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Author Topic: Intercity Express Programme (IEP) - ongoing discussion  (Read 743733 times)
chrisr_75
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« Reply #885 on: February 08, 2017, 12:43:06 »

Heard a rumour it's not even as far as Plymouth. Allegedly 26 m is a problem on the curves up Dainton if two pass each other.

It is also alleged they don't have the grunt to get up the bank as well.

From earlier in the thread:

AFAIK (as far as I know), the only reason that the IET (Intercity Express Train)'s have been as far west as Plymouth is so that their ability to start on the Devon Banks could be tested, as that was a core requirement of the contract, and it would appear that they passed with flying colours.

Two contradictory points of view! The question is, who is correct?!
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broadgage
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« Reply #886 on: February 08, 2017, 16:13:32 »

As I have previously stated I have very negative thoughts regarding the IEPs (Intercity Express Program / Project.) and internal fit out/passenger facilities. I do not believe downgrading from a buffet to a trolley is an improvement, nor do I believe that 5 car DMUs (Diesel Multiple Unit) are proper inter city trains.

Despite these negative thoughts, I am fairly confidant that such matters as hill climbing ability and gauge clearance Have BEEN considered and that when they enter service the new trains will have the ability to climb inclines at a reasonable speed and also to traverse all parts of the network that they are expected to work.
It is IMHO (in my humble opinion) entirely possible that certain locations are off limits AT PRESENT, but that works will done in time for use of the trains.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #887 on: February 15, 2017, 17:42:38 »

Not sure if this is the correct area for this post. It could equally go into Devon and Cornwall Railways or the Rumour Mill. If mods wish to move then please feel free

Sounds like typical negative driver talk.  I hear it all the time  Wink

... in view of which, I'll leave things just as they are for the time being.  Wink

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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
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« Reply #888 on: February 15, 2017, 20:53:07 »

Not sure if it's been mentioned on here, but IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s in passenger service has now been put back to mid-October.  With a bit of luck that'll mean they can use the wires all the way to Didcot.  Fingers crossed...  Wink
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #889 on: February 15, 2017, 22:27:38 »

Not sure if it's been mentioned on here, but IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.)'s in passenger service has now been put back to mid-October.  With a bit of luck that'll mean they can use the wires all the way to Didcot.  Fingers crossed...  Wink

......A delay from GWR (Great Western Railway)? Surely you jest?  Roll Eyes
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #890 on: February 16, 2017, 13:10:56 »

I've attached an image of what the new reservation indicators will show on the IEP (Intercity Express Program / Project.) trains.  An attempt has been made to greatly improve on the electronic reservation systems installed on the Voyager/Meridian fleets which has a number of flaws, most importantly is the ease and speed at which you can determine which seats are unreserved in a carriage.  Also, on those older trains the scrolling display was difficult to read (although tweaked over the years to make it better), and it only displayed the current reservation.  So if you boarded a train at Derby wanting to go to York, you might spot a seat reserved from Birmingham to Chesterfield which you might want to try to occupy after the next stop, but had no idea until the train stopped at Chesterfield and the system updated as to whether the seat was reserved from that point forward.  At least the paper reservation cards were able to show more than one reservation at a time, however they were subject to removal, poor print quality and of course took a lot longer to physically put in place at the start of a journey.

We knew that a traffic light system of colouring would be available on the IEP's, and they seem to be quite bright so will hopefully be visible from at least half a carriage away, but it's also good to note that the current and next reservations for a given seat are shown.  We'll have to see how they are received by the general public when services start later in the year, but they look promising.  My only comment is that it seems impossible to come up with a pictogram to indicate which is the window seat and which is the aisle seat.  This version is easier to interpret than some, but why not simply use the words 'Window' and 'Aisle'?
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #891 on: February 16, 2017, 15:22:37 »

Those pictograms look pretty clear to me, as do the red and green lights. Pictograms have the advantage over words of being meaningful to all regardless of language, as do red and green lights. I'm wondering though if the use of coloured lights might be a problem for the colour-blind?
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Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
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« Reply #892 on: February 16, 2017, 20:47:11 »

Those pictograms look pretty clear to me, as do the red and green lights. Pictograms have the advantage over words of being meaningful to all regardless of language, as do red and green lights. I'm wondering though if the use of coloured lights might be a problem for the colour-blind?

They're certainly clearer than the Voyager ones, which I always find myself taking far too long to work out!  Not sure many people with colour blindness have trouble with green and red, so hopefully there will be no issues there.
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ellendune
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« Reply #893 on: February 16, 2017, 22:05:22 »

They're certainly clearer than the Voyager ones, which I always find myself taking far too long to work out!  Not sure many people with colour blindness have trouble with green and red, so hopefully there will be no issues there.
Actually red green colourblindness is quite common as colour blindness goes.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #894 on: February 16, 2017, 22:41:36 »

Fair enough.  I've learnt something today.  Wink
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Thatcham Crossing
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« Reply #895 on: February 16, 2017, 23:06:36 »

Quote
Actually red green colourblindness is quite common as colour blindness goes.

Indeed it is, and I formally suffer from it (as identified by the RAF (Royal Air Force) when I was 17 and undergoing pilot medicals).

However, I can see those colours in the pic linked above perfectly fine, and have also never driven through a red traffic light!

Where I sometimes run into problems is with very dark greens (which can look black to me), dark reds/browns etc.

I am however unable to drive a train, ship or aircraft (commercially) as a result, and of course there is no cure.

I've also been told that red/green colourblindness is a lot more prevelent in the male population (which is ironic considering
that most pilots and train drivers are male).
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broadgage
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« Reply #896 on: February 16, 2017, 23:41:44 »

As has already been said, red/green colour blindness is by far the most common.

In very extreme cases, even bright clear red and green are totally indistinguishable, that however is very rare. More common is confusing dark or olive green with dark red or maroon, or also confusing light pink with a light green tint, or confusing a lime green with orange.

Most people with mild red/green colour blindness could probably drive a train safely, but of course "probably" is not sufficient.
Although the proceed aspect on a modern railway signal is always called "green" it has changed over the years and is now much bluer than decades ago. Blue of course is very little used in railway signalling, but there are a handful of exceptions, and concerns have been expressed that with the increasing "blueness" of green signals, that confusion might occur between blue and green lights.

 In Japan red/green colour blindness is said to be more common than in the west, and for this reason "green" road traffic signals are borderline blue.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
Thatcham Crossing
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« Reply #897 on: February 17, 2017, 08:21:03 »

Because my diagnosis changed the potential course of my life when I was 17, I've always slightly disbelieved it (as I think I can see clear reds and greens pretty clearly), and constantly (sometimes unwittingly) test myself.

Railway signals are a great way to do this, and particularly with today's very clear and powerful LED lit signals, I'm sure I'd be fine.

In a former life, I used to drive on airfields quite a bit (military and civilian) and would often have to get local dispensation that I was safe despite my colour perception (permits to drive on military airfields - UK (United Kingdom) ones anyway - include what's called a "CP Rating", provided by a Medical Officer).
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Oxonhutch
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« Reply #898 on: February 17, 2017, 13:33:28 »

Red green colour blindness is why the British electric wiring (flex) colours were changed in the 1970s from red-black-green for live-neutral-earth to brown-blue-green/yellow(stripe). Imagine mixing earth and live up in a plug!  Shocked

Fixed wiring changed to suit just a decade ago and is now a European standard.
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Tim
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« Reply #899 on: February 17, 2017, 14:20:57 »

to return to the reservation indicators.  The green/red colours are somewhat redundant anyway as we also have the word "available" to indicate that the seat is not reserved.   
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