Trivia: Areas that a class 158 have never been on.

[dk1]

It looks like 158s have never operated on the Bittern, East Suffolk and Felixstowe branch lines in East Anglia. They did occasionally turn up at Great Yarmouth on summer services in the 1990s, while there was an early morning Lowestoft to Norwich service booked for an EMR 158 for a fair portion of the 2010s.

I don't think 158s have ever run on the London Tilbury and Southend, in addition to all of the GEML branches mentioned earlier.

The very first passenger operation out of Norwich for a 158 was on a Sheringham service. They were used right up until 2019 with a regular service for a hired in EMR 158 being the 21:15 Norwich-Sheringham after it had worked the 19:33 Great Yarmouth. 158s had always been prolific on all local routes out of Norwich in the 1990s.

You’ve missed off Harwich to the NSE boundary at Manningtree. 158s used to work the Harwich to Liverpool ‘Vincent Van Gough’

I thought it was The Loreley by then. They were cleared into Manningtree (reverse) incase the curve was out of action and operated selected services from Colchester to Peterborough & beyond.

 

[william.martin]

Stourbridge shuttle.

 

[Falcon1200]

I remember a 158 going ECS via the Hamilton Circle.

Class 158 was at one time not authorised via Hamilton, although that did not stop one going that way at short notice, when Virgin Trains used them on the WCML! Nothing untoward occurred.....

East Kilbride jumped out at me first. Neilston too I would've thought

The only second generation DMU I am aware of on the Neilston branch is Class 156, which was used one Sunday to operate as far as Patterton, due to engineering work.

 

[rf_ioliver]

Not sure they’ve ever made it into Kent (or East Sussex east of Brighton).

I know one made it to Arundel because of a signalling error back in the 90s I think.

Did any make it up to Preston Park from Hove and then back down to Brighton?

 

[DaventryRabbit]

Probably the closest to the SE Network would probably be London Waterloo.

Other areas i think i never seen/heard of they have been on

Chiltern Mainline
Essex
Isle of Wright
Kent
Woodhead Line
Penistone Line
ECML Between Dunbar - Chathill?
Northampton loop
Snow Hill lines
Stourbridge Shuttle
MML South of Bedford
Cambridge - Hitchin / South or Peterborough

I saw several 158's on the Northampton Loop around 2001. They used to have a booked diagram on Weekdays which took a set from Coventry to Northampton around 0630 of a morning, then forming the 0723 ish Northampton - Aberystwyth through Train! It didn't last long maybe 1 Timetable cycle.
It was previously one of the last class 310 diagrams (though not to Aber though obvs!)

 

[GWVillager]

Probably the closest to the SE Network would probably be London Waterloo.

Other areas i think i never seen/heard of they have been on

Chiltern Mainline
Essex
Isle of Wright
Kent
Woodhead Line
Penistone Line
ECML Between Dunbar - Chathill?
Northampton loop
Snow Hill lines
Stourbridge Shuttle
MML South of Bedford
Cambridge - Hitchin / South or Peterborough

I believe 158s did make a few appearances on Snow Hill Line services in the early 2000s, some are mentioned here:

Central Trains

In the days of central trains. Did classes 156 or 158 ever venture onto the snow hill lines? Also did 150's ever venture onto the 'east side'? I have been told that a 150 did a Birmingham to Leicester service in 06/07 ish.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[DaventryRabbit]

I believe 158s did make a few appearances on Snow Hill Line services in the early 2000s, some are mentioned here:

Central Trains

In the days of central trains. Did classes 156 or 158 ever venture onto the snow hill lines? Also did 150's ever venture onto the 'east side'? I have been told that a 150 did a Birmingham to Leicester service in 06/07 ish.

www.railforums.co.uk

I certainly had a 158 on a Hereford - Dorridge train from Kidderminster to Moor St in 1999 or 2000 after a Gala at the SVR.

 

[Prestige15]

Glasgow Central to Carlisle via Kilmarnock and Glasgow Central to Stranraer Harbour must be top of the list for not seeing 158s

I've seen talks about Scotrail planning to replace the 156 on those routes within the coming years but not too sure if its by 158 or 170, If it turned out to be the 158 i would be the first i suppose.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Of course don’t forget aside from the XC 158s which many people have mentioned at Oxford that Regional Railways 158s used to work on the North Cotswold services from Oxford to Worcester.

They pretty quickly became turbos and the route transferring to NSE as part of the deal which saw the last 22 x 158s become 159s and 2 extra 166s ordered instead to cover the North Cots.

Would these be the 159/0s or the 159/1s?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Would these be the 159/0s or the 159/1s?

What became the 159/0s.
The 159/1s were much later in the mid 2000s.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

What became the 159/0s.
The 159/1s were much later in the mid 2000s.

Ahh I thought 158s that became 159/0s were never used as 158s. That's certainly interesting to know, thank you.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Ahh I thought 158s that became 159/0s were never used as 158s. That's certainly interesting to know, thank you.

Apologies miss understood your question. You are correct the 158s that became the first batch of 159s (the /0s) were never actually used as 158s, however it was the build of the extra 2 x 166s to allow transfer of the North Cots route to NSE that helped facilitate the release of these 158s straight off the production line.

As others had pointed out RR used initially 155s on the Worcester to Oxford trains and later some 156s and 158s, these being the same fleet that took over Birmingham to Cardiff RR services etc.

 

[Julia]

Moorgate is pretty unlikely ever to see one

Though if NR keeps one or two once withdrawls start, we might see them in more unusual places - I had to do a double-take seeing 153 385 in Ferme Park sidings this week...

 

[jimm]

Of course don’t forget aside from the XC 158s which many people have mentioned at Oxford that Regional Railways 158s used to work on the North Cotswold services from Oxford to Worcester.

They pretty quickly became turbos and the route transferring to NSE as part of the deal which saw the last 22 x 158s become 159s and 2 extra 166s ordered instead to cover the North Cots.

It was indeed mostly 155s but the 158s were just taking over as the line was transferred to NSE so there was a period when they did appear.

Please don't give people the idea that 158s were ever common between Oxford and Worcester.

We've had this before with 156s - so I will make the same point I did then.

The overwhelming majority of dmu services between Oxford and Worcester between the 155s departing in 1991 to be converted into 153s and the arrival of the 166s in 1993 were worked by Class 150s based at Tyseley, normally 150/1s in the Centro livery with a green window band. There were occasional appearance by a 150/2 in standard Regional Railways colours, as was also the case when 155s had predominated. I believe that the weekday Worcester-Oxford halts services were still worked by 150s until May 1995.

There are a number of pictures of 150s on Martin Loader's website from 1991-93 - and in books about the route - whereas pictures anywhere of 156s or 158s (or a short-lived 153 duty), are near non-existent, with the CLPG charters using Central Trains units being an exception.

I recall seeing Central Trains 158s at Oxford once or twice in the early 2000s, usually in the then platform 1 (now 2) or in the up side carriage sidings, which would suggest use on Bicester Town duties.

 

[laseandre]

As a few other posters have said, most of the lines around Glasgow. For exceptions, they're regulars on Queen Street - Anniesland and previously on the now electrified/HSTed routes out of Queen Street via Cumbernauld and Croy. They were also regulars from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh via Shotts and to Paisley Canal, but again, those have been electrified. They're unlikely to have seen any of the low level lines, besides Edinburgh to the old Bathgate station and Anniesland - Springburn via Partick and Queen St Low Level during the High Level closure a few years ago. Virgin XC diversions via Hamilton as was said, and possibly around the Newton side of the Cathcart Circle for the same reason? But little else around Glasgow.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

They have definitely done Sheffield / Penistone / Huddersield - at least once with me on board.

From new they weren't permitted, I think due to a clearance issue at Penistone station. This was lifted at some point (not sure when) but they were still pretty rare until Serco/Abellio-era Northern when they became fairly common, then even more so once the 144s had gone. Since the 3-car 150s came in they're once again quite unusual on the route.

As the OP suggests, 158s have covered most of the country since they were built. 156s have probably covered much less ground, as I can't recall them ever being allocated to Devon or Cornwall for example.

 

[Maude673]

Yes, I think the entire Merseyrail electric network can be condidered as "158 free" - apart from the station areas at Southport, Chester, and a short section between Hunts Cross & Liverpool South Parkway.

And have they ever done Gretna Jn - Dumfries - Kilmarnock - Glasgow, or (Glasgow) - Ayr - Stranraer ???

Have 158s gone by road in the past to Kilmarnock for refurb work?

 

[route101]

As a few other posters have said, most of the lines around Glasgow. For exceptions, they're regulars on Queen Street - Anniesland and previously on the now electrified/HSTed routes out of Queen Street via Cumbernauld and Croy. They were also regulars from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh via Shotts and to Paisley Canal, but again, those have been electrified. They're unlikely to have seen any of the low level lines, besides Edinburgh to the old Bathgate station and Anniesland - Springburn via Partick and Queen St Low Level during the High Level closure a few years ago. Virgin XC diversions via Hamilton as was said, and possibly around the Newton side of the Cathcart Circle for the same reason? But little else around Glasgow.

I believe you still see a 158 at Motherwell.

 

[Mat17]

They have definitely done Sheffield / Penistone / Huddersield - at least once with me on board.

Last train of the day out of Huddersfield usually has a 158 hitched on the back.

I wonder if the Brigg Line ever saw a 158?

I guess Woodley and Hyde Central are possible contenders? Or the old Denton Parliamentary service?

 

[59CosG95]

Within the NSE area, 158s have operated at least

London Waterloo - Woking - Basingstoke - Exeter
London Waterloo - Richmond / Hounslow - Woking
Brighton - Fareham - Southampton - Salisbury
Fareham - Eastleigh
Eastleigh - Romsey
Basingstoke - Southampton
Reading - Basingstoke
London Paddington - Didcot Parkway
Didcot Parkway - Bicester Town
Portsmouth Harbour - Southampton - Salisbury
Portsmouth Harbour - Guildford - Reading - Banbury
Guildford - Woking
London Waterloo - Acton Main Line via Kensington Olympia
London Euston - Rugby
Colchester - Manningtree
Stansted Airport - Ely

Have they ever done Pirbright Jn - Alton? Likely not as it's been EMU operated since the 1930's.

 

[JonathanH]

Have they ever done Pirbright Jn - Alton? Likely not as it's been EMU operated since the 1930's.

I can't think of any reason why they would have done.

 

[59CosG95]

I can't think of any reason why they would have done.

Me neither, except only as a convoluted positioning move to reach the North Downs Line at Ash if the Portsmouth Direct was out of commission from Woking to Guildford.

 

[JonathanH]

Me neither, except only as a convoluted positioning move to reach the North Downs Line at Ash if the Portsmouth Direct was out of commission from Woking to Guildford.

159s have operated Woking to Guildford having come from Exeter when there has been a line closure between Woking and Surbiton, for passengers to change for electric services to Waterloo.

158s operated Birmingham and beyond to Reading and Portsmouth via Guildford before 2002.

I am not sure that a SW 158 / 159 has operated in normal service across Guildford.

 

[Murray J]

the Oxted branch lines.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

There are a number of pictures of 150s on Martin Loader's website from 1991-93 - and in books about the route - whereas pictures anywhere of 156s or 158s (or a short-lived 153 duty), are near non-existent, with the CLPG charters using Central Trains units being an exception.

There are a couple of 156 service pics on Martin Loader’s website:

156411 Moreton-in-Marsh 12 December 1992

156452 Kingham 12 April 1992

But he does stress how rare they were.

I recall seeing Central Trains 158s at Oxford once or twice in the early 2000s, usually in the then platform 1 (now 2) or in the up side carriage sidings, which would suggest use on Bicester Town duties.

Very occasionally on Oxford-Bristol services too.

 

[D6130]

There are a couple of 156 service pics on Martin Loader’s website:

Was that during the 155 doors hiatus? 156s appeared regularly on the Portsmouth-Cardiff services then too.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I know they used to operate on the Mid-Cheshire line before Heaton nicked them, but did they ever go on the Middlewich branch at all?

 

[Matt1981]

If non-passenger moves aren’t counted then WCML south of Birmingham international?

Pretty certain First North Western sometimes used them on their short lived Rochdale - London Euston service in the late 90s.

 

[SteveyBee131]

...

I wonder if the Brigg Line ever saw a 158?

...

They're regularly diagrammed for the afternoon round trip in the current timetable. If my somewhat sketchy memory serves me right, I think they have been since the 144s were retired, though occasionally they get swapped out for a 150/2.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Pretty certain First North Western sometimes used them on their short lived Rochdale - London Euston service in the late 90s.

They were the booked traction on that.