Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 23:35 10 Jan 2025
 
- Two million discounted tickets up for grabs in rail sale
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 14/01/25 - Rail Sale starts
24/01/25 - Westbury Station reopens
24/01/25 - LTP4 Wilts / Consultation end
24/01/25 - Bristol Rail Campaign AGM 2025

On this day
10th Jan (1863)
Metropolitain line opened from Paddington (link)

Train RunningCancelled
23:03 Salisbury to Portsmouth & Southsea
23:14 London Paddington to Oxford
Short Run
22:50 Salisbury to Portsmouth Harbour
Delayed
19:04 London Paddington to Penzance
20:20 Carmarthen to Bristol Parkway
23:42 Swindon to Cheltenham Spa
PollsThere are no open or recent polls
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
January 10, 2025, 23:43:10 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[109] Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsew...
[96] Westminster Hall debate : Railway services to South West
[59] Ryanair sues 'unruly' passenger over flight diversion
[53] Mick Lynch announces retirement as head of RMT
[49] 'Railway 200' events and commemorations 2025
[38] GWR Advance Purchase sale - January 2025
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Taunton-Cardiff direct service  (Read 10525 times)
Eliza
Full Member
***
Posts: 87


View Profile
« on: March 04, 2016, 23:32:25 »

Excuse me for asking a question, which has probably been asked before, but what class of train/Sprinter DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) runs direct from Taunton to Cardiff Central, or Penzance to Cardiff in some cases?  I haven't found any seating plan, which would indicate toilets, luggage racks or priority seating, and that lack of information, when travelling for up to two hours, puts me off.  Even the Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour service, where individual seat reservations are possible, doesn't appear to have an accompanying plan.
Logged
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2016, 00:18:11 »

Typically a class 150 or 158.  Toilets yes, room for luggage yes, no seat reservations available, but (as on all trains I believe) some seats are marked as priority.

Unless you are travelling in the rush hour there will usually be adequate seating.

Logged
Eliza
Full Member
***
Posts: 87


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2016, 05:17:05 »

Thank you, John R.  Within the carriage, what's the visible difference between the 150 and the 158?
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 43083



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2016, 06:47:35 »

Thank you, John R.  Within the carriage, what's the visible difference between the 150 and the 158?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_150#/media/File:FGW_Class_150.JPG
(but beware - some class 150 units have 5 seats across not 4)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_158#/media/File:158760_Interior.JPG


Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 19245



View Profile
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2016, 10:11:24 »

Class 158s are air conditioned. 150s not.
Logged

"A clear conscience laughs at a false accusation."
"Treat everyone the same until you find out they're an idiot."
"Moral indignation is a technique used to endow the idiot with dignity."
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10365


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2016, 11:06:20 »

Class 158s are air conditioned. 150s not.

Allegedly!  Wink
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
Eliza
Full Member
***
Posts: 87


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2016, 11:25:04 »

Thank you, Grahame, bignosemac and IndustryInsider.  Looking at the photos of the interiors of a 150 and 158, it's like bird watching, with a bit of observation the differences between the two are clear.  However, I shall still look out for the down draught from the air con.
Logged
John R
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 4416


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2016, 11:40:17 »

Thank you, John R.  Within the carriage, what's the visible difference between the 150 and the 158?

The main difference is that the 150's have doors at 1/3rd and 2/3rd away along the carriage, so they feel much more like shorter distance suburban services, whereas the 158s have doors at the end.   As Grahame has noted some of the 150s have 5 across seating and they feel even less appropriate for longer distance services in my opinion.
Logged
Eliza
Full Member
***
Posts: 87


View Profile
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2016, 13:10:54 »

Hello, John R, I'm amazed at how unobservant I have been.  Next time I'm at Taunton Station, I'll have a good look at the doors of the DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit), as the train for Cardiff is often waiting.
Logged
phile
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1382

Language spoken Welsh as well as English


View Profile Email
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2016, 17:04:36 »

Typically a class 150 or 158.  Toilets yes, room for luggage yes, no seat reservations available, but (as on all trains I believe) some seats are marked as priority.

Unless you are travelling in the rush hour there will usually be adequate seating.



Plus 153 strengtheners.
Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page