ex Arriva 158s

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by David A Hicks

I wonder if this has something to do with the bad weather at the moment, it is preidcted to be getting worse throuhgout the week too.

I don't know about the fire but I imagine the tree incident was a result of the bad weather. They don't seem to have much luck with the 175's on the TransPennine services as the one that ran into the landslide near Lancaster last year hasn't been back in service for very long.

[martin adamson]

Was that the 175 that was used by ATW on the Manchester-Holyhead services as TPX and ATW shared them? I remember hearing that the 175 was damaged by a landslide, forcing the use of the Class 57 and Mk2's for the long period of time this year.

[swisstrains]

That's the one David. It was 175103 and it came back from being repaired at Wolverton last August.
Apparently, because they were using 175103 when it got damaged, "First Transpennine" had to pay some of the cost of hiring the 57 and Mk2's for ATW.
A curious thing about 175103 is that one of it's cars had been re-liveried into the greeny bluey/white Arriva colours before the accident but when it returned from being repaired they had stripped off this livery and returned it to the old First North Western colours.......strange

[swisstrains]

The 175's are now leaving the Alsthom depot in Chester carrying "Arriva Trains Wales" stickers where the "First North Western" ones were before the franchise changed. I wonder how long the "First" livery will survive now that ATW are the sole operators of these units?

[martin adamson]

I saw a first liveried 175 pass by this morning buit thee is becoming an increase in the green liveried units. I would like to see a nice mint green done up interior to reflect the new livery but I don't know if they are planning an interior change.

[swisstrains]

Now that all the 3-car 175's are working for "Arriva Trains Wales" they are publicly advertising that certain peak period workings between Manchester Piccadilly and North Wales will be guaranteed a 3-car train.
That's fine in theory but tonight (14/12) the 175/1 unit scheduled to work the "guaranteed 3-car" 17:16 Manchester Picc-Llandudno failed. The only replacement available was a 2-car 150/2 which also failed before reaching Manchester and eventually the train was cancelled completely. To rub salt in the wounds the next scheduled Manchester Picc - North Wales working (also a "guaranteed 3-car") was only a 175/0 2-car which had to carry all the passengers from what should have been 2 x 3-car trains. You can imagine how overcrowded this working was.
Apparently the 175's are dropping like flies at the moment so perhaps ATW shouldn't be getting rid of their 158's after all?

[martin adamson]

ATW are still running a 158 diagram on the South Wales services. Here it is, it is Monday to Friday I am not sure about weekends. So for anyone who wants what might be a last ride on a 158 (with the exception of replacement broken down 175s ) then here is the diagram:

05:00 Camarthen to Manchester
10:34 Manchester to Milford Haven

This is based on my sighting this week so it might change.

[Folos]

Originally Posted by David A Hicks

ATW are still running a 158 diagram on the South Wales services. Here it is, it is Monday to Friday I am not sure about weekends. So for anyone who wants what might be a last ride on a 158 (with the exception of replacement broken down 175s ) then here is the diagram:

05:00 Camarthen to Manchester
10:34 Manchester to Milford Haven

This is based on my sighting this week so it might change.

They use the 158s on Gloucester-Maesteg, Maesteg-Gloucester though last week they used a 142 running on one engine, with that working engine unable to go beyond 1st gear.. was a pretty "fun" ride going 15-20mph on the main-line to Brigdend (though he got both engines working fine when going up to Maesteg)

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by Folos

They use the 158s on Gloucester-Maesteg, Maesteg-Gloucester though last week they used a 142 running on one engine, with that working engine unable to go beyond 1st gear.. was a pretty "fun" ride going 15-20mph on the main-line to Brigdend (though he got both engines working fine when going up to Maesteg)

ATW are having a lot of engine failures on the 175's also
Units are constantly being changed as they pass through Chester where the Alsthom depot is.