Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 (edited) The delights of a Class 387/1. Hopefully soon to be experienced by the commuters of Slough, Maidenhead, Twyford, Reading and further afield. I found the seats quite firm; ie "hard". Edited June 4, 2017 by Peter Kazmierczak Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted June 4, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2017 The delights of a Class 387/1. Hopefully soon to be experienced by the commuters of Slough, Maidenhead, Twyford, Reading and further afield. Commuters from Slough and Maidenhead already can, Peter. The electric service from Maidenhead started a couple of weeks ago as per my post #3331. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 So they did....... Grey moment there I'm afraid. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted June 4, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2017 I found the seats quite firm; ie "hard". You could take a cushion with you when you travel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 My cushion is built-in. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted June 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2017 My cushion is built-in. You're lucky. After my last operation, they took my built-in cushion away and I have to be careful how I sit, because it can be rather painful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I found the seats quite firm; ie "hard". You can almost certainly put the blame for that on modern day fire standards. I wouldn't expect the seats on the 345s to be any better, given the standards that will be imposed by TfL (assuming you are lucky enough to actually get a seat at all). Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I don't believe it's fire regulations. It's still possible to have a comfortable seat that complies with modern fire regs. It's just that they cost a bit more than those horrible things, and we have to buy the cheapest even if it's a false economy. The seats we buy in this country seem to be designed to encourage car travel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2017 You can almost certainly put the blame for that on modern day fire standards. I wouldn't expect the seats on the 345s to be any better, given the standards that will be imposed by TfL (assuming you are lucky enough to actually get a seat at all). Jim I suspect the seats on the 345 are likely to be a lot worse than the 387's judging by recent sub-surface line LUL stock as the design of the 345 seems to make no concessions at all to a journey length greatly exceeding that of a quick dap round the Circle Line (such as it is nowadays). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D6975 Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 332s would never run through the Crossrail tunnels (at least in passenger service) because the door positions are different from the Crossrail stock so they wouldn't line up with the platform screen doors. Not a problem if you don't stop at the stations with screens, which they might want to do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 I found the seats quite firm; ie "hard". I had a ride on one last Tuesday, whilst I agree that the seats were firm, I didn't necessarily find them uncomfortable, they would be okay for a Reading to Paddington Stopper, but the extra distance to Oxford might result in a numb behind I feel. In other electrification news, the old London end gantry at Swindon has been removed and replaced with a new cantilever structure. Also, I saw there was some wiring teams in the Kennett Bridge Junction area on Sunday Evening working on the Relief Lines Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 A comparison at Compton Beauchamp. Apologies if I've posted the first one before. Shows the continuing haphazard progress of mast and arm installation May 7th Evening Electrification Progress by Stephen Dance, on Flickr June 3rd Champions League Special by Stephen Dance, on Flickr 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 6, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 6, 2017 A comparison at Compton Beauchamp. Apologies if I've posted the first one before. Shows the continuing haphazard progress of mast and arm installation May 7th Evening Electrification Progress by Stephen Dance, on Flickr June 3rd Champions League Special by Stephen Dance, on Flickr Almost exactly halfway between Knighton Crossing (site of) and Ashbury Crossing (site of). Note the bases that are visible on the Up side (the left side of the railway) are set back a long way from the cess a few on that side are even further set back and are right at the base of the embankment, presumably to keep the site of the former Up Goods clear as it's used for vehicular access. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trog Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Note the bases that are visible on the Up side (the left side of the railway) are set back a long way from the cess a few on that side are even further set back and are right at the base of the embankment, presumably to keep the site of the former Up Goods clear as it's used for vehicular access. More likely in my experience that there is a track drain they wanted to put the foundations through just outside the line of the S&T route. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted June 8, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 8, 2017 The 387 fleet seems to be building up, there were two, along with one of those white sets with the pink scribbles, at the west end of North Pole; three on the West Ealing sidings, three in the Reading depot sidings, and several paired together in circulation between Maidenhead and Paddington. I notice that they still haven't wired up platforms 1 & 2 at Paddington. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I notice that they still haven't wired up platforms 1 & 2 at Paddington. I believe that is the plan for Christmas Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 8, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2017 I believe that is the plan for Christmas Simon Are you prepared to qualify that with a year? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Simon Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Are you prepared to qualify that with a year? I think I'll leave it open to interpretation! Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Some of the fittings look to be going up, and some associated modifications to the canopy have been done outside the overall roof on 1 & 2. Haven't noticed anything inside yet, but I haven't been looking either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium HillsideDepot Posted June 9, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2017 Just audible last night was the sound of pile driving which I assume was on the railway (NR website says Chippenham B&Q to Thingley [Thingley East to Thingley Junction in railway terms] is this weeks work site). I'm a mile and a half away, and I could only just hear it, but maybe this work will let them join-up the odd groups of 3 and 4 masts which are currently standing. It was the glorious moonlit sight and sound of a low level pair of RAF Hercules swooping past that had got me to the open window, just in case anyone was wondering! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2017 Noted today that catenary appears to be complete on both running lines over the flyover west of Reading station although the 25kv feeder has not yet been installed. As far as I could see through the flyover (and further west) wiring is fairly complete on all other running lines west of the site of Reading West Jcn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exet1095 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) There was an 8-car EMU in the new carriage siding nearest to the Up Relief line at Maidenhead 8.40 this morning, seen from the window of the 8.07 OXF - PAD. Edited June 9, 2017 by exet1095 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberdeenBill Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Almost exactly halfway between Knighton Crossing (site of) and Ashbury Crossing (site of). Note the bases that are visible on the Up side (the left side of the railway) are set back a long way from the cess a few on that side are even further set back and are right at the base of the embankment, presumably to keep the site of the former Up Goods clear as it's used for vehicular access. I know it's been said before, but those masts and spans could survive a nuclear war... Why is the mast about 2 metres taller than it needs to be? With thousands of masts, that's a lot of steel... Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 I know it's been said before, but those masts and spans could survive a nuclear war... Why is the mast about 2 metres taller than it needs to be? With thousands of masts, that's a lot of steel... Bill Because a cable will be fitted to the top of it. It's the height it needs to be.Though there will be an element of standard components meaning that sometimes you use the a size up. With autotransformer feeding an additional cable at 25kV is installed, and that is generally put at a greater height than the stuff that interfaces with the pantograph. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim.snowdon Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 The 25kV ATF cable does go up there, but all it has to be is sufficiently clear of the main bits ofthe OLE to not present a hazard to anyone working on them, as it is likely to be still live when the contact wire for the adjacent running line is isolated and earthed. But, the top extention of the OLE mast could have been made from a much lighter section, bolted onto the mast lower down, just as has been done where older OLE has been upgraded to ATF feeding. Of course, they could have simply put the ATF cable down in a ground level trough route, just like the 33kV distribution cables on the ex-Southern network have been since the conductor rail was installed. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now