South Africa's Gautrain seeks second-hand EMUs from the UK

[Doomotron]

I can't see the problem with the c2c 387/3s, Replace the corridor connection with a door similar to a 378, remove the coupling and add a nice fairing to the lower half, It's will not be that obvious to joe public once re-liveried.

But I don't think c2c are looking to get rid of them... And even if they were, I'm sure that it would be much more sensible for Great Northern to take them on to get rid of more 365s.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

More expensive to add pantographs and transformers.

Not necessarily, a couple of them were supplied with 25kvAC capability for testing before entering traffic with SWT.

 

[hwl]

But I don't think c2c are looking to get rid of them... And even if they were, I'm sure that it would be much more sensible for Great Northern to take them on to get rid of more 365s.

Or GWR to ditch 769s if Oxford gets electrified.

 

[bramling]

But I don't think c2c are looking to get rid of them... And even if they were, I'm sure that it would be much more sensible for Great Northern to take them on to get rid of more 365s.

Numbers don’t match up with the 365s (6 versus 21), plus they would represent a reduction in seating capacity on busy peak services.

 

[Hadders]

But I don't think c2c are looking to get rid of them... And even if they were, I'm sure that it would be much more sensible for Great Northern to take them on to get rid of more 365s.

We'll keep the 365s on the GN! My journey home last night on a 365 was a pleasure, even in the heat. Fast line at 100mph with the windows open - air con not required. Arrived a minute early too

 

[Fincra5]

What about 379s? They can be used more on the Airport Services, seeing as thats what they're fitted for.

 

[43096]

Changing one type of gangway end for another like the 458s probably wasn't just a fibreglass nose swap, but there was probably enough space behind it that there was very minimal adjustments required to make it work with the existing train.

But it wasn’t just the 458s, though. 12 460 cars were modified with the gangway end: almost the reverse of what is being suggested for the Gautrain as the “Darth Vader” nose was removed.

 

[route:oxford]

Once GMA had obtained approval from the South African government for its plans, the leasing companies would be invited to submit bids in a closed tender process.

Before everyone spends a lot of time with fantasy options for old rolling stock, 2 words.

Exchange Controls.

Quite frankly, it's an absolute nightmare doing business with South Africa. It's possible that the RoSCos will just walk away from a deal if it appears to be too time consuming or there is a risk of non payment.

 

[aleggatta]

But it wasn’t just the 458s, though. 12 460 cars were modified with the gangway end: almost the reverse of what is being suggested for the Gautrain as the “Darth Vader” nose was removed.

fair comment, I had forgotten about them!

 

[fgwrich]

But I don't think c2c are looking to get rid of them... And even if they were, I'm sure that it would be much more sensible for Great Northern to take them on to get rid of more 365s.

They will be as they were only ordered as a stop gap, ultimately to be replaced by the Aventra's they have on order as well. They were effectively ordered by Porterbrook as "Dealer Stock" stopgap units. However, as I found out on the other page there isn't enough of them being 24 cars, vice the 30 Gautrain are after.

 

[MarkyT]

What about the soon to come off lease 707's

They're fairly gutless though, with fewer powered cars and smaller motors than similar Siemens units on TL/GN, and Electrostars generally. They only had to keep up with 455s as envisaged by SWT.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

More expensive to add pantographs and transformers.

Except that the 707s already have pantographs. Which I don't understand why they have them seeing that there is no SWR/Southeastern service currently using overhead electrification.

EDIT: Only the first two 707s were fitted with pantographs which subsequently got removed. The reason why they had pantographs was for testing purposes at Siemens Wildenrath test circuit.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

I think Gautrain could get Southeastern Electrostar Class 375/6s, once the 707s are in service with Southeastern. They are 4 coaches long and already have pantographs fitted, a key factor required for Gautrain services.

 

[43096]

They're fairly gutless though, with fewer powered cars and smaller motors than similar Siemens units on TL/GN, and Electrostars generally. They only had to keep up with 455s as envisaged by SWT.

So "gutless" that SWR have diagrammed them on the Shepperton circuits because of their superior performance.

 

[43096]

Except that the 707s already have pantographs. Which I don't understand why they have them seeing that there is no SWR/Southeastern service currently using overhead electrification.

EDIT: Only the first two 707s were fitted with pantographs which subsequently got removed. The reason why they had pantographs was for testing purposes at Siemens Wildenrath test circuit.

The first two were tested in the UK on AC when they were first delivered.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

I think Gautrain could get Southeastern Electrostar Class 375/6s, once the 707s are in service with Southeastern. They are 4 coaches long and already have pantographs fitted, a key factor required for Gautrain services.

Southeastern want the 707s for extra capacity, so their arrival probably won't put any of the current fleet on the market.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Am I the only one who had to Google Gautrain.

Gauteng has not really been recognised as the largest conurbation in South Africa, containing Johannesburg and Pretoria and many other localities.
It was named in 1994 after apartheid, prior to that is was the just as incomprehensible Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (PWV) district.
It's about as meaningful as "Sandwell" in the West Midlands, or "Tameside" in Greater Manchester.

 

[MarkyT]

So "gutless" that SWR have diagrammed them on the Shepperton circuits because of their superior performance.

I'm sure they were specified a smidgen more sprightly than a 455. Presumably, the Shepperton circuits are a bit demanding for the older units, but surely those diagrams must have been timed for the 455s originally?

 

[43096]

I'm sure they were specified a smidgen more sprightly than a 455. Presumably, the Shepperton circuits are a bit demanding for the older units, but surely those diagrams must have been timed for the 455s originally?

Timed for 455s, but with tight turnrounds at both ends the 455s lack the ability to recover delays. Diagramming the 707s helps that and hopefully reduces the occurrence of skipping stops to make up time.

Conductor rail power limitations probably have more to do with the 707's specification that anything else.