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IoW light rail conversion proposed


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It would be interesting to compare the weights of the different stocks. The 1938 stock was all steel but the D stock is largely aluminium. My guess would be that there is not a lot of difference especially if you take the greater length of the D stock into account.

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The class 33 was taken on the only modern ferry with the height to take it, again with the right tides! Modern ferries are designed to take quite a few 40 tonne lorries spaced out..

 

With the old ferries, yes they could physically have taken more than 1 at a time, but did Pickfords have more than 1 trailer that could cope with it? 

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1 hour ago, roythebus said:

 

With the old ferries, yes they could physically have taken more than 1 at a time, but did Pickfords have more than 1 trailer that could cope with it? 

Pickfords had plenty of trailers but with the tractors attached to the trailers take up a lot of space. There is also the question of balancing the ferry, weighty loads have to be placed in the centre to prevent a list and at Harwich for example trains were loaded in twos side by side for that reason.

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Unfortunately it seems there may not be any Island Line service until 007 finally returns to service, hopefully in the near future - 008 failed an exam this morning and it sounds like she might not be back, having been removed from the shed and left with 004 and 006.

 

Update: Buses replacing trains till the 14th.

 

...but in more positive news, James has filmed 484001 moving about the Works on the 3rd rail this morning.

 

 

 

Edited by Christopher125
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It has been reported in a couple of social media groups that both 006 and 008 have failed exams and are now out of traffic. This means there is no service on the Island Line. 
 

SWR website confirms that an hourly bus is now replacing all trains until further notice. 
 

It remains the intention to have 007 returned to service for the final few days but this is not guaranteed and it still has significant work required before it can make a last run. 
 

006 and 008 are now regarded as withdrawn and beyond repair. 

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On 05/12/2020 at 10:05, Gwiwer said:

It remains the intention to have 007 returned to service for the final few days but this is not guaranteed and it still has significant work required before it can make a last run.

 

She lives! After three years of work 007 can be seen on the Ryde Pier webcam doing a test run, at 15:49 and 16:03:

 

 

Edited by Christopher125
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2 hours ago, rodent279 said:

What's kept it out of business for 3 years?

I'd say the need to keep 6 and 8 in traffic and the small number of staff at Ryde.  Intermittent work on anything else might have been further down the to-do list.  That and getting spares for 1938-built tube trains.  

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1 hour ago, Mike Storey said:

Not sure I like the livery applied to the Vivarail stock, especially the ends - very dour.

 

I know that does not make much difference to running the service, which will be significantly improved, but from a marketing point of view?

A big advance on the Mobile Scrap appearance of their predecessors...

 

John

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http://www.lttractiongroup.co.uk/latest-news--blog/london-transport-traction-group-secures-class-483-unit-for-preservation#/

 

I wonder if this is still correct? They have supposedly secured either 006 or 008 (it says this is still to be confirmed by SWR but doesn’t say on what basis SWR are making the decision). But obviously with those two failing and 007 entering service again then 007 now seems a better candidate for preservation as a working unit (unless there are any other schemes to preserve any in working order). I’m not absolutely clear on what is to be gained by putting 007 back in service such a short time before all the 483s are supposed to be withdrawn.

 

On a slightly different note, I’m not sure if this has already been covered but will the operator own the 484s as they have latterly done with the current stock or just lease them, as is more usually the case with these things?

 

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Dont think the average passenger is going to notice the livery to much ,as long as its on time ,comfortable ,and does not fail.Sadly the livery is not impotant commuters to busy looking at thier phones ,on a journey this year a young lady had two phones on the go plus earphones !

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52 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

http://www.lttractiongroup.co.uk/latest-news--blog/london-transport-traction-group-secures-class-483-unit-for-preservation#/

 

I wonder if this is still correct? They have supposedly secured either 006 or 008 (it says this is still to be confirmed by SWR but doesn’t say on what basis SWR are making the decision). But obviously with those two failing and 007 entering service again then 007 now seems a better candidate for preservation as a working unit (unless there are any other schemes to preserve any in working order). I’m not absolutely clear on what is to be gained by putting 007 back in service such a short time before all the 483s are supposed to be withdrawn.

 

On a slightly different note, I’m not sure if this has already been covered but will the operator own the 484s as they have latterly done with the current stock or just lease them, as is more usually the case with these things?

 

 

From following the Facebook page, 007 has been a work in progress for a little while and was intended to be back a while ago; I suspect the need to keep the others ticking over has taken priority. They are still supposed to be running a service for the next few weeks and seem to be trying their hardest to do so- can hardly fault that attitude. Giving up would have been the easy option.

 

As it's in far and away the best condition cosmetically it is intended that it will be preserved in the museum at the IOWSR; after the hard work the guys in Ryde depot have put in to keep the things going I personally think it's a nice reflection on their efforts that the best of the bunch will stay on the Island. 

 

006 is back in the works currently and they may attempt a revival. Epping Ongar will get whichever one of 008 and 006 is in the best condition mechanically; they don't have undercover storage currently so little benefit in having immaculate bodywork. I imagine they will also be getting a decent share of the spares... 

 

Another set is supposed to be being "stuffed and mounted" at one of the other stations (I can't remember which currently) which will presumably be whichever of 006/ 008 doesn't come home. Not sure what the plan is for the other two complete ish sets (009 is functional but unfit for passenger use and 004 is stored defective and has no doubt had a few bit borrowed but is still mostly in one piece as I recall). 

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3 minutes ago, brianthesnail96 said:

They are still supposed to be running a service for the next few weeks and seem to be trying their hardest to do so- can hardly fault that attitude. Giving up would have been the easy option.

 

Oh I agree, but I was under the impression that some form of replacement bus service would still be required anyway due to only one train being available.

 

 Is the IoWSR one ever likely to run again? I’ve seen some suggestions that the IoWSR unit might not even be preserved in one piece, which would be a shame if it is the one in the best condition.

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11 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

Oh I agree, but I was under the impression that some form of replacement bus service would still be required anyway due to only one train being available.

 

 Is the IoWSR one ever likely to run again? I’ve seen some suggestions that the IoWSR unit might not even be preserved in one piece, which would be a shame if it is the one in the best condition.

 

Busses for about 3 months from the start of January. Going over to that a few weeks early would I'm sure have been the easy (and sensible!) option and in the scheme of things it would have made very little difference. 

 

But I get the distinct impression the guys looking after these things don't believe in easy or sensible (and I mean that as a compliment), and wanted them to go out on a high, if it was possible to get a train out they were damn well going to. It's what they've been doing for the last however many years after all.

 

There's no plans to run the IOWSR one so far as I'm aware, that doesn't mean it won't ever happen and I understand it will be kept in a condition where it could be.

Edited by brianthesnail96
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1 hour ago, brianthesnail96 said:

Another set is supposed to be being "stuffed and mounted" at one of the other stations (I can't remember which currently) 

Brading, allegedly.  To be parked in the long-disused platform 3 as part of the existing heritage centre which already encompasses the signal box and parts of the station.

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16 hours ago, lmsforever said:

Dont think the average passenger is going to notice the livery to much ,as long as its on time ,comfortable ,and does not fail.Sadly the livery is not impotant commuters to busy looking at thier phones ,on a journey this year a young lady had two phones on the go plus earphones !

 

Whilst it's true that many people appear to be utterly oblivious to everything around them (and not just because they're looking at their phones all the time) don't underestimate the effect of aesthetic details and the overall impression they can give, even if a lot of it's subconscious. Of course when it comes to aesthetics there's a massive dose of subjectivity - bright ones I often find tacky and garish and horribly clashing with everything (a sense that the thing doesn't belong there) and they actively put me off using whatever they're on, for others it's the opposite effect. Although many will say that's nonsense and they don't really care I'd be surprised if, subconsciously, there isn't a degree of that in most of us.

 

Anyway whatever the merits of it as has already been mentioned it still gives a better impression than the very poor state of the old stock.

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27 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

Reliable sources have told me 007 has broken down again and its back to the buses for a bit longer. 

Correct.  007 failed early today and buses have been arranged for the immediate future.  How long they last may depend upon what 007 needs fixed and whether it can be readily done.  

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This is all starting to look rather like flogging a dead horse imo.

 

It's not a unique situation, having witnessed the exertions involved in keeping the required number of three-quarters-knackered 47s mobile in their last weeks on Waterloo-Exeter services.

 

John

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I wonder if there going to sell them at £1 each which the original leasing company sold them to Stagecoach/Island Railway?  If they are, I might be in the market to get one as I used to drive them on the Bakerloo when I worked on London Transport.  Just need the trailer to go with it :laugh_mini:.

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14 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I think their disposal has already been decided. I can't see Stagecoach not trying to get as much as they can for them.

It's not Stagecoach but First who hold the South Western franchise.  Sorry to hear 007 has failed - hopefully not terminally.  It has been earmarked for the IoWSR with potential conversion to battery operation.  Of the other two late survivors in operation, 006 and 008, one is to go to the Epping Ongar Railway and the other to go on display at a heritage centre being planned at Brading station.  Which goes where has not been finally decided.

 

Earlier in the year Mark Hopwood was inviting bids for the trains based on who would give them a good home and restore them rather than money - I got the impression they would be donated rather than sold but who pays to get them off the island wasn't mentioned...

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