WMR Class 196 Build and Implementation

[Peter Sarf]

I was under the impression there were no further updates as of 11/11?

Alas so. I get the impression that since then 114 has not been out much but no way I am sure. Not sure how active 113 is either. Plus 112 was evading me.

Thats correct. We all have to rely on this forum and the mark 1 eyeball now.

That is the good old way of spotting of course. The alternative - getting so much precise info is cheating maybe but I never said I was not cheating .

 

[3973EXL]

196102

Realtime Trains | 5Q94 0941 Tyseley L.M.D. to Long Marston | 03/01/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q94 0941 departure from Tyseley L.M.D. to Long Marston on 03/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Peter Sarf]

196102

Realtime Trains | 5Q94 0941 Tyseley L.M.D. to Long Marston | 03/01/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q94 0941 departure from Tyseley L.M.D. to Long Marston on 03/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

For modifications I assume ?.
If I am up-to-date that means 196107 is ready to leave Long Marston ?.

 

[3973EXL]

196008

Realtime Trains | 5Q94 0941 Tyseley L.M.D. to Long Marston | 07/01/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q94 0941 departure from Tyseley L.M.D. to Long Marston on 07/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[amahy]

Does anybody here know why so many 2 car 196s were ordered? As far as I was aware, all WMR diagrams are 4 cars, so the only use the 2 cars should be seeing on their own is the 6 leased for EWR.

 

[Amnesiac]

Does anybody here know why so many 2 car 196s were ordered? As far as I was aware, all WMR diagrams are 4 cars, so the only use the 2 cars should be seeing on their own is the 6 leased for EWR.

Plus 2 for the Nuneaton to Leamington Spa services (which is currently fully operated by /0s), leaving 4 as support for either train failure or support on other lines as single 2 car sets or doubled up to 4 as required

 

[Kite159]

And wasn't 2 coach units ordered for the Camp Hill line services when they eventually start?

 

[ABB125]

Were they not originally ordered for use on the Snow Hill lines, in 4 and 6 car formations?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Some info below from @swidnod on the non-urgent TOPS Requests thread.

Working diagrams today - 003/004/005/006/101/104/105/106/108/109/110/112/114
On Depot (TS) - 001/002/007/009/011/012/102/103/107/111/113 (007/012 have a do not use -EWR Restriction)
Long Marston - 008
Unknown 010

So thirteen 196s in use today, four 2car 196/0s and nine 4car 196/1s. That is a moderately rare full house if my old list of diagrams is still valid.

Interesting is "007/012 have a do not use -EWR Restriction". I have a theory that 196007 - 196012 are meant for East West Rail so makes sense. I recall that 196009 & 196010 had gone off lease and been sent to Long Marston but I had been wondering if/when they had returned.

196010 had gone to Long Marston a while ago - maybe still there ?.
Looks like 196009 & 196102 might have come back from Long Marston although 196102 is only a recent visitor there.

 

[12LDA28C]

Interesting is "007/012 have a do not use -EWR Restriction". I have a theory that 196007 - 196012 are meant for East West Rail so makes sense. I recall that 196009 & 196010 had gone off lease and been sent to Long Marston but I had been wondering if/when they had returned.

You don't need to have a theory - it's fact. They are already on lease to Chiltern.

 

[43096]

You don't need to have a theory - it's fact. They are already on lease to Chiltern.

Sub-lease, actually!

I have said this before to @Peter Sarf when the "off lease" stuff was posted before...

 

[Peter Sarf]

Sub-lease, actually!

I have said this before to @Peter Sarf when the "off lease" stuff was posted before...

Deep in my head somewhere I think a bell is faintly ringing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Jan 2025 ==

EDIT

Here it is, only two months ago.

I note that 196009 & 196010 have been "off lease" since 13/08/2024 or before. Not that I am sure what "off lease" means with these.
They were unused since July 2024.
To recap 196009 went to Long Marson 21/10/2024.

And @43096 s reply.

They are not off lease - they are sub-leased to Chiltern from West Mids.

 

[12LDA28C]

Sub-lease, actually!

I have said this before to @Peter Sarf when the "off lease" stuff was posted before...

Indeed.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Finally had my first ride on a 196 today from Nuneaton to Coventry today, Impressions? Good things:- impressive acceleration, great information screens, pleasant ambience, not overly loud engine noise, not too good things:- far too loud door sounders, legroom ok but not best and mainly airline seating high backed so very claustrophobic, couldn't find any bins either.

 

[tfw756rider]

Finally had my first ride on a 196 today from Nuneaton to Coventry today, Impressions? Good things:- impressive acceleration, great information screens, pleasant ambience, not overly loud engine noise, not too good things:- far too loud door sounders, legroom ok but not best and mainly airline seating high backed so very claustrophobic, couldn't find any bins either.

I think the sound insulation on the 196s is overdone (I can't hear the engine enough - I like the sound of the MTU 1800 series engine / ZF gearbox combination and I like how relatively well it can be heard on e.g. 197s and 172s) and in a strange way (a narrow frequency band peak of under-floor / under-train noise around something like ~960Hz comes in).

I don't think the 196s' door sounders are too loud, let alone far too loud, but then again I'm used to 197s which have the same ones.

196s do have bins in the saloons, but not the biggest quantity of them? and they have very small openings.

 

[DannyMich2018]

I think the sound insulation on the 196s is overdone (I can't hear the engine enough - I like the sound of the MTU 1800 series engine / ZF gearbox combination and I like how relatively well it can be heard on e.g. 197s and 172s) and in a strange way (a narrow frequency band peak of under-floor / under-train noise around something like ~960Hz comes in).

I don't think the 196s' door sounders are too loud, let alone far too loud, but then again I'm used to 197s which have the same ones.

196s do have bins in the saloons, but not the biggest quantity of them? and they have very small openings.

It was 196005 and 006 on the Cov-Leamington shuttle yesterday. I looked but couldn't easily see any bins, other people too as there was quite a bit of litter in the carriage.

I did also notice it looked like the seat to window alignment was excellent, I couldn't see any seats with no view so very good in that respect.

 

[Sprinter107]

The bins aren't easily found, and the signs indicating where they are are not prominent. And when you do find one, they're full because they aren't big enough.

 

[AJDesiro]

The “flaps” covering each bin are also incredibly sharp and aggressively spring-loaded, I once cut my finger on one!

 

[tfw756rider]

The “flaps” covering each bin are also incredibly sharp and aggressively spring-loaded, I once cut my finger on one!

I'm sorry to hear that. Haven't the flaps been removed from the bins, for this reason?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2025 ==

The bins aren't easily found, and the signs indicating where they are are not prominent. And when you do find one, they're full because they aren't big enough.

Fair points.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2025 ==

It was 196005 and 006 on the Cov-Leamington shuttle yesterday. I looked but couldn't easily see any bins, other people too as there was quite a bit of litter in the carriage.

I did also notice it looked like the seat to window alignment was excellent, I couldn't see any seats with no view so very good in that respect.

The 196s actually have smaller windows (and more of them) than the 195s and 197s, and I think they were specified that way for window alignment reasons.

 

[AJDesiro]

I'm sorry to hear that. Haven't the flaps been removed from the bins, for this reason?

I think on a few of the units they have, but one I was on recently definitely still had one.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2025 ==

Fair points.

It's also worth adding that half the labels have been pulled off the walls, especially the ones pointing out where the plugs are.

 

[tfw756rider]

I think on a few of the units they have, but one I was on recently definitely still had one.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2025 ==


It's also worth adding that half the labels have been pulled off the walls, especially the ones pointing out where the plugs are.

Ah I see (bin flaps). That's not good, but really it's the fault of train operating companies / fitting out companies nowadays obviously and unfortunately not using the correct type of labels in terms of how easy / difficult they are to remove (196 labels being removed, yet I was on 360s the other day still with First Great Eastern labels).

 

[Jobbenar]

Does anyone know which 196s are on Tyseley depot today please?

 

[Chorley Cake]

Does anyone know which 196s are on Tyseley depot today please?

And are 007-012 permanently there out of use ? Parked outside near the passing line ?

 

[12LDA28C]

And are 007-012 permanently there out of use ? Parked outside near the passing line ?

These six 2-car units have been sub-leased to EWR and the first one or two units should be on the move shortly.

 

[50002Superb]

And are 007-012 permanently there out of use ? Parked outside near the passing line ?

I understood that 009 is at Long Marston, is that no longer the case?

 

[St. Paddy]

This ran to Bletchley yesterday and reported as 196 units for Driver training. Any idea which ones.

Realtime Trains | 5Q77 1449 Tyseley L.M.D. to Bletchley T.M.D. | 14/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q77 1449 departure from Tyseley L.M.D. to Bletchley T.M.D. on 14/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[3973EXL]

This ran to Bletchley yesterday and reported as 196 units for Driver training. Any idea which ones.

Realtime Trains | 5Q77 1449 Tyseley L.M.D. to Bletchley T.M.D. | 14/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q77 1449 departure from Tyseley L.M.D. to Bletchley T.M.D. on 14/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

196008/196011/196012

 

[Wyrleybart]

Would I be correct in thinking that 196007-012, subleased to Chiltern are going to be based at Bletchley depot. This is even though the three leased 150/1s for the Marston Vale have to visit Tyseley depot for maintenance ?
Are the 150s CET'd at Bletchley ?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Would I be correct in thinking that 196007-012, subleased to Chiltern are going to be based at Bletchley depot. This is even though the three leased 150/1s for the Marston Vale have to visit Tyseley depot for maintenance ?
Are the 150s CET'd at Bletchley ?

I think the 196s (007-012) will head back to Tyseley for the more major work. Similar to the 150s. Bletchley depot is currently being altered to cope with more units iirc.

 

[12LDA28C]

I think the 196s (007-012) will head back to Tyseley for the more major work. Similar to the 150s. Bletchley depot is currently being altered to cope with more units iirc.

This is correct and has already been stated on various threads on this forum. Although the units will be based at Bletchley and light maintenance done there, heavier work will be undertaken at Tyseley.

Bletchley Depot is undergoing a lot of work currently with additional siding space created for EWR stock as well as the main depot building being extended to accommodate 5-car Class 730 units.