EMR class 156s for Northern

[The_Train]

No, it's running in unbranded EMT blue and red.

No it, and 408 are still in EMR colours at the moment. It'll be sent to Crewe for repaint eventually.

Thanks both, thought it seemed to have come out of Crewe a bit quick

 

[childwallblues]

156410 is today paired with 156413 and was on the 0822 Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road. I saw it at Liverpool South Parkway as I was boarding 156404 to go into Lime Street.

 

[NORMAN471]

156406 - Another addition to the Northern active fleet,

150110+156406 2N96 12.38 Southport to Blackburn this afternoon. - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P44993/2023-07-02/detailed

156465+156411 2C46 Carlisle to Lancaster then 5C46 17.03 to Preston carriage sidings. - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P59878/2023-07-02/detailed#allox_id=0

!56410+156420 2N91 17.38 Southport to Blackburn. - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P44959/2023-07-02/detailed

 

[The_Train]

Am I right in thinking that the Northern 156s are primarily managed by Newton Heath and Heaton depots?

 

[SteveyBee131]

Am I right in thinking that the Northern 156s are primarily managed by Newton Heath and Heaton depots?

Indeed so. They don't go to Neville Hill as no staff with both traction and route knowledge. Some may stable at Longsight, but not for maintenance. To the best of my (not insider) knowledge anyway!

 

[skyhigh]

They don't go to Neville Hill as no staff with both traction and route knowledge.

Heaton 156s actually do go to Neville Hill for tyre turning.

 

[Geeves]

There's a few at Leeds that do sign 156s and York sign Manchester Vic - York - Newcastle and do the transfers north when required. To be fair alot of adhoc random transfer work is done by Rail Operations Group these days

 

[diligentdave]

156416 being prepared for rebuild.

 

[The_Train]

Indeed so. They don't go to Neville Hill as no staff with both traction and route knowledge. Some may stable at Longsight, but not for maintenance. To the best of my (not insider) knowledge anyway!

Thank you

 

[SteveyBee131]

Heaton 156s actually do go to Neville Hill for tyre turning.

There's a few at Leeds that do sign 156s and York sign Manchester Vic - York - Newcastle and do the transfers north when required. To be fair alot of adhoc random transfer work is done by Rail Operations Group these days

It would appear I stand corrected every day is a school day!

 

[td97]

156409 was in service today looking immaculate both outside and in (with reupholstered seating, although no digital mods yet). Unfortunately its reliability has been problematic, causing part cancellations on the Clitheroe branch before eventually being removed from service this afternoon and taken to Newton Heath.
Delays/cancellations this morning following a fault on the ECS run:

Realtime Trains | 5N50 0515 Newton Heath T.M.D. to Manchester Victoria | 05/07/2023

Real-time train running information for 5N50 0515 departure from Newton Heath T.M.D. to Manchester Victoria on 05/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 2N50 0543 Manchester Victoria to Clitheroe | 05/07/2023

Real-time train running information for 2N50 0543 departure from Manchester Victoria to Clitheroe on 05/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 2J23 0747 Blackburn to Rochdale | 05/07/2023

Real-time train running information for 2J23 0747 departure from Blackburn to Rochdale on 05/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Later in the day, a train fault at Clitheroe meant it was taken out of service at Manchester Victoria

Realtime Trains | 2J29 1523 Clitheroe to Rochdale | 05/07/2023

Real-time train running information for 2J29 1523 departure from Clitheroe to Rochdale on 05/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The ex-EMR units don't seem to be in a good mechanical state, with 156414 breaking down on Saturday too

Realtime Trains | 2N57 2152 Rochdale to Clitheroe | 30/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 2N57 2152 departure from Rochdale to Clitheroe on 30/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[AMD]

Fault on 409 was failure to get the breaks off at Clitheroe.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The ex-EMR units don't seem to be in a good mechanical state, with 156414 breaking down on Saturday too

They're in a shocking state interior wise too. To be honest even in EMT days their 153s and 156s were very scruffy-looking. Ironic that when they got a few from (old) Northern several years ago they put rather snotty notices up apologising for the condition and blaming the previous operators. Glass houses, eh?

 

[Geeves]

Here's a general in service and what not snap shot. Doesn't look too catastrophic

401 - Blackburn - Rainford
402 - Buxton
403 - Oxford Rd - Lime St
404 - Oxford Rd - Lime St
405 - Southport - Staly
406 - Southport - Staly
408 - Newton Heath
409 - Newton Heath
410 - Rochdale - Clitheroe
411 - Newton Heath
412 - Rochdale - Clitheroe
413 - Preston - Colne
414 - Buxton, Chinley, Hazel Grove
415 - Newton Heath
416 - Wolverton
417 - Wolverton
419 - Buxton
422 - Preston (spare)

 

[simon7929]

Is 418 with Northern now?

 

[43055]

They're in a shocking state interior wise too. To be honest even in EMT days their 153s and 156s were very scruffy-looking. Ironic that when they got a few from (old) Northern several years ago they put rather snotty notices up apologising for the condition and blaming the previous operators. Glass houses, eh?

I always thought the EMT interior as quite smart. When the GA 156's turned up now they were scruffy.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I always thought the EMT interior as quite smart. When the GA 156's turned up now they were scruffy.

It was smart when new, but the bright red looks very washed-out after a few years of being faded by sunlight. The material used also doesn't wear well, in particular the seats on the Meridian units were quite threadbare the last time I was on one.

 

[ic31420]

156416 being prepared for rebuild.
View attachment 138485

Surely using the Brodie's Unit that I think is sitting idle must make more sense than this level of work...

 

[Geeves]

Is 418 with Northern now?

It is at NH I think but that's an ex Anglia one isnt it? So I just left it off the list. I get confused with it all

 

[WillPS]

It was smart when new, but the bright red looks very washed-out after a few years of being faded by sunlight. The material used also doesn't wear well, in particular the seats on the Meridian units were quite threadbare the last time I was on one.

The Meridians have a different fabric/moquette to what EMT installed on everything else. It's more smooth and less carpety than what everything else got.

 

[43096]

The Meridians have a different fabric/moquette to what EMT installed on everything else. It's more smooth and less carpety than what everything else got.

The Meridians got flat cloth as opposed to the moquette used on everything else.

 

[diligentdave]

Surely using the Brodie's Unit that I think is sitting idle must make more sense than this level of work...

156417 - 52417

 

[AMD]

Considering the stripping down and rebuilding that has/ is being done to 409, 416 & 417; how far gone is 407????

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Surely using the Brodie's Unit that I think is sitting idle must make more sense than this level of work...

Do we know why that particular unit was stopped, and why it wasn't one of the ones sent to Northern? Was it in a particularly bad state or was it just more awkward due to being an oddity ownership-wise?
I'd have thought it might be in better condition than some, having been comprehensively rebuilt by Brodies after it went for its impromptu swim.

 

[childwallblues]

Noted 156409 at Liverpool South Parkway this morning paired with 150122. Externally the unit looks fantastic.
On the other platform going into Liverpool were EMT liveried 156410 paired with 150119.

 

[170UTD]

It might be unrelated, but is it a 156 on 5Z56 today?
Edit: Never mind it's apparently 156471

Realtime Trains | 5Z56 1036 Heaton T&R.S.M.D. to Wolverton Centre Sidings | 19/07/2023

Real-time train running information for 5Z56 1036 departure from Heaton T&R.S.M.D. to Wolverton Centre Sidings on 19/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[td97]

Surely taking one back to the bare bodyshell and replacing half of that before totally rebuilding it from scratch must cost more than building some 195s.

Cost quoted as approaching £500k per vehicle for the worst case bodywork repairs.

 

[jonesy3001]

Could of got more 195s at that price.

 

[43096]

Could of got more 195s at that price.

Errrrr, no. No you couldn't.

 

[py_megapixel]

Could of got more 195s at that price.

The original Civity order was for 281 vehicles at a cost of £492 million, which is about £1750k per vehicle, so still considerably more expensive (though of course that's not necessarily representative of the cost of an add-on order)