GWR Class 166 Declassified First Class closed off

[ValleyLines142]

Is there any reason as to why the declassified First Class section of GWR's 166s are closed off? Seems really backwards to have the most appropriate seating (2+2 tables) blocked off, as 3+2 seating with tiny triangle tables is really not appropriate for routes such as Cardiff to Portsmouth and also just means that more people are crammed into one section of the train! Real shame.

 

[micktrain]

space for covid clearance for crew?

 

[ValleyLines142]

space for covid clearance for crew?

Surely that's what the cabs are for? Or is it more for extra crew travelling?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Can the guards perhaps only work those from the passenger compartment?

 

[387star]

It's for staff yes

 

[Mills444]

Nope, if anything it is only from the cab never seen then do it from the saloon.

 

[py_megapixel]

Nope, if anything it is only from the cab never seen then do it from the saloon.

I have seen a GWR guard work a 166 from the saloon but he didn't release the doors; apparantely the driver did that.

 

[Stigy]

I’m not back yet, but as far as I’m aware it’s for staff when they are travelling as passengers.

 

[cactustwirly]

Can the guards perhaps only work those from the passenger compartment?

These were designed for DOO routes, so the door controls are only in the cabs AFAIK.

Is there any reason as to why the declassified First Class section of GWR's 166s are closed off? Seems really backwards to have the most appropriate seating (2+2 tables) blocked off, as 3+2 seating with tiny triangle tables is really not appropriate for routes such as Cardiff to Portsmouth and also just means that more people are crammed into one section of the train! Real shame.

Btw there's 2+2 seating at the end of the middle coach as well.

 

[221129]

These were designed for DOO routes, so the door controls are only in the cabs AFAIK

Fairly sure They've been retrofitted for use in the west.

 

[CC 72100]

Fairly sure They've been retrofitted for use in the west.

Yes, there are door controls at the set of doors behind the cabs in the driving vehicles.

 

[vikingdriver]

As mentioned it is for staff, like train crew booked to travel passenger on the services.

 

[Ashley Hill]

On non-DOO GWR Turbos the driver releases the doors and the guard closes them. This can be done from a cab or the local button in the first vestibule. Those controls can also allow the guard to release only the doors at that panel as a local door for a short platform.

 

[Revilo]

I suspect it’s Covid space for the driver. The ends of the 150/2 on the St Ives branch we travelled on this week are similarly marked as out of use.

 

[vikingdriver]

I suspect it’s Covid space for the driver. The ends of the 150/2 on the St Ives branch we travelled on this week are similarly marked as out of use.

It is for staff travelling passenger on the services.

 

[py_megapixel]

I’m not back yet, but as far as I’m aware it’s for staff when they are travelling as passengers.

It is for staff travelling passenger on the services.

Not to sound rude, but why do staff travelling passenger (of which there are generally none or very few) require a designated space to be kept for them all of the time?

On a 2 car 150 we're talking a good third or so of the train out of use to passengers, which isn't going to help social distancing at all.

 

[rebmcr]

Not to sound rude, but why do staff travelling passenger (of which there are generally none or very few) require a designated space to be kept for them all of the time?

Because they have one of the jobs with the highest exposure outside of an A&E ward. Any reduction in that is a good thing.

 

[vikingdriver]

Not to sound rude, but why do staff travelling passenger (of which there are generally none or very few) require a designated space to be kept for them all of the time?

On a 2 car 150 we're talking a good third or so of the train out of use to passengers, which isn't going to help social distancing at all.

We had 4 members of staff passing on my train earlier so I guess it depends on the service as to how in need it is! If we can't maintain safe social distancing we are well within our rights to not travel on that service, however this would likely cause issues later on and an operational headache as you are passing on it for a reason - could be relieving the driver further down the line, needed to be elsewhere to drive another train etc. So really it makes sense even if unfortunately it isn't popular with other users.

 

[fgwrich]

Yes, there are door controls at the set of doors behind the cabs in the driving vehicles.

God knows why they only put them into the driving units though and not the middle coach.

 

[WesternLancer]

Because they have one of the jobs with the highest exposure outside of an A&E ward. Any reduction in that is a good thing.

do they?
any source for that? as if it is true it suggests public transport is not at all safe to travel on.

I know it was abroad but wasn't it Austria where they indicated no cases of it thought to have been caught on train services? Seem to recall an article in Rail recently on that (not on line)

 

[py_megapixel]

God knows why they only put them into the driving units though and not the middle coach.

No expert here, but surely if you run them into the middle coach you then need to put extra wires through the coupling between coaches? This would probably have added expense.

 

[Steddenm]

A lot of trains I've been in recently have had a section closed off for staff use...

Class 333 for Northern
HST sets for ScotRail (entire first class)
T&W Metrocars
Class 185 and 801 for TPE
Class 170, 158 and electric units for ScotRail
Class 170, 158, 195, 331, 319 and 789 for Northern (the latter is advertised as being out of use on 319 units)
Mk4 sets for LNER (part of first class)

 

[Stigy]

Not to sound rude, but why do staff travelling passenger (of which there are generally none or very few) require a designated space to be kept for them all of the time?

On a 2 car 150 we're talking a good third or so of the train out of use to passengers, which isn't going to help social distancing at all.

I guess it’s all negotiated with ASLEF/RMT as a requirement to making our working environment COVID safe (same as in all other industries/offices)? I personally wouldn’t be that bothered travelling as normal, with a face covering, but I guess any extra steps to make our working environment “Covid safe” are positive ones.

Considering current passenger loadings and footfall, I don’t see this having a massive impact on the travelling public?

 

[DarloRich]

All unit trains i have been on have had the first bay of seats behind the cab closed off.

LNER have some of an FC carriage closed off

 

[Ashley Hill]

God knows why they only put them into the driving units though and not the middle coach.

As they're for local door operation only. It's easier to stop with the cab on therefore the leading passenger door at Dilton Marsh,Avoncliff etc rather than put up yet more stop boards. I admit it would be handy to have one in the middle car to close up with though.

 

[northernbelle]

As they're for local door operation only. It's easier to stop with the cab on therefore the leading passenger door at Dilton Marsh,Avoncliff etc rather than put up yet more stop boards. I admit it would be handy to have one in the middle car to close up with though.

I believe this is the same as the Class 150s - I don't think the 150/0s had local door control panels in the centre cars either.

 

[supervc-10]

do they?
any source for that? as if it is true it suggests public transport is not at all safe to travel on.

I don't think that public transport is particularly high risk, it's that these staff are spending their entire working shift on public transport.

Incidentally- the highest risk are nurses on Covid ITUs. Us doctors get a lot of praise but we don't spend as much time in close contact with people. Almost every one of the nurses I was working with on a covid ward for 4 months got sick at one point or another.

 

[Fokx]

Not to sound rude, but why do staff travelling passenger (of which there are generally none or very few) require a designated space to be kept for them all of the time?

On a 2 car 150 we're talking a good third or so of the train out of use to passengers, which isn't going to help social distancing at all.

At my TOC (another first company) it’s to provide a safe as possible area for staff. It’s not JUST for staff travelling passenger, we use it for our revenue and on-board cleaning teams between stops, staff carrying out route learning (as it’s still only one person per cab), as well as staff from other TOCs travelling home from work

The reason why it’s permanently closed is because staff can board that train at any time on route and staff don’t require to physically move customers, the other is that there is little chance of staff touching surfaces that may have been touched frequently by passengers reducing cross-infection (as best as possible) between the train being cleaned. All it takes is one passenger who doesn’t realise they have symptoms, not wearing a mask to pass on transmission to staff, and then that staff member passing it on to the depot.

Manchester Victoria recently had to close their messroom due to an infected staff member and is currently operating out of a tent that could rival The Great British Bake Off

 

[skyhigh]

Manchester Victoria recently had to close their messroom due to an infected staff member and is currently operating out of a tent that could rival The Great British Bake Off

The messroom was closed briefly for a deep clean. The tent is there as a temporary facility while the messroom is closed for a (planned and extensive) refurbishment. Nothing to do with Covid.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I believe this is the same as the Class 150s - I don't think the 150/0s had local door control panels in the centre cars either.

The 150/1/2s have full opening and closing controls on the intermediate panels at the inner vestibule. The 150/0s have no door controls in the centre car. Our 150/158s have no means of creating a staff area but do have Out Of Use stickers by the seats closest to the vestibule door which are generally ignored by the public.