Train services at Bath Spa disrupted due to broken down train (8 April 2010)

[whole diary]

[grahame]

143s can go no further than Warminster
153s can go no further than Southampton Central
150s and 158s can go all the way to Portsmouth / Brighton

Is there a reason for this?  Can they physically not go that far in one journey or is it all to do with track clearances?

The fixed wheelbase of a 143 means that it's not allowed on the Southern Region of Network Rail - said to be because of all the third rail they've got in the area, but that's possibly just an excuse for Warminster to Salisbury

The 153's drivers steps foul the tunnel clearance at Southampton (again - in theory - one has got through in the past!) and indeed with the works done there over Christmas, they may now be cleared to Portsmouth.

I do have a picture from early 2007 showing 153s out of use at Eastleigh when they coul dhave had bums on their seats on the TransWilts or Bristol areas. I would presume they got there via Chandler's Ford or some other route ...

[inspector_blakey]

Salford, rather than Saltford. 

Chris, am I missing something here...? Saltford = village between Bristol and Bath that the railway line runs very close to. Salford = place in Greater Manchester!

Although in all fairness, the local bus company didn't used to know the difference - for years the notice above the relevant bay in the old Bristol bus station said "X39, Bristol - Salford - Bath". No wonder it takes so long!

[Chris from Nailsea]

My mistake - sorry!  Got them the wrong way round. 

[Ollie]

1410 from Avonmouth to Westbury. Huh?

Whilst I was at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) yesterday awaiting the 1525 to WSM I did hear an announcement that a service to Westbury and onward to Portsmouth would be leaving from Platform 1, where my inbound from Shirehampton had recently arrived. I was across the station on 10 waiting for the WSM train so couldn't see what was going on. Unsure whether a 150 had platformed on 1 behind the 143 or if the 143 was being pressed into service to Pompey - not even sure 143's ever head down that way!

14:10 Avonmouth to Westbury (Freight Service operated by DBS^» (Deutsch Bahn Schenker - UK^▸ (United Kingdom) website))

[JayMac]

Cheers Ollie. Fixated on passenger services - I often forget that there are other users of our rail network.

Me guess that DBS^» (Deutsch Bahn Schenker - UK^▸ (United Kingdom) website) train goes via Henbury - never seen freight on the SVB line through Clifton Down.

[The SprinterMeister]

The fixed wheelbase of a 143 means that it's not allowed on the Southern Region of Network Rail - said to be because of all the third rail they've got in the area, but that's possibly just an excuse for Warminster to Salisbury.

Blanket ban on all Pacer classes on the former SR^‡(resolve). There was a special exemption granted for the 143's to run ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) to Eastleigh over a single set route for the refresh programme to take place. Apparently the axlebox / primary spring yokes & the metal front valance / battery cases (which are resiliently mounted on the underframe) on 143's get rather too close for comfort to the third rail when running in loaded condition. 142's obviously not cleared, there is no reason (or qualified FGW^▸ (First Great Western) crew) for them to run on the former SR.

[The SprinterMeister]

The 153's drivers steps foul the tunnel clearance at Southampton (again - in theory - one has got through in the past!) and indeed with the works done there over Christmas, they may now be cleared to Portsmouth.

One 153 did get through to Portsmouth in error. It had all its bogie steps and footboards removed and stowed for the journey back to Westbury as obviously it had to return on the up line. No2 end bogie steps are apparently the sticking point due to the bodyside door being nearer the end of the car at that end. The door footboards shoudn't be an issue, they did after all run to Portsmouth in the original 155 two car format.

[fullspeedahead]

I recall some time ago being on one of the wessex trains class 153s (I think it was a Southampton to Swindon) where the failure of the leading cab just prior to departure from Soton meant that the driver had to swap ends and the train was diverted via Eastleigh, using the tunnel in the process. I think this mave been around 2002/2003.