FGW take SWT 158 on hire from June 15th

[whole diary]

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

well it would seem the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 is coming in to replace an ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) 150 that is returning.
have it on good authority 150280 is going back today sometime.

150280 is still with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), last seen heading for WSM this afternoon. Did another return in its place?

everytime i see this unit its eather on the taunton to btm or exmouth to paignton

[Rogang]

Ok - The diagram is now on my desk. Mons-Fris from next Monday. As I advised early on, Salisbury-Westbury-Swindon-Cheltenham-Swindon-Cheltenham-Swindon-Cheltenham-Bristol-Salisbury. First class declassified. Diagram is not allowed to vary. Interesting news is the re-negotiation with ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) to keep all 5 150's a bit longer - FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will have one extra 2-car spare from Monday - rumour has it that Cornwall branches are the likely benifactor (especailly to cover any failure of one of the 153's on Falmouth line)

[The SprinterMeister]

well it would seem the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 is coming in to replace an ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) 150 that is returning.
have it on good authority 150280 is going back today sometime.

150280 is still with FGW^▸ (First Great Western), last seen heading for WSM this afternoon. Did another return in its place?

everytime i see this unit its eather on the taunton to btm or exmouth to paignton

You can hear that one a mile off, rather noisy alternator splitter gearbox on the 52280 car.

[Timmer]

According the the July edition of Modern Railways FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have agreed to release all five of 150s that it hires in from ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)).

Does anyone know when the remaining four are due to be handed back? Hopefully after the summer peak!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

According the the July edition of Modern Railways FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have agreed to release all five of 150s that it hires in from ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)).

Does anyone know when the remaining four are due to be handed back? Hopefully after the summer peak!

Modern Railways, it must be true then  i dont think this is new there only leased so they were always going back at some point

[Timmer]

Modern Railways, it must be true then  i dont think this is new there only leased so they were always going back at some point

Tony Miles is pretty reliable with his reports on rolling stock.

Reason I mentioned it was because earlier in this thread talk was that only one set is going back but this report says all five are to return hence me asking if anyone knew when the remaining four are heading back under the Severn.

[paul7575]

Reading between the lines here, is the compensation for these 150s if they are returned the collective total of:
1. DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) Approval of the LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock)/67 for another year.
2. Completion of refurbs of the 142 and 143 fleet
3. The hire of the single 158 from SWT^▸ (South West Trains).

Odd that TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) in MR^▸ (Midland Railway, or Motor Rail, depending on context) didn't give any dates though. It might be well into the future that it happens...

Paul

[Timmer]

Odd that TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) in MR^▸ (Midland Railway, or Motor Rail, depending on context) didn't give any dates though. It might be well into the future that it happens...

Paul

That's true he didn't...only mentioning the three months notice that was given for the set that has been returned.

With things getting tight at SWT^▸ (South West Trains) revenue wise, I would imagine they are more than happy to have their spare 158s out earning revenue by being sub leased as is the case with sister company EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) and now with FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

[paul7575]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 ran yesterday as follows:

2E16 06.04 Salisbury - Westbury
2M10 07.02 Westbury - Cheltenham
2B90 09.39 Cheltenham - Swindon
2G83 11.54 Swindon - Cheltenham
2B94 13.40 Cheltenham - Swindon
2G87 15.54 Swindon - Cheltenham
2C24 17.30 Cheltenham - Westbury
2C92 20.38 Westbury - Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context)
1O86 22.25 Bristol TM - Salisbury (FP with Class 159 attached)

Thanks to SWT yahoo group for info.

Paul

[The SprinterMeister]

Reading between the lines here, is the compensation for these 150s if they are returned the collective total of:
1. DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) Approval of the LHCS^▸ (Locomotive Hauled Coaching Stock)/67 for another year.
2. Completion of refurbs of the 142 and 143 fleet
3. The hire of the single 158 from SWT^▸ (South West Trains).

Odd that TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) in MR^▸ (Midland Railway, or Motor Rail, depending on context) didn't give any dates though. It might be well into the future that it happens...

Paul

The FGW^▸ (First Great Western) West fleet refurbishment has been completed, with the exception of 150121/127. 143611 re-entered traffic last Sunday (28-06-2009). The 142's were internally retrimmed and repainted some time previously.

[JayMac]

Spotted the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 today at the Cheltenham Spa turnback. Guaranteed the aircon will be working, no probs. Unlke the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) one and a half 158 I was on later in the day from Newport to Patchway. Couldn't FGW have spent a bit of that re-fresh budget for the ex-Wessex fleet on sorting out the aircon? I was actually glad to de-train at Patchway into a refreshing rain shower!

[The SprinterMeister]

Spotted the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 today at the Cheltenham Spa turnback. Guaranteed the aircon will be working, no probs. Unlke the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) one and a half 158 I was on later in the day from Newport to Patchway. Couldn't FGW have spent a bit of that re-fresh budget for the ex-Wessex fleet on sorting out the aircon? I was actually glad to de-train at Patchway into a refreshing rain shower!

It appears that the aircon on the FGW 158 fleet has been a bit hit and miss this week. One of the problems is that there is no standard installation as such, there are Leibherr and original spec Transtemp ones in the fleet. All the appaling EBAC ones have long since gone. Shame the Transtemp units didn't get the Leibherr units fitted as part of the refurb though.

Contrary to that statement of yours there have been SWT 159's running around with the hopper vents open, indicating a failure of the aircon. And thats with an all Leibherr fitted fleet, Leibherr being one of the better variants of Aircon that found its way onto the 158/159 fleets. I suspect 158 aircon is going to be one of those problems which can never be entirely cured without huge expense bearing in mind it only ever gets used 3 months out of the 12 and sits idle no doubt accumulating faults for the remaining 9.

[JayMac]

Spotted the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 today at the Cheltenham Spa turnback. Guaranteed the aircon will be working, no probs. Unlke the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) one and a half 158 I was on later in the day from Newport to Patchway. Couldn't FGW have spent a bit of that re-fresh budget for the ex-Wessex fleet on sorting out the aircon? I was actually glad to de-train at Patchway into a refreshing rain shower!

It appears that the aircon on the FGW 158 fleet has been a bit hit and miss this week. One of the problems is that there is no standard installation as such, there are Leibherr and original spec Transtemp ones in the fleet. All the appaling EBAC ones have long since gone. Shame the Transtemp units didn't get the Leibherr units fitted as part of the refurb though.

Contrary to that statement of yours there have been SWT 159's running around with the hopper vents open, indicating a failure of the aircon. And thats with an all Leibherr fitted fleet, Leibherr being one of the better variants of Aircon that found its way onto the 158/159 fleets. I suspect 158 aircon is going to be one of those problems which can never be entirely cured without huge expense bearing in mind it only ever gets used 3 months out of the 12 and sits idle no doubt accumulating faults for the remaining 9.

I'd question whether aircon sits idle for a period of nine months. There must be days from May-September in an average year when it is needed. Even so, should it not be routinely inspected and tested for when it IS needed. On my regular trips (not a daily commute, but fairly frequently) on SWT 158/159s I have yet to experience a lack of aircon when it has been needed. The same cannot be said for FGW.

[paul7575]

I'd suggest that in general, air conditioning is working all year round. It isn't just air cooling, it does moisture removal and fresh air input as well.   

Paul

[Rogang]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 is now being hired in on Saturdays as well - similar diagram to M-F. And the rumour mill is suggesting it might have a friend joining it soon.....