Adieu Adelante

[whole diary]

[willc]

Tonight is the end of the line for 180s, with 180104 currently on its way to Worcester Shrub Hill on the 17.51 from Paddington.

Not quite going out with a bang, as after recovering a four-minute late start from Oxford by Moreton, it was held there for 15 minutes or so because the 18.47 from Worcester was delayed by trespassers.

The 20.59 return working from Shrub Hill will be the last FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Adelante service.
 
As of Monday, the 17.51 will be booked for an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

northen must be laughing at us

[devon_metro]

I'd love to know how they are going to cope next week...

I predict a shambles. 

[inspector_blakey]

Can anyone think of a bigger waste of 125 mph stock (apart from the entire XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) network  with its current timetabling ) than Adelantes bumbling around the north of England on stopping services? What is it with Northern? First half of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s west local stock gravitated to them, and now they've got their paws on the Adelantes. OK, I know this situation is slightly different because FGW want to be rid of the 180s but why is Northern sucking in trains left, right and centre (and presumably receiving DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) money as part of its subsidy to enable this) whilst FGW had to scour the country to get a couple of clapped out 150s from Silverlink?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

the funding for public transport in the northwest has always been very good, lets face it up there you can get anywhere you want without driving! thats how it should be

[moonrakerz]

Can anyone think of a bigger waste of 125 mph stock (apart from the entire XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) network  with its current timetabling ) than Adelantes bumbling around the north of England on stopping services?

They could have been put to use Cardiff-Portsmouth ? The existing 3 car 158s are getting a bit full even during the day now, and if you are over 5' 8", not very comfortable either !

[caliwag]

Well, of course they've all been fighting to get their hands on them up here in Yorkshire...battle between Hull Trains (who have them), Grand Central (Northern) and THAT bus company. Harrogate became a bit of a target, can't see why really, then oddly Halifax...oh and Pontefract...exotic stuff.
GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) (GN) have one set. Those closer to activity will confirm the reality.
It's all about not getting in the way of THAT bus companies' inherited Inter-city 225s. and the marvellous 125s.
They inherited a damn good restaurant service (everyone conveniently forgets the BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Intercity ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) quality)...and what have they done?
Will be interested to read of locals' reactions to 180s

[Btline]

So who's got/getting the 180s? I've lost track! Shame FTPE^» (First TransPennine Express - website) never got them for their Scotland services...

Does this mean that EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) have their full fleet? (so Corby can start its hourly service)

[Mookiemoo]

I had the pleasure of seeing it tonight - was trying to get from BHI to LUD but arriva saw firt to cancel the 1909 from BHI.  Ended up - BHI - BNS^▸ (Barnes (not Birmingham New Street)) - WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) - HFD^» (Hereford - next trains) - LUD

Whilst waiting the 182x  from Pad I saw the adelante - its looking very worn - lots of flaked/chipped paint about the windows

[inspector_blakey]

I'll miss them.

I know their reliability was dire but, from a passenger's point of view, almost uniquely amongst the "21st century" intercity DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) they were very comfortable and spacious with plenty of legroom.

The other exception to the rule is the EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (ex-MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about)) Meridians: to see what "could have been" with the Voyagers, take a trip out of St Pancras one one of the Derby semi-fasts. They have the same bodyshell and mechanics as the Vomit Comets but a totally different interior spec and actually very pleasant indeed!

[willc]

So who's got/getting the 180s?

As far as I can gather, in terms of firm leases, Hull Trains has five, Grand Central two, and NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast) five - of which three are on loan to Northern until late next year, when NXEC hopes to start up trains to Harrogate and Lincoln, subject to ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) approval.

Which leaves a couple for NXEC and Grand Northern - GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line)'s sister firm which is going to run Bradford-Halifax-Wakefield Kirkgate-Doncaster-London - to fight over. It could be tricky as GN wants three sets, though apparently HT^▸ (Hull Trains) may release one after they have completed an interior refit programme.

And whoever ends up with 180102 will need to do some serious work on it - coach A has been trying very hard to shake itself to bits under acceleration every time I've ridden it in the past few weeks - a quiet coach it wasn't.

A couple of HT's 222/1s are already in service with EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) after being repainted - they are going to do work on the interiors to make them more like the rest of the EMT fleet later.

[bemmy]

The thing I won't miss about them is the noise. It's impossible to have a conversation on a platform when one of them pulls in, if I wanted to be unable to hear someone shouting at me I'd go to a nightclub. 

[John R]

So you didn't like Valentas then either?

[Btline]

So you didn't like Valentas then either?

I think bemmy means the brakes!

(and HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are only noisey at each end! )

[IndustryInsider]

I think bemmy means the brakes!

Yeah it surprises me that the brakes were not altered in some way to limit that awful screeching noise - even when the brake was at its lowest setting it still made a racket! The Hydrostatic Brake system was also very rarely working, and although that would not have been used at low speeds it would certainly have helped prevent the brake pad wear which was phenomenally bad on a Class 180. Whether the new operators will try again with the Hydrostatic Braking system remains to be seen...