Creation of class 230 DEMUs from ex-LU D78s by Vivarail

[birchesgreen]

I really do not understand the objections to how it looks, it looks just like a... well a D stock train which takes 1000s of people on journeys every day. Personally i'm glad they arn't going to add some pointless plastic to the front as in the original drawings.

 

[anme]

Perhaps they assumed their audience were literate and understood the meaning of prototype.

This is the first sensible post on this thread for quite some time.

It might not be the best looking train ever, but it's hardly that bad.

 

[najaB]

I always quite liked the look of 143s.

I only like the look of them from the back, disappearing quickly into the distance!

 

[47802]

I really do not understand the objections to how it looks, it looks just like a... well a D stock train which takes 1000s of people on journeys every day. Personally i'm glad they arn't going to add some pointless plastic to the front as in the original drawings.

Probably because it looks like something out of toy town done by a bunch of kids, if the front is unfinished yet then they should have left it as such. they would probably have been better going the whole hog and painting a smiley face on the front.

 

[Harpers Tate]

I give you
http://www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/photos/140start030.jpeg

 

[Bletchleyite]

I only like the look of them from the back, disappearing quickly into the distance!

14x seem to have a definite "evolved from 1st generation DMUs" look about them.

 

[47802]

I give you
http://www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/photos/140start030.jpeg

The 140 looks ugly but at least it doesn't look toy town.

 

[Clip]

Lets face it for some posters unless this looks like a shinkansen and goes like a shinkansen then its going to be rubbish.

 

[D365]

Lets face it for some posters unless this looks like a shinkansen and goes like a shinkansen then its going to be rubbish.

You're not seriously suggesting that we save these for HS3?

 

[47802]

Lets face it for some posters unless this looks like a shinkansen and goes like a shinkansen then its going to be rubbish.

I think some people in here take comments made far too seriously, I simply commented that it looks a bit naff and amateurish, but my opinion doesn't matter, If the units meet the claims made by Vivarail then its probably going to get used, if it doesn't then it probably wont.

 

[asylumxl]

I think some people in here take comments made far too seriously, I simply commented that it looks a bit naff and amateurish, but my opinion doesn't matter, If the units meet the claims made by Vivarail then its probably going to get used, if it doesn't then it probably wont.

If it looks a bit naff, perhaps you should design a different front end. Perhaps Viva Rail will take an interest.

 

[TDK]

It's not the look it's the speed at a maximum speed of 60mph this limits them grossly, there are not many lines they can operate on from start station to destination where they will not cause some sort of pathing issue.

 

[Clip]

It's not the look it's the speed at a maximum speed of 60mph this limits them grossly, there are not many lines they can operate on from start station to destination where they will not cause some sort of pathing issue.

Oh come on we've discussed that at length - its now all about how the unfinished prototype looks

 

[SF-02]

Lets face it for some posters unless this looks like a shinkansen and goes like a shinkansen then its going to be rubbish.

Exactly. So much moaning about every little detail on here. It's a possibly cheap and easy chance to boost capacity on some low speed lines, on trains that were nice enough inside after a heavy refurb recently, and now they're getting another.

 

[Camden]

Bear in mind there are some people on these forums that enthuse about pacers...

 

[Clip]

Bear in mind there are some people on these forums that enthuse about pacers...

indeed but its not those who are complaining the loudest about them though

 

[najaB]

Bear in mind there are some people on these forums that enthuse about pacers...

That's only when the medication wears off...

 

[lincolnshire]

It's not the look it's the speed at a maximum speed of 60mph this limits them grossly, there are not many lines they can operate on from start station to destination where they will not cause some sort of pathing issue.

Been looking at this item on here on and off for weeks now and looked at there web site and unless I have missed something unto now never seen any claim as to what speed it will go at when in service. So is it me who has missed something or is it because that was the max speed it did in its former life?

Why don,t we just wait and see when it gets a proper test run, at least it moved the other day under its own power thats one thing in its favour and had 30 people on it too. So some things work.

 

[Clip]

To be honest I don t think theres anything concrete in this thread about the speed just speculation on what the bogies are designed too or something.

 

[Chris125]

If you search for 'vivarail 60mph' it's been mentioned in various articles as the maximum speed for these trains, so I see no reason to think otherwise - I believe the bogie design is based on that of the 95TS, which IIRC is rated for 100kph/62mph.

 

[HSTEd]

OK this may only be a prototype but its not exactly doing themselves any favours its just looks amateurish, like something that been knocked up in a garden shed.

In the finest tradition of BREL then?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Just had a quick look comparing it with a pic of a d-stock train, I can't see any difference. Could the diesel engine fit onto a coach of an s-stock unit?

 

[northwichcat]

Just had a quick look comparing it with a pic of a d-stock train, I can't see any difference. Could the diesel engine fit onto a coach of an s-stock unit?

They've apparently pushed the height of the saloon up slightly to accommodate the diesel engine.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Just had a quick look comparing it with a pic of a d-stock train, I can't see any difference. Could the diesel engine fit onto a coach of an s-stock unit?

Presumably yes, but £££ is the issue. I'm sure Bombardier would happily build a few more S-stock vehicles that could have the engine modules stuck underneath but they'd cost many many times more than the D-stock which Vivarail have secured for basically scrap value.

 

[Chris125]

Just had a quick look comparing it with a pic of a d-stock train, I can't see any difference. Could the diesel engine fit onto a coach of an s-stock unit?

It uses the D Stock bogies and body, but the cab will be strengthened, obstacle defectors/new headlights/new controls/new traction kit and fuel tanks added... the list goes on.

Converting S Stock into mainline DEMUs might be possible but unless they were available at scrap price it wouldn't make any sense.

 

[3141]

In the finest tradition of BREL then?

Or the current class 70 diesel locos.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

14x seem to have a definite "evolved from 1st generation DMUs" look about them.

If anyone wishes to compare the front end of the Shooter prototype to a far more aesthetically pleasing DMU that operated from 1960 to 1984 with wrap-around windows, then I invite them to view an image of the Class 124 unit front end.

 

[Bevan Price]

It's not the look it's the speed at a maximum speed of 60mph this limits them grossly, there are not many lines they can operate on from start station to destination where they will not cause some sort of pathing issue.

I can think of several lines where a 60 mph limit would not be a major problem e.g.

Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog
Bidston - Wrexham
Preston - Ormskirk
Manchester Victoria - Atherton - Wigan / Kirkby
Colne - Preston - Blackpool South
Lancaster - Morecambe / Heysham
Lancaster - Hellifield / Skipton
Darlington - Bishop Auckland
Darlington - Saltburn
Leeds & Wakefield - Knottingley
Huddersfield - Penistone - Barnsley - Sheffield,

etc., etc.

What they need for such lines is adequate acceleration, not high speed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I can think of several lines where a 60 mph limit would not be a major problem e.g.

Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog
Bidston - Wrexham
Preston - Ormskirk
Manchester Victoria - Atherton - Wigan / Kirkby
Colne - Preston - Blackpool South
Lancaster - Morecambe / Heysham
Lancaster - Hellifield / Skipton
Darlington - Bishop Auckland
Darlington - Saltburn
Leeds & Wakefield - Knottingley
Huddersfield - Penistone - Barnsley - Sheffield,

etc., etc.

What they need for such lines is adequate acceleration, not high speed.

Do I sense a certain geographical area location north of Birmingham being a common denominator in all those lines shown above?

 

[northwichcat]

Rumour mill suggests Vivarail will have a complete 3 car 230 in October which FGW will be trialing in Cornwall.