EMR class 156s for Northern

[Geeves]

No way you're getting a new DMU for less than 3 million a pop now and that's not including all testing, paperwork, modifications, driver training and more. It's seeming like a really good investment more and more.

 

[simon7929]

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

156471

 

[Geeves]

156408 on 5B31 Crewe to NH this morning now in Northern livery

 

[superkev]

156420 doesn't show on RTT today. It is laid up for some reason?
K

 

[Geeves]

Its buses on the Chester via Altrincham line. I think its parked at Chester till Monday

156410 is on 5B38 heading the other way back to Crewe

 

[simon7929]

That’s the last one to be painted.

 

[50002Superb]

156420 doesn't show on RTT today. It is laid up for some reason?
K

It was parked in the bay platform at Chester yesterday

 

[Snow1964]

No way you're getting a new DMU for less than 3 million a pop now and that's not including all testing, paperwork, modifications, driver training and more. It's seeming like a really good investment more and more.

It rather depends on the time period you are looking at.

If you are looking at it as a 5 year plan the 156s make sense, if looking at it being a 30 year plan, then economically doesn't make sense.

So the question is how far away is crossover point where the 156s become a bad option, guessing somewhere around 8 years.

 

[simon7929]

156438 out today in service after its lengthy overhaul.

 

[TheLunaPark]

Just to pull back a little, at what point are we going to see Sprinters retired completely? You can keep tarting them up all you like but they can't go on forever. They've served their purpose, they've done a good job over the years but perhaps we need a new generation of bi-mode Sprinters. Maybe a more modular train with the same basic body but easily changed layouts and lengths to suit the needs of each line, with most components being shared across the family.

 

[jonesy3001]

Just to pull back a little, at what point are we going to see Sprinters retired completely? You can keep tarting them up all you like but they can't go on forever. They've served their purpose, they've done a good job over the years but perhaps we need a new generation of bi-mode Sprinters. Maybe a more modular train with the same basic body but easily changed layouts and lengths to suit the needs of each line, with most components being shared across the family.

It's in this thread about the sprinter replacements.

Northern contract and Business Commitments

DfT has published the Northern Rail / OLR Contract, restatement and 2023-24 Business Commitments https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/northern-railway-2022-olr-rail-contract...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[TheLunaPark]

It's in this thread about the sprinter replacements.

Northern contract and Business Commitments

DfT has published the Northern Rail / OLR Contract, restatement and 2023-24 Business Commitments https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/northern-railway-2022-olr-rail-contract...

www.railforums.co.uk

Cheers!

 

[yorksrob]

Just to pull back a little, at what point are we going to see Sprinters retired completely? You can keep tarting them up all you like but they can't go on forever. They've served their purpose, they've done a good job over the years but perhaps we need a new generation of bi-mode Sprinters. Maybe a more modular train with the same basic body but easily changed layouts and lengths to suit the needs of each line, with most components being shared across the family.

I'd wait until there's someone in place who can specify a decent train seat before replacing.

 

[simon7929]

Class 156416 ex EMR on it's way to Heaton after a lengthy overhaul. Rumoured to be its new home along with 417 when released from Wolverton.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Class 156416 ex EMR on it's way to Heaton after a lengthy overhaul. Rumoured to be its new home along with 417 when released from Wolverton.

Yes I seen this pass through Hinckley earlier today when outside Tesco around 11.15ish. Makes a change from the monopoly of 170s through here!

 

[ChrisC]

Class 156416 ex EMR on it's way to Heaton after a lengthy overhaul. Rumoured to be its new home along with 417 when released from Wolverton.

That explains why I caught a quick glimpse through the trees of what looked like a Northern 156 this lunchtime. I was walking a stretch of the Chesterfield Canal near Barrow Hill and saw it heading north just before 1pm.

 

[Gwr12345]

Class 156416 ex EMR on it's way to Heaton after a lengthy overhaul. Rumoured to be its new home along with 417 when released from Wolverton.

Saw it going over Durham viaduct earlier, wondering what it was. It was almost an hour early so by the time I left Durham it was still sat at a red signal and had been for half an hour to allow other trains to pass.

 

[The_Train]

Class 156416 ex EMR on it's way to Heaton after a lengthy overhaul. Rumoured to be its new home along with 417 when released from Wolverton.

Yes I seen this pass through Hinckley earlier today when outside Tesco around 11.15ish. Makes a change from the monopoly of 170s through here!

Saw it going over Durham viaduct earlier, wondering what it was. It was almost an hour early so by the time I left Durham it was still sat at a red signal and had been for half an hour to allow other trains to pass.

Is this unit now wearing the Northern livery please?

 

[170UTD]

Is this unit now wearing the Northern livery please?

Yes. It's moved to Heaton T&R.S.M.D.

 

[Ant158]

The difference in seating layouts on the 156s is interesting, the Northern ones with fewer tables seem to pack in as many seats as possible, but too close together for anyone taller than average to be comfortable/ not sit sideways. Some of the more recent ones, ie the ones with red seats offer passengers more space.

 

[Geeves]

The difference in seating layouts on the 156s is interesting, the Northern ones with fewer tables seem to pack in as many seats as possible.

Remember that "Northern" 156s before the arrival of the East Midlands ones included Regional Railways NW, First North Western, Scotrail, Northern Spirt/Arriva Trains Northern, probably more... each with their own layout.

 

[diligentdave]

The difference in seating layouts on the 156s is interesting, the Northern ones with fewer tables seem to pack in as many seats as possible, but too close together for anyone taller than average to be comfortable/ not sit sideways. Some of the more recent ones, ie the ones with red seats offer passengers more space.

Once all the ex-EMR units have had refresh they will all be the same.

 

[CAF397]

Remember that "Northern" 156s before the arrival of the East Midlands ones included Regional Railways NW, First North Western, Scotrail, Northern Spirt/Arriva Trains Northern, probably more... each with their own layout.

There was a handful of ex-FNW refurbished 156s that transferred from Northern to EMT several years ago wasn't there? So those seating layouts would be familiar.

 

[LowLevel]

There was a handful of ex-FNW refurbished 156s that transferred from Northern to EMT several years ago wasn't there? So those seating layouts would be familiar.

No. The 4 ex Northern 156s that left in 2011 were Northern Spirit refurbs. They were modified by East Midlands Trains to mostly match the existing fleet including the installation of Chapman seating, though they did have detail differences like a lack of bins in the middle vestibule and pre PRM refurb a different toilet set up.

The ex FNW 156s and the ex Central/EMT ones are fairly similar.