SWT 159/1s

carlwestwood · Post by **carlwestwood** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 2:15 pm

Nine class 158s used by First Transpennine are being transferred down south for SWT. These units will be refurbished and reclassified to 159/1. The interiors will be refitted with new 1st class seating introduced.

So far 158803/804/807 have arrived at Wabtec Doncaster for the treatment. SWT expect to have the first in service by the end of the year.

The 170s that are to be displaced by the 159/1s are to be sent up to First TPE for use on hull services. The first will be 170392.

SWT have also sent 158786 to Doncaster for modifications to its underframe.

Carl

AlistairW · Post by **AlistairW** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:53 pm

Seems like good news to me, at least 9, 158's have a guarentted life extension. Which service will they operate? Hull - Manchester? Why use 170's instead of ordering a few more 185s? Budget reasons or merely load factor?

carlwestwood · Post by **carlwestwood** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:31 pm

im not sure what service they will operate. But i do know that they are having the 170s so they dnt have to spend too much dosh! The tubostars are still good reliable machines. What will one of those look like in the neon livery

Carl

yj03ppv · Post by **yj03ppv** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:55 pm

SWTs 159/1s will probably be used on Brighton - Reading & Totton - Romsey via Chandlers' Ford services, as well as working with 159/0s on West of England Line services.

Not sure what services our 170s will operate when in TPE land.

John

enotayokel · Post by **enotayokel** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:56 pm

The SRA blocked the extra 185s.

SWT like their 159s, but they were not impressed with the Turbostar, it lacks gangways for the Catering Trolley, SDO for Whimple, Feniton and Tisbury and doesn't lend itself to the portion working used on the WoE line (ie 8 car train arrives at Salisbury, the front six coaches work on to Exeter, the rear 2 go on to Bristol, On arrival at Exeter the 6 coach rake splits again with rear 3 going to Paignton - front 3 works back to Salisbury where it combines with another 3 set to run into london as a 6 car train), so the swap of Turbostars gives TPX newer 'extras' and SWT more 159s

yj03ppv · Post by **yj03ppv** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:53 pm

enotayokel wrote:(ie 8 car train arrives at Salisbury, the front six coaches work on to Exeter, the rear 2 go on to Bristol, On arrival at Exeter the 6 coach rake splits again with rear 3 going to Paignton - front 3 works back to Salisbury where it combines with another 3 set to run into london as a 6 car train)

On Plymouth runs, the train is 6 beyond Salisbury, sometimes there is a stengthener of two cars dropped off at Saslisbury, this is what the 170s are usually used for. If it also goes to Bristol the two cars are dropped off and run to Bristol, this is a 158 though. Often, the 170 either runs back to London on its on or sometimes joins up with a 159 waiting in one of the platforms, sometimes the Up Bay (6 I think).

Once the 6 car train gets to St Davids, the rear 3 are detached and leave for Plymouth and the front 3 go into the sidings. Then when the rear 3 have returned from Plymouth, they are coupled back together and then run back to Salisbury, when they might be joined by another 2-car unit either off a Bristol run (remember out of 6 services a day, only 4 go through to London/come from London) or from sidings.

I'm not entirely sure about Paignton runs, but I doubt after the split at St Davids, one set runs back to Salisbury.

170s are used on the following services regularily -

Brighton - Reading, via Fareham & Winchester.
Totton - Romsey, via Eastleigh & Chandler's Ford.
London Waterloo - Salisbury, via Basingstoke.

Not often do 170s go beyond Salisbury, usually they are either as strengtheners on other services, or run as a 2-car service.

So, yes, 170s are impratical for SWT, I've also heard they are not suited to the Chandler's Ford stopper due to their gearing, plus the fact most of them have two first class sections when traffic on that route is standard class. Only 170392 has a sensible amount of first class.

John

n863dwt · Post by **n863dwt** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:18 am

but surely the first class sections are as specified when swt ordered them via porterbrook....

so they cant complain if it was part of the spec that THEY submited.

and i still fail to see how the 170/3's that move to FTPx are gonna be useful given their 2 car status... unless other intermediate cars are used or they are semi/permamently coupled as 4 car trains.

enotayokel · Post by **enotayokel** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:26 pm

yj03ppv wrote:

I'm not entirely sure about Paignton runs, but I doubt after the split at St Davids, one set runs back to Salisbury.

John

it does happen from time to time, but mostly it will take a trip into the sidings for cleaning, before working back singley or with another set, immediate turnarounds arn't unknown (usually with chaos as the reservations arn't put out and it takes to Pinhoe for everyone to get sorted) - it was a hypothectical diagram trying to show how much the units split and combine as well as some of the working patterns.

buffy500 · Post by **buffy500** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:07 pm

Are they going to make them 2 car 159's ? (or are they 3 car 158's ?)
The last ones stayed as 158's.

allypally · Post by **allypally** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:34 pm

3 car 158s Dave.

buffy500 · Post by **buffy500** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:38 pm

oh ok, hence the 159 then.

mattvince · Post by **mattvince** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:05 pm

In all fairness, a regeared Turbostar would be ideal for the Chandlers Ford stuff - particularly when they divert them from Totton to Salisbury in December 2007. The narrow end doors of 158/159 units make them unsuitable for what is a suburban service (I'd personally lay juice-rails and use Desiros - but that's fantasy railway stuff).

It will be a loss - the Turbostar air-con is superb, but I would agree that they are unsuitable and too small to accomodate future growth.

Pompeyfan · Post by **Pompeyfan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:01 pm

what is up with the gearin... in stupid terms anyway... won't understand allot of it... lol

mattvince · Post by **mattvince** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:35 pm

If you have a bicycle with lots of gears, then you should be aware of what happens with the different gears - some give you speed, others give you hill-climbing ability. It's similar with trains, only with fewer gears - the manufacturer can set the gears for high speed (with slow acceleration) or for high acceleration (with a slower top speed). The Turbostars are geared for 100mph - but accelerate slowly. The Chandlers Ford service is an all-stations service - so getting away from stations quickly is critical, in order to get to the best possible speed before braking for the next station.

Pompeyfan · Post by **Pompeyfan** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:50 pm

from what i have noticed tho is that

150s a mixed bag

153s off like a rocket... and breaks that give you whiplash

158s takes ages to get to 40MPH but once there it almost breaks the speedo (tops speed 90MPH)

170's verygood accelerating but brakes are not effective

220's whoosh.....................................................

442s takes ages to get rolling properlly and should NOT be used on the stoppers to bournemouth

desiros good all round.... a driver once told me they can stop from 100mph in less than a mile.... info from driver on a waterloo - ports hbr via basingstoke

and thanks for the explanation