Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[Class377/5]

Wait until you see 700s working on ATO in the Core. On the sim they don't half shift.

It's 1 in 29 up from the platform - pretty much the steepest main line in the UK, and from a standing start. Tricky in anything other than very good conditions.

The Up Platform at City isn't a steep rise as it's the line into the tunnel towards Farringdon. The Down Line is up the bank to Blackfrairs.

 

[jon0844]

Did you actually mean "shouldn't be too difficult", or "should be easy"...

The former! But the latter works fine too.
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Case to install Baker Street style blue lights to highlight the gap?

Has that been successful as I read there's been an increase in accidents since the S Stock came into service.

 

[Domh245]

Has that been successful as I read there's been an increase in accidents since the S Stock came into service.

The blue lights were introduced to try and mitigate the problems that had been caused by the S stock! They aren't wholly successful though as evidenced by this commuter, although whether that is down to the lights being unsuccessful or just plain uncurable commuteritis remains to be seen. I would personally have thought that multi coloured lights might have been more effective in that they wouldn't be the same everyday.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

For both TL and LU lines using S-stock with the platform be raised and/or the track lowered where possible?

 

[jon0844]

The blue lights were introduced to try and mitigate the problems that had been caused by the S stock! They aren't wholly successful though as evidenced by this commuter, although whether that is down to the lights being unsuccessful or just plain uncurable commuteritis remains to be seen. I would personally have thought that multi coloured lights might have been more effective in that they wouldn't be the same everyday.

But has the trial been extended anywhere else?

 

[Domh245]

For both TL and LU lines using S-stock with the platform be raised and/or the track lowered where possible?

If the platform were sufficiently straight, and you could guarantee that there wouldn't be any other stock running through that platform, then yes, you could raise the platform (assuming that there isn't some other problem that would prevent raising it), although I don't think that the vertical offset is a problem with the 700s, I think they still have a conventional floor above rail height?

But has the trial been extended anywhere else?

Not that I'm aware of.

 

[jon0844]

I wonder if there's scope to have a lower ridge - if it won't foul the train? Perhaps when the 700s are exclusively used in the core?

I noticed because someone else noticed (we hadn't boarded there), and indeed they took photos too! No doubt they'll crop up somewhere on the net in the future.

But back to the trains in general, I went on it today with my four year old and he was very excited but soon became quite bored - and when he got home tonight he said he didn't like the seats as they weren't very comfortable and next time he wants to bring a pillow!

And we were sat on the first class seats! I still say the seats are fine, but he seems to prefer the old train seats.

 

[Nic Robinson]

Couple of videos of Thursday's northbound working.

Arrival Burgess Hill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGTaA6zgbMI&feature=youtu.be

Departure West Hampstead Thameslink:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUEp-wa4GHE&feature=youtu.be

 

[AM9]

I wonder if there's scope to have a lower ridge - if it won't foul the train? Perhaps when the 700s are exclusively used in the core?

I noticed because someone else noticed (we hadn't boarded there), and indeed they took photos too! No doubt they'll crop up somewhere on the net in the future.

But back to the trains in general, I went on it today with my four year old and he was very excited but soon became quite bored - and when he got home tonight he said he didn't like the seats as they weren't very comfortable and next time he wants to bring a pillow!

And we were sat on the first class seats! I still say the seats are fine, but he seems to prefer the old train seats.

Seats of a given firmness are less comfortable for lighter occupants than heavier ones, (providing they aren't so heavy that the padding is completely compressed).
I did the northbound journey in first class and was surprised at how hard the seats were. The padding was thicker but didn't seem to give any more than the standard class ones.

 

[Hadders]

I wonder if there's scope to have a lower ridge - if it won't foul the train? Perhaps when the 700s are exclusively used in the core?

I noticed because someone else noticed (we hadn't boarded there), and indeed they took photos too! No doubt they'll crop up somewhere on the net in the future.

But back to the trains in general, I went on it today with my four year old and he was very excited but soon became quite bored - and when he got home tonight he said he didn't like the seats as they weren't very comfortable and next time he wants to bring a pillow!

And we were sat on the first class seats! I still say the seats are fine, but he seems to prefer the old train seats.

Nothing compares to a 365 'smiley train' for a four year old

 

[physics34]

Seats of a given firmness are less comfortable for lighter occupants than heavier ones, (providing they aren't so heavy that the padding is completely compressed).
I did the northbound journey in first class and was surprised at how hard the seats were. The padding was thicker but didn't seem to give any more than the standard class ones.

train seat used to have springs in them. now its just a few inches of cheap sponge.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The blue lights were introduced to try and mitigate the problems that had been caused by the S stock! They aren't wholly successful though as evidenced by this commuter, although whether that is down to the lights being unsuccessful or just plain uncurable commuteritis remains to be seen. I would personally have thought that multi coloured lights might have been more effective in that they wouldn't be the same everyday.

I find that the lights at Baker Street make the gap less obvious rather than more obvious because there is no longer a dark contrasting space there. I suspect I am not the only one...

 

[jon0844]

Nothing compares to a 365 'smiley train' for a four year old

Even I have a soft spot for them - and I'm now at an age where there's another number after the four!

 

[D365]

Nothing compares to a 365 'smiley train' for a four year old

Even I have a soft spot for them - and I'm now at an age where there's another number after the four!

I still have a home video of one, from when I was a lad of that age and before the 'smiley cab' conversion; I enjoyed the traction just as much!

Will miss them when they're displaced from the Great Northern, even with the pleasure of an all-day 12 car service.

 

[AlexNL]

What's the purpose of that quarter-circle piece of plastic right above the DOO camera?

 

[physics34]

What's the purpose of that quarter-circle piece of plastic right above the DOO camera?

At a guess...to block the sun?

 

[AM9]

At a guess...to block the sun?

Looks like a rain deflector. At speed, it produces a downdraught across the front of the camera to prevent rain from gathering on the lens window.

 

[Hadders]

I still have a home video of one, from when I was a lad of that age and before the 'smiley cab' conversion; I enjoyed the traction just as much!

Will miss them when they're displaced from the Great Northern, even with the pleasure of an all-day 12 car service.

It'll be a sad day when the 365s move on from GN.

Don't be fooled by the 12-car all day service on GN. Some of them will be but consider:

1. The majority of 700s are 8 car not 12
2. Many GN platforms cannot take 12 car trains - I wager a bet that Thameslink will see most of the 12 car leaving GN mostly with the 8 car sets.

Get used to standing...

 

[Minstral25]

Not sure if it has been mentioned already but it appears that Class 700's are to get Wi-Fi and Seat back tables according to Claire Perry.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-06-27.41259.h&s=speaker:24915#g41259.r0

 

[Nic Robinson]

Wi-fi, plug sockets?

We are building mass transport vehicles in the second decade of the 21st century without these things?

 

[coppercapped]

Wi-fi, plug sockets?

We are building mass transport vehicles in the second decade of the 21st century without these things?

Hush! Don't tell AM9...

 

[asylumxl]

Wi-fi, plug sockets?

We are building mass transport vehicles in the second decade of the 21st century without these things?

From what TL users have had drilled in to our heads, apparently the WiFi signals would increase dwell times and take up valuable standing capacity .

 

[Bald Rick]

Wi-fi, plug sockets?

We are building mass transport vehicles in the second decade of the 21st century without these things?

I really don't get this.

I understand the need for sockets on journeys where the average journey time is, say, well over an hour. But not on what is essentially a commuter operation. Yes there will be some people who travel for 2 hours on these trains; I did Brighton to St Albans myself yesterday, but not once did I think "ooooh if only there was a plug socket". Grumpy old man moment there's not that many phones / tablets that can't last a full day and most laptops will do 4-6 hours. Is it really that difficult to charge your phone / tablet / laptop / hair straighteners before you start your journey? Particularly if it is a journey of less than 2 hours?

And as for wifi, again, now almost every new phone / tablet has 4G, is it really necessary? I never have need for it on the train, I just use the 4G.

 

[jon0844]

Not sure if it has been mentioned already but it appears that Class 700's are to get Wi-Fi and Seat back tables according to Claire Perry.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-06-27.41259.h&s=speaker:24915#g41259.r0

I think it has. Tables are good. Power sockets not really necessary IMO. Simple, smaller, USB ports would be better - and most modern laptops would be able to charge that way, doing away with bulky transformers.

As for Wi-Fi, as has been mentioned, a mobile data connection should be fine and (as I've also said) 4G coverage is going to improve immeasurably between now and 2020 - especially for EE users.

Wi-Fi could be good for offering passengers a streaming service like Beam on Virgin, but these trains aren't really trying to be Intercity trains even if they do go from large cities to others.

 

[physics34]

Looks like a rain deflector. At speed, it produces a downdraught across the front of the camera to prevent rain from gathering on the lens window.

yeh that makes sense. Got them on 377s aswell.

 

[TRAX]

At a guess...to block the sun?

Rain, dirt, sun.

 

[physics34]

I really don't get this.

I understand the need for sockets on journeys where the average journey time is, say, well over an hour. But not on what is essentially a commuter operation. Yes there will be some people who travel for 2 hours on these trains; I did Brighton to St Albans myself yesterday, but not once did I think "ooooh if only there was a plug socket". Grumpy old man moment there's not that many phones / tablets that can't last a full day and most laptops will do 4-6 hours. Is it really that difficult to charge your phone / tablet / laptop / hair straighteners before you start your journey? Particularly if it is a journey of less than 2 hours?

And as for wifi, again, now almost every new phone / tablet has 4G, is it really necessary? I never have need for it on the train, I just use the 4G.

agree really, that a table and a comfy seat is more important. ...id also put wifi ahead of plug sockets.

 

[AM9]

From what TL users have had drilled in to our heads, apparently the WiFi signals would increase dwell times and take up valuable standing capacity .

I'd say that wi-fi is a reasonable addition to the 700s as it doesn't weigh much, the trains are (apparently) already wired with that in mind, and will provide some connectivity that can't reliably be provided in the core by 3G or 4G. I'm afraid that those who walk along only looking at a portable screen rather than where they are going are already clogging up ingress and egress on core trains so wi-fi won't help or hinder that.
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... there's not that many phones / tablets that can't last a full day and most laptops will do 4-6 hours. Is it really that difficult to charge your phone / tablet / laptop / hair straighteners before you start your journey? Particularly if it is a journey of less than 2 hours? ...

Phone users can make their own arrangements but think of those poor hard pressed commuters who can't possibly manage because rechargeable hair straighteners might be too heavy for them or create an unsightly bulge in their handbags/pockets.

 

[Supercoss]

Case to install Baker Street style blue lights to highlight the gap?

When the core area is operated by class 700 stock only the platform faces at the 4 central London stations will be modified including a raised area opposite the wheelchair space to allow boarding without the use of portable ramps, not possible to do this currently with different floor height stock (319/electrostar) at one stage 'gap fillers' were mooted. The all important platform 'dwell time' for 24 tph doesn't allow time for portable ramps so the platform being flush with floor height essential with careful gauging to still allow testing and infrastructure monitoring trains through.

 

[AM9]

Hush! Don't tell AM9...

You'll get over it, don't fret.