Autumn refresh for GWR Class 165/166 Turbos

[387star]

STP 12/08 5Q81 0551 Wolverton - St Philips Marsh 165135
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K05037/2022-08-12/detailed

STP 12/08 5Q70 1141 St Philips Marsh - Wolverton 165136
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K05038/2022-08-12/detailed

165137 the last two car to do

So 3 car 165s next... Will the first class end be replaced by bike and luggage storage ?

 

[TEW]

165137 the last two car to do

So 3 car 165s next... Will the first class end be replaced by bike and luggage storage ?

The 3-car 165s have recently gained some luggage stacks so I assume there are some spare standard class seats that could be used to replace the First Class ones.

 

[3973EXL]

165137 the last two car to do

So 3 car 165s next... Will the first class end be replaced by bike and luggage storage ?

165136 is the last 2 car - 165137 already in works.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

165137 the last two car to do

So 3 car 165s next... Will the first class end be replaced by bike and luggage storage ?

While I don’t particularly care if this happens to the 165s (so long as GWR diagram 165 and 166 separately when the transfer is complete, focusing 166s on the long distance services - no 3-165 + 2-165 formations on Cardiff Portsmouth I beg), I hope they keep the 2+2 sections at each end of the 166s.

They may not have First Class on these routes but the train works very well with a mixed layout of accommodation for commuters and long-distance travellers. It’s similar to 377s and CH 165s, I think. I travel from Cardiff to Fratton once a month and prefer a 166 to even a 158 if I can sit in the ex First Class area.

 

[HarryF]

While I don’t particularly care if this happens to the 165s (so long as GWR diagram 165 and 166 separately when the transfer is complete, focusing 166s on the long distance services - no 3-165 + 2-165 formations on Cardiff Portsmouth I beg), I hope they keep the 2+2 sections at each end of the 166s.

They may not have First Class on these routes but the train works very well with a mixed layout of accommodation for commuters and long-distance travellers. It’s similar to 377s and CH 165s, I think. I travel from Cardiff to Fratton once a month and prefer a 166 to even a 158 if I can sit in the ex First Class area.

Agree the ex First class area needs to stay. It is the mix of interior which as you say provides for the mix of commuters and passengers going further is possibly the only redeeming feature of the 166s over the 158s

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

While I don’t particularly care if this happens to the 165s (so long as GWR diagram 165 and 166 separately when the transfer is complete, focusing 166s on the long distance services - no 3-165 + 2-165 formations on Cardiff Portsmouth I beg), I hope they keep the 2+2 sections at each end of the 166s.

They may not have First Class on these routes but the train works very well with a mixed layout of accommodation for commuters and long-distance travellers. It’s similar to 377s and CH 165s, I think. I travel from Cardiff to Fratton once a month and prefer a 166 to even a 158 if I can sit in the ex First Class area.

Same here - the ex-First Class sections on the 166's feel more spacious than a 158!

 

[FenMan]

Took my first ride on a refurbed 165 on the North Downs last night. The interior looks very smart, but I was unable to test the quality of the seat cushions as the train was rather full.

 

[FGW_DID]

Wolverton > Reading: This Saturday (27th) should see 165137 returning, post refresh.

Reading > Wolverton: 165109 has been pencilled in to be the first of the 3 car 165s to go for refresh and will make the trip on Saturday once 137 gets back.

That will leave 165136 (already in works) as the last 2 car to receive the refresh.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Thank you for this information. Does this mean that one of the Reading 3-car diagrams is likely to be booked a 2-car once the 3-car refresh programme commences? 165102 seems to have become inactive for the past couple of weeks, so unless it returns to traffic by Saturday, it will leave Reading with 12 3-car units for 12 diagrams.

 

[Jrocks]

Does this mean that one of the Reading 3-car diagrams is likely to be booked a 2-car once the 3-car refresh programme commences?

Remember, 769s will be entering service soon

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Thank you for this information. Does this mean that one of the Reading 3-car diagrams is likely to be booked a 2-car once the 3-car refresh programme commences? 165102 seems to have become inactive for the past couple of weeks, so unless it returns to traffic by Saturday, it will leave Reading with 12 3-car units for 12 diagrams.

Now summer is nearing the end the Henley diagram drops to a 2 car to facilitate the refurbishment.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Thank you for confirming. I did think that the Henley or the North Downs diagram that only does one round trip would be the most likely candidates.

 

[3973EXL]

Wolverton > Reading: This Saturday (27th) should see 165137 returning, post refresh.

5Q74 0931 Wolverton - Reading Traincare dep 0930
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03270/2022-08-27/detaile

Reading > Wolverton: 165109 has been pencilled in to be the first of the 3 car 165s to go for refresh and will make the trip on Saturday once 137 gets back.

5Q70 1255 Reading Traincare - Wolverton dep 1251
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03269/2022-08-27

 

[FGW_DID]

Thank you for this information. Does this mean that one of the Reading 3-car diagrams is likely to be booked a 2-car once the 3-car refresh programme commences? 165102 seems to have become inactive for the past couple of weeks, so unless it returns to traffic by Saturday, it will leave Reading with 12 3-car units for 12 diagrams.

165102 is the latest victim of "Waiting Parts"!

Now summer is nearing the end the Henley diagram drops to a 2 car to facilitate the refurbishment.

Thank you for confirming. I did think that the Henley or the North Downs diagram that only does one round trip would be the most likely candidates.

Henley drops to a 2 car and one of the Basingstoke units becomes a 2 car.

 

[Kite159]

I see Basingstoke is getting shafted with a 2 coach unit again, probably at the times where XC doesn't run to take some of the pressure away from being overcrowded.

 

[JN114]

I see Basingstoke is getting shafted with a 2 coach unit again, probably at the times where XC doesn't run to take some of the pressure away from being overcrowded.

The Basingstokes are a 90 minute cycle, so all 3 circuits are variously in and out of sync with the cross country.

There will temporarily no longer be enough 3 cars to cover all Basingstoke and North Downs circuits - of those 2 the North Downs is significantly more overcrowded than the Basingstokes, so short forming a Basingstoke is the least worst option

 

[Minstral25]

Today 2-car unit 165 126 was on a North Downs cycle this morning but appears to have expired at Reading

 

[adc82140]

The Basingstokes are a 90 minute cycle, so all 3 circuits are variously in and out of sync with the cross country.

There will temporarily no longer be enough 3 cars to cover all Basingstoke and North Downs circuits - of those 2 the North Downs is significantly more overcrowded than the Basingstokes, so short forming a Basingstoke is the least worst option

I've been told in the past that the North Downs must be 3 cars during leaf fall season, due to adhesion issues with the 2 car units. Is this still the case?

 

[JN114]

Today 2-car unit 165 126 was on a North Downs cycle this morning but appears to have expired at Reading

It was swapped off North Downs with 165112 because it was a 2 car

165126 has subsequently gone onto Marlows due to an earlier fault.

I've been told in the past that the North Downs must be 3 cars during leaf fall season, due to adhesion issues with the 2 car units. Is this still the case?

They aren’t outright prohibited, but it is strongly recommended that they’re 3 in leaf fall season - more due to their propensity to disappear from track circuits during leaf fall, a 3 car has 4 extra wheel sets to keep electrical connection

 

[387star]

The new light grey flooring on the 165s already has a lot of black gum marks
The stickers above the sockets that weren't previously there are being peeled off
One unit has a random first group red grab rail. Curiously many grab rails in the GWR launch unit 166205 are now rubine red.

 

[cactustwirly]

The Basingstokes are a 90 minute cycle, so all 3 circuits are variously in and out of sync with the cross country.

There will temporarily no longer be enough 3 cars to cover all Basingstoke and North Downs circuits - of those 2 the North Downs is significantly more overcrowded than the Basingstokes, so short forming a Basingstoke is the least worst option

Can they not be switched for a 3 car 165 from the west

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Can they not be switched for a 3 car 165 from the west

Why should the West suffer for the benefit of one of the Thames Valley’s services? It’s been heaving lately.

 

[RPI]

Can they not be switched for a 3 car 165 from the west

The West is already short most days

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The West is already short most days

The amount of 2-165s and 2-158s I’ve seen on Portsmouths lately is absurd.

 

[CR165022]

The amount of 2-165s and 2-158s I’ve seen on Portsmouths lately is absurd.

It's worse on the Devon metros, when I was down there a week or so ago, most Exmouth/paignton services were 2 car 150s!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It's worse on the Devon metros, when I was down there a week or so ago, most Exmouth/paignton services were 2 car 150s!

That's not worse than 2 car 165s/158s on the Portsmouths. 150s have a half-hourly service and were often run with single units pre COVID. The 3-158s used before the Turbos on Portsmouths were notorious for their overcrowding and even that is longer than 2 car 165s/158s.

I assume when the 166s go for refurbishment there will be even more of a shortage, unless Henley remains 2 car meaning an extra 3-165 can go to cover.

 

[cactustwirly]

The West is already short most days

They've only just had 3 extra units, how can they be short?

Arguably the Thames Valley is short as they are having to short form trains and regularly put out trains with defects like no working toilets.

Why should the West suffer for the benefit of one of the Thames Valley’s services? It’s been heaving lately.

Because they are still Reading based units, and the timetable was fudged to release them.

What did the West do before May when then 3 cars started to head that way?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Because they are still Reading based units, and the timetable was fudged to release them.

What did the West do before May when then 3 cars started to head that way?

Overcrowd.
And not waste two on Okehampton.
And run two cars to St Ives instead of four as part of the Summer timetable.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

They've only just had 3 extra units, how can they be short?

Arguably the Thames Valley is short as they are having to short form trains and regularly put out trains with defects like no working toilets.



Because they are still Reading based units, and the timetable was fudged to release them.

What did the West do before May when then 3 cars started to head that way?

Of the 3 units:

1 to replace the crash damaged cl158
1 to replace an Angel 150/2 which has gone for C6 and which due to the amount of corrosion work is likely to be out for 9 months
1 to provide the extra unit for Okehampton hourly

And not waste two on Okehampton.

Given the passenger numbers on Okehampton there’s no way that service can be viewed as a waste.

 

[cactustwirly]

How many 2 cars are there at Reading for how many diagrams.

There needs to be a proper solution for the west that doesn't involve stealing units from the Thames Valley.

The 3 cars look like they're staying at Reading for the foreseeable future as the 769s are as good as dead.