Class 800 - Updates

[jonny777]

I know that I am a bit slow, and do not keep up with developments on the modern railway; but could someone tell me why one 5-car 800 unit has rainbow stripes behind the cabs at either end, please? 

['CHARD]

I know that I am a bit slow, and do not keep up with developments on the modern railway; but could someone tell me why one 5-car 800 unit has rainbow stripes behind the cabs at either end, please? 

 

It is a rainbow themed train to celebrate Pride 2018.  

 

And without descending into the inevitable personal identity politics, I don't get it.  I simply don't see the relevance.

[jonny777]

Thanks Chard.

 

I have not seen it personally, but I am partial to a bit of full screen train watching from my sofa - courtesy of the Slough webcams, and I have seen it pass by a couple of times. At high speed, only the end stripes are visible. 

[Gwiwer]

Not only an 800. Several of Southern’s 377s are similarly adorned.

 

While placing poppies onto trains (such as some London Underground and SE class 395 units) in memory of the fallen is generally considered a mark of respected these rainbows have generated a modest amount of quite unpleasant (and these says probably unlawful) comment.

[Zomboid]

I think it looks pretty smart, but that's just me. It's really no different from any other vinyl job to mark another event - poppies being a good example. Or indeed the various Paddington Bear decals on the 800 named after him & Michael Bond.

[Geoff Endacott]

Maybe the rainbow train can only couple to other Class 800s whereas the non-rainbow ones prefer to couple to Class 802s.

 

Geoff Endacott

[Mallard60022]

800109 in full LNER (not Apple green and Teak) livery sat in Babworth Down Loop at 36E this early p.m. Looked very smart IMO.

Phil

[Mallard60022]

Presumably the Barnham/Bognor coupling/splitting is still going on? Never had to get off when that was happening in the 90s.

P

[jamie92208]

Uncle Roger's blog this month has an update on the interference saga.   Apparently Hitachi have been told to get their act together and cut the level of emissions. This could mean adding another ton or so of choke to the transformers and that could be tricky. Also a large batch of isolating transformers for the affected lineside modules have been ordered.

 

Jamie

[St. Simon]

Or indeed the various Paddington Bear decals on the 800 named after him & Michael Bond.

I think Paddington Bear may have lost its vinyls, a couple of weeks back I saw it at Reading but looked at the doors and it didn't have any bears on them, are they only on one side perhaps, or did I just miss them somehow?

 

Simon

[HillsideDepot]

I think Paddington Bear may have lost its vinyls, a couple of weeks back I saw it at Reading but looked at the doors and it didn't have any bears on them, are they only on one side perhaps, or did I just miss them somehow?

 

Simon

I've been wondering the same. I've not seen the bears on the doors the last few times I've seen it.

[Gwiwer]

Presumably the Barnham/Bognor coupling/splitting is still going on? Never had to get off when that was happening in the 90s.

P

 

Not at Barnham but at Horsham.  Otherwise yes.  And no, no-one is obliged to get off during the moves.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Maybe the rainbow train can only couple to other Class 800s whereas the non-rainbow ones prefer to couple to Class 802s.

 

Geoff Endacott

Does this take us back to the conversation about trains being presented the right way round?

 

 

 

Ron

[RJS1977]

I've been wondering the same. I've not seen the bears on the doors the last few times I've seen it.

 

I don't think I've ever seen it, but I'm wondering - the HST sets regularly get broken up and reformed in order to get as many working sets as possible. Does the same happen with 800s? Have the vinyls been removed to prevent odd bears turning up in different formations?

[Peter Kazmierczak]

I'd imagine no-one wants to split up an IET set on pain of death.

[Covkid]

I don't think I've ever seen it, but I'm wondering - the HST sets regularly get broken up and reformed in order to get as many working sets as possible. Does the same happen with 800s? Have the vinyls been removed to prevent odd bears turning up in different formations?

 

 

I imagine HRE would be pretty desperate to start splitting and reforming IETs.  I believe the first two 800/0s have had their kitchen cars swapped with cars from two of the 800/3 units, but not sure if there are any other car swaps in IETs - I personally doubt it, until serious crunches happen.  

[phil-b259]

I don't think I've ever seen it, but I'm wondering - the HST sets regularly get broken up and reformed in order to get as many working sets as possible. Does the same happen with 800s?

 

No, for two very good reasons.

 

(1) The 800 is an EMU with all the vital equipment located in different places throughout the set. Swapping odd vehicles cannot be carried out unless the replacement vehicles has exactly the same kit mounted on it - and thats without considering the niceties of what type of passenger accommodation is provided inside.

 

(2) Modern unit trains are full of embedded computer functions - and before a train can move an inch by itself all the computers need to agree with each other. An incorrect vehicle will not allow this to happen.

 

For many years two Voyager driving vehicles sat in a siding as they had no brake compressors - those were only carried by the intermediate cars and the Voyager set in question had seen said intermediate cars selectively integrated (note this word - various software alterations had to be made to the host units) to 4 car units to make them 5 cars

 

HST coaching stock by contrast is distinctly 'dumb' - A HST power car doesn't care whether the train has 8 buffet cars in it 8 first class or 4 TGS vehicles and 5 buffets or even zero trailers for example. Its simply a case of connecting up the buckeyes, air pipes and power jumpers. There are no computers to speak of, no vital equipment is mounted under any of the MK3 coaches. As a result it is very easy to swap out a defective standard class coach for another - or add a first class coach which is then declassified to make up a set.

[Mallard60022]

No, for two very good reasons.

 

(1) The 800 is an EMU with all the vital equipment located in different places throughout the set. Swapping odd vehicles cannot be carried out unless the replacement vehicles has exactly the same kit mounted on it - and thats without considering the niceties of what type of passenger accommodation is provided inside.

 

(2) Modern unit trains are full of embedded computer functions - and before a train can move an inch by itself all the computers need to agree with each other. An incorrect vehicle will not allow this to happen.

 

For many years two Voyager driving vehicles sat in a siding as they had no brake compressors - those were only carried by the intermediate cars and the Voyager set in question had seen said intermediate cars selectively integrated (note this word - various software alterations had to be made to the host units) to 4 car units to make them 5 cars

 

HST coaching stock by contrast is distinctly 'dumb' - A HST power car doesn't care whether the train has 8 buffet cars in it 8 first class or 4 TGS vehicles and 5 buffets or even zero trailers for example. Its simply a case of connecting up the buckeyes, air pipes and power jumpers. There are no computers to speak of, no vital equipment is mounted under any of the MK3 coaches. As a result it is very easy to swap out a defective standard class coach for another - or add a first class coach which is then declassified to make up a set.

 

Ah, the good old days eh? KISS trains (not literally by the way).

B. Ogcart

[jonny777]

Not at Barnham but at Horsham.  Otherwise yes.  And no, no-one is obliged to get off during the moves.

 

 

Similarly at Ashford in the old days, where Charing Cross trains spilt/or joined up; portions to from Canterbury and Folkestone. 

 

Maybe that has now been discontinued? 

['CHARD]

I think Paddington Bear may have lost its vinyls, a couple of weeks back I saw it at Reading but looked at the doors and it didn't have any bears on them, are they only on one side perhaps, or did I just miss them somehow?

 

800 010 is looking decidedly bare.

 

Uncle Roger's blog this month has an update on the interference saga.   Apparently Hitachi have been told to get their act together and cut the level of emissions. This could mean adding another ton or so of choke to the transformers and that could be tricky. Also a large batch of isolating transformers for the affected lineside modules have been ordered.

 

 

Increasing emissions in order to decrease emissions 

[Fat Controller]

Similarly at Ashford in the old days, where Charing Cross trains spilt/or joined up; portions to from Canterbury and Folkestone. 

 

Maybe that has now been discontinued? l

Depending on the timetable, it is still carried out; apart from certain peak workings, it's pointless sending double-Javelins via Folkestone, as one rake has to be looked out for the section between Folkestone Central and Dover. The whole process of splitting/rejoining takes about two or three minutes.

[Gwiwer]

Interesting to note that “Javelin” class 395s - the nearest thing we have to the 800 family - have been split and joined in traffic many times every weekday since new and still only require a few minutes for the procedure. Not as quick as the older generations of SR EMU types with a buckeye and two hoses but still pretty swift.

 

One cannot block the platforms at the likes of Ashford for too long. Neither will network capacity be helped if trains have to couple / uncouple Cornish or west Welsh portions at Plymouth or Swansea.

[HillsideDepot]

802021 & 022 are out on a mileage accumulation 5Z21 today. I've just seen them at Chippenham and from the ripple patterns on the body sides it looked as if the silver stripe is covered over. I'd assumed that they were delivered plain and had the silver livery elements applied just before entering service, but maybe they are completed at the factory then de-branded until accepted.

 

On another site some is suggesting that an 802 at North Pole has GWR in black on its nose in the style of the DMU livery.

['CHARD]

802021 & 022 are out on a mileage accumulation 5Z21 today. 

 

The last two, numerically!  Pistoia got cracking with these!

[Steadfast]

802021 & 022 are out on a mileage accumulation 5Z21 today. I've just seen them at Chippenham and from the ripple patterns on the body sides it looked as if the silver stripe is covered over. I'd assumed that they were delivered plain and had the silver livery elements applied just before entering service, but maybe they are completed at the factory then de-branded until accepted.

 

On another site some is suggesting that an 802 at North Pole has GWR in black on its nose in the style of the DMU livery.

I didn't notice the ripple, but whilst it was sat on the up reception at Westbury I did notice the lack of the matt green bands, answers my pondering of paint or decal!

 

Jo