New Units revisited

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Just received Roger Ford's e-preview of his 'Informed Sources' article for this Friday's Modern Railways, in which he confirms that the 202 new DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) vehicles does include 11 x 4 car units for Portsmouth Cardiff services.

Available on his website here:

http://home.ezezine.com/759/759-2009.02.23.00.01.archive.html

Paul

[Timmer]

Excellent! I look forward to reading it when arrives through the letterbox.

[tramway]

As some posters may be aware there will be a substantial increase in the local population around Abbeywood in the next couple of years, and local management recently held a meeting with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to raise awareness and concerns regarding public transport.

FGW stated their intention to push for the stock and indicated that they were hoping for a firm decision before the end of the year with stock arriving by 2012, releasing the 158's for cross Bristol services.

[G.Uard]

As some posters may be aware there will be a substantial increase in the local population around Abbeywood in the next couple of years, and local management recently held a meeting with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to raise awareness and concerns regarding public transport.

FGW stated their intention to push for the stock and indicated that they were hoping for a firm decision before the end of the year with stock arriving by 2012, releasing the 158's for cross Bristol services.

Which will lead to very slack timetabling as these units are unsuited to high-density work.

[bemmy]

As some posters may be aware there will be a substantial increase in the local population around Abbeywood in the next couple of years, and local management recently held a meeting with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to raise awareness and concerns regarding public transport.

FGW stated their intention to push for the stock and indicated that they were hoping for a firm decision before the end of the year with stock arriving by 2012, releasing the 158's for cross Bristol services.

Which will lead to very slack timetabling as these units are unsuited to high-density work.

Which in turn will lead to more trains missing out stations such as Parson St and Lawrence Hill so they can squeeze into the congested timetable.

[tramway]

As some posters may be aware there will be a substantial increase in the local population around Abbeywood in the next couple of years, and local management recently held a meeting with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to raise awareness and concerns regarding public transport.

FGW stated their intention to push for the stock and indicated that they were hoping for a firm decision before the end of the year with stock arriving by 2012, releasing the 158's for cross Bristol services.

Which will lead to very slack timetabling as these units are unsuited to high-density work.

Which in turn will lead to more trains missing out stations such as Parson St and Lawrence Hill so they can squeeze into the congested timetable.

67's + Mk 2's don't seem to have many problems with timings, so I'm pretty sure a 3 car 158 would cope with that diagram.

There is also a prospect of extending to Yate not too far off and it would be nice to get rid of all the 150 Weymouth's which  would be heartily welcomed.

[G.Uard]

Good point ref the Mk 2s. 158s are however, around 8 feet longer I think, although that shouldn't make that much difference.  I will ask around and see what the EXE crews have to say.

[devon_metro]

The "skips" are only timed at around 37mph average between Taunton and Newport, so shouldn't have any problems with the schedules!

[Chris from Nailsea]

67's + Mk 2's don't seem to have many problems with timings   

Just as an aside, which I found amusing, anyway: the 67's and Mk2^▸ (Mark 2 coach)'s on the 0828 from Nailsea this morning stopped at Bedminster ... then, in response to some whistling and gesturing from the guard, moved forward some 20 feet and stopped again, before the doors were released.

Well, as I said, I found it rather amusing ... 

[thetrout]

67's + Mk 2's don't seem to have many problems with timings   

Just as an aside, which I found amusing, anyway: the 67's and Mk2^▸ (Mark 2 coach)'s on the 0828 from Nailsea this morning stopped at Bedminster ... then, in response to some whistling and gesturing from the guard, moved forward some 20 feet and stopped again, before the doors were released.

Well, as I said, I found it rather amusing ... 

We have a signal on the Up Main at Bridgwater Station. When A HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) arrives it stops across the signal, which is normally showing a proceed aspect. Well... Once it showed a Danger aspect. Hence the train stopped with most  of the carriages (including the TGS) off the platform, we had to wait for the signal to change before we could move and doors be released

[G.Uard]

Of course it is the configuration of the 158s with the long body and end doors which contributes to a longer station dwell time.  I would imagine that similar problems exist with the later edition Mark 2s.  I guess the very generous timetabling, (referred to above), of the Skips +4 is designed to alleviate this problem.

[tramway]

So what was running the diagram before the 67's. I'm assuming the timetable wasn't altered that much to accomodate them, therefore if it was regularly a 150 then the timings would be very similar.

IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') the Wessex 31's were tested to ensure that they ran to Brighton in similar times to a 158 they replaced. But they only did that if they were fuelled for the trip of course.

[willc]

Just received Roger Ford's e-preview of his 'Informed Sources' article for this Friday's Modern Railways, in which he confirms that the 202 new DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) vehicles does include 11 x 4 car units for Portsmouth Cardiff services.

Available on his website here:

http://home.ezezine.com/759/759-2009.02.23.00.01.archive.html

Paul

Which, if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is to get the 52 vehicles indicated in DafT's rolling stock plan, would mean grand total of eight extra coaches for the Thames Valley - making no sense whatever operationally or maintenance-wise, especially if they were to be built by the Chinese or CAF^▸ (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, Spanish train manufacturer) - at least 172s are cousins of Turbos, so Reading depot would be able to handle them without too much trouble. But even so, what would be the point?

If this is the case - or has FGW just lost eight extra coaches? - surely it would make much more sense to keep all the new sets together and, failing any better ideas, send a small batch of three-car 158s over to Reading for the North Downs/Gatwick service? This route doesn't need pure commuter-style stock and this would allow its Turbos to go back into the main line fleet to help ease the strains there - and there would be enough of a different type of stock on the depot to make staff training worthwhile.

[paul7575]

Which, if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is to get the 52 vehicles indicated in DafT's rolling stock plan, would mean grand total of eight extra coaches for the Thames Valley - making no sense whatever operationally or maintenance-wise, especially if they were to be built by the Chinese or CAF^▸ (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, Spanish train manufacturer) - at least 172s are cousins of Turbos, so Reading depot would be able to handle them without too much trouble. But even so, what would be the point?

If this is the case - or has FGW just lost eight extra coaches? - surely it would make much more sense to keep all the new sets together and, failing any better ideas, send a small batch of three-car 158s over to Reading for the North Downs/Gatwick service? This route doesn't need pure commuter-style stock and this would allow its Turbos to go back into the main line fleet to help ease the strains there - and there would be enough of a different type of stock on the depot to make staff training worthwhile.

Hopefully Roger Ford has the answer to that when the mag comes out. The numbers and batches of units ordered, (discussed a few weeks ago) didn't match the rolling stock plan then, and apparently he now has the actual details, so FGW may get more or less than 52. But as you rightly say, all the stock displaced from Portsmouth - Cardiff shouldn't necessarily stay on Bristol locals...

Paul

[tramway]

You then have to consider the 150's given back to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)).
The 142's which will probably go as well
the cascaded 150's from LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)
and the retirement of 143's

anyone like to make a table up to show how that fits in with the 'plan'?