"Ken Livingstone's Rejects"

[whole diary]

[Lee]

I presume that the Oldfield Park Train Blog is referring to the Class 150/1 units in the link below.
http://oldfieldparktrains.blogspot.com/2008/02/ken-livingstones-rejects.html

[Chris from Nailsea]

Well, sorry, Ken, but while they may not be good enough for you London types, they're a rare treat for us poor local commuters, west of Bristol!

 

[dog box]

Ah the Stinkylink 150s...not bad although one of them sounds a bit like a washing machine when in it.
 Chris These units are as built with 2/3 seating remember though our 150/2s had this style untill Wales and West Trains or was it Wessex decided to replace them with the 2/2 Chapman Seats thus reducing the seating capacity, whilst increasing standing room.
So prehaps the 150/2 gives a distorted view of an overcrowded train comparied to the two 150/1s we have

[tramway]

When I first started my Trowbridge/Bristol commute Wessex had just started the conversion, and it was noticeable that many people preferrred to stand rather than squeeze in the 3 bank of seats, so yes there is a decrease in seating capacity but a marginal decrease in seated passengers. Only shortcoming was the stark lighting which still comes as a shock on early winter mornings.

Also remember that 150^s were regulars on Cardiff/Portsmouth runs so 3+2 was an absolute nightmare over those sort of distances. At least the Wessex conversion gave a semblance of 158 comfort in a 150.

[vacman]

Great units!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Chris These units are as built with 2/3 seating remember though our 150/2s had this style until Wales and West Trains or was it Wessex decided to replace them with the 2/2 Chapman Seats thus reducing the seating capacity, whilst increasing standing room.
So perhaps the 150/2 gives a distorted view of an overcrowded train comparied to the two 150/1s we have

dog box, thank you for your explanation ^ and I do understand that you are probably just trying to contain my boyish enthusiasm for 150/1s!  However, while I was given a rare treat last Friday evening, having a ride home on a 150/1 on the 1753 from BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) to Nailsea, (see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1753.msg12089#msg12089 ) I was brought back to reality with a bump yesterday!  A 143 turned up for the 1753 service: not good news, as it^s half term this week and platform 8 was busier than usual.  Sure enough, about 30 passengers (that is, me and 29 others!) were left behind, to catch the 1822 instead.

My point remains that, compared with the 143 (or even a 150/2?) that we are normally crammed onto for the 1753 service, that 150/1 turning up last Friday was like an early birthday present!

 

[Jim]

That was 143 Monday night yes, the 150 failed at 10.19 in Bristol.

[devon_metro]

143s have even less capacity than a standard 150/2 so must have been murder!