165s on the North Downs Line

[whole diary]

[Jonathan H]

I appreciate that the 166 fleet is currently in the process of being refreshed but the allocation of class 165s to the North Downs Line (albeit 3-coach ones) on what would normally be class 166 diagrams appears to be at an all time high.  I'm pretty sure that there was recently a day when all five 3-coach diagrams were 165s which really doesn't make sense with the luggage-stowage requirements on the line.  This week, the 0634 from Reading was a 165 four times out of five and today, two of the three Sunday turns are 165s.

My understanding is that, on a weekday, the 0434, 0524, 0634 from Reading and 0628 from Redhill should be a 166, the 0554 from Reading should be a 3-coach 165 and the 0604 from Reading and 0531 from Gatwick should be 2-coach 165s.  Have some of the 166 diagrams moved to be booked 165?

Incidentally, how the service balance up on Sunday evening / Monday morning with the current weekly engineering block?  Are there empty trains via Woking / Basingstoke?


Jonathan

[adc82140]

The presence of 165s on certain peak trains from Guildford is an advantage- we all breathe a collective sigh of relief if the 17:44 to Reading turns up as a 3 car 165 vice the booked 166- it means we get a significant amount more seats!! It really is not a 166 suitable service. To be honest the peak diagrams need to be strengthened to four or five carriages, but I don't see any slack in the Paddington commuter corridor to release a unit.

How about one of those spare 180s?