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

[CaergwrleKen]

Just heard that it’s failed at Buckley this afternoon , fortunately the last two trips are buses anyway because the 230s can’t do them with their current regime

 

[Zontar]

So within the bounds of how TfW are employing them, the 230s are working fine.

Half a days service then swapping it out?
Seems a bit pathetic, but hey, if customers are getting a more consistent service you can't knock it.

 

[childwallblues]

Travelled on the 1009 from Liverpool Central to Bidston yesterday. On Birkenhead North EMU Depot were three Class 230s assumed to be 007 009 and 010. At Bidston 230008 was in service but running 18 minutes late. I alighted at Shotton High Level, the train being 19 late there.
If ever a station needed lifts it is Shotton High Level. Lets hope that any planned future rebuild will include these.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What future lies ahead for 230 006?

 

[CaergwrleKen]

Half a days service then swapping it out?
Seems a bit pathetic, but hey, if customers are getting a more consistent service you can't knock it.

But the point is they aren’t. The reliability is still poor plus the 2055 and 2255 from Bidston are now a permanent bus replacement because the 230 has to go to Birkenhead so they aren’t even covering a full day with two units. It’s a sad state of affairs.

As for 006 last time i heard the the crews they said it was a long way away from service needing repairs

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Travelled on the 1009 from Liverpool Central to Bidston yesterday. On Birkenhead North EMU Depot were three Class 230s assumed to be 007 009 and 010. At Bidston 230008 was in service but running 18 minutes late. I alighted at Shotton High Level, the train being 19 late there.
If ever a station needed lifts it is Shotton High Level. Lets hope that any planned future rebuild will include these.

008 in service again today but supplemented by a 150 rather than a classmate. I understand that's become rather common now, which is frustrating as the Sprinters are being pushed enough as it is at the moment. As a result of them doing almost all of today's Gloucesters and Ebbw Vales and largely covering for MK4s and 175s on North South services, 197/0s are stretching to cover many Birmingham services between Holyhead and Chester, and consequently Llandudno Manchesters and Holyhead Cardiffs are churning out 2 carriage CAFs instead of 4.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jun 2023 ==

Edit: It looks like Wrexham Central has lost its 0935 to Bidston due to a fifteen minute late arrival at General on the inbound service.

 

[Zontar]

But the point is they aren’t. The reliability is still poor plus the 2055 and 2255 from Bidston are now a permanent bus replacement because the 230 has to go to Birkenhead so they aren’t even covering a full day with two units. It’s a sad state of affairs.

As for 006 last time i heard the the crews they said it was a long way away from service needing repairs

What I mean is that although it's still as awful as you describe, I'm trying to be positive and it's improved slightly!!

Agree still a line way off an acceptable service....

 

[CaergwrleKen]

What I mean is that although it's still as awful as you describe, I'm trying to be positive and it's improved slightly!!

Agree still a line way off an acceptable service....

It appears to have gone missing again this morning trains cancelled

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2023 ==


the afternoon train also ended up failing so that’s a double failure what a shambles

 

[Zontar]

It appears to have gone missing again this morning trains cancelled

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2023 ==


the afternoon train also ended up failing so that’s a double failure what a shambles

Sorry. I've jinxed it again

 

[tomuk]

Lee Waters the deputy climate change Minister took a trip out yesterday to find out peoples views on the ground
Shropshire Star: Frustrated Transport for Wales train passengers get to vent problems at deputy minister

Frustrated Transport for Wales train passengers get to vent problems at deputy minister

A Welsh Government deputy minister has heard from a regional train company's passengers about some of the problems they have been experiencing.

www.shropshirestar.com

 

[CaergwrleKen]

According to times it’s failed again at Buckley. Sorry to report again i got bored with it but there we go

 

[Pacef8]

You have to really feel for the passengers ! So frustrating.

 

[L401CJF]

230010 failed this afternoon on 2J84 (I think?). Departed Bidston 20+late, 40 late by Buckley, declared a failure and cancelled along with its following return trip. It eventually rolled into General around an hour late and was taken out of service. Also disrupted the 150 behind.

Unsure on the exact reason.

 

[TheSel]

I've heard a rumour that there's a plan afoot regarding mitigating the appalling state of affairs Borderlands Line.

I've looked for train times at Neston (purely as an example), during the period Monday - Friday 26-30 June, and both Real Time Trains and TfW's own website suggest there are no services at all during that period, and yet the National Rail website gives no indication of planned engineering works.

Has anyone any ideas what's going on?

 

[Peter Sarf]

I've heard a rumour that there's a plan afoot regarding mitigating the appalling state of affairs Borderlands Line.

I've looked for train times at Neston (purely as an example), during the period Monday - Friday 26-30 June, and both Real Time Trains and TfW's own website suggest there are no services at all during that period, and yet the National Rail website gives no indication of planned engineering works.

Has anyone any ideas what's going on?

Only a guess but with reports that a lot more 197s are to be accepted soon (following successful SDO 4car trials) there might be enough spare in the system for both diagrams to be worked by a 150 soon.

Below taken from the "CAF Civity for TfW...." thread

So just to clarify there should be a total of 38 units (27 2 car and 11 3 car) in service very soon including the 15 we currently have?

That's huge. A massive step up and nearly half of the total order of 77 in total.

and

38 units is more than the entire class 175 fleet of 27 units (16x3, 11x2).
So you can see why the plan is to retire the 175s imminently.

 

[Invincible]

Only a guess but with reports that a lot more 197s are to be accepted soon (following successful SDO 4car trials) there might be enough spare in the system for both diagrams to be worked by a 150 soon.

Below taken from the "CAF Civity for TfW...." thread

and

Reliability and risk of overheating of the 230's diesels should improve at the end of the pollen season (and there might be a long term solution?).
I expect DfT and TfW will want to continue to run and improve battery hybrid technology with the 230s and 777/1 trains for future use.
So doubt if 230 operation will cease?.

 

[Zontar]

One theory.....

197s doing a flyer service
150 doing a stopper service

230s parked until they get the fast charge system that gwr are now testing. This will eliminate the genset issues.

 

[Krokodil]

Only a guess but with reports that a lot more 197s are to be accepted soon (following successful SDO 4car trials)

SDO trials? 4 car 197s have been used at short platforms on numerous occasions. What trials were needed before more units were accepted?

(and there might be a long term solution?).

Sims?

So doubt if 230 operation will cease?.

They've thrown so much money at them that they won't want to lose face now.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

SDO trials? 4 car 197s have been used at short platforms on numerous occasions. What trials were needed before more units were accepted?

In order to sign off Shrewsbury - Crewe direct for passenger service. Not linked to the acceptance issues as far as I know.

 

[L401CJF]

In order to sign off Shrewsbury - Crewe direct for passenger service. Not linked to the acceptance issues as far as I know.

Presumably due to the fact ASDO platform lengths were specifically altered for training runs between Crewe and Shrewsbury? I know some stops were put in as 1 coach only etc for training/testing purposes despite in reality fitting 2 (or more).

Personally as much as I like the 230s, and considering how they'd settled down initially during the first few weeks, they need to be pulled off and replaced with a 150 until the issues can be properly sorted I think.

 

[stottyuk]

230008 on 2J52 0833 Bidston - Wrexham Central

230007 on 2F54 0832 Wrexham Central - Bidston


230010 on 3T72 trainer run

 

[Zontar]

230008 on 2J52 0833 Bidston - Wrexham Central

230007 on 2F54 0832 Wrexham Central - Bidston


230010 on 3T72 trainer run

Wow. 2 units all day?

 

[L401CJF]

Wow. 2 units all day?

Seems to be the case at the moment!

 

[DLAYKEGER]

At least they have enough crew to run two x 230s.
Shame about the odd cancellation during the day and the full service tonight

 

[Zontar]

Services suspended this afternoon as both units failed. What did they think was going to happen?

 

[DLAYKEGER]

Services suspended this afternoon as both units failed. What did they think was going to happen?

So sad, but I can"t risk using the service until something is sorted

 

[142 007]

Oh dear....

Realtime Trains | 2F78 1434 Wrexham General to Bidston | 20/06/2023

Real-time train running information for 2F78 1434 departure from Wrexham General to Bidston on 20/06/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[CaergwrleKen]

Services a complete mess today cancellations or delay to the whole service, something has got to be done

 

[L401CJF]

Services a complete mess today cancellations or delay to the whole service, something has got to be done

The cancellations between General and Central this evening are due to the police dealing with an incident between the 2 stations.

A quick look shows 008 in service now which is running right time. The other unit is 009 which is around 11 late - it got held on the previous journey outside General for a while then routed into 3 and terminated due to the above incident.

Not looked at the rest of the day however so don't know how they've been this morning!

 

[185143]

The cancellations between General and Central this evening are due to the police dealing with an incident between the 2 stations.

A quick look shows 008 in service now which is running right time. The other unit is 009 which is around 11 late - it got held on the previous journey outside General for a while then routed into 3 and terminated due to the above incident.

Not looked at the rest of the day however so don't know how they've been this morning!

008 has had a good afternoon so far.

Boarded 007 at Hawarden earlier, about 8 late. Annoyingly they held us outside Bidston for a Merseyrail service and missed 007, which started late from Bidston.