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Devon Live - review of new trains on the Barnstaple line (https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/best-and-worst-bits-travelling-3698180) -

Whilst a favourable report, they’ve illustrated it with an IET image!  ::)

I very much hope the good people who use the Barnstaple line are happy with their ‘new’ trains in the form of 158s. If not these great DMUs will always be welcome back on the Cardiff-Portsmouth line.

Sorry, you're not getting them back!  Great to see the review on Devon Live but, as you'll have noticed, the reporter travelled on a refurbished 150.  Pleased he liked that - and especially pleased he noticed the result of NR's track works - I wonder if he'll do an update when he has travelled on a 158.  Seriously though, excellent that Devon Live (website of the main local papers) has done this. 

Perhaps the Reporter has been taking lessons from Michael Portillo who boards a class of unit at one end and disembarks at the other end from another type.

It’ll be 15000* he travelled on then, which has been a regular on the line since the change. It’s been two 158 and a 150/0 nearly every day.

Oh dear......what was that about a smooth ride?

Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple
Due to a safety inspection of the track between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

This is alledgedly due to a defective continuously welded rail south of Eggesford (the third or so in the last couple of months) possibly following a report of rough riding by a driver or if between Salmon Pool LC  and Cowley possibly highlighted by a track circuit failure.

Going back to the review, it seems he is comparing the refurbished 150 against the now hopefully withdrawn forever 143s. Whilst an improvement on the dreadful 142s, the 143s were tatty, noisy, draughty and gave a rough ride over jointed track. (I also travelled the line in a 158 last summer and there were further improvement over the 150s in terms of ride, noise, and of course air conditioning). So yes, a massive improvement and as someone who grew up along this line I’m delighted and can’t wait to revisit over Easter.

143's are still there but they are only run attached to a 150 with universal toilet on the Exmouth-Paignton line.  No good if you are in the 143 unit. We do get the odd 158 at Paignton.

Spoke to Kevin Foster MP for Torbay (really Torquay and central Paignton) at Newton Abbot on the Monday he was returning to parliament and he knows his trains. Like me he has learnt to park at Newton Abbot and not wait for a connection to Paignton.

Just read a 166211 operated the Barnstaple service on Sunday 27 September all day  after coming down to Exeter the day before on a Cardiff- Penzance service.

Is this a train refurbished with 2+2 seating and additional Guards panels? Did it still have first class?

143s still supposed to go at the end of year.

A 166 Turbo has operated one diagram on the Barney on each of the last three weekends, and I understand this weekend diagram is set to continue.

The unit operating on 03 and 04/10/20 was unrefurbished (as seen in the link below). I guess the 1st Class would have been declassified.
Class 166 Turbo 166207 passes Newton St Cyres on 04/10/20 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pwakely/50424500767/in/dateposted-public/)

This topic powered off toward Exmouth and Paignton ... I have split it with the new topic at http://www.passenger.chat/24131

Took a trip on the Barnstaple line today, my first journey to North Devon for a while.

Not just the luxury of a three car 158 as opposed to the 143 I had last time but also large sections of the line now have continuous welded rail rather than jointed track.

I certainly noticed the difference!

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/bnp.jpg)