Transport Question

[Beardie]

I know there is no real need to create a topic for this, but it would be nice if there was a General Transport question topic, so that people could ask questions about trains and transport here and there, anyway

Just wondering, i believe that First Great Western run Class 142s in Devon and Cornwall for services, course i didn't even know that FGW had 142s till this morning. I was just leaving the house this morning when a ex-FNW class 142 came past with Pink Doors and FGW on the side. Original i was going to ask if FGW ran 142s course i found out on the net that they do, but i am assuming that the train is on loan to Northern Rail or something because its pretty far from were its meant to run.

[Dave]

Believe that it's a returned 142 that has been (will be) displaced by the 7 150s that Silverlink had/have/will soon no longer have.

[beeb375]

How long do you reckon 142s/3s/4s have got left to live? I'm guessing that places like the Cumbria Coast Line will forever end up with units nearing the end of their life, with 150s next to join them I expect?

[Dreamcatcher]

Shudders at the sardine tins that the Falmoutrh Branchline sometimes ends up being at rush hour!!

[andel]

it's a 142 on its way back or to a C4 exam in Glasgow or up that way - the move is done by Cotswold Rail normally.

[JamieLei]

By the look of it, the 142/3/4s will be in service for a great deal, even with the cascade of 150s displaced by 172s next year (or the year after). There's lots of overcrowding on FGW and Valley Lines that will necessitate extra carriages, not replacements.

[Beardie]

it's a 142 on its way back or to a C4 exam in Glasgow or up that way - the move is done by Cotswold Rail normally.

That would explain why i had no passengers. Just thought it was quiet, course bit unusual to be quiet at 8.30am

[EXTspotter]

We had 142s down here during RR but they were sent north when it was realised that they were not suitable for the lines because they are very bendy and cause huge amounts of wheel wear. FGW recieved a few (12?) for use on the lines west of Exeter, mainly those to Barnstaple, Exmouth and Paignton in tandem with the 150s and 153s it previously operated. They painted the doors pink, then later they covered up the stars and added the FGW titles. We recieved them as 10 or more 158s were returned to Angel, and there is huge overcrowding anyway, plus timetables have had to be changed as most of the "Alphaline" services the 158s were operating have reverted to 150s, which is a joke. Would you want to travel for several hours on a 150 on Plymouth - Portsmouth Harbour? Hell no! Anyway, it seems that FGW will be keeping a few of them (ugh) as well as recieving the 150/1s from LM and LO. The remainder are being returned up north after the 150s are recieved. The train system down here is a complete joke. Chronic overcrowding on even the shortest routes, old, reasonably unreliable stock, increases in fares, yet without much to show for it, plus due to the very tourist driven nature of the area means that its even worse in Summer, which is really going to attract people out of their cars? Give me a break!

[Dave]

I'm pretty sure that most if not all of LM's 150 stock is going the way of FGW.

Possibly Northern too? I believe they're trying to keep stock quite uniform, so will possibly send ALL of the 150/1s down to FGW and the 150/2s to the north west?

[JamieLei]

ATW Valley Lines were mortified when the ORR diverted some of the 150s reserved for them towards FGW. They will almost certainly get some of the LM 150s since they were initially promised them. The overcrowding in South Wales is worse than it's ever been... - the guards have lots of trouble since only 3 stations on the entire network are "pay before you get on the train".

[Dreamcatcher]

Gah! It sickens me that FGW is essentially a Government protected Franchise with lots in the bank (its parent company pretty much monopolises public travel by road/rail accross quite a few counties) and rather than get in nice new trains to run on their network, they are getting in 150's and retaining several *unreliable* HST units.

150's on the Cornish mainline = BAD even moreso when they decide to fail between Truro - StAustell or Truro - Redruth and require rescuing by either one of the Riviera 57's or an EWS Shed (towing back down/up the mainline to Truro sidings to be looked at)

[JamieLei]

Prehaps you should run the franchise and do a better job

The Great Western Franchise is plagued with all these problems. New trains cost ridiculous amounts of money, with the older ones work fine. The "unreliable" HSTs are replacing the even more unreliable 180s.

The 150s are much better than the 142s though. I think most commuters would agree on that
Nonetheless it's fair to say that commuters' expectations have risen substantially, and trains of the 172 sort are now going to expected as the norm, with aircon and sleek designs.

I have a lot of sympathy with FGW and the huge problems they face, although I believe they've got the wrong priorities. Instead of slapping their branding on everything that they can get their hands on, they should be doing what they can to reduce the ridiculous delays that happen that are their fault - such as by staff shortages.

[Dreamcatcher]

Prehaps you should run the franchise and do a better job

The Great Western Franchise is plagued with all these problems. New trains cost ridiculous amounts of money, with the older ones work fine. The "unreliable" HSTs are replacing the even more unreliable 180s.

The 150s are much better than the 142s though. I think most commuters would agree on that
Nonetheless it's fair to say that commuters' expectations have risen substantially, and trains of the 172 sort are now going to expected as the norm, with aircon and sleek designs.

I have a lot of sympathy with FGW and the huge problems they face, although I believe they've got the wrong priorities. Instead of slapping their branding on everything that they can get their hands on, they should be doing what they can to reduce the ridiculous delays that happen that are their fault - such as by staff shortages.

Yes new trains cost a lot of money... but the income (if they run properly, first[GW] squanderd so much leasing those 180's and they only ran to Plymouth (and Cardiff I do believe) from Pad - Shame they couldn't be more reliable.))

Definately agree on the 150 vs 142 issue, and definately agree on the expectations, the voyagers I have ridden on down here although still a bit 'buggy' still ride better than the refitted HST's FGW is running though, the carriage upgrades are awesome.

Agree'd again on the first issues, getting more staff is a good start, cleaning up/remodelling some of the stations would be another.. maybe even replacing a few local stopping services with some leased mini hst consits (2 units + 4 standard class carriages.. though that would probably run a large defecit unless maximum capacity was assured for most of the route!)

[L&Y Man]

How long do you reckon 142s/3s/4s have got left to live? I'm guessing that places like the Cumbria Coast Line will forever end up with units nearing the end of their life, with 150s next to join them I expect?

With the current post-deluvian situation, all trains on the Cumbrian coast between Barrow and Carlisle consist of at least two cars, usually a 156 or occasionally 2 x 153. Sometimes, if there is a failure, a 142 appears.

L&Y Man