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Greater Manchester Class 323 EMUs to West Midlands


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How can this be allowed to happen?

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/three-commuter-rail-routes-manchester-9914651

 

The routes these units run on have at least been partly funded / subsidised by GMPTE / TfGM since their inception and three units were originally dedicated solely to Manchester airport services with additional luggage space.

 

What will they be replaced with? I hope not Pacers nor LUL D Stock. Class 319s would be preferable but 8 years older.

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There was a suggestion a few years back that they would come to West Yorks as replacements for the 333's.  The PTE want to run longer trains but one platform on the Aire Valley network, namely the east to north curve at Shipley, can't be extended longer than 6 cars due to the junctions. This produced the suggested move so that they could run 6 car trains instead of 4 car ones.  As the 333's have aircon and the Aire valley commuters are quite a well heeled lot there were howls of protest and the scheme didn't go ahead.

 

Historically the same set of commuters have always been rather well looked after.  The Midland built a special run of 5 car close coupled clerestory roofed coaches with 2 firsts in them.  All the other Midland Commuters in London/Birmingham/Sheffield had to make do with low arc roofed stock.

 

Jamie

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The move of the 323 to the midlands has been talked/known about over on wnxx for a while. The problem of replacements is that the 319 have slower acceleration and would require some major reshuffle of components under the trailer car to make them 3 car units.

 

Of course, if Glasgow can be convinced to part with them, they do have some 3 car emus of the same vintage as the 319. With the prototype AC drive mk3 emu retractioning package at the drawing board, if said 3car units (320) were moved down and remotored at the same time as the 319 you would have a fleet of units that would be maintenance wish identical.

 

Of course, this would be too much like common scence for the DaFT..

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Class 319s would be preferable but 8 years older.

 

Well, between 2 and 8...

 

Though they would come with an additional coach worth of capacity, which is another issue the same article complains about...

 

Passenger wise I would suspect there isn't a whole heap of difference. Traction performance might be an issue as above though...

 

 

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Well, between 2 and 8...

 

Though they would come with an additional coach worth of capacity, which is another issue the same article complains about...

 

Passenger wise I would suspect there isn't a whole heap of difference. Traction performance might be an issue as above though...

 

 

It should be noted some station platforms may also require lengthening if the units are to work in multiple as at present the maximum length that can be accommodated is 6-cars.

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Flowery Field and Godley would need lengthening to take a Class 319, as the platforms were built for a 3-car 23 metre set, and are about 10 metres short for a Class 319, probably more if today's standards are applied. 

There are already a number of platforms on the Stoke, Crewe and Styal lines which cannot take a 6-car Class 323.

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This old rumour again we've heard this one at work several times now and this time I think it will happen as we are set to lose our 350/2 fleet not sure when that's going to happen or where they're going ?.

The 323 unit is a great unit it can outrun most units on a standing start. Unfortunately they have been hammered into the ground on our cross city route and we have had the nod that all services will be 6 car sets and Walsall - Wolverhampton services may go back over to 323's as the 350/2's acceleration isn't quick enough for the intense timetable that's required.

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How can this be allowed to happen?

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/three-commuter-rail-routes-manchester-9914651

 

The routes these units run on have at least been partly funded / subsidised by GMPTE / TfGM since their inception and three units were originally dedicated solely to Manchester airport services with additional luggage space.

 

What will they be replaced with? I hope not Pacers nor LUL D Stock. Class 319s would be preferable but 8 years older.

It can happen because the owning ROSCO has opted to NOT offer the trains to the new northern franchise bidders. No firm indication yet of where they will end up or what the actual transfer date will be but West midlands had been a regular rumour. The 350/2 fleet joining northern for the 'regional express' is also a fervent rumour over on WNXX.

 

Scottish are taking 321s (reduced to 3car) to add to the 320 and 318 fleets and their ongoing OHLE extensions so are not going to be releasing any down to Northern. Northern will presumably make the 319s work in some way as replacements, all will be revealed when the new franchise winner is announced (and also TPE).

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