Any future for Class 317?

[phil-b259]

 

Regarding Class 319 air-conditioning, it's beyond the auxiliary supply capability certainly of the 'Flex' conversion, and I think it would also exceed the permitted axle loads for a Flex.

 

I cannot imagine that Thames Valley commuters will be too impressed then!

 

Please remember that GWR will be getting some of these to free up Electrostars for HEX duties and allow through running from Did cot to Oxford, Newbury to Bedwyn plus take over North Dons services to Gatwick. At present all the stock used is air conditioned....

['CHARD]

I cannot imagine that Thames Valley commuters will be too impressed then!

 

Please remember that GWR will be getting some of these to free up Electrostars for HEX duties and allow through running from Did cot to Oxford, Newbury to Bedwyn plus take over North Dons services to Gatwick. At present all the stock used is air conditioned....

 

From Porterbrook's April 2018 press release, accompanying an artist's impression of the EMU clearly featuring hopper windows on a GWR green unit.

 

'This innovative fleet of tri-mode trains will operate in four-carriage sets which will be refurbished inside and out, with free WiFi and power at each seat, air cooling, more space for luggage, and new seat covers.'

 

My bold.

 

source here: https://www.porterbrook.co.uk/news/post.php?s=2018-04-23-great-western-railway-and-porterbrook-to-introduce-the-uks-first-tri-mode-train

Edited October 11, 2018 by 'CHARD

[jonny777]

 

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Posted Today, 12:11

Not being in that part of the country, I never saw Class 317 EMUs in operation.

 

 

Oh lucky you!

I had to suffer those cattle trucks on my commute to KGX from Huntingdon for far too long. Awfully low seats, with many cushions detached. Draughty and cold. Slow too - when we git a few back, along with 321s, they didn't have the acceleration of a 365 and until drivers got used to them again, we were always loosing time. One they found     how to handle them though, top speed was the same and timings improved. I dreaded the journey home in winter after a night shift, 1st train out of KGX, stopping everywhere (and some), freezing cold, draughty and uncomfortable.

 

 

Here you are, just to add to those 'happy' memories of yesteryear. 

 

 

[black and decker boy]

The air cooling proposed is the same that Chiltern fitted to their 165s.

 

It’s quite effective but requires a lot less gubbins than full HVAC so I understand.

[stewartingram]

Here you are, just to add to those 'happy' memories of yesteryear. 

 

 

317362 welwyn 1992.jpg

Who pinched the "Not Funny" button!

 

Stewart

[Classsix T]

Harrumph! All this talk of new-build. It's not a proper leccie unit if it don't go "dugga-dugga-dugga" for ten minutes after it's stopped in the platform!

 

Dopey, rose spectacle shod, new is bad, old is good, Ned.

 

(Dad actually mentioned the other day, he doesn't think the new AGA units on order will be a patch on a 170! He's 73, and like me, should remember how awful the Cravens and Met-Camm bogcarts were. C6T)

Edited October 12, 2018 by Classsix T

[DY444]

 

Regarding Class 319 air-conditioning, it's beyond the auxiliary supply capability certainly of the 'Flex' conversion, and I think it would also exceed the permitted axle loads for a Flex.

 

Those destined for GWR will have air cooling.  The aux supply is to be upgraded accordingly to support this.

[Titan]

Dad actually mentioned the other day, he doesn't think the new AGA units on order will be a patch on a 170! 

 

But the on board catering will be superb!

[Dunsignalling]

None of the these units, along with their third-rail and diesel cousins of classes 455 and 150, owe anybody anything.

 

BR and its successors have had more than their moneys worth out of them all, but they are too old to be worth spending what's necessary to meet the new standards required.

 

They have been useful, reliable commuter fodder for around forty years, but hardly something to be sought out for gricing thrills. It's simply time to move on. 

 

The Class 150s will get a life extension, but only because the impending demise of the 4-wheel units will result in a relative shortage of DMUs.

 

As others have pointed out, there are plenty of almost-new EMUs out there struggling to find TOCs that want/can use them. 

 

John

Edited October 13, 2018 by Dunsignalling

[EddieK]

Although an earlier post noted that the 317s were "reliable", they had all sorts of problems when new. I was told once that during their phased introduction on BedPan line services, it was a struggle to provide twelve units out of 48 for service. There was a technician at Moorgate to meet every 317 with a can of crack detection spray to ensure that the transformers were still attached to the vehicle.

 

A humorous aside relates to the original mechanism for the driver's droplight windows. As part of the introduction of DOO, the drivers had a wind down window at the side of the cab, presumably to make it easier to lower the glass and to look out of the cab at stations. The mechanisms were those of the Ford Cargo lorry of that era. A nice idea, but Ford Cargo glass is a lot lighter than BR spec toughened glass. So, the mechanisms wore out in no time. 

One day, Cricklewood Depot sent a van over to Ford to collect 100 driver's side window mechanisms. So..... What side does the driver sit in a Class 317? And what side is the driver of a Ford Cargo??

[EddieK]

A post above mentioned the "clerestory" cab front design of the first 317s. I always thought the original appearance, with a lot of yellow on the front of the blue livery, and with the black around the windscreens had a certain charm*.

 

*Though with reservations - these units were the killers of my beloved Class 127 DMUs.....

 

When the 317s were on my daily commute from Watford Junction to Euston, the application of the NSE livery gave some units a full yellow end, as I recall, and they looked horrible.

Also, Angel Trains modified some early 317s with a new cab roof dome that gave the entire roof a blunt front. To me, they looked like they had been extruded from a large die and sliced off. Also horrible.

 

Showing my age, when I began my railway career, I had a brief stint at York Works where the yard held the brand new build known as "317 4x4". Not for off-roading, these were a follow-on order of 317369 - 317372 to provide additional units for Hitchin - Peterborough electric services. The paint preparation on these seemed to be sub-standard as the Blue/Grey livery soon flaked off. Not a big issue as they were painted NSE soon afterwards.