UK railways: 1 and 2 coach trains?

Geuze

I recently travelled from Crewe to Shrewsbury, and back.

The outbound train didn't start at Crewe, and was going to Carmarthen, via big cities, which to me seems like maybe 200-300km. So I expected an intercity train.

I was surprised that it was a 2 coach train.

Returning a few days later it was a 1 coach train.

Is this common in the UK?

L1011

On low usage lines, yes. However Wales and the North have hideous rolling stock shortages

tabbey

On local lines in Britain, two car trains are the most typical. Class 150, 155, 156, 158 and pacer classes 142, 143 & 144 are the backbone and all are two car sets.

Single car class 153 were originally twin class 155, built by Leyland using body parts developed from the Leyland National bus. They are ideal for lightly trafficked routes such as the Central Wales line and short branches.

In Ireland we should have six or ten singles. Unfortunately IR are afraid of single units suffering mechanical failure, in spite of thousands of road vehicles running reliably around the country. We used have two single units, 2751 and 2753, but they were just tagged onto twin sets to make a three car train.

Jamie2k9

In Ireland we should have six or ten singles. Unfortunately IR are afraid of single units suffering mechanical failure, in spite of thousands of road vehicles running reliably around the country. We used have two single units, 2751 and 2753, but they were just tagged onto twin sets to make a three car train.

They operate single units on Cork/Belfast

SeanW

???

Jamie2k9

SeanW wrote: »

???

This for me?

Single engines operate on Cork/Belfast. IE are only using an excuse and taken the easy way out in relation to single units.

Majority of DMU failures today would make zero difference if a single or multiple unit. IEs problem is they don't or won’t use locomotives to haul the train like many normal operators.