Class 800 - Updates

[Zomboid]

Very continental looking. Mind, I though it even had the little slopey ends they have on German displays to show where the driving cabs are. It seems I did imagine that bit

The IET ones have slopey ends, but not HSTs or Turbos for whatever reason - didn't see an electrostar display so don't know there. There are also numbers painted on the floor (think it was Didcot, I remember seeing a big red square with a 3 in it), which were displayed under the train on the screen, maybe that's an IET feature too.

[Enterprisingwestern]

I seriously wonder if the Deputy Chairman of John Lewis (see their latest financial results) is really the right man to head this review?  While he is a non-exec Director of TfL his past experience was in the airline industry so we might well be back to the old confusion of (airport) slots and train paths which bedevilled some of the thinking of a number of external advisers and politicos at the time of privatisation.   And equally a non-exec of TfL where it biggest infrastructure project for many decades is widely over budget and running late doesn't seem to be quite the right kind of background for somebody reviewing a similar tangle, only much worse in process terms, in NR.

 

But no doubt he will say all the things Mr Grayling will want him to say.

 

https://www.transport-network.co.uk/Grayling-to-bring-in-John-Lewis-man-for-rail-review/15300

 

Dr Beeching didn't have a railway background.

Read into that what you will!

 

Mike.

[Ken.W]

East Coast Azuma trains thwarted by northern track - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-45435683

Typical of modern garbage 'jounalism'

"The Azuma trains cause electromagnetic interference to older signals and points in the north of England."

The area affected, they're resticted to diesel from Doncaster to the Border, was fully resgnalled at electrification as part of the remodelling work under IECC control, unlike the remainder of the route where they allowed on electric which retained the existing PSB signalling at Kings X, Peterborough, Doncaster, and Edinburgh.

 

2 pans is harder on the OLE than one. So if nothing else changes, expect more failures. Of course what us outside observers can't easily tell is whether or not any other changes have been made, either to the OLE or the maintenance & inspection regime.

There has a program of renewal work on the overhead supports and fittings, particularly around some of the 'trouble spots', including some sections of 'headspan' wiring being converted to portals - particularly around neutral sections.

There does seem to have a reduction in 'wires down' recently

 

Maybe (and it is only a maybe​) the lineside infrastructure isn't quite there yet - in terms of "immunisation" requirements. I note that on the ECML the Azumas are banned north of Colton, due to this very reason. Not a major problem for now as I understand that the Azumas will be operating on the Leeds-London Kings Cross route initially. But, if the infrastructure isn't sorted out in time, the Azumas will be on diesel on the York-Edinburgh section.

 

Regards, Ian.

Apparently the solution to the problem has been identified, but no indication yet as to timescale for the work to be done.

The first sets, we were told, are due to start service from December on Kings X - Leeds / Hull services to release the former EMT HST which still retains the original interior;

then following sets were then scheduled to start running north to Newcastle / Edinburgh from February, but it seems this could be now be in doubt and they could be confined to Leeds services until this issue is solved. It seems unlikely they'd run north, on diesel Doncaster to Berwick, as the EC sets aren't being uprated and retain the smaller fuel tanks, so may be unlikely to be able to complete a days diagram with such substantial running on diesel, besides the (lack of) power issue.

[Coryton]

Currently on a 9 coach 800 which should have been a 2x5.

So no reservations because the electronic system can't cope...whereas with card labels they would almost certainly have

managed to get them out even if some of them weren't on the right seat number.

 

Calling at Patchway instead of Bristol Parkway due to engineering works but the displays are saying it's non-stop from

Newport to Swindon.

 

On the plus side, the trolley has been round twice already less than half an hour into the journey.

 

I think this is the 5th IET in a row I've been on without seat reservations...I'm beginning to wonder why they even offer them...

 

[caradoc]

Having been pretty critical of GWR's (in)ability to provide train formation information, I feel like I ought to point out that I've been unfairly maligning them - see this from Didcot this afternoon:IMG_20180918_134310624_HDR.jpg

That's a HST, but they also had similar graphics for 800s, and as you can see also the 2 car turbo on platform 3. I didn't see if there were actually 2 buffet cars in the train because I never went that far back along the train to find out, but they are clearly making the effort to provide the information.

 

Just need to have the same kit installed at other appropriate stations...

 

Those display screens at Didcot are good, but they are in the wrong place, being at the far end of the station buildings from the subway; I wonder how many non-enthusiast passengers actually get to see them ?

[Fat Controller]

Those display screens at Didcot are good, but they are in the wrong place, being at the far end of the station buildings from the subway; I wonder how many non-enthusiast passengers actually get to see them ?

Perhaps they're there for the enthusiasts.

[jamie92208]

Perhaps Platform five should issue a new book of IET train formations using all the permutations outlined above and people can tick them off as the trains roll by. They could even shout Bingo when they get all of them in a session.

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

Perhaps they're there for the enthusiasts.

Is anyone enthusiastic about the 800-series trains?

Edited September 19, 2018 by Gwiwer

[Mark Saunders]

Is anyone enthusiastic about the 800-series trains?

 

Just wait a few years and they will become the HST of the future!

[lmsforever]

When they break down it seems to cause massive delays, just heard about friends traveling from Penzance unit failed not long into journey  they arrived at Paddington sixteen hours after starting journey.At least GWR paid for taxi home to Wendover bet they don't travel by rail to the west again!

[Coryton]

Currently on a 9 coach 800 which should have been a 2x5.

So no reservations because the electronic system can't cope...whereas with card labels they would almost certainly have

managed to get them out even if some of them weren't on the right seat number.

 

Calling at Patchway instead of Bristol Parkway due to engineering works but the displays are saying it's non-stop from

Newport to Swindon.

 

On the plus side, the trolley has been round twice already less than half an hour into the journey.

 

I think this is the 5th IET in a row I've been on without seat reservations...I'm beginning to wonder why they even offer them...

 

To continue the journey:

 

At Swindon I changed onto an HST. This had coach L entirely out of use, leaving half a first class coach for the whole train. Not something I've seen before. I don't know what the problem was.

 

On the way back from Didcot I got a 5x2 car IET. This is presumably what was diagrammed because it actually had reservations - on the electronic system and cards! It would be churlish I suppose to comment on the fact that my reserved seat wasn't in fact reserved. (Curiously, I asked for a window seat and got an aisle - that wasn't in fact reserved but the window seat next to it was reserved for the journey I was making...)

 

I took some photos of the train composition screens in Didcot but that will have to wait until I can get them off my camera.

[HillsideDepot]

I saw it reported elsewhere that 802013 & 802014 were delivered to North Pole today, but other than that I'm a little out of touch as to what the current situation is regarding deliveries, mileage accumulation, in service and so on. Waverley John on YouTube often posts videos of the factory sidings, but the same 4 800/3s appear to always be in the same places with little progress.

 

Does anyone know what the current state of the fleet is, please?  

[The Stationmaster]

Having been pretty critical of GWR's (in)ability to provide train formation information, I feel like I ought to point out that I've been unfairly maligning them - see this from Didcot this afternoon:IMG_20180918_134310624_HDR.jpg

That's a HST, but they also had similar graphics for 800s, and as you can see also the 2 car turbo on platform 3. I didn't see if there were actually 2 buffet cars in the train because I never went that far back along the train to find out, but they are clearly making the effort to provide the information.

 

Just need to have the same kit installed at other appropriate stations...

 

I like that but find it amusing that the train to Oxford is shown as including 1st Class accommodation because officially it has been removed from the 'London Division' 16X units (in practice it still survives on some, but not many)

[The Stationmaster]

Perhaps they're there for the enthusiasts.

 

No, that's who the 'Staff Information' mimic panel screens on the platforms are for - excellent devices if you know where to find them.

[37114]

 

Does anyone know what the current state of the fleet is, please?

As a relatively frequent traveller, there seems to be a shortage of them at the moment, I have consistently been on HSTs over the last couple of weeks on turns which were solid IET turns.

[Gwiwer]

Similar reports from the ECML where a visiting friend over from Oz rode an HST set from Edinburgh to Kings Cross when an electric (91+Mk4 rake) was expected.  No 800s in traffic there yet, of course, and of those which are expected into traffic there are suggestions they will be diesel-only north of York or restricted to Leeds turns for some considerable time ahead.

 

Just who is (ir)responsible for this catalogue of up-stuffs and "oversights"???  In any other business heads would roll.  On the railway, which is apparently not Government-run, Grayling pulls the ultimate strings.

[Zomboid]

No, that's who the 'Staff Information' mimic panel screens on the platforms are for - excellent devices if you know where to find them.

Very useful things, I know where to look at on the main platforms Reading. And at Waterloo, but they keep them in locked boxes there so often they're not useable.

[iands]

... there are suggestions they will be diesel-only north of York or restricted to Leeds turns for some considerable time ahead...

 

Rather more than 'suggestions' I'm afraid.

 

Regards, Ian.

[caradoc]

Very useful things, I know where to look at on the main platforms Reading. And at Waterloo, but they keep them in locked boxes there so often they're not useable.

 

I've seen them at Swindon and Oxford, as well as Reading and Didcot, and they are very useful, especially at Oxford where since the resignalling the platform train indicators often don't seem to know whether the next arriving train is terminating or continuing.

[HillsideDepot]

As a relatively frequent traveller, there seems to be a shortage of them at the moment, I have consistently been on HSTs over the last couple of weeks on turns which were solid IET turns.

 

Interesting comment Rob; my impression was that deliveries (or entries to service - which is what really matters) had stalled lately. 

[St. Simon]

As a relatively frequent traveller, there seems to be a shortage of them at the moment, I have consistently been on HSTs over the last couple of weeks on turns which were solid IET turns.

Hi,

 

Whilst there does sometimes seem a lack of IETs, I think actually that it's just that IETs and HST seem to me to turning up on on mass. I.e. several of each turn up one after another and cross with the same train.

 

There isn't a definite reduction in HSTs over recent weeks, to me at least!

 

Simon

[Coryton]

Is anyone enthusiastic about the 800-series trains?

 

I rather like them.

[The Stationmaster]

I've seen them at Swindon and Oxford, as well as Reading and Didcot, and they are very useful, especially at Oxford where since the resignalling the platform train indicators often don't seem to know whether the next arriving train is terminating or continuing.

 

Also at Newbury.

[Ken.W]

Similar reports from the ECML where a visiting friend over from Oz rode an HST set from Edinburgh to Kings Cross when an electric (91+Mk4 rake) was expected.  No 800s in traffic there yet, of course, and of those which are expected into traffic there are suggestions they will be diesel-only north of York or restricted to Leeds turns for some considerable time ahead.

 

As in my post #204 above, they're currently restricted to diesel between Doncaster and the Border, so can't run to York on electric.

There's also no word yet on the timescale for the remedial work

Edited September 21, 2018 by Ken.W

[Arun Sharma]

Is anyone enthusiastic about the 800-series trains?

Yes, I am - I think they are very comfortable. The seat lordosis is in exactly the right position for persons of my stature [or possibly lack of] whereas I find 387s rather less comfortable because the seat lordosis has been designed for taller folk.