Stock cascade of class 150s

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) will retain 6 x Class 150 carriages (but release 2 x Class 153 carriages to FGW^▸ (First Great Western));
FGW will receive 4 x Class 150 carriages (and 2 x Class 153 carriages from LM)
Northern will receive 8 x Class 150 carriages from LM and 14 x Class 142 carriages cascaded from FGW.

There are 8 Class 150 carriages becoming surplus in London Midland which are not covered by the agreements with these TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company). These trains are non-standard units that may subsequently be sought by another TOC, PTE^▸ (Passenger Transport Executive) or local authority for additional services.
 

So just to confirm this is all about the famous 26 carriages previously unaccounted for, and is additional to the 9 units already allocated to FGW.
Northern have done well, given the earlier DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) announcement that was widely reported suggesting that the 142s returning from FGW depended on a new business case, and wouldn't necessarily return to use.
 
Also, presumably the 8 eventual 'spares' are the two 'non-standard' three car units, and the two odd carriages whose original 'other halves' were written off in accidents...

Paul

[inspector_blakey]

looks as if porterbrook are looking into reforming the class 153 Units back into 2 Car sets to allow them to  comply with the new Disability access rules due in 2020

I must be missing something obvious here, but how does coupling two non-compliant cars together make a compliant unit?

[paul7575]

looks as if porterbrook are looking into reforming the class 153 Units back into 2 Car sets to allow them to  comply with the new Disability access rules due in 2020

I must be missing something obvious here, but how does coupling two non-compliant cars together make a compliant unit?

I think it is because the reduction in capacity of a single 153 when fitted with a DDA^» (Disability Discrimination Act - about) compatible toilet and wheelchair space is too much, but by reverting to a two car unit you win back the space of the two small cabs, and then only one carriage has to have the major modifications - the other could become fully seated with its toilet removed.

So as a two car 155 the overall BCR^▸ (Benefit Cost Ratio) is totally different to that of 2 individual 153s?

Paul 

[ChrisB]

On DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) web site:

Can you give us the actual URL - I want to print the press release off....

[IndustryInsider]

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/clientmicrosite/Content/Detail.aspx?ClientId=202&NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=420760&SubjectId=36

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

looks as if porterbrook are looking into reforming the class 153 Units back into 2 Car sets to allow them to  comply with the new Disability access rules due in 2020

I must be missing something obvious here, but how does coupling two non-compliant cars together make a compliant unit?

I think it is because the reduction in capacity of a single 153 when fitted with a DDA^» (Disability Discrimination Act - about) compatible toilet and wheelchair space is too much, but by reverting to a two car unit you win back the space of the two small cabs, and then only one carriage has to have the major modifications - the other could become fully seated with its toilet removed.

So as a two car 155 the overall BCR^▸ (Benefit Cost Ratio) is totally different to that of 2 individual 153s?

Paul 

the 153 has loads of room at one end for a disabled loo which is currently luggage space

[inspector_blakey]

Factoid - designed originally as a parcels/freight area because when the units were originally introduced Red Star Parcels still did a significant amount of business in delivering local parcels (hence why it's a locker rather than a simple shelf).

But these days very, very useful as a luggage area - the Pembroke Dock line in the summer springs to mind as an example.

[JayMac]

'Factoid'

Saw that word and immediately thought of Steve Wright. Does that age me?

EDIT: On reflection, probably not. I believe Steve Wright and his team are still coming out with 'Factoids' on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio 2 every weekday afternoon.

[anthony215]

This seems to have been picked up by the bristol evening post:
 
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Extra-seats-commuters/story-13109855-detail/story.html

Glad to see FGW^▸ (First Great Western) getting som much need extra carriages even if is only a few.

hopefully in a few years we will start to see a few of the class 165/166's arriving

[vacman]

the 153 has loads of room at one end for a disabled loo which is currently luggage space
[/quote]And where will the luggage go? not sure if you've noticed but we already struggle with luggage space!

[Tim]

the 153 has loads of room at one end for a disabled loo which is currently luggage space

And where will the luggage go? not sure if you've noticed but we already struggle with luggage space!
[/quote]

Come on.  This isn;t about reacting to customer demand.  Its about complying with regulations which is MUCH more important in Britain today

[anthony215]

 Slightly off topic but it Looks like overcrowding is likely to get worse:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14491488

I do hope FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or whoever operates the franchise next will run all the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.)'s in pairs instead of just 1 unit during the off peak.

I do hope crossrail will help relieve some of the pressure between Reading & London Paddington. Hopefully they will stop the heathrow express services and use those extra 4 paths an hour to run more high speed services between Reading & Paddington

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

if luggage was that much of a priority modern units would be built with a decent amount of luggage space, now when i say priority.... for passengers it may well be .... but a bum on a seat makes more money than a suitcase on a rack

[paul7575]

How do you define a 'decent amount of luggage space' when so many people show up these days with massive wheeled cases large enough to carry another member of the family?   

Hmm... thinks of 1960s TV^▸ (Thames Valley, or TeleVision, depending on context) series - 'Man in a Suitcase'...   

Paul   

[willc]

Slightly off topic but it Looks like overcrowding is likely to get worse:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14491488

I do hope FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or whoever operates the franchise next will run all the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.)'s in pairs instead of just 1 unit during the off peak.

These figures relate solely to the peaks, so I can't see how you get from that to off-peak operations.