Well would you believe it??

[whole diary]

[Btline]

Email sent.

Will notify you about reply when/if it comes!

I got a reply!!

Thank you for your email.  We are working hard at present on a number of rolling stock options but I'm afraid I'm not in a position to make a public statement at the moment.

A fair response- and rapid as well! What do people think? More stock? Yes or No?

[Lee]

Email sent.

Will notify you about reply when/if it comes!

I got a reply!!

Thank you for your email.  We are working hard at present on a number of rolling stock options but I'm afraid I'm not in a position to make a public statement at the moment.

A fair response- and rapid as well! What do people think? More stock? Yes or No?

Standard "holding" reply, so difficult to tell either way.

[vacman]

Time will tell!

[devon_metro]

Latest rumour going round is we are to get 150001 (Prototype 3 car) and 150002 (prototype 3 car) both from LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise).

[Btline]

Latest rumour going round is we are to get 150001 (Prototype 3 car) and 150002 (prototype 3 car) both from LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise).

I've been on one of them. That'll be good for FGW^▸ (First Great Western)- they are both pretty good as far as 150s go (if I remember correct!).

Which picture are you going to have DM?

[devon_metro]

Personally I don't posses a picture of them, but I will leave you with this: http://philtpics.fotopic.net/p39814318.html
 

[Btline]

Latest rumour going round is we are to get 150001 (Prototype 3 car) and 150002 (prototype 3 car) both from LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise).

good old scud 1 and 2.

they are not the best and have a smaller fuel tank than the rest of 150 fleet,hence the nickname scud they always get where they are going but dont get back

I thought I found them having better acceleration than the rest of the fleet.

What are LM going to do with 2 fewer 150 units? They better not deprive the Snow Hill Lines of them- apparently, overcrowding is becoming quite bad in B'ham.

[Btline]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

[mada]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

I imagine Taunton - Cardiff / Weston - Parkway releasing 143's for the Severn Beach line. Or alternatively wherever 158's are allowing First to form more 3 car sets.

[John R]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

It enables one less set (and crew) to run the line for the sake of a journey to... well nowhere really. WOuld be much better if they carried on, turned east and headed for Filton or Parkway.

[Lee]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

It enables one less set (and crew) to run the line for the sake of a journey to... well nowhere really. WOuld be much better if they carried on, turned east and headed for Filton or Parkway.

I know that London Midland will be deploying 2 Parry People Movers on the Stourbridge branch line, which should release a Class 153 unit for deployment elsewhere on their network.

Although John R is technically correct about Severn Beach, his description is (in my personal view) a little harsh, given that there is a surprising amount of support for the restoration of daytime rail services to Severn Beach, along with, of course, support for new passenger services via the (currently) freight/diversionary-only Henbury line. For those who dont know, the services to Filton/Bristol Parkway that John hints at would run via the Henbury line.

I am in favour of that, but want to see services to Severn Beach retained and improved as well. By the way, the draft May 2008 timetable contains an option for a 2-hourly daytime service to Severn Beach.

There has also been a fair amount of recent housing development at Severn Beach, with more proposed.

A final operational point - because of the way the lines around Avonmouth are signalled, freight trains cant run out of the docks while passenger trains are running to/from Severn Beach. This would be best resolved as part of any works to upgrade the Henbury line to regular passenger traffic status, given that up to 20 extra freight trains per day are likely to operate out of Avonmouth Docks (and run via the Henbury line) in the relatively near future.

[Btline]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

It enables one less set (and crew) to run the line for the sake of a journey to... well nowhere really. WOuld be much better if they carried on, turned east and headed for Filton or Parkway.

I know that London Midland will be deploying 2 Parry People Movers on the Stourbridge branch line, which should release a Class 153 unit for deployment elsewhere on their network.

Although John R is technically correct about Severn Beach, his description is (in my personal view) a little harsh, given that there is a surprising amount of support for the restoration of daytime rail services to Severn Beach, along with, of course, support for new passenger services via the (currently) freight/diversionary-only Henbury line. For those who dont know, the services to Filton/Bristol Parkway that John hints at would run via the Henbury line.

I am in favour of that, but want to see services to Severn Beach retained and improved as well. By the way, the draft May 2008 timetable contains an option for a 2-hourly daytime service to Severn Beach.

There has also been a fair amount of recent housing development at Severn Beach, with more proposed.

A final operational point - because of the way the lines around Avonmouth are signalled, freight trains cant run out of the docks while passenger trains are running to/from Severn Beach. This would be best resolved as part of any works to upgrade the Henbury line to regular passenger traffic status, given that up to 20 extra freight trains per day are likely to operate out of Avonmouth Docks (and run via the Henbury line) in the relatively near future.

Yes- that would be great. A hourly service from Temple Meads to parkway calling everywhere via Severn Beach.

Yes- LM are releasing a 153 by slapping a bus on rails on the branch line (they might as well tarmac over the line the way they are going, and cut out the middle man, and just have a bus!). But how can that replace 2, 3-car 150s? And believe me, I been on a Central service where a 3-car 150 was subbed for a 153. It was not good (it was rush hour)! Think HST^▸ (High Speed Train) subbed by a Thames Turbo!

[Lee]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

It enables one less set (and crew) to run the line for the sake of a journey to... well nowhere really. WOuld be much better if they carried on, turned east and headed for Filton or Parkway.

I know that London Midland will be deploying 2 Parry People Movers on the Stourbridge branch line, which should release a Class 153 unit for deployment elsewhere on their network.

Although John R is technically correct about Severn Beach, his description is (in my personal view) a little harsh, given that there is a surprising amount of support for the restoration of daytime rail services to Severn Beach, along with, of course, support for new passenger services via the (currently) freight/diversionary-only Henbury line. For those who dont know, the services to Filton/Bristol Parkway that John hints at would run via the Henbury line.

I am in favour of that, but want to see services to Severn Beach retained and improved as well. By the way, the draft May 2008 timetable contains an option for a 2-hourly daytime service to Severn Beach.

There has also been a fair amount of recent housing development at Severn Beach, with more proposed.

A final operational point - because of the way the lines around Avonmouth are signalled, freight trains cant run out of the docks while passenger trains are running to/from Severn Beach. This would be best resolved as part of any works to upgrade the Henbury line to regular passenger traffic status, given that up to 20 extra freight trains per day are likely to operate out of Avonmouth Docks (and run via the Henbury line) in the relatively near future.

Yes- that would be great. A hourly service from Temple Meads to parkway calling everywhere via Severn Beach.

Yes- LM are releasing a 153 by slapping a bus on rails on the branch line (they might as well tarmac over the line the way they are going, and cut out the middle man, and just have a bus!). But how can that replace 2, 3-car 150s? And believe me, I been on a Central service where a 3-car 150 was subbed for a 153. It was not good (it was rush hour)! Think HST^▸ (High Speed Train) subbed by a Thames Turbo!

Long-term, I would prefer either of the following options - hourly to Severn Beach/hourly to Parkway or half hourly to Parkway/PPM^‡(resolve) Avonmouth-Severn Beach, if the dock area signalling issues can be sorted (yes, I know your views on PPM's ), but I know that Graz (for example) is a fan of your idea.

I wasnt suggesting that the Class 153 unit could replace 2 three-car 150's, merely that it was part of the stock rotation process.

[grahame]

I was made to modify this post because some people regarded it as a personal attack on a certain person. Funny that attacks on First Great Western are allowed though! Double Standards spring to mind! 

You were invited to change the post, and thank you for doing so.  Please let me know of any personal attacks on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) employees or others that you feel I have NOT stamped on -  I have certainly had at least some such deleted in the past, and need to know of any more  that our users feel need to be acted on.

Clarification - personal attacks on ANYONE are outside our acceptable user policy.

[devon_metro]

Or they are axing the branch lines!

If there is an excess, it might explain why LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)'s Class 172 order has 1 less vehicle in it than their 150s.

Oh, well. Where will these units be going? Bristol commuter? Severn Beach?

Oh- on the subject of Severn Beach, why do most trains terminate at Avonmouth to be "bustituted" to Severn Beach at off peak times?

What's wrong with the railway?

To sustain a 1 hourly timetable through the day. If they went to Severn Beach two units would be needed to run anything like an hourly service.

The hop from Avonmouth - Severn Beach doesn't go any faster that 25mph I believe, so could be greatly improved!