West Midlands Railway

[Tony]

WMR and Chiltern are seperate companies. The problem isn't the lack of trains, it is the lack of staff, WMR trains can't operate by themselves.

Come on, you must read the news and know about the problems at the moment, did you really need to catch the train or could you not have caught the bus instead?

It's not even that!  I'm sure if you travelled today you will have seen why there were many cancellations on that line today

West Midlands Railway
@WestMidRailway
·
8h
⚠️#WMRNEW - Due to a fault with the signalling system between #BirminghamMoorStreet and #BirminghamSnowHill all lines are blocked.

@networkrail
are now investigating this and are hoping to restore working order shortly. Thank you for your patience.

[2206]

It's not even that!  I'm sure if you travelled today you will have seen why there were many cancellations on that line today

West Midlands Railway
@WestMidRailway
·
8h
⚠️#WMRNEW - Due to a fault with the signalling system between #BirminghamMoorStreet and #BirminghamSnowHill all lines are blocked.

@networkrail
are now investigating this and are hoping to restore working order shortly. Thank you for your patience.

They also said there was a level crossing collision somewhere.
Though there was no problem between Moor Street and Dorridge. Rather than having empty trains parked up doing nothing. It'd makes sense for them to be in service and all just terminate short at Moor Street on platform 3 and 4, like Chiltern were doing.

[Tony]

They also said there was a level crossing collision somewhere.
Though there was no problem between Moor Street and Dorridge. Rather than having empty trains parked up doing nothing. It'd makes sense for them to be in service and all just terminate short at Moor Street on platform 3 and 4, like Chiltern were doing.

I presume you are an expert in Driver rostering and unit diagramming then.

[4679]

Probably didn't help that a lorry went through the barriers at Hartlebury. And a points failure elsewhere on the line.

[Ash]

Is the 1638 Hereford to New Street normally 3 coupled 153 units ?

[B61 ANDREW]

 Not sure about that particular working but 2 x 153 are a common formation. I can not remember ever seeing a 3 x 153 combination. ;)

[Stuharris 6360]

Wonder whether class 153s will still be able to operate post January 2020 as I understand they are not disabled compliant and also they don't have toilet retention tanks fitted?

[Tony]

Wonder whether class 153s will still be able to operate post January 2020 as I understand they are not disabled compliant and also they don't have toilet retention tanks fitted?

Some (not WMR) have already been made compliant. and other companies are going to use them coupled to 156s to create a 3 car with a compliant coach in the 156

[Stuharris 6360]

Some (not WMR) have already been made compliant. and other companies are going to use them coupled to 156s to create a 3 car with a compliant coach in the 156

thanks @Tony, will the toilet in the 153 have to be locked out of use?

[DJ]

thanks @Tony, will the toilet in the 153 have to be locked out of use?

I don't believe so, from what I understand, the train will have a compliant toilet, so any others in addition to that are fine.

[Stuharris 6360]

I don't believe so, from what I understand, the train will have a compliant toilet, so any others in addition to that are fine.

@StourValley98 sorry, I meant the toilet would be out of use because 153s have no toilet retention tank and am sure from January they must have?

[Tony]

Here's the list of what needs doing to make them fully compliant.

Arriva Trains Wales have started on theirs
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203767/class-153-pb-covering-letter.pdf

[Sh4318]

What will be the fate of 153310 & 153326 after the 350/4s arrive? Will they be scrapped?

[Tony]

What will be the fate of 153310 & 153326 after the 350/4s arrive? Will they be scrapped?

Won't be scrapped EMR have put a derogation in to carry on running 153s into 2020.

EMR currently has a Scotrail 156 on loan to cover those two and expects to replace all its 153 with 156s released from Anglia. When that happens it is anyone's guess where they go, but they are being shown to be remarkably durable units with both Scotrail and TfW modifying them for long term use

[Sh4318]

This diagram is being worked by 3x 153 today, if it's of interest to anyone. 153354, 153375, 153371

According to the Stourbridge Line User Group Facebook page, the following are the non-standard Monday to Friday Snow Hill line diagrams.

170/5 + 153 +153

2S10 0649 Worcester Shrub Hill to Whitlocks End
2K05 0837 Whitlocks End to Kidderminster
2C20 0955 Kidderminster to Dorridge
2K20 1109 Dorridge to Kidderminster
2S40 1225 Kidderminster to Whitlocks End
2K36 1340 Whitlocks End to Kidderminster
2C50 1455 Kidderminster to Dorridge
2K51 1609 Dorridge to Kidderminster
2S72 1725 Kidderminster to Whitlocks End
2K65 1845 Whitlocks End to Kidderminster
2C74 2005 Kidderminster to Dorridge
2V79 2118 Dorridge to Worcester Foregate Street

172/0 + 172/0

2S08 0735 Birmingham Snow Hill to Whitlocks End
2K04 0807 Whitlocks End to Kidderminster
2C18 0936 Kidderminster to Dorridge
2V20 1046 Dorridge to Worcester Foregate Street
2C36 1216 Worcester Foregate Street to Dorridge
2V32 1346 Dorridge to Worcester Shrub Hill
2C54 1517 Worcester Shrub Hill to Dorridge
2V44 1646 Dorridge to Worcester Shrub Hill
2C70 1837 Worcester Shrub Hill to Dorridge
2K75 2030 Dorridge to Kidderminster
2S90 2145 Kidderminster to Stratford-upon-Avon
2W88 2330 Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham Snow Hill

170/5 + 170/5

2C06 0630 Worcester Shrub Hill to Dorridge
2V10 0811 Dorridge to Worcester Shrub Hill
2S26 0952 Worcester Shrub Hill to Whitlocks End
2V22 1119 Whitlocks End to Worcester Shrub Hill
2C42 1317 Worcester Shrub Hill to Dorridge
2V36 1446 Dorridge to Worcester Foregate Street
2C62 1634 Worcester Foregate Street to Dorridge
2J71 1824 Dorridge to Stourbridge Junction
5J71 1939 Stourbridge Junction to Tyseley L.M.D.