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What's going to replace the pacers on Devon branch lines? Are there going to be more class 166s or are the class 150s taking over?

They are replaced already  ;D ;D

Primarily 158s on Barnstaple
Primarily 150s on Exmouth
Some Turbos on both lines.

Are you daring to call Paignton a "branch" line - if so, same trains as Exmouth

 :D :D :D Thanks very much

The railway magazines were saying 143's were being replaced by shortened 2+3 castle class in the Bristol area so 166's can come to Exeter. There must be a couple of 166s at Exeter plus one that seems to come down from Bristol and goes back in the evening. 166s will replace the 150/2s eventually as 165s as 5 cars go to Bristol.

The Paignton "branch" seems to be reduced to an hourly service with a couple of XCountries.

So will we see Castle Class on the Severn Beach Line?

No, I expect Castle Class to be reformed as High Speed Train's (HST)s and reinstated on main express routes with full buffet/restaurant/Gino D'Acampo Experience cars.

The IET's will then be cascaded onto services such as the new Severn Beach-Westbury which will be extended to London hourly with alternative services diverting after Bradford-on-Avon and running via a relaid Devizes line via a reinstated Bradford Curve - The "Redland Rocket"

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

It will probably be 166s and 165s extended to 3 cars. The 2+3 castle class are a stop gap.

Here's an interesting video. Should be posted elsewhere on this site.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW-CdE7ltKo

Not just me run out of the tablets...  ;D

The Paignton service is temporarily reduced due to "Stay at Home" COVID restrictions

Ah, but it's not just the possible express traffic, just think of the huge intermediate travel possibilities. Imagine Shirehampton to Semington, Sea Mills to Seend, Porkway Partway to Pans Lane, maybe even Montpelier to Melksham South Parkway...

The train failure yesterday between Tones and Plymouth brought about an unusual move for a 165.
The failure resulted in platform 1 at Newton Abbot blocked by a XCountry train for a couple of hours. It was only four cars so I was surprised it wasn't sent to Paignton to sit out it's wait for a return path. Maybe crew not road trained.

The 165 training train that operates in the afternoon as 5Z57 empty from Exeter depot to Paignton ran as normal leaving Paignton 5 minutes after arrival as 5Z58. On arrival at Newton Abbot in platform 2 it reversed empty to Totnes platform 2 to form 1Z58 passenger back to Exeter St David's in the cancelled 1A96 timings. It then returned to Exeter depot.

This is possibly? the second time the training train has been in passenger service when 2 x165s ran between Exeter and Paignton on the morning school run.

The defective train I believe was put into Hemerdon and recovered during the night.

2P51 0725 Exeter St D. to Plymouth which should be an IET was worked by 165131 having another jolly this morning, returning ECS for it's Trainer job.

Despite all the problems the 165 has been running twice a day between Exeter Depot and Paignton; the morning train going down to Goodrington sidings.

The new depot must also be opening soon; maybe May 17th??