Could feel the effects of this today, I'm scheduled to get a Portsmouth via Winchester service later today, RTT shows a 4 car 450 on both my outward and return journeys, is this likely to be full to the brim?
I'm not exactly sure but it seems people got in yesterday evening - I couldn't tell you what it's called since I just hear about these things through the grapevine
There hasn't been any indication of a future use for the 458s.
It's more just that the priorities for which route will get 701s. The 458/4s will probably be the last stock to be replaced by 701s, whereas initially the Windsor Lines were planned to get 701s early on.
Do you think maybe the 458/4s will be eventually used as a way of retiring some of the 455s once the 701s have covered the fleet spots which were operated by the 458/5s?
Reading line seems to have 4 tph today, that's double what it is normally!
Do we know which line is the priorty for the 701s is it still windsor? Or has to changed?
Standard for ascot isn't it? I think there's gonna be a lot of services pulled from elsewhere later to crowdbust wembley, London stadium, ascot and twickenham
That's normal for Royal Ascot. Been like that since Tuesday. After the last race today it ramps up to 6tph.
Well indirectly they are. 701s will be used to replace 455s directly, but this will happen sooner than originally planned as the 458/4s will be running on Weybridge and Hounslow Loop services, whereas in the initial plan the 701s would have been deployed to these routes early on. Some of the 450s freed up by the 458/4 introduction in the short term will also be used to replace 455s.
The initial diagrams will still be focused largely on Windsor. 701s are also cleared to operate on the Hounslow Loop though. The next phase should see a service via Hounslow, potentially within the next few weeks. Shepperton is also likely to see them early on in the programme.
Progress!
If it is as currently being suggested although it will technically be progress, it won't really appear like it. Things should start moving with training soon though and then there will be some real progress.
Guessing the outer depots like woking farnham and guildford are still quite away from seeing them then?
Heard there were still a few issues with training which were found during the trial back early this month hence why it isn't ready to be commissioned. Hopefully that gets sorted soon
Hopefully they're minor tweaks which don't need another trial, review and further tweaks!
To make it more on topic I'll add that I've just seen 701060 under it's own power through Micheldever
Was on board 701036 yesterday both for one of the earlier services and the last. The only thing I can report is when leaving Putney, it seemed to suddenly come to a halt and then have trouble moving, going very slowly to the next station, so I'm not sure if there was some sort of fault there.
That was a good run though - seven consecutive working days. Only beaten by 043's nine days in April/May
Infra issue. Nothing wrong with the unit
