Your favourite hybrid / combos / unusual mixed formations

[Whisky Papa]

A tame example by comparison, but I'm pretty certain I saw a 158+142 combo on a Leeds-Carlisle run a few months back.

There was definitely such a combination on the Calder Valley heading towards Manchester (and possibly Southport) one afternoon a few weeks back, ie before the 195 launch. I couldn't remember seeing a 158+142 in passenger service before, although it occurs regularly on Northern ECS moves.

 

[Bringback309s]

Has a 317 ever run coupled to a 321?

Yes when being tested -

 

[Terry Tait]

Great video, thanks for that.

 

[apinnard]

The Epping Ongar Railway sometimes put the DMBS from their class 117 on the back of a loco hauled set

 

[big all]

The hybrids I fondly remember...

4 EPBs with a mix of BR Standard and SR style coaches

4 x 4 EPBs with 9 compartment trailers (instead of 10) that were built in the 1940s as composites but never ran as such)

During the EPB facelifting programme, a mix of BR blue and blue/grey formations shortly before being sent to works

Seeing one or two 3-car Class 455s running in public service whilst coaches were away for accident damage (I believe there were 2, or more units temporarily renumbered "5800")

The former Southern Region were very good at "cut and shut" on accident-damaged coaches where for example, I saw first-hand, in BR workshops (e.g. Slade Green, Eastleigh or Selhurst) 4 Cig driving cabs being welded onto 4 Vep driving coaches (or vice versa) to replace native damaged cabs. Once painted up; you could never tell...

There was a 4 Vep running around in Connex livery with a former 4 TC driving trailer (unit 3582 ?)

the three car 455 was something like 5804/18 both involved in a derailment at gipsy hill when one unit hit a fallen tree and the other hit the derailment fortunately at lowish speed

 

[hexagon789]

It was certainly originally the case that the majority would be returned to two car sets to work inter-local services in pairs on the Cornish main line, but that was before the short HST GTi sets came along to take up some of those duties, so I'm not sure what the score is now.

It's not a priority as such then

 

[ajrm]

Great, thanks. I do have a lot of DMU formations lists from the mid-80s through to the 90s but haven't ever noted anything formed as such. Incidentally, I didn't think any 105s ran in Scotland as late as 1986 but my memory clearly isn't that good as I discovered a rather nice 120/107/105 combination at https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/2243 from that year!

Yes, the 105s had been sent south in the early 1980s but a few came back north in 1986 along with the 120s when the 107 fleet was temporarily withdrawn (referred to elsewhere in the thread).

 

[Bertie the bus]

In the modern fixed formation era there have still been numerous examples of units running in mixed liveries. I’ve got photos of 142s, 144s, 150s, 156s, 158s and 455s mostly in temporary formations with the carriages in different liveries. This one was particularly colourful - https://flic.kr/p/CHzoUw

As for unit combinations, my favourite is probably this photo at Preston of all 3 original 142 liveries. They arrived on 2 or possibly 3 different services but coupled and headed off ECS together - https://flic.kr/p/CkEivs

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Yes when being tested -

I've heard/read somewhere that 323s were designed to be able to operate in multiple with 317-322s, at least in theory... I don't think it's ever been tried though!

 

[TurboFintan]

317+322 combo on a passenger service at Ipswich 1999:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tibsh...iG-29FABgn-PW8vsX-ac4wk9-ac4wus-Q679T2-ac4wpq

4-VEP/4-TC hybrid 3582 (someone mentioned this earlier):

(skip to 0:37)

 

[Terry Tait]

Wonderful video, those were the days.
Is that music Jethro Tull? I like it.

 

[RailWonderer]

They have run in passenger service, albeit rarely. Never been on a 450-444 conbo, always wanted to walk from one to the other.

 

[sprinterguy]

In the modern fixed formation era there have still been numerous examples of units running in mixed liveries. I’ve got photos of 142s, 144s, 150s, 156s, 158s and 455s mostly in temporary formations with the carriages in different liveries. This one was particularly colourful - https://flic.kr/p/CHzoUw

There was a shortlived Regional Railways/Northern Spirit class 142 combo circa 1999 that so confused Hornby that they brought out their Northern Spirit liveried model bearing that number, despite it being totally wrong for a complete Northern Spirit liveried unit.

As for unit combinations, my favourite is probably this photo at Preston of all 3 original 142 liveries. They arrived on 2 or possibly 3 different services but coupled and headed off ECS together - https://flic.kr/p/CkEivs

That's a fantastic capture. I hadn't realised that units in all three original liveries had ever worked together.

Is that music Jethro Tull? I like it.

It's not one I recognise, and it sounds like if it were it would be from my preferred eighties period. Might just be a pleasingly Tull-esque jingle.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

When the 144s got their "big" refurbishment (bus seats out, 2+2 Richmonds in) the 10 3-car units initially only had the driving cars done, as the centre cars were owned by WYPTE... so for a few weeks they ran with the centre cars unrefurbished and in the old-style "raspberry ripple" livery and the new in the newer "silver circles" colours.

In trying to find a photo, I discovered one (not mine) which shows the opposite: a refurbished centre car with unrefurbished driving cars, which I didn't think had happened! https://www.flickr.com/photos/dwbphotos/10426562024/

 

[Dibbo4025]

They have run in passenger service, albeit rarely. Never been on a 450-444 combo, always wanted to walk from one to the other.

Not sure why but this combination seems more common atm - there were at least 3 such distinct formations on Wednesday

 

[Islineclear3_1]

They have run in passenger service, albeit rarely. Never been on a 450-444 conbo, always wanted to walk from one to the other.

450 + 444 combo have often run in passenger service

Corrected for you

 

[AJM580]

Just prior to the introduction of the 442s, 73s & 3-REP worked together - had one such combo on a non-stop Waterloo - Southampton with a top speed of 97 mph.

 

[Plush1]

Has Anyone seen A Class 323 with A 319

 

[Bringback309s]

Some great combos here - so used to love walking through a train and having such a choice of seating arrangements and upholstery to choose from!

 

[hexagon789]

Some great combos here - so used to love walking through a train and having such a choice of seating arrangements and upholstery to choose from!

Soi's videos are certainly some of the most interesting doing the rounds on YouTube right now

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Class 153 + class 150 DMS

 

[hexagon789]

Class 153 + class 150 DMS
View attachment 75490

I think I prefer the 156+158 combos, more jarring especially with the contrast between "Express" and "Provincial" colour schemes!

 

[Deepgreen]

that was a regular one: train split at Basingstoke, VEP to Southampton, 33/TC to Salisbury

It was latterly 33+4TC+8VEP.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

A tame example by comparison, but I'm pretty certain I saw a 158+142 combo on a Leeds-Carlisle run a few months back.

One of my first trips over the S&C was on a train formed of a 156 and 142 combo. I opted for the 142.

 

[Deepgreen]

In my youth, the 8VAB was distinctive with its blue and grey buffet in a blue unit. A few SR examples here:

 

[Rob F]

Thanks for the clarification.

Maybe it's just me, but all Blue looks so drab. Personally I much prefer the Strathclyde PTE livery.

I entirely agree, but then I am always surprised by the number of people who regard GNER livery as the best of the post-privatisation schemes. It is just plain blue with a red stripe!

 

[Mogz]

I also used to enjoy getting on a rake of Mk2's and sniffing out the odd side corridor Mk1 right at the back beyond the guards van that no-one knew was there so you'd get a whole compartment to yourself.

I remember some of the North Wales Coast 37 hauled sets had these! Half a coach of Standard Class compartments. Loved them!

Back on topic, though, I remember once seeing a football special at Liverpool Lime Street in about 1998-2000 or so that had a rag bag of coaches in various liveries, from BR blue to VT, ranging from MK1 to Mk3.

 

[PYROOGOBBO]

This was probably a rare-ish working, but i remember taking a 158 + 170 to Glasgow queen street, and it was awesome, sometimes i see the train combo still doing workings but is probably rare as heck now

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I entirely agree, but then I am always surprised by the number of people who regard GNER livery as the best of the post-privatisation schemes. It is just plain blue with a red stripe!

Sorry for the off-topic, but I think was partly that the GNER image exuded retro chic with the name and the coat of arms on every coach. One could say GNER were hipsters:- they were nostalgic before it was cool...!

 

[Whistler40145]

Do 153s ever get coupled with a 155 both as 2 or 3 car combinations?