The fifth anniversary of the Chiltern Bubble

After some research in the group, I noticed that the Chiltern bubble
121 020 celebrated its fifth anniversary earlier this month. It's
certainly remarkable that in this day and age of HSE red tape and
constant hassles over "safety" that a unit like the bubble car is
still in front-line usage by a TOC.

Will the bubble continue to operate for the foreseeable future? Are
the mostly-dead plans to refurbish another bubble car for peak
strengthening still dead? Does the bubble still wander away into other
parts of GW territory?

TheOneKEA wrote:
> Does the bubble still wander away into other parts of GW territory?

It still wanders, as required - but not carrying passengers, as it is only
permitted to do that between the bay platform at Princes Risborough and
platform 1 at Aylesbury. It does also appear on the additional
"Quaintonians" between Aylesbury and Quainton Road, though, on Bank Holidays
in the summer.

I haven't heard anything more about a second unit. Certainly one of the
problems was the availability of another 121, unless Network Rail could be
persuaded to part with one of the two unserviceable, spares units at
Aylesbury. Recently one of the trailer vehicles that was originally built to
strengthen the 121s to two cars, when required, was put up for sale by
(IIRC) the Northampton and Lamport Railway. If there were any serious intent
to strengthen the "bubble" then an offer for that would have been the
obvious solution.

On Apr 20, 5:24 pm, "Jack Taylor" <J...@Carney.co.uk> wrote:
> TheOneKEA wrote:
> > Does the bubble still wander away into other parts of GW territory?
>
> It still wanders, as required - but not carrying passengers, as it is only
> permitted to do that between the bay platform at Princes Risborough and
> platform 1 at Aylesbury. It does also appear on the additional
> "Quaintonians" between Aylesbury and Quainton Road, though, on Bank Holidays
> in the summer.

Maybe it can't carry passengers on NR metals, but it can on private
metals - I saw it working a diagram on the SVR once.

>
> I haven't heard anything more about a second unit. Certainly one of the
> problems was the availability of another 121, unless Network Rail could be
> persuaded to part with one of the two unserviceable, spares units at
> Aylesbury. Recently one of the trailer vehicles that was originally built to
> strengthen the 121s to two cars, when required, was put up for sale by
> (IIRC) the Northampton and Lamport Railway. If there were any serious intent
> to strengthen the "bubble" then an offer for that would have been the
> obvious solution.

Interesting - does this trailer unit have a corridor connection at the
non-driving end?

"Paul Rigg" <g0tvb@m> wrote in message
news:-sOdndvHK-jVyZHVnZ2dnUVZ8sSrnZ2d@bt.com...
> Presumably it could in theory carry passengers between Cardiff Centgral
and
> Cardiff Bay (Bute Road) as 121032 is already operating that shuttle.
>
> Don't know if 121032 can go anywhere else though.
>
It could probably get authorisation for Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier. What
about Stourbridge Junction to Town, though ISTR the last time such stock was
used it got banned, unless two units were coupled, after incidents when it
tried to make the branch a little longer than it was? Come to think of it,
would there be concerns, if it went to Lymington, of it deciding to take
swimming lessons in the Solent?

Peter

Peter Masson wrote:
> What about Stourbridge Junction to Town, though ISTR the last
> time such stock was used it got banned, unless two units were
> coupled, after incidents when it tried to make the branch a little
> longer than it was?

I always that that was initiative - through services into the town centre.
;-)