Class 230 units training/introduction on the Borderlands line: updates

[317 forever]

My train from Shotton to Upton yesterday was a 150 as expected. Thankfully an authentic TfW example rather than a Northern loan.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

What 70s trains work the Heart of Wales Line?

Hence my inclusion of 80s. 70s for Borderlands and 80s for HoWl.

My train from Shotton to Upton yesterday was a 150 as expected. Thankfully an authentic TfW example rather than a Northern loan.

It’s less than a 25 minute journey so I’d like to think you’d have survived 269 or 270 nevertheless. I’d certainly rather them used on that route than on Manchester Cardiff. They tend to stick them on Valleys circuits.

 

[317 forever]

Hence my inclusion of 80s. 70s for Borderlands and 80s for HoWl.

It’s less than a 25 minute journey so I’d like to think you’d have survived 269 or 270 nevertheless. I’d certainly rather them used on that route than on Manchester Cardiff. They tend to stick them on Valleys circuits.

What I mean is that, with Northern already being my local operator, the 150 being TfW rather than a loan from Northern made a more refreshing change.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

What I mean is that, with Northern already being my local operator, the 150 being TfW rather than a loan from Northern made a more refreshing change.

Yes, I can relate to that. I thought the same thing about catching the Northern examples on my usual uni commute from Cathays to Cardiff Ctl.

 

[DLAYKEGER]

Good to see the 230s keeping roughly to time all day todayy, whilst the 150s ran late today and could not catch up

 

[L401CJF]

Good to see the 230s keeping roughly to time all day todayy, whilst the 150s ran late today and could not catch up

Proving my earlier point that any delay on this line results in continuous delays for that unit all day regardless what unit it is!

 

[Peter Sarf]

Proving my earlier point that any delay on this line results in continuous delays for that unit all day regardless what unit it is!

That is my feeling to. The diagrams are too tight. I think the hope with the 230s is better acceleration so that the diagrams can be faster with more time spent at each end thus allowing for recovery. Some indication the 230s do accelerate faster than other units but I fear the station dwell times are longer because of the slowed down door opening.

 

[Dan G]

As has been demonstrated several times now, the 230s can keep to the timetable.

 

[DLAYKEGER]

As has been demonstrated several times now, the 230s can keep to the timetable.

It just seems the 230 reliability and less experienced train crews getting used to the train that are the issues now. Hopefully they can be used at the weekend soon

 

[Zontar]

It just seems the 230 reliability and less experienced train crews getting used to the train that are the issues now. Hopefully they can be used at the weekend soon

The reliability of these units is horrendous. They haven't gone a week without 2 failures minimum. As someone who wants them to work, you can't ignore the evidence. But more importantly, these have bee delayed 3 years trying to sort out these issues.....

 

[Invincible]

The reliability of these units is horrendous. They haven't gone a week without 2 failures minimum. As someone who wants them to work, you can't ignore the evidence. But more importantly, these have bee delayed 3 years trying to sort out these issues.....

COVID did affect service, also getting battery/diesel hybrid train working needs time.
Not sure if the Ford engines are new or old and refurbished?

 

[D365]

Not sure if the Ford engines are new or old and refurbished?

Or at all suitable for passenger rail applications. I had it in my head that Vivarail had swapped them out for Caterpillar engines, but apparently not!

 

[Peter Sarf]

Or at all suitable for passenger rail applications. I had it in my head that Vivarail had swapped them out for Caterpillar engines, but apparently not!

I too had read that somewhere. I think it might have been a proposal that died when Vivarail went into administration.

 

[FOH]

Or at all suitable for passenger rail applications. I had it in my head that Vivarail had swapped them out for Caterpillar engines, but apparently not!

See post 1886 Link

 

[D821]

Are the engines the main cause of 230 failures?

 

[Techniquest]

I finally got to sample a 230 today, and I loved it. My trip report will cover the day, but what happened with 230008 today?

I saw it in the morning parked up at Wrexham General, in a bay platform, but when I passed through in the evening it was gone.

My biggest gripe is the cycle space is not big enough, and there are no securing straps either. Other than that, I thought the 230s are great and I am keen to try them out again at some point I went in with low expectations but I was very pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

They don't half shift eh? More photos to come in the trip report thread later

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I finally got to sample a 230 today, and I loved it. My trip report will cover the day, but what happened with 230008 today?

I saw it in the morning parked up at Wrexham General, in a bay platform, but when I passed through in the evening it was gone.

My biggest gripe is the cycle space is not big enough, and there are no securing straps either. Other than that, I thought the 230s are great and I am keen to try them out again at some point I went in with low expectations but I was very pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

They don't half shift eh? More photos to come in the trip report thread later

I suppose anything’s an upgrade on a 150

 

[Techniquest]

I suppose anything’s an upgrade on a 150

Trust me, you'll like them too

 

[D821]

I finally got to sample a 230 today, and I loved it. My trip report will cover the day, but what happened with 230008 today?

I saw it in the morning parked up at Wrexham General, in a bay platform, but when I passed through in the evening it was gone.

008 was outside Birkenhead North depot when I was coming home tonight. It had a lantern in the cab window, I take it that's a sign of it being broke, or am I assuming wrongly?

 

[Techniquest]

008 was outside Birkenhead North depot when I was coming home tonight. It had a lantern in the cab window, I take it that's a sign of it being broke, or am I assuming wrongly?

Maybe it was involved in crew training?

It could also have temporarily swapped with the 150 that was on the line, that was running something like 16 late when I was at one of the stations today. Purposefully not revealing which one until my trip report!

 

[Zontar]

I finally got to sample a 230 today, and I loved it. My trip report will cover the day, but what happened with 230008 today?

I saw it in the morning parked up at Wrexham General, in a bay platform, but when I passed through in the evening it was gone.

My biggest gripe is the cycle space is not big enough, and there are no securing straps either. Other than that, I thought the 230s are great and I am keen to try them out again at some point I went in with low expectations but I was very pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

They don't half shift eh? More photos to come in the trip report thread later

Presumably you weren't on this train today then?

 

[D365]

I too had read that somewhere. I think it might have been a proposal that died when Vivarail went into administration.

See post 1886 Link

Thanks for the reminder - I really should "bookmark" that post.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Thanks for the reminder - I really should "bookmark" that post.

Yes. Re-reading that old post its all come back to me .

 

[L401CJF]

I finally got to sample a 230 today, and I loved it. My trip report will cover the day, but what happened with 230008 today?

I saw it in the morning parked up at Wrexham General, in a bay platform, but when I passed through in the evening it was gone.

If in the bay at General it is most likely crew training. 2 sets come off Birkenhead empty to Wrexham as a 6 car. They then split. One goes into the bays for static training, the other is used for practical training up and down the line stopping at stations etc.

008 was outside Birkenhead North depot when I was coming home tonight. It had a lantern in the cab window, I take it that's a sign of it being broke, or am I assuming wrongly?

They're always stabled with tail lamp lanterns on display in the window, I believe when they're fully shut down the tails go off. Merseyrails 507/8s are the same, however when stabled on their own network they just leave them with blank lights. When the 507/8s stable at Chester on p7 due to engineering etc, they pop the portable flashing tail lamps on each end.

 

[D821]

They're always stabled with tail lamp lanterns on display in the window, I believe when they're fully shut down the tails go off. Merseyrails 507/8s are the same, however when stabled on their own network they just leave them with blank lights. When the 507/8s stable at Chester on p7 due to engineering etc, they pop the portable flashing tail lamps on each end.

Thanks, I had wondered what the procedure was.

 

[Techniquest]

Thanks @L401CJF for that, that makes sense

@Zontar No, that was definitely not me. I was on the 1134 from Wrexham Central. Its inbound working appeared to be on time all the way down, and arrived with something like 3 minutes to turn around. On time (maybe a minute down by the time I got off, I didn't check too carefully) all the way on my journey.

 

[Zontar]

Thanks @L401CJF for that, that makes sense

@Zontar No, that was definitely not me. I was on the 1134 from Wrexham Central. Its inbound working appeared to be on time all the way down, and arrived with something like 3 minutes to turn around. On time (maybe a minute down by the time I got off, I didn't check too carefully) all the way on my journey.

Yes I said in jest!
Yesterday service over an hour late.....and can't see any explanation

 

[MotCO]

Yes I said in jest!
Yesterday service over an hour late.....and can't see any explanation

Not an hour late - just one diagram omitted

 

[CaergwrleKen]

And once again i have come here to say that it’s failed. Ive tried not to comment anymore because people think i’m being negative but it has failed every day this week. We can talk all day about if they can do the journey in time but they have to be reliable first don’t forget they don’t come out at all at the weekend either

 

[Zontar]

And once again i have come here to say that it’s failed. Ive tried not to comment anymore because people think i’m being negative but it has failed every day this week. We can talk all day about if they can do the journey in time but they have to be reliable first don’t forget they don’t come out at all at the weekend either

Agree with every word of this.