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GWR Class 165/166 Turbo Diagrams

dmu fan

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Both weekday trains you have mentioned are booked 2×165. (Different set diagrams).

The sets off that 0745 stay together for most of the day, the 1730 is an attachment at Bristol on the way down in the mid-afternoon.
Many thanks for the info. Fingers crossed on Wednesday this is how it's ran.
 
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TT-ONR-NRN

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It’s really quite aggravating to see 166220 working six minute end-to-end journeys on Windsor Slough today while 165101 does almost four hour end-to-end journeys on Cardiff Portsmouth, although I know the logistics behind it. It’s just irritating to see.
 

JonathanH

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It’s really quite aggravating to see 166220 working six minute end-to-end journeys on Windsor Slough today while 165101 does almost four hour end-to-end journeys on Cardiff Portsmouth, although I know the logistics behind it. It’s just irritating to see.
These days there is very little difference between the 165s and 166s apart from an extra toilet, carpet, the different air cooling / conditioning system and slightly different seating arrangement for a handful of people.
 

cactustwirly

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These days there is very little difference between the 165s and 166s apart from an extra toilet, carpet, the different air cooling / conditioning system and slightly different seating arrangement for a handful of people.
The 166s do feel a lot nicer.
They have a better seating layout and there is more sound deadening, and the carpet does make a difference for longer journeys.
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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These days there is very little difference between the 165s and 166s apart from an extra toilet, carpet, the different air cooling / conditioning system and slightly different seating arrangement for a handful of people.
When you do Cardiff Central Fratton every month as I do, and require the tables in first class or middle carriage (or even the half-tables on rest of the unit) so you’re not bent over cramping while you do work on the laptop from your - well - lap for four hours, a 166 is noticeably more preferable.

A 165 has no tables at all - and half the provision of the decent seating. The toilet is also often out of use, and there is no second toilet.
 

REVUpminster

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3 166s and a 3 car 165 down here today, 6 150s making up the other 3 diagrams; gearing up for the air show tomorrow. Looks like a couple of 800s (5 car?) as well tomorrow.
 

RPI

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3 166s and a 3 car 165 down here today, 6 150s making up the other 3 diagrams; gearing up for the air show tomorrow. Looks like a couple of 800s (5 car?) as well tomorrow.
Tomorrow if I recall correctly there is a 5 car IET doing shuttles and a 9 car, Saturday there are obviously the additional Paddington to Paignton services to mop up the crowds.

Sunday there aren't a huge amount of additional trains.
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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3 166s and a 3 car 165 down here today, 6 150s making up the other 3 diagrams; gearing up for the air show tomorrow. Looks like a couple of 800s (5 car?) as well tomorrow.
The 3-165 came down attached to another 3-165, which detached at Taunton, making a rare 6-165 service in the West (165101/109)

165111 is on Bristol Gloucesters today, and should return to Reading tomorrow

166220 is on the North Downs Line

Another three carriage Turbo should transfer from Reading to Swindon tomorrow, where it will spend the day on Weymouth services.
 
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spark001uk

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104 (3 car) on the SLO > WNC branch today. Needs it too, place is rammed with flag wavers.
 

cactustwirly

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104 (3 car) on the SLO > WNC branch today. Needs it too, place is rammed with flag wavers.

Surprised it isn't a 4 car...

Personally I am interested to see the allocations for Henley Regatta week.

Normally the weekend is a 5 or 7 car train, ie 2+3 or 2+2+3 car 165s.

Will Reading have enough or will they have to be borrowed from the West?
 

JonathanH

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Personally I am interested to see the allocations for Henley Regatta week.

Normally the weekend is a 5 or 7 car train, ie 2+3 or 2+2+3 car 165s.
It looks like the Saturday service is due to run off platform 4 so will be strengthened to longer than the bay platform but that is relatively straightforward with fewer units needed for other lines on a Saturday.

Looks like a Basingstoke diagram is cancelled on the weekdays so that there is are alternating half hour and hour gaps.
 
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JN114

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Surprised it isn't a 4 car...

Alas 4 car operation of the Windsor branch is reserved only for the busiest of special events; as it is very resource intensive and needs all kinds of special working arrangements sorted out in advance.

While the Windsor branch was anticipated to be busy this weekend, the booked 3 car was expected and indeed seems to be just about adequate.

It looks like the Saturday service is due to run off platform 4 so will be strengthened to longer than the bay platform but that is relatively straightforward with fewer units needed for other lines on a Saturday.

Looks like a Basingstoke diagram is cancelled on the weekdays so that there is are alternating half hour and hour gaps.

Not seen any diagrams yet, but expecting Regatta to be 7 car as usual on the Saturday
 

Kite159

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It looks like the Saturday service is due to run off platform 4 so will be strengthened to longer than the bay platform but that is relatively straightforward with fewer units needed for other lines on a Saturday.

Looks like a Basingstoke diagram is cancelled on the weekdays so that there is are alternating half hour and hour gaps.
I'm sure the passengers of Mortimer & Bramley will be delighted with the gaps in service caused by the train getting robbed to carry round boat race goers :rolleyes:

Maybe even passengers going end to end will be delighted if the gap falls in the hours where XC doesn't run which will help take some of the pressure.

Railways, putting passengers first as ever :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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I'm sure the passengers of Mortimer & Bramley will be delighted with the gaps in service caused by the train getting robbed to carry round boat race goers :rolleyes:

Maybe even passengers going end to end will be delighted if the gap falls in the hours where XC doesn't run which will help take some of the pressure.

Railways, putting passengers first as ever :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Yes, exactly, putting them first prioritising the routes where passengers will actually be. Far more passengers will travel to Henley Regatta than flipping Mortimer and Bramley. And I say that as someone living fairly locally to the two.
 

cactustwirly

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I'm sure the passengers of Mortimer & Bramley will be delighted with the gaps in service caused by the train getting robbed to carry round boat race goers :rolleyes:

Maybe even passengers going end to end will be delighted if the gap falls in the hours where XC doesn't run which will help take some of the pressure.

Railways, putting passengers first as ever :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

There is a huge amount of people going to Henley on the Saturday, without the 7 car sets they will leave people behind.

I agree, that Basingstoke shouldn't be sacrificed either, especially as XC still aren't running a full service.
They should have borrowed a 165 set from the West instead
 

Snow1964

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There is a huge amount of people going to Henley on the Saturday, without the 7 car sets they will leave people behind.

I agree, that Basingstoke shouldn't be sacrificed either, especially as XC still aren't running a full service.
They should have borrowed a 165 set from the West instead

Actually Henley Regatta week is not a one off, it happens every year and always requires couple of extra turbos, so should have allowed for it in their maintenance and refurb planning.

Cutting another lines service and leaving huge gaps because you have chosen to do refurbs during an extra busy week is just bad planning.

But GWR seems to have overcrowding on many of its non London services, many of which have lots of walk up fares, and it seems to have no intention of trying to source extra capacity. How many months (years?) it will continue this overcrowding policy is anyones guess.
 

HamworthyGoods

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But GWR seems to have overcrowding on many of its non London services, many of which have lots of walk up fares, and it seems to have no intention of trying to source extra capacity. How many months (years?) it will continue this overcrowding policy is anyones guess.

There is no overcrowding policy, the GWR Local Fleet has grown over the years and yes there is an intention of sourcing extra capacity, the 769 introduction will free up a large number of 16x units.

There’s no on the shelf extra DMU’s available for lease at the moment.
 

HamworthyGoods

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Or even better borrow 1001 from Hastings

Which has absolutely no compliance with the Persons of Reduced Mobility laws under which our GB Railways operate, to correctly provide a network accessible to all regardless of ability (or lack of).
 

spark001uk

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Which has absolutely no compliance with the Persons of Reduced Mobility laws under which our GB Railways operate, to correctly provide a network accessible to all regardless of ability (or lack of).
Indeed, it was said in jest. Wouldn't be practical for purpose at all in reality.
 

Parallel

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But GWR seems to have overcrowding on many of its non London services, many of which have lots of walk up fares, and it seems to have no intention of trying to source extra capacity. How many months (years?) it will continue this overcrowding policy is anyones guess.
To be fair to GWR, there have been some capacity increases within the last few years.

5 coaches now regular on Cardiff-Pompey services (was previously rare to have anything above 3)

Half hourly service between Exeter-Paignton on the local services where as it used to be hourly with an additional shuttle Paignton-Newton Abbot

Predominantly 4 car 150s on Exmouth-Paignton, previously used to usually be 2 car 150 or 4 car pacer

Half hourly on the Severn Beach line, used to be 3tp2h

Plus 2 and 3 car 16x taking over a lot of the local work in the Bristol area from 2 car 150s which is a capacity increase

4 car Castles providing more journey opportunities between Cardiff/Bristol and Devon/Cornwall. Previously was XC with just a few random GWR services, with 2 car 150s usually operating the local Cardiff-Taunton and Plymouth-Penzance services

More IETs operating Swindon-Cheltenham as more through London services. Previously every other service was a 2 car DMU.

There is clearly more they can do but they’ve made a lot of improvements in the last few years!
 
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REVUpminster

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Air show Saturday.
The seven local trains were made of 2 166s, 1 3car 165101, 3 2 x150s and 1 150/158
Trains terminating in platform 2 the passengers had to exit by the temporary exit at the south end of the platform into the car park.

The Red Arrows closed the show at 1700 finishing about 1720/25
1630 1E50 cancelled
1730 1E51 cancelled
1739 departed on time some seats to front available. Queue held in car park.
1800 1E52 cancelled
1818 left early at 1811 full and standing
1832 1E53 departed 1847 802103 9 coaches full and standing except at front in first class although two motorised wheelchairs and a buggy boarded here.
I left but still people queuing in car park
1852 left 3 late at 1855 and lost time all the way to Exeter made up 150232/158762. The 158 not a good train for crowds.
1918 on time
1928 on time

They still haven't sorted out the big gaps 1739 1811 1847 and must have thought the show ended earlier and cancelled the relief trains
 

cactustwirly

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Actually Henley Regatta week is not a one off, it happens every year and always requires couple of extra turbos, so should have allowed for it in their maintenance and refurb planning.

Cutting another lines service and leaving huge gaps because you have chosen to do refurbs during an extra busy week is just bad planning.

But GWR seems to have overcrowding on many of its non London services, many of which have lots of walk up fares, and it seems to have no intention of trying to source extra capacity. How many months (years?) it will continue this overcrowding policy is anyones guess.

The intercity services also have overcrowding, especially the Bristol services
 

BayPaul

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To be fair to GWR, there have been some capacity increases within the last few years.

5 coaches now regular on Cardiff-Pompey services (was previously rare to have anything above 3)

Half hourly service between Exeter-Paignton on the local services where as it used to be hourly with an additional shuttle Paignton-Newton Abbot

Predominantly 4 car 150s on Exmouth-Paignton, previously used to usually be 2 car 150 or 4 car pacer

Half hourly on the Severn Beach line, used to be 3tp2h

Plus 2 and 3 car 16x taking over a lot of the local work in the Bristol area from 2 car 150s which is a capacity increase

4 car Castles providing more journey opportunities between Cardiff/Bristol and Devon/Cornwall. Previously was XC with just a few random GWR services, with 2 car 150s usually operating the local Cardiff-Taunton and Plymouth-Penzance services

More IETs operating Swindon-Cheltenham as more through London services. Previously every other service was a 2 car DMU.

There is clearly more they can do but they’ve made a lot of improvements in the last few years!
If anything I'd say GWR is a candidate for most improved capacity and frequency. Especially if you add in 387s replacing 16xs on Thames Valley services, and the capacity increases of the 80x fleet compared to the HSTs.
 

Kite159

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Yes, exactly, putting them first prioritising the routes where passengers will actually be. Far more passengers will travel to Henley Regatta than flipping Mortimer and Bramley. And I say that as someone living fairly locally to the two.

With the reduced XC timetable (roughly 1 train every 2 hours instead of the Pre Covid 3 trains per 2 hours) the 165s between Reading & Basingstoke get busy with end to end passengers, especially the ones which connect to/from the XC which starts/finishes at Reading.

Even on a Sunday when SWR run extra services to/from Reading from Salisbury, those can get quite busy, with a good swapover of passengers at Basingstoke.

But hey, remove services which regular passengers might rely on to get to work, instead put it on so some race-goers can go to the boat race as its the only time they will use the train as they want to get drunk.

Easiest way would have been to borrow one or two units from the West, even if it causes a short form (i.e. a 3 coach set on a Cardiff - Portsmouth instead of 5 coaches)
 

Jrocks

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Most services in the West are just as overcrowded during the weekends, we often have our own shortforms with severe overcrowding. Especially in Devon and Cornwall, this is very apparent, we can't just give away our trains when we need them just as much, if not more! Remember we are already a 150 down, at least 1 165 is in for referbed and we lost a 158 at Sailsbury. XC have done us no favours either, still running a reduced service between Bristol and Plymouth, leaving our stoppers to take the strain.
 

RPI

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With the reduced XC timetable (roughly 1 train every 2 hours instead of the Pre Covid 3 trains per 2 hours) the 165s between Reading & Basingstoke get busy with end to end passengers, especially the ones which connect to/from the XC which starts/finishes at Reading.

Even on a Sunday when SWR run extra services to/from Reading from Salisbury, those can get quite busy, with a good swapover of passengers at Basingstoke.

But hey, remove services which regular passengers might rely on to get to work, instead put it on so some race-goers can go to the boat race as its the only time they will use the train as they want to get drunk.

Easiest way would have been to borrow one or two units from the West, even if it causes a short form (i.e. a 3 coach set on a Cardiff - Portsmouth instead of 5 coaches)
You contradict yourself, you say that a unit shouldn't be taken from Basingstoke work as it will inconvenience regular passengers, yet suggest doing exactly that from the West? I can't remember the last time that at least one Paignton-Exmouth diagram on a weekday wasn't short formed, in an area with high levels of commuters, school/college traffic and holidaymakers.

What happens for the regatta is simply the best of a bad situation, the same as what happens for every Glastonbury where most of the Pad-Cardiff services are cancelled to provide sets, this has historically happened.
 

cactustwirly

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Most services in the West are just as overcrowded during the weekends, we often have our own shortforms with severe overcrowding. Especially in Devon and Cornwall, this is very apparent, we can't just give away our trains when we need them just as much, if not more! Remember we are already a 150 down, at least 1 165 is in for referbed and we lost a 158 at Sailsbury. XC have done us no favours either, still running a reduced service between Bristol and Plymouth, leaving our stoppers to take the strain.

You just got a few extra turbos, nicking 1 or 2 won't hurt
You contradict yourself, you say that a unit shouldn't be taken from Basingstoke work as it will inconvenience regular passengers, yet suggest doing exactly that from the West? I can't remember the last time that at least one Paignton-Exmouth diagram on a weekday wasn't short formed, in an area with high levels of commuters, school/college traffic and holidaymakers.

What happens for the regatta is simply the best of a bad situation, the same as what happens for every Glastonbury where most of the Pad-Cardiff services are cancelled to provide sets, this has historically happened.

Historically GWR were able to resource the service without other cancellations.
The West already has loads of turbos, including 2x3 car 165s which are Reading based.

Surely GWR can borrow 1x 3 car for a day, without having to cancel any services?
 

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