166 A/C

[whole diary]

[smithy]

there are 42 cables in the couplers on west fleet controlling all manner of things from brake and power to public address.

i still find it hard to believe 166 cannot coule to 158 as i have seen ct class 170 coupled to them,i have also seen swt 159 and 170 coupled so that would mean 158's could couple to 166.

[swlines]

159s and 170s can couple, as can 158s and 170s ... however, they have a brilliant reputation. Doing 100mph past Farnborough, emergency brake goes in and won't release. You get the idea!

[eightf48544]

159s and 170s can couple, as can 158s and 170s ... however, they have a brilliant reputation. Doing 100mph past Farnborough, emergency brake goes in and won't release. You get the idea!

I'm still pretty sure 16X can only couple to 168s which although they are 170s their couplers are 16X configured. 159s are really 158s so should be able to couple. As SWT^▸ (South West Trains) have proved by converting some more 158s to get rid of their 170s. Salisbury depot regularly wins one of Roger Ford's spanner awards. They usually go  to dedicated depots looking after a single class which means poor St. Phillip's Marsh doesn't stand a chance.

[smokey]

Surely any former broad gauge line will take them

St. Ives?

Now let me think, It was 1892 when Brunels faster and more stable Broad Gauge was taken out of use.
In that 116 years a few civil engineer jobs have been done that have brought the Great western Regions line down to the more standard Loading gauge.

St Ives rebuilt 1970, Lelant Saltings Openned 1978, that stops 165/166 working the St Ives Branch, plus they would have to be brought down by road.

Devonport Station in Plymouth has had it's Platforms widened since 1892.

Plus all the Wooden Viaducts that were replaced.