What's the latest regarding diesel cascades?

[whole diary]

[The SprinterMeister]

6 x 150/1 ex LOROL^▸ (London Overground Railway Operations Ltd) to be on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s books from late June. Will be subleased back to LOROL if the 172's are late on parade but will be moving West by late July / early August at the latest. At this point 7 x 142 return to Northern. By the timetable change in December 9 x 150/1 ex LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) will transfer to FGW and replace 4 x ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) 150/2, 1 x SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 & and all the assorted locomotive hauled nonsense. All these units will be refreshed and bought up to the standard of the FGW 150/2 and 150121/127 will be dealt with at the same time. I doubt this will be done before they enter traffic though.

[Super Guard]

Intermediate door controls? 

[caliwag]

I'm not convinved that GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) are keen to release their 125s...just because EC want them. Though they have been sold to a leasing company, and are apparently about to go through serious refurb (does that mean re-engining?)
For many of their passengers they are seen as flagship...comfortable, big seats...real trains, which 180s are plainly not.
I think GC will be digging their heels in against EC's new timetable which has serously compromised GC's timings, so why would they play ball? All power to them, even though they are not ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here).

[The SprinterMeister]

I'm not convinved that GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) are keen to release their 125s...just because EC want them. Though they have been sold to a leasing company, and are apparently about to go through serious refurb (does that mean re-engining?)

I understand the GC powercars will recieve the current HST^▸ (High Speed Train) variant of MTU^▸ (Motor Traction Unit) 16V4000R41R engine. There is a time limit I believe as to when this can be done by in order to meet the EU^» (European Union - about) emissions (Non Road) directives. However there is some debate as to whether the engines can be ordered and then stored for later fitment to the power cars. Nobody is 100% sure if the Tier III MTU 16V400R43 engine will actually fit in an HST powercar due to changes in the size / location of various ancillary parts and the orientation of the outlets of the twin turbochargers.

[vacman]

I must say that the 142's have served us well but I certainly won't miss them when they return to the great north!

[The SprinterMeister]

I must say that the 142's have served us well but I certainly won't miss them when they return to the great north!

They have indeed done us proud after 83C battered them into some sort of health. And fitted reasonably decent driving seats with decent armrests/ padding into them, ex 150/2. I don't mind working on them at all at the moment. And overall yes I have to admit some sceptisism when the idea was first mooted of having 142's on the Devon internals but overall I would say its been a successful way of keeping services going in Devon. Well done to all the depot staff involved.
 

However when the armrests on the driving seats are down and almost touching the control desk where it wraps itself round the driving seat you do feel a bit like Davros the chief Dalek sometimes!

[slippy]

Intermediate door controls? 

Yes, and normal 'T' key DKS^▸ (Door Key Switch).

[The SprinterMeister]

Intermediate door controls? 

Yes, and normal 'T' key DKS^▸ (Door Key Switch).

Some form of 'T' key operated lock on the door from the saloon to the vestibule behind the cab wouldn't be a bad idea either!
 

[Zoe]

Back in 2007, we used to have 150s on the Devon local services with 158s running on Exeter/Plymouth to Penzance.  We then ended up with the 150s moved to the Cornwall route and the Pacers on the local trains.  Is there any reason why we lost all the 158s down here?  Was it a case of First deciding that they didn't need the 158s for the franchise and so they could go off lease or was the change forced by the dft?

[anthony215]

Back in 2007, we used to have 150s on the Devon local services with 158s running on Exeter/Plymouth to Penzance.  We then ended up with the 150s moved to the Cornwall route and the Pacers on the local trains.  Is there any reason why we lost all the 158s down here?  Was it a case of First deciding that they didn't need the 158s for the franchise and so they could go off lease or was the change forced by the dft?

I think it was because  the class 158's got re-formed into 3 carriage sets for use on the cardiff - portsmouth harbour services?

[Kingfisherdart]

The way I understood it was that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) dictated the '158s' go to the Northern and East Midlands franchise. All the former Wessex units left the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise, except 158745/746, with the FGW complement being made up with ex-Transpennine Express '158s'.

The difference was then made up with former Northern class 142s, which were used on local runs based out of Exeter. The Transpennine '158s' were then progressively transferred away from west of Taunton, as they were refreshed, and instead deployed on Cardiff/Portsmouth & Weymouth trains.

They were reformed mid way through the refresh programme into 3-cars, following the arrival of on-hire Class 150s from Arriva, and two class 150s from London Overground.

All this is correct as far as I'm aware!

[smithy]

The way I understood it was that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) dictated the '158s' go to the Northern and East Midlands franchise. All the former Wessex units left the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise, except 158745/746, with the FGW complement being made up with ex-Transpennine Express '158s'.

The difference was then made up with former Northern class 142s, which were used on local runs based out of Exeter. The Transpennine '158s' were then progressively transferred away from west of Taunton, as they were refreshed, and instead deployed on Cardiff/Portsmouth & Weymouth trains.

They were reformed mid way through the refresh programme into 3-cars, following the arrival of on-hire Class 150s from Arriva, and two class 150s from London Overground.

All this is correct as far as I'm aware!

what he said dft sent the ex wessex 8 series 158's to other tocs at end of contract with angel trains.
745 and 746 did indeed stay along with 747,748,749 and 751 the rest was made up by the ex TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) stock that came in part of the reason was also so all 158's are now leased from porterbrook.

[The SprinterMeister]

Back in 2007, we used to have 150s on the Devon local services with 158s running on Exeter/Plymouth to Penzance.  We then ended up with the 150s moved to the Cornwall route and the Pacers on the local trains.  Is there any reason why we lost all the 158s down here?  Was it a case of First deciding that they didn't need the 158s for the franchise and so they could go off lease or was the change forced by the dft?

The amount of rolling stock to be operated was largely determined by the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) as the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise was very closely specified in terms of total vehicle numbers to be operated. As of December 2007 no less than 14 158's (158815-7/855/863-872) were sent away, not withstanding that it was clear to all by then they were still required for the FGW franchise in terms of seating accomodation and west fleet capacity. The sending away of 8 perfectly serviceable and functional 150/2 to Wales as of December 2006 really didnt help things either.

[smithy]

Back in 2007, we used to have 150s on the Devon local services with 158s running on Exeter/Plymouth to Penzance.  We then ended up with the 150s moved to the Cornwall route and the Pacers on the local trains.  Is there any reason why we lost all the 158s down here?  Was it a case of First deciding that they didn't need the 158s for the franchise and so they could go off lease or was the change forced by the dft?

The amount of rolling stock to be operated was largely determined by the DFT^▸ (Department for Transport) as the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise was very closely specified in terms of total vehicle numbers to be operated. As of December 2007 no less than 14 158's (158815-7/855/863-872) were sent away, not withstanding that it was clear to all by then they were still required for the FGW franchise in terms of seating accomodation and west fleet capacity. The sending away of 8 perfectly serviceable and functional 150/2 to Wales as of December 2006 really didnt help things either.

plus add on the 4 class 153 that went to eastleigh for storage abd eventually repaint in EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) colours

[grahame]

6 x 150/1 ex LOROL^▸ (London Overground Railway Operations Ltd) to be on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s books from late June. Will be subleased back to LOROL if the 172's are late on parade but will be moving West by late July / early August at the latest. At this point 7 x 142 return to Northern. By the timetable change in December 9 x 150/1 ex LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) will transfer to FGW and replace 4 x ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) 150/2, 1 x SWT^▸ (South West Trains) 158 & and all the assorted locomotive hauled nonsense. All these units will be refreshed and bought up to the standard of the FGW 150/2 and 150121/127 will be dealt with at the same time. I doubt this will be done before they enter traffic though.

... SWT Unit to remain on sublease to FGW until May 2011, however,  to provide some cover for refurbs of incoming units ...