Plymouth Station - refurbishment, improvements, timetable changes, events and incidents (merged topic)

[whole diary]

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

yeh sorry you are correct however the source for this is the herald.... so same as

[The SprinterMeister]

A Temporary hybrid set numbered 153399 has been formed up at LA using the undamaged 57221 car (52221 being the fire damaged car) coupled to 153369. No2 cab of 153369 is in the middle of the set.

52221 to be repaired at LA apparently.

Unit is renumbered 153399 to prevent any attempt being made to try and send it to Portsmouth as class 153 is not cleared to run beyond Southampton.

Pictured at Exeter today;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theguinnessking/5714059398

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theguinnessking/5713496823

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theguinnessking/5713494501

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

That's different! I can understand the numbering to prevent Portsmouth but doesn't that imply that it could be allocated to increasing capacity on other services by mistake thinking it's a single car?

[noddingdonkey]

a spotter was asking me about this today and I thought he'd been drinking too much Vimto! Shows how much the staff know!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i wonder why they didn't just add it to another 150 to create a 3 car set

[fatcontroller]

It was coupled to a Cl.153 because the Cl.150 fleet was already stretched last week with insufficent numbers available to run the service. With 221 out of traffic, another at Canton for repainting, another at Tyseley for heavy exam and A.N.other 150 at SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot)) with electrical problems as a consequence of being coupled to 221 when the fire broke out, plus routine maintenance on others.

Coupling it to a Cl.153 was the quickest solution.

Making the set 153399 draws attention to the set so it won't be allocated to increase capacity "by mistake".

FC^‡(resolve)

[The SprinterMeister]

That's different! I can understand the numbering to prevent Portsmouth but doesn't that imply that it could be allocated to increasing capacity on other services by mistake thinking it's a single car?

I would think the unusual set number would be sufficient to prevent that from occurring.

[JayMac]

I take it this hybrid unit is still out there?

I think I saw it last Tuesday (28/06) on the 0845 Bristol Parkway - Bristol Temple Meads. On this occasion it was coupled to a 2 car 158.

Made for an interesting looking 4 car unit, both inside and out!

[Lee]

I travelled on the 1749 Liskeard-Plymouth service yesterday, and was interested to see it formed of one half of a Class 150 unit (coach no.57221) put together with a Class 153 unit (coach no.57369). The combo has been officially designated as a 2-coach Class 153 unit - 153399

Discussion with the guard revealed that this had come about due to the engine having "blown up" on the other half of the Class 150 unit. Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on the forum, but does anyone have any further details regarding how and when this happened?

[grahame]

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=8852.msg90748#msg90748 

Topics merged (oddly, a search for 153999 didn't find the original thread!)

[JayMac]

The self same 'unit' was to be seen in Bristol on 28th June. Coupled to a Class 158. Made for a very interesting looking 4 car train! Travelled on it from Stapleton Road to Bristol Temple Meads.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Funnily enough, so did I. 

[Lee]

Cheers for that, folks 

[woody]

I notice that work has started at Plymouth station on enlarging the main concourse area by incorporating the current covered paved area outside the front of the station into the main concourse including the provision of some much needed concourse toilets with a new lounge I believe.What is really needed is to rationalize the over capacity of platforms and make a smaller but improved station.Something like Newton Abbot with maybe 4 or so platfoms would be more appropriate now for current and future traffic levels at Plymouth station in the 21st century.

[RichardB]

Never complain about "over capacity", Woody.  The number of platforms Plymouth station has is one of its strengths.

One day, hopefully, there will be more London trains and a lot more local trains - east, west and north (Tavistock). 

As we're finding elsewhere, what looks like over capacity to one generation when taken out can cause big problems two/three decades down the line. Look at the money having to be spent redoubling the Cotswold line, Swindon - Kemble and in the recent past, Probus - Burngullow in Cornwall and installing the long loop at Axminster.