Great Western Coffee Shop

According to Rail Issue 582 158798, are only three car 158 has gone for refurblisment meaning a 3 Car diagram will be replaced with a two car diagram for a month or two.

It went a few weeks ago. The diagram instead is booked 4 car.

WOW. Is it 158+150 or 2x158?
If it is 2x158 I know what loses out:
The 06:47 BTM-Penzance which will be a 150.

Its whatever spare stock that SPM has. Its not booked 2 158s or anything, although it makes more sence that a Penzance stopper. Bearing in mind the speed limit in cornwall is 75 max...

One of the two a day trains to Penzance should be 158 for the luggage space which 150's don't have any of. A 158+150 would be fine on Portsmouth-Cardiff. Reservations in the 158 half, luggage space plus commuter style train.

I never thought 158s had much luggage space

Well it had to go sooner or later so better to get it done and out the way so it can return to service. I know I keep on saying this but how I wish FGW could have had a couple more of the three car ex-TPX 158s instead of just one  :(

At least they have some compared to the 150's which have none. A 2x153 would have the most luggage space though.

It isn't!

Somebody working at SPM seems to suggest so. Says that control demands 4 car!

Well it hasn't been for at least 9 nights!

I travelled on this service yesterday. It was a 158 ex transpennine express train. How come they havent removed the transpennine name from the train.  Also I prefer the former Wessex 158 trains to the formet transpennine ones. I know they are both 158's but the inside of the Wessex ones are nicer IMO.

couldnt disagree more mate....The ex TPE ones are much more comfortable and have a small section of 1st class whilst the Wessex stuff isnt as good and we are still lumbered with the pink seated heap of Rubbish which is probably the worst interior overhaul ever

I think the TPE are better. Seats are more comfortable, and whilst they look a bit tired, they are better than the pink "refurbished Wessex" sets. Still the pink sets are better than the unrefurbed blue, which are just awful (if any are still around this area.)

think we still have at least one blue seated one about

Why are all 158s full of rubbish and dirty?

2 - 745/6

TPE might be more comfortable but it doesnt feel like im travelling on a FGW/Wessex service when im on that one. Also I dont like the appearance of the carriage inside, they do look very tired I agree.

The blue ones I associate with Arriva Trains Wales as they still have those, although they have replaced the seats in some of them.

I guess I like the pink seats as they remind me of good old Wessex trains!

They'll all remind you of an HST soon!

yes but its taking ages - so far ive only seen 1 refurbished 158 and it will be 2 years since FGW took over from Wessex.

there are 4 158's out, 1 150 and 1 153 that have all been done.

I'm with Jez on this one. I loved the blue Alphaline 158's and the pink one's have a totally changed interior with loads of tables and I think comfortable seats. The pink is just Wessex's coporate colour.
As for the TPE nits the First Class part is good but the standard class seats are ancient, I think they're original with just new covers and re-upholstered, there the same as the 153's which came from 158's. I don't think that there that nice to sit in either.

Really? When ive been in Cardiff Central ive only seen a refurbished 158 once - usually we get the ex Transpennine 158's or the old wessex ones on Cardiff-Portsmouth Hbr service.

Cardiff-Taunton service also seem to use mainly 142 or 150's.

the taunton service is a variety of 143/150/153 at present!

Needs to be 150 constantly!

Would say 158s, but fgw are err, slightly "strecthed" for stock. There have been quite a few refurbed 158's round here recently though (i live opposite the station looking onto the tracks)

I wouldnt be surprised if the Cardiff-Pompey service had some 150's in the future - I think they have had some already. We are supposed to be losing some 158's arent we?

They've gone already.

You would be surprised (or maybe not) how many times 150's have stood in for 158's on Portsmouth-Cardiff services, and you will find numerous posts on this forum to that effect.

Yesterdays 11.10 Brighton-Cardiff one of them!

Unlucky for the passengers.

Yes, it was, as I was 1 of them!

It was on Sunday December 30th as well, I was on it and it was pretty full with quite a few standing until Bath.

Travelled from Bristol TM to Cardiff Central today and still havent managed to get on a refurbished 158. The one I went on today was the 13.22 from Portsmouth Hbr to Cardiff and it was an old Wessex one with the pink/grey seats. Almost made me think Wessex were still running the service for a few minutes there.  Also they seem to have more table seats on the old Wessex 158's than the old TPE ones.

So how many 158's do FGW still have. There cant be many of the old Wessex style ones left.

Oh and the train I had out from Cardiff to Bristol was the 11.00 service to Taunton - it was a 150 which has been painted in the new FGW colours the inside has certainly not been refurbished - it was definately still Wessex trains.

21 158's

And that 150 would be one of the ones that got "Vinyl'd" before the refurbishment programme began

Of those 21 158's anyone know how many are ex Transpennie Express and how many are ex wessex?

158745/6/7/8/9 and 158751 are ex Wessex. 745/6 had/have blue seats, from Wales And West Refurb, 747-749+751 have/had Pink seats (Which are just as comfy as sitting on the floor!)  which were refurbed by Wessex.

The rest of the 158's, are TPE and consist of (?):
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
771
776
798 and 1 other, which I can't remember.

The refurbished ones are:
748(ex-Wessex)
751 (ex-Wessex)(Being Refurbished)
761(TPE)
762(TPE)
771(TPE)
798(TPE,3-car)(Being refurbished)

Thanks both.  :)

I actually prefer the pink seated ex Wessex ones to the ex Transpennine Express and Wales and West ones. When I had a train back from Bristol TM to Cardiff yesterday I was glad it was an ex Wessex not TPE.  Would have preferred a refurbished one thoigh, yet to be on any refurbished 158's but I have been on the refurbished HST's so I assume the inside is simular to them.

Missed 750 and 778 frommy list!!!!

I'd say the 158 refurb is better than the HSTs, seats are remotly less hard, and have advantages of CCTV.

Looking back i'd say the HST refurb was done on the mega cheap as the only new thing it has is power sockets!

But probably the best feature!

Power sockets rule

But no wifi!

Yeah, whens the wifi being installed, or has that been canned as well?

As iirc that was supposed to be with the refurbs

I heard that FGW intend to install the WI-FI once the HST refurb programme is complete.

Now IF someone used a little bit of Brain power,

3 car 158's are a unit and a 1/2, i.e. 3 driving vehicles, if just 2 cars had been sent to works the 3rd car could have strengthened another 158 unit untill the other two cars came back, then as the last refurbisment came up the 2 extra cars from the 3 car sets could have been sent to works together. SIMPLE REALLY.

Why don't you work for FGW management then? ;)

Oh wait, you don't have the business skills to run a railway.

The 3-Car 158's Wessex created were 1 and 1/2 driving units but the 158 we have now is 2 driving units plus a centre car which although could be removed would not be able to run in a refurb sandwich if reurbished because they are changing some equipment.

Yep, 798s central car has no driving cab and the general layout of the other two carriages are different.

Give me FGW for a month and I'll sort things out!!  8) ;) :D ;D

Do you know that for a fact Shazz?

The amount of crap he posts on here i'd have a good stab at that being correct :P

See my post in "across the west", FGW are making up a load of 3 car 158's from May!

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1670.0

We should point out that this is not officially confirmed, although vacman states that the info comes from a "good source of info, a reliable one."

Not everything that Smokey posts is crap IMHO. He does have some interesting ideas for sure that have got some of you talking but thats what having a forum is all about, letting everyone have their say.  :)

You should meet the real man behind smokey, always plenty to say!! most of it tripe!!  ;)

I have always thought that you two know eachother. He certainly does have plenty to say I'll give you that!  :)

I'll be HONEST I don't have the business skills to run a railway.

But by their own actions FGW Swindon don't seem to have, well, the skill to do a very good job of running a Railway DO THEY?