AGA out of DMUs?

[LowLevel]

No, they've always operated 158s - the first Lowestoft and back from Norwich has been an EMT 158 with Anglia crew for years. They spot hire one from time to time if they're stuck in the evening.

 

[TheEdge]

AGA don't have 158/159s though so wouldn't there be kerfuffle and red tape for safety cases etc?

No, a fair number of drivers and most guards sign 158s.

 

[Rick1984]

probably a silly question but could you not trim the leaves of a tree with a strimmer, like a hedge, before they fall off?

 

[306024]

probably a silly question but could you not trim the leaves of a tree with a strimmer, like a hedge, before they fall off?

Or employ additional staff to catch them before they hit the ground

If only a wheel lathe was installed at Crown Point years ago when it was first suggested, would have paid for itself comfortably by now.

No, they've always operated 158s - the first Lowestoft and back from Norwich has been an EMT 158 with Anglia crew for years. They spot hire one from time to time if they're stuck in the evening.

The 158 on that early Lowestoft service came about when Central Trains was broken up and an Anglia unit had to be used for the first Cambridge - Norwich service, which meant it wasn't available for the Lowestoft working.

 

[Class 170101]

probably a silly question but could you not trim the leaves of a tree with a strimmer, like a hedge, before they fall off?

Not quite as dumb as it sounds.

There have been pictures of other lines in recent times where the tree foliage is so close to the track they obscure signals.

Have NR cut down on tree maintenance this year I wonder?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Not quite as dumb as it sounds.

There have been pictures of other lines in recent times where the tree foliage is so close to the track they obscure signals.

Have NR cut down on tree maintenance this year I wonder?

A couple of years ago on the Lymington branch it sounded like the tree branches were striking the side of the train!

 

[hassaanhc]

Not quite as dumb as it sounds.

There have been pictures of other lines in recent times where the tree foliage is so close to the track they obscure signals.

Have NR cut down on tree maintenance this year I wonder?

During this year they've cleared virtually all of the section from Clapham Junction to Woking (and probably beyond), along with bits and pieces on various parts of the Windsor Lines set of routes.

 

[chubs]

So are there enough DMU's back to run a service tomorrow, or more buses?

 

[Bungle965]

So are there enough DMU's back to run a service tomorrow, or more buses?

Abellio Greater Anglia would like to advise customers that from Monday 23 November, Great Yarmouth to Norwich, Ipswich to Felixstowe and Sudbury to Marks Tey train services will be restored.

From Abellio`s website confirming that there will be trains from Monday.
Sam

 

[306024]

From Abellio`s website confirming that there will be trains from Monday.
Sam

No trains on Ipswich - Peterborough though as it currently stands, also from the Abellio Greater Anglia website.

 

[Bungle965]

No trains on Ipswich - Peterborough though as it currently stands, also from the Abellio Greater Anglia website.

Oh yes sorry forgot to mention that.
Sam

 

[rick_suffolk]

Heard a conductor this morning say that 2 units are on their way here from
Scotrail!

 

[dk1]

Frozen points/TCFs this morning at Reedham & Acle are causing delays, diversions & cancellations. Tickets for Yarmouth will be accepted on local buses. Don't laugh!!

 

[Carntyne]

Heard a conductor this morning say that 2 units are on their way here from
Scotrail!

Doubtful.

 

[sng7]

Well bearing in mind scotrail is tight on stock at the moment as it is I doubt that as its not even like the DfT can force it as transport is devolved. Unless they are talking about the scotrail units Southern took and seem determined not to use but southern seem to want them sitting around doing nothing.

 

[dk1]

Doubtful.

Let's run that one by Nicola then

 

[tsr]

Well bearing in mind scotrail is tight on stock at the moment as it is I doubt that as its not even like the DfT can force it as transport is devolved. Unless they are talking about the scotrail units Southern took and seem determined not to use but southern seem to want them sitting around doing nothing.

I think you'd want to be sitting around doing nothing if you were having the train equivalent of major heart, brain and cosmetic surgery all in one go. *Dabs eyes dramatically and not at all sarcastically at the thought of the poor little 170s being rebuilt carefully* Southern would see absolutely no benefit to the new platform extensions if they hadn't had the units now as they need so much work before then!

 

[northwichcat]

but southern seem to want them sitting around doing nothing.

Southern are obviously making so much money that they don't need the additional which can be made by subleasing out units which they aren't using. :roll:

 

[scott118]

http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2015-11-23/900-trains-cancelled-in-two-weeks-across-east-anglia/

At least 900 trains operated by Abellio Greater Anglia have been cancelled since 11 November. Many of the delays and cancellations were due to a sudden fall of leaves on the lines.

Abellio Greater Anglia said the heavy fall of leaves, prompted by calm weather followed by recent high winds, was causing damage to the wheels of trains.

It is a problem that happens every year but Abellio Greater Anglia says it’s never had this level of damage before.

"We've let down our passengers. What we're doing is trying to get back on a better service over the course of this week. We've still got some problems this week but we're hoping over the course of this week the situation should improve and we'll get fully back to normal." – JONATHAN DENBY, HEAD OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS, ABELLIO GREATER ANGLIA

Network Rail uses rail- head treatment trains to keep the tracks clear and any damaged trains are currently send to Ilford for repairs.

Abellio Greater Anglia is now looking at what more can be done to prevent the problem and keep services running at this time of year in the future.

"We've been sending trains to Ilford which is the lathe for our part of the world and also to Derby as well, trying to get the trains back in as quickly as we can and that's helped but if we could get some better equipment on the patch itself here in East Anglia then that would help as well." – JONATHAN DENBY, ABELLIO GREATER ANGLIA

 

[colchesterken]

I am not an engineer but I would have thought it would take a couple of hours to reprofile the wheels, Vids on you tube look like the reprofile is done on something like a MOT rolling road.
If they put all the staff on max overtime it would not take a week to do the DMU s. I understand they have other stock to do but if you could run the machine say 16 hrs per day on 2 shifts you could do a lot of stock

 

[petersi]

That's assuming they have enough qualified staff

 

[dk1]

Rumours it could be ex-SR 170421/4 at Stewarts Lane. On going talks with GTR.

 

[CockneySparrow]

No trains on Ipswich - Peterborough though as it currently stands, also from the Abellio Greater Anglia website.

AGA website says that Cross Country will stop at Manea and Whittlesey instead, just checked RTT and it appears that this didn't happen bu the looks of things

 

[SpacePhoenix]

For AGA to use any of the Southern units, would their staff need to do any kind of "changeover" course (assuming that Southern would even loan them the units in the first place)?

 

[PHILIPE]

For AGA to use any of the Southern units, would their staff need to do any kind of "changeover" course (assuming that Southern would even loan them the units in the first place)?

Do you mean conversion course ? AGA have an allocation of 170s of their own.

 

[DasLunatic]

Ah, but the 171s have Dellner couplings, meaning you'd need to take a whole new unit learning course...

 

[dk1]

Ah, but the 171s have Dellner couplings, meaning you'd need to take a whole new unit learning course...

These are 170s not 171s. Been sitting gathering dust.

 

[WarrenTManager]

I am not an engineer but I would have thought it would take a couple of hours to reprofile the wheels, Vids on you tube look like the reprofile is done on something like a MOT rolling road.
If they put all the staff on max overtime it would not take a week to do the DMU s. I understand they have other stock to do but if you could run the machine say 16 hrs per day on 2 shifts you could do a lot of stock

It isn't that simple.

If you lathe off some tread you have to then adjust the coach heights and suspension settings, recalibrate the WSP system.

I have heard that a proactive lathe visit for an eleven car Pendo takes a whole weekend including the coach set up using a double headed lathe (two axles at same time). Many depots only have a single lathe. A typical four car MU then takes about two shifts one for the lathe and the other for the other bits and bobs.

You also can only lathe so much. A typical MU wheel set starts life at 840mm and is scrap at 776mm. You then see what you can reuse, normally an axle will go again as will the brake discs (if applicable). If the axle is scrap that can add time to an already lengthy process of overhauling the wheelset with fresh pans.

With 153 and 156 you also have the brake blocks adding to the wear on the wheel as they don't have disc brakes.

I know of a unit for another TOC that has been waiting wheelsets for nearly a month. They can't get hold of them. And the ones on the train are in poor condition but to lathe off the damage would mean they are below minimum thickness. If AGA have this sort of issue, there's not a lot they can do.

 

[Alfie1014]

If was just the rural DMU fleet causing AGA troubles it would be one thing, but all of the fleet is suffering 90s and DVTs, plus all of the EMUs. Ilford also has to service TfL rail, London Overground and c2c's EMUs too. The fact that AGA have been sending stock to Hornsey, Bounds Green and Etches Park for turning indicates how serious things are.

In the short term a compensation scheme for season ticket holders has been announced for passengers on the rural routes affected and I wouldn't be surprised to see plans for a lathe at Crown Point featuring in some if not all of bidders plans for the new East Anglia franchise!

 

[Dave1987]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-34797519

Abellio Greater Anglia has cancelled trains due to "poor rail conditions"
Train services across the East have been cancelled because light diesel trains are being damaged by mulched leaves, according to a rail expert.
Abellio Greater Anglia (AGA) has stopped services on lines between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Cambridge and Peterborough.
Philip Sutton, editor of Rail Exclusive, said leaves lodged in wheels often catch fire, causing damage.
AGA said up to two damaged trains per day were having to be withdrawn.
This has led to service cancellations across the network.
'Poor rail conditions'
Mr Sutton said: "Trains are lighter now so they don't squash the leaves as the heavier trains used to.
"If leaves get caught between the steel wheels it burns and causes stresses on the wheel."
Network Rail, which is responsible for ensuring tracks are clear, said is is running extra rail clearing trains.
A spokesman said: "We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption and will continue to work with Abellio."
An AGA statement added: "The problems are due to some of our diesel trains suffering wheel damage, as a result of poor rail conditions."
The company said it is working with Network Rail to "improve rail conditions to prevent further damage" and restore a normal service.