Well would you believe it PART 2

[whole diary]

[12hoursunday]

Well, from May FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are keeping three 180's, gaining 5 150's from ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) (told you so shazz!) and some 158's are to be made up into 3 car sets! only taken two years but it seems as though Mr Haines is the best thing since sliced bread for FGW! The three 180's are for two Cotswold diagrams, whether they are going into store until May I don't know, obviously the (much needed) 3 car 158's will go onto Cardiff Pompey services and the 5 150's will replace some 2 car 158 diagrams probably on Cardiff-Taunton and Weymouth services.
Came from a good source of info, a reliable one.

The first of the 150's was due to transfer to FGW later today (Mon 25th) but Lo & Behold you'll never guess who has poked their nose in a put these moves on hold (only for the time being hopefully)

Yes you've guessed it 'The Department for Transport!'.............source a Operations Control Manager.

Get a Grip they say but keep sticking their oar in when they start getting the grip asked for!

[Timmer]

Wouldn't it be great if the DaFT^» (Department for Transport - critical sounding abbreviation I discourage - about) cleared off and left the railways alone. The network is nationalized in all but name now.

[r james]

Anyone know why its been put on hold???  Im guessing its something to do with ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) somehow??

[DanielP]

More than five of the ex-Central 150s were being used around Cardiff on Saturday. I noted two that had been freshly painted (sorry, I don't do numbers ;-) )- a couple were about in Central / Anglia colours. Intermediate door controls seem to have been fitted (even on one of the non-repatined ones)- the interiors are not re-upholsted (not in the unit I was on), but are quite tidy. Seats are chapman with a couple of the lateral seats looking like original ones.

Any news....still nothing from Arriva!!

Daniel

[12hoursunday]

The sets due to be transfered were with ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) but old stock used by Anglia!

[r james]

I thought only one set was in Anglia colours?

Anyone with connections at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) able to give us more info about whast really happening here?? 

[DanielP]

12hoursSunday- yup I know- there have been 9x ex-Central 150s at ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))'s Canton depot since the end of last year- they all arrived in Anglia blue with the Central cab branding. They are all being used in service at present- I spotted two on Saturday that have not been painted in Arriva colours, all others are done- all in service have intermediate door controls fitted by Arriva and repainted units have new light clusters. This is why the transfer is a bit bonkers, because Arriva have already refitted and repainted them!

Daniel

[Shazz]

12hoursSunday- yup I know- there have been 9x ex-Central 150s at ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))'s Canton depot since the end of last year- they all arrived in Anglia blue with the Central cab branding. They are all being used in service at present- I spotted two on Saturday that have not been painted in Arriva colours, all others are done- all in service have intermediate door controls fitted by Arriva and repainted units have new light clusters. This is why the transfer is a bit bonkers, because Arriva have already refitted and repainted them!

Daniel

They were all out saturday as well, (providing extra rugby capacity) so i'm assuming that all of these are now in traffic and have route allocations.

Thus, more than likely going nowhere.

Plus, if the dft stepped in, i can only speculate, but they're probably being put under pressure by the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) not to allow these stock moves.

[DanielP]

Well, if this transfer doesn't work out, although it will be good for the VL I sincerely hope you FGW^▸ (First Great Western) guys get a break VERY soon. Given the way Andrew Haines seems to be working, I would guess that something will come to light quite quickly as he can clearly spot a good opportunity and pursue it with extreme predjudice!

He also seems to make opportunities where there appear to be none.

Daniel

[Shazz]

atw have as good as confirmed they're not having the 180's

Reason: they're to much ^

Oh, and its been reported that the ebbw vale line is suffering from overcrowding already, even with trains running as 4 cars on peak/off peak services.

Cant be long before another two of the 150's you might have got, isn't moving

[r james]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) have said they aren;t having them, but doesn't mean the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) wont do something about that. 

ATW are a perfect operator for the 180s, having the 175s already.  Possibly allow some of the 175s to have an additional carriage added from the 180s??  A big task I know with modifications needed, but a possibility. 

And it would have to free up some 158s for FGW^▸ (First Great Western). 

[Shazz]

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) have said they aren;t having them, but doesn't mean the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) wont do something about that. 

ATW are a perfect operator for the 180s, having the 175s already.  Possibly allow some of the 175s to have an additional carriage added from the 180s??  A big task I know with modifications needed, but a possibility. 

And it would have to free up some 158s for FGW^▸ (First Great Western). 

175's arnt cleared to operate on the majority of lines the 158's do in wales.

so they wouldnt be going anywhere.

the wag does aspire to get a better service for the sambrian line though (roughly a 2 hourly service) in the near future, so they'd probably stay around for that, as thats the current stock used on the line.

[devon_metro]

I can't post what I think but this is injustice, just look at the money spent on Wales with a new bloody line.

I don't think its fair for Valleys to have 6car whilst FGW^▸ (First Great Western) struggle at peak with 2. It UNFAIR!

Perhaps if Canton were a bit better, less units could be sat in the depot and you wouldn't miss 5 150s...

[Shazz]

I can't post what I think but this is injustice, just look at the money spent on Wales with a new bloody line.

I don't think its fair for Valleys to have 6car whilst FGW^▸ (First Great Western) struggle at peak with 2. It UNFAIR!

Perhaps if Canton were a bit better, less units could be sat in the depot and you wouldn't miss 5 150s...

As i've said, hundreds of times.

Go use a valley line in friday evening peak, and you'll see why its not unfair. The valley lines is a *max* capacity as it is (as in signalling capacity), so until ETRMS gets rolled out here, the only option is longer trains. Even when we finally get ETRMS i can still see capacity issues on the network itself. As thats what you get when you have a stupidly cheap, well run, and efficient railway network. People actually want to use it.

It was firsts own stupidity that they "forgot" to renew the 150's and so on that got hoovered up by other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s

Oh, and it was Blaenau Gwent council who proposed, and funded a large part of the ebbw vale service. Vote for someone better next time you have your local council elections

[devon_metro]

Oh, and it was Blaenau Gwent council who proposed, and funded a large part of the ebbw vale service. Vote for someone better next time you have your local council elections

I don't really think that is a fair thing to say considering the state of the Labour Gmt.