159's on Fgw service

[whole diary]

[ReWind]

Just thought this would be of interest, this coming Thursday FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are using a SWT^▸ (South West Trains) class 159 unit instead of one of the loco sets on the CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains)/TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)/PGN train.

This was told to me by a friend who is a FGW staff member.  Bristol guards have to work it on Thursday, along with Exeter guards.

Can anyone confirm this and explain why?

[vacman]

Just thought this would be of interest, this coming Thursday FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are using a SWT^▸ (South West Trains) class 159 unit instead of one of the loco sets on the CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains)/TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)/PGN train.

This was told to me by a friend who is a FGW staff member.  Bristol guards have to work it on Thursday, along with Exeter guards.

Can anyone confirm this and explain why?

they are infact using 2x159's on these duties in order to release both LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock) sets for Dawlish carnival, the LHCS sets are to be strengthened to 5 coaches aswell, a 159 will be making a trip to paignton aswell.

[Chris from Nailsea]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 159s at Nailsea & Backwell ??

I'll be there to take historic pictures of that!

CfN 

[devon_metro]

Trainspotter!

[inspector_blakey]

The cynic in me thinks that this could be construed as further evidence of the farce that is the surplus of 15x stock allocated to SWT^▸ (South West Trains) when so many other operators in the country are in desperate need of it! Something tells me FGW^▸ (First Great Western) couldn't spare two three-car units on a weekday to help another TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) out of a tight spot 

But, having said that, credit where it's due to FGW for making a real effort to provide additional capacity for the Dawlish Carnival.

[Timmer]

It leads me to think the same thing too as anyone who has passed through Salisbury can often testify that there seems to be some units parked up in the station. Makes you wonder why they couldn't have continued to run some services south of Exeter that were scrapped last December.

The only thing that makes me think different is why would SWT^▸ (South West Trains) want to hire surplus stock when they are cutting back in other areas? Though they do seem to be the third party ROSCO^» (Rolling Stock Owning Company - about) whenever a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) needs a unit or two.

[smokey]

Well unless they have been transfered to other depots, the Class 159 fleet is maintained at Salisbury, so it's normal to see laid up 159's at Salisbury, they might not be fit to run.

Note: The 159 fleet is Single Depot maintained, NONE of the NFF* on 159 fleet.

And the standard of the 159's knocks spots of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) unit fleet, with the possible exception of the Exeter Nodding Donkeys which I believe are normally ONLY maintained at Exeter.
Spot the common thread.

* NFF No Fault Found, with mult-depot maintenance so very easy to pass the fault to the next depot the unit goes to. Of course maybe they didn't find a fault!
As my dear mum says "if you don't look you don't find"

[paul7575]

The only thing that makes me think different is why would SWT^▸ (South West Trains) want to hire surplus stock when they are cutting back in other areas? Though they do seem to be the third party ROSCO^» (Rolling Stock Owning Company - about) whenever a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) needs a unit or two.

There are normally 27 159s diagrammed daily from 30 units. That is pretty much normal DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) utilisation of 90% - so where's the big surplus? If FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have two all but one will be in use that day.  Perhaps they are covering with 450s elsewhere, or for the odd day they have tweaked the maintenance plan. It will be interesting to see what they do on the day.

I therefore doubt the units could be released for a long term period, and as for the units hanging around Salisbury depot all day, it isn't the case in the peaks. Like all the other SE commuter TOCs, a lot of stock is free mid day, buit it comes out again late afternoon.

As for the 158s running over the third rail all day that's a completely different question AFAICS^▸ ('as far as I can see')...

Paul

[inspector_blakey]

Well unless they have been transfered to other depots, the Class 159 fleet is maintained at Shrewsbury

So what's SWT^▸ (South West Trains) doing contracting out the maintenance to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) then...?

[Brucey]

Well unless they have been transfered to other depots, the Class 159 fleet is maintained at Shrewsbury

So what's SWT^▸ (South West Trains) doing contracting out the maintenance to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) then...?

I think Shrewsbury should read Caersallog

[matt473]

Well unless they have been transfered to other depots, the Class 159 fleet is maintained at Shrewsbury

So what's SWT^▸ (South West Trains) doing contracting out the maintenance to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) then...?

I thought they'd have to contract it out to whoever owns the shed that looks after the 97/3s if it's Shrewsbury 

[smokey]

Well unless they have been transfered to other depots, the Class 159 fleet is maintained at Shrewsbury

So what's SWT^▸ (South West Trains) doing contracting out the maintenance to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) then...?

Yeah I'm a Muppet.

Of Course I meant Salisbury! Doh!

[vacman]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) now have a dedicated pool of 158's that are all allocated to Machynlleth so I wonder if their reliabilty will improve in that area?