Christopher125

Hopefully a return to service, any updates will probably crop up first on the facebook group below: https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459

That's the two bridges - the Up line under Rink Road and the Down line under Smallbrook Lane were both lowered in August. All gauging work should be complete as testing should have started some time back. Richardson Rail posted photos of the work on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardsonRail/posts/643531912936619 Before the 1960s whistles were common on the Southern Railway/Region, but most if not all such units were retro-fitted with two-tone horns - even some early CEPs and DEMUs came fitted, as can be seen above the drivers windscreen below: East Croydon by Timothy Saunders, on Flickr 1121 Hastings unit seen at an unknown location. I Cuthbertson collection by Ian Cuthbertson, on Flickr A surprising exception were the Class 71s which retained them to the end - as can be seen here these are the same design fitted to the 483s; you can also hear this a few seconds into the following video of E5001: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp_W8mBpszo This was all confirmed by a former staff member at Ryde, a local railway historian who actually helped create replicas for the 483s to replace those in poor condition. 006 has failed and requires too much work to reinstate with 008 soldiering on alone - the priority now is 007, which is almost ready to go.

The Standard Stock and 483s were given 'mainline' whistles, as once fitted to EMUs on the 3rd rail network - IIRC they started off with originals, including examples recovered from Class 71s, but later replicas were made. 484001 appears to have kept it's LU original. Not aware of any, and none should be needed - the tightest spots were two overbridges where track was lowered back in August.

Sorry, looks like it was reposted. Try these: http://www.facebook.com/john.mitchell.90226628/videos/3616455335064977/ http://twitter.com/PhotographyRue/status/1329959324777582592

484001 has moved to St Johns tonight under battery power, there's a video on twitter showing her passing Brading: https://twitter.com/PhotographyRue/status/1329959324777582592 You might be thinking of Medina Wharf near Cowes? Newport Quay near the station was technically rail-served by a low-level bridge across the river, but only briefly and the sidings were probably never used.

Nope, they both came over on scheduled sailings but I think they let the other vehicles off first. They aren't particularly busy at the moment anyway, unsurprisingly.

The first unit, 484001, has arrived on the Island: https://www.islandecho.co.uk/first-new-train-for-island-line-arrives-on-the-isle-of-wight/?fbclid=IwAR1GnAZe5S9bcMz4prEgYaauHsEbnjC_bYCCCsZcFvzR2sgbki8Tk4yg3IY

To be fair Hyperloop has been debunked many times - theoretically possible perhaps, but a low pressure tube of the length and alignment required remains totally impractical. This low speed, short distance test doesn't address any of the fundamental issues.

That's why I was surprised you mentioned a Pier Head-Esplanade shuttle for the first closure? Anyways, last weekends Smallbrook Lane gauging work looks complete - some nice new track and ballast on the Down Line under the bridge ready for the 484s to start overnight testing in the coming months. Shame about the signal/points failure on Monday morning though...

I'm sure I saw both 006 and 008 at St Johns and the track relaying would surely have meant no power supply?

Worth noting that this weekend they are lowering the Down line under Smallbrook Lane, having done the same for the Up under Rink Road in Ryde last weekend - that should address the two tightest spots on the line for headroom and allow the 484s to start testing in the coming months.

It's worth noting that most of that infrastructure was only ever needed on a few summer saturdays; while traffic did decline, visitors also arrived at different times often for shorter stays which smoothed out those crazy summer peaks.

Good grief...

A *big* milestone has been achieved in recent days - the 9-car 345s are back in operation and working services to Heathrow using ETCS. A long time coming!

Electrification of the network including EWR does appear to be back on the agenda at the DfT now Grayling has left, the 2050 net-zero commitment looms ever larger and there's more understanding about the limitations of battery/hydrogen propulsion. RAIL are quoting a statement from EWR about the short 4 (+2) year lease for self-powered trains that says: The DfT's Baroness Vere confirms yet another post-Grayling rethink...

AIUI, yes.

You said it was ironic that the WLL can't have extra trains, but *to be fair* it's just had a frequency increase - the extra 378s available has allowed London Overground to increase frequencies on the NLL (10tph) and WLL (5tph) during the peaks.

I think the current plan is to rebuild roughly on the present site but realigned, allowing a better route for the through line.

To be fair they're now running 5tph on the West London Line during the peaks - with 10tph on the NLL - thanks to the 378s freed up from Euston-Watford. 5-car 710s will then allow a further cascade, displacing 378s from the NLL to boost frequencies on the ELL.

I can only assume they were confusing the 397s with the loco-hauled mk5s, of which there are still 4 in use.

Should be thirteen 802s in use now plus a third 397, with all the withdrawn services back running.

EWR services are almost certainly too long and energy intensive for battery units, and Hydrogen would be highly problematic - who knows what they'd cost, what operating restrictions will be imposed and what capacity they'd have (if the proposed 321 conversion is anything to go by...)

Worth noting that TPE reintroduced a good number of cancelled services this week with the rest following in a few weeks time - IIRC there should be 11 802s out and about daily now.

Hardly, the mk5s were horribly late and their introduction was far from trouble-free either.

Electrification was de-scoped from EWR and platforms shortened to 4x23m when Grayling asked for savings.