June 2010 stock changes ...

[whole diary]

[Btline]

Sorry, I'm lost. What does IMAO mean? How is it so offensive?

As for the Pacers, the sooner they go the better.

Perhaps one could be retained for Melksham trains?

[grahame]

Sorry, I'm lost. What does IMAO mean? How is it so offensive?

I was pretty lost too ... but found 4 different definitions when I searched and I suspect that different parts of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) area read it differently - which is how offense might have been read into something when I don't think it was intended for a moment.

As for the Pacers, the sooner they go the better.

Perhaps one could be retained for Melksham trains?

According to what I heard, some of the 142s will be with us to summer 2010 and the 143s for an indefinite period (someone may know better).  I also understand that all the 142s and 143 have to be completely off the railways by 31st December 2019, due to regulations relating to robustness in colliisions which come in the effect the following day.

In all seriousness, with regard to retaining a very small number of units of one type, (e.g. 142s or 143s purely for the TransWilts) you have the issue of needing a disproportionate number of spares - we've seen that with the Adelantes - and also the issue that the engineering team have a much harder job keeping them high availabiity as each of the tasks they do on them is nothing like to much a matter of routine.  Witness the "centre of excellence" that Exeter has become for 142s .... so let's cut the number that are kept there.   It's a mad world!

Another thought, though, on easing stock. The 165s and 166s can already work from Didcot to Bristol Temple Meads (indeed, I've travelled on one to and from Chippenham in the days before I knew they were different).   There is a problem with them through the platform at Trowbridge, but extending them to Westbury via 2 routes might not be so silly - and I wonder about Swindon - Cheltenham ( - Worcester) too which again completes something of a network rather than just a single route.

[John R]

Hmm. 31/12/19. Hardly a tough target for the railways to beat. I would have thought they would have all fallen to bits in another 11 years, despite the TLC^▸ (three letter code ) of Exeter Depot or whoever is looking after them.

[Btline]

I expect you meant "TLC^▸ (three letter code )" rather than TLC.

Indeed, I doubt the 150s will last much longer. Now that LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) are binning them, I expect there is no TLC, not even any "TLC."

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Sorry, I'm lost. What does IMAO mean? How is it so offensive?

As for the Pacers, the sooner they go the better.

Perhaps one could be retained for Melksham trains?

last word on the subject just to clear things up it means 'laugh my ass off'.. i think 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, relex109! 

[vacman]

It was meant in jest but made myself look a tw*t in the process! that'll teach me to be smart!

[Chris from Nailsea]

No problem, vacman - I think we've all learned that what we type isn't necessarily what people will read! 

Please, everyone, do keep on posting! 

[TJ]

To steer this thread back to where it started....

On the 142 front, 5 units leave Exeter by 2/12/08, the other 7 have to leave by 30/6/10. If a unit has pink doors it stays until 2010! By the way FGW^▸ (First Great Western) apparently FGW got their corporate knuckles rapped for re-painting the doors and they will have to be re-painted before they leave!

The quoted loss of 5 x 150s puzzles me - is it a loss from Devon/Cornwall or from FGW totally? What is the source of this information?

When the 3 car 150s arrive, is it ceratin that they will all stay as 3 car units as it is quite possible to strip out the centre cars from two sets and form 2 x 150/1s and one 150/2?

What has happend to the rumour that the 143s were to be transferred to Exeter?

TJ

[grahame]

The quoted loss of 5 x 150s puzzles me - is it a loss from Devon/Cornwall or from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) totally?

Return of the Arriva Wales units to Wales.  So it would be completely from FGW.   Sums are -24 carriages and +21, but 14 of the carriages lost are from 142s which are lower capacity than 150 carriages, so it's net "no change" with regard to capacity.

[TJ]

The quoted loss of 5 x 150s puzzles me - is it a loss from Devon/Cornwall or from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) totally?

Return of the Arriva Wales units to Wales.  So it would be completely from FGW.   Sums are -24 carriages and +21, but 14 of the carriages lost are from 142s which are lower capacity than 150 carriages, so it's net "no change" with regard to capacity.

Thanks Grahame, I had overlooked those.

Doesn't do much to improve the overcowding situation, does it.

I am looking forward to hearing what FGW's management has to say for itself at the ALRUG (Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line Rail Users Group) AGM^▸ (Annual General Meeting) this (Monday) evening, The Globe Topsham at 19:00.

As ever the West Country is the runt of the railway family in my opinion.

TJ.

[welsharagorn]

To steer this thread back to where it started....

On the 142 front, 5 units leave Exeter by 2/12/08, the other 7 have to leave by 30/6/10. If a unit has pink doors it stays until 2010! By the way FGW^▸ (First Great Western) apparently FGW got their corporate knuckles rapped for re-painting the doors and they will have to be re-painted before they leave!

The quoted loss of 5 x 150s puzzles me - is it a loss from Devon/Cornwall or from FGW totally? What is the source of this information?

When the 3 car 150s arrive, is it ceratin that they will all stay as 3 car units as it is quite possible to strip out the centre cars from two sets and form 2 x 150/1s and one 150/2?

What has happend to the rumour that the 143s were to be transferred to Exeter?

TJ

i agree splitting the sets back into 2 car sets would create more units, but with 7 3 car sets coming, you'd end up with 1 spare 150/2 vehicle, or 1 non standard 3 car set!

[r james]

SO when the units are transfered back to  ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))),how soon will this be?

[TJ]

From the meeting with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) management tonight:

FGW are looking at splitting some of the 3 car 150s and reforming 2 car units BUT no firm decisions have been made.

The possibility of loco hauled services on some routes is definitely being looked at for the period December 2009 to June 2010.

The 143s are to be maintained at Exeter (no start date given) but these units will not be used exclusively in Devon; the Severn Beach line was mentioned as another line which will have them.

FGW are also in discussion with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) with regards to taking over, from Decemeber 2009, the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services that currently operate West of Exeter.

TJ

[Lee]

The possibility of loco hauled services on some routes is definitely being looked at for the period December 2009 to June 2010.

Did FGW^▸ (First Great Western) say which routes, xmth?