"Oneglia" to get 156's?

markw · Post by **markw** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:30 am

Has anyone else heard this one?

According to a Central Trains internal document when they get their mitts on the Midland Mainline 170's (10x3car units) they will transfer 7x2car 156 over to One Anglia.

If this is true, and it is a growth allocation, it is welcome news. However, the cynic in me notes that there are 7 100mph capable 2 car 170's on Oneglia's books mainly for the Cambridge-Norwich service which is restricted to 75mph, and that Central were desperate to get more 90-100mph units to avoid slowing traffic on the long sections of WCML and ECML they run on (remember the attempt to swap 156's for 158's with Scotrail?). Given that the SRA who funded the 170's most likely wouldn't give a tom tit if the units were swapped, it would be a shame if they are to be swapped as the Cambridge service is doing well and is marketed on the quality of the trains (which even include first class).

Anyone in the industry have any ideas if this is correct or a rumour?

Oh, and please don't start asking for a One Anglia 156 yet, we don't know if they are coming!

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 1:42 pm

It would definately be nice. The Central 156s are disgusting in the extreme.

markw · Post by **markw** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 4:04 pm

It would be nice if we kept our 170's AND got the 156's (compared to our 150's with 3+2 seating, much more civilised) but not if the 170's went to Central. After all the 170's were obtained to provide a quality regional express service from Norwich to Cambridge, which has to compete with the A11 and the private car. Substituting a 156 for the 170 would be seen as a reduction in the quality of service which many regional organisations, including the Development Agency, pushed for and supported.

It may all be rumour, so until someone is able to confirm it I suppose we will have to wait and see. I must admit I quite fancy seeing a 156 in Oneglia Paintchart livery on my local train to Sheringham.

alex2008 · Post by **alex2008** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 6:14 pm

Better not do, CT don't deserve well kept units, the only thing CT deserves is to be stripped of its franchise.

MeridianNick · Post by **MeridianNick** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 6:58 pm

alex2008 wrote:Better not do, CT don't deserve well kept units, the only thing CT deserves is to be stripped of its franchise.

Come on, thats not fair. Central Trains inheritated quite new stock (i.e. introduced 1990ish). Most people assume that the 156's in "Regional railways livery" like the one here :
http://midlandrail.fotopic.net/p5102421.html
That livery was painted after privitistation by Central Trains based on the orignal Class 158 "Express" livery.
The stock has actually had a bit of a refurbish inside, but maybe it's the people who use the trains which are causing the damage?

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 8:58 pm

Nah, just general dirt. I live in the heart of 150 country, near birmingham, and I do hate the 3+2. I love the Wessex 150s, they are so much better! I think the only franchise NE has done well on is ScotRail, and now they lost it! (Although Wessex isnt bad)

jimbob · Post by **jimbob** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:56 pm

I have heard it on good authority that this is true One are getting class 156's as well as class 158's, they will be loosing their class 150's & some 2 car class 170's.

markw · Post by **markw** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:44 pm

Ni-i-i-ce. 158's replace the 170's on Cambridge services (I can live with that...), and 156's replace the 150's! We get the nice 156's, and Central/Centro (I assume the 150's are needed for Tyseley) get the poo-coated end of the stick...

Mind you, if the 150's are needed to re-inforce Centro services judging by the sounds eminating from Ollie Cromwell last time I caught it to Wroxham, they will probably spend most of their time as trailers. Still, the Anglia 150's have nicer seats than the Centro ones, so if it breaks down, at least the seat is comfy. And a big bike rack, so if you really get stuck you can either ride your bike home, or use the metal to rebuild the engine with. It looks strong enough to do the job.

It'll make a nice climbing frame for the inebriates on the last train back to Stourbridge as well, helping them to keep their knuckles in trim for the drag home.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:12 am

How I hate Stourbridge...
I cant see why Central would give their 158s up, they have only just done their 3 car formations, and had them renumbered! The 156s ARE the poo end of the stick. They are the most disgustingly . coated train internally that central possess. Even more than the venerable 150. Get electrified and have a few 323s instead. Maybe the next time they get refurbed, the windows wont be scratched to hell within a month....

jimbob · Post by **jimbob** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 8:56 am

I belive the plan is to use the 158's on Ipswich-Peterboro's although the other story I heard was that there would be 2x3car 170 formations as far as Ipswich where they would split one unit taking the East Suffolk line to Lowestoft, the other to Peterboro, so you might tne up with the 158's on Norwich - Cambridge like Markw said, we will have to wait & see!

arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 9:20 am

You can run a 158 and 170 in multiple, SWT do it with 159s, and I saw Scotrail running a train that was a 170,158, 150 combination. it was ECS, but it's possible...

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 10:43 am

All Central units can run in multiple with each other, except the 323s, who can only multiple with their own class, for obvious reasons. Central run some very odd formations at times, with half 156s and 158s joined etc.

markw · Post by **markw** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 12:02 pm

When I used to live in Staffordshire the 156's were infinately preferable to the 150 comfort wise. Two nice Chapman seats either side of the aisle, instead of two plus three dreadful, narrow 150 seats. Carpeting. Reasonable noise levels. Fewer oily smells. And on one occasion, a hookey cab ride. The problem now is I suspect they are overdue a refit, the current interior refurb having been done just before privatisation, and I expect Central haven't done much to them as at one point they wanted to pack them off north until the Scottish Parliament intervened. Either that or Central work them so hard they don't clean them as well as they should. Or a bit of both.

I assume Central want rid of the 158 to help standardise the Express fleet on 100mph Turborats, which will help diagramming, seat planning, crew training and help in keeping up with the faster traffic on the ECML and WCML where pathing slow units is becoming more difficult. It must cause problems at present if a 90 mph 158 has to substitute for a 100mph 170 as the seating layout and performance are different, and even more so when a 75mph 156 deputises for a 170 - you know before you get on you will be late arriving.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 2:20 pm

I dont mind the 150s so much, I just put my feet up. I pretty much can bring myself to sit down on a 156. Its foul. The smell is dreadful, the windows are getting cracked and filled with filthy water between the glazing, and the toilets are unspeakable. Since (I believe) the Central fleet of 158s is bigger than their Turbostar fleet, even with a few give and takes, doesnt that mean that some may continue in the Express capacity, on slower lines, or that they will be cascaded to local trains?

MeridianNick · Post by **MeridianNick** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 3:53 pm

markw wrote:I assume Central want rid of the 158 to help standardise the Express fleet on 100mph Turborats, which will help diagramming, seat planning, crew training and help in keeping up with the faster traffic on the ECML and WCML where pathing slow units is becoming more difficult. It must cause problems at present if a 90 mph 158 has to substitute for a 100mph 170 as the seating layout and performance are different, and even more so when a 75mph 156 deputises for a 170 - you know before you get on you will be late arriving.

Central don't have that many Turbostars. Infact most of them are 170/5's (2 car), when they really ought to be three car. I can't see why Central want to get rid of the 158's, they are inheriting MML 170's soon so I don't see why not the 156's arn't shipped off to the Norfolk Broads. Central Trains are aiming toward a Turbostar fleet, but they no-way have enough of them to replace the 158's. Intrestingly enough the 158's normally work the Norwich - Liverpool service which deserves to be diagrammed with 170's.