Great Western Coffee Shop

Can anyone remember exactly when the 150s were first introduced on the Exmouth and other Devon Branches?

The units were built 1986/1987 are were certainly in use in Devon by 1990 as I understand it.

Did they go to Devon brand new?

Any information would be much appreciated.

TJ

Devon Metro may be better placed to reply to this but I would suggest it was around 1990.

Would be a sensible date, when the bubbles and DMU stock was withdrawn.

Morning

No the 150/2's wer'nt new down here, they were
'mainly' to be found around the Pennines and lower
Scotland, the 150/1's were 'mainly' around the
Midland area hence why "Cento" have most of them.

I think the date could 'possibly' come forward a
bit more to 1992?

The 155 were fairly new in the SW, have a pic of
155318 at Penmere in the snow somewhere!

Regards

Karl.

150's were mostly delivered new to the Manchester area and to Cardiff Canton.

Afternoon

Er, the ones based at Manchester Newton Heath
would of run around the Penines (as said), along
with the Leeds Nevile Hill allocated ones.  Newton
Heath and Nevile Hill had the lyons share of the
fleet.  Edinburgh Haymarket had quite a few as well.
Missed Canton off the list for some reason??  They
had aquired 20ish in 1989, however the 150/1 fleet
were all allocated to DY Derby, Tyseley not having
any until 1990.  Doesn't seem to be any for the
Devon area in 1990, all the Canton ones being in
PCFX pool.

Regards

Karl.

Since my original posting I have found some old notes and can say for certain that a good number of them were working at Exeter on the 22nd March 1993.

My original reference to 1990 almost certainly relates to their allocation to Cardiff and not to when they started to work in Devon.

I can remember that there were loads of problems with the 155s. Possibly the 150s stood in for them for a period? Just can't remember.

TJ

Sorry karl, wasn't disputing that the manchester ones didn't run around the south pennines.

I wonder when they will be scrapped finally? *dreams*

Evening

With reference to the 155 problems, I think the
main problem was with the plug doors (exterior),
I seem to recal reading somewhere they were failed
in traffic because of door problems?  They were used
on the Bristol - Weymouth or Porthsmouth 'I think'
and had to be replaced with c33 or c31 and coaches
which 'I think' the 155 were supposed to replace in
the first place!  But it was a long time ago now!

Regards

Karl.

By 01/01/1992 class 150 units had NOT Turned a wheel in Cornwall, (except for the period when the class 155's were withdrawn), anyone fancy a 150 from Cardiff to Penzance?
However the LAST TRAIN from (original) GUNNISLAKE station Jan/Feb 1994 was worked by a class 150, and IIRC the 150 unit's had been allocated to Plymouth Laira Mid 1993.

Note: Also IIRC the class 155s were withdrawn because of a electrical fault that saw doors opening whilst the unit was in motion.
Further more this fault was caused by "mult-skilling" at Leyland where the class 155 were built.
Plumbers put together the electrical conduits (piework) but whilst Electricians Deburr the sharp edge of cut pipes plumbers DON'T, hence electric cables were sitting on razor sharp edges and with weight, time and movement, these cables shorted out, hence Door Opening in traffic.

In today's Class 153s, above the Exit doors there is a Riverted Oblong cover, that if Removed would reveal the word LEYLAND, might be British Leyland.

Another Note: AFAIR only ONE first generation DMU class 101 ever worked to the New Gunnislake Station.

My notes for 22nd March 1993 show the 11:45 from Penzance to Milford Haven being worked by 150230.

Some journey for a 150!

TJ

It was also found that the little chavs were opening the bodyside doors on 155's using Bic biro pen caps to operate the traincrew rotary door controls in the vestibules. At that point in time, the doors were not interlocked with the braking system. One of the modifications made during the 1988 withdrawal was to shut off the air supply to these controls when the F&R was moved away from the 'off' position. The interlocking of doors and brakes was done during the conversion to single car format.