165 (3 car)
4xx = 166
5xx = 180
6xx = 150

That said, if any of the three car sets are out of service for exams etc or need to be back on depot by a certain time then the diagrams may be mismatched.

The centre car of the 166 that is (was?) out of service was for repairs and awaiting components to arrive.

I'm back in work on Sunday, I can have a look at the diagrams but as someone has already said, the Reading to Gatwick services are a good start as they have the extra luggage racks in.
 
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