There have never been more than 23 on the same day, but that has been acheived for five weekdays in a row now.
On a positive note 92% availability for a new fleet that is still being introduced is pretty respectable - hats off to all involved!
Pardon my ignorance but is the testing cycle you refer to the same as fault free running? If it’s different, how long does it take assuming no further problems?
Better than you'd expect for an established fleet and a tall order for a new fleet to achieve!
Very true - its is a good reliability figure even for a bedded in fleet.
.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Why do they go round the Kingston Loop rather than the direct route via East Putney? Is there a right way round and a wrong way round for them? Or are locos not allowed on that route?
Yes and no, the cycle is what all units that become passenger service competent will do. Various tests, then used on trial runs and driver training and then when ready deemed passenger ready, this may have been tweaked lately to expedite the process but its pretty much what all the current passenger running units have done, nothing new.
I assume it means less conflicting moves.
As units that are not accepted for passenger service they need to be positioned in the Maintenance section of Wimbledon depot, the East depot (London end, Earlsfield side of Durnsford Road bridge) in the first instant.
There is no direct route from Latchmere Junction onto the SWML down tracks. You would either have to route into the Clapham Junction sidings and reverse towards Waterloo and then reverse again onto the SWML down, or route towards Queenstown Road, and then reverse on the SWML. both of which would seriously mess with the large amount of services on the SWML.
Quite right. Such a route would never be considered in the planning sense for moves such as those in question. As I touched on, the route off the WLL would be down the Windsor Slow line and turn left via East Putney, Southfields and in to the depot at Wimbledon Park station, but again as said, a 10 car plus loco is, I believe too long (within depot limits) for that to work, in addition to the excessive time such a shunt would take within what is a very busy depot.
Thanks. I was not 100% sure that there was even a suitable link onto the down SWML from Latchmere Junction (ie from the Willesden direction). If there was then the impact would be on the entirety of the routes to/from Waterloo !.
Indeed. Having watched proceedings at Wimbledon depot there are times the depot/sidings entrance appears quite likely to be operating at its limits.
Having joined a District line train at East Putney for Wimbledon last Thursday morning, we got caught behind a simple Class 450 movement from Waterloo to Wimbledon Depot via Point Pleasant Junction. We had to wait 5 minutes at East Putney after the 450 had passed, and a further 5 minutes between Earlsfield and Wimbledon Park whilst the 450 entered the depot. By the time we made it to Wimbledon, then next two district line trains were right behind us.
That (via Earlsfilel) is not what I was suggesting, and is not possible anyway as there is no link to the SWML from the West London Line except via the Windsor Lines or via Tooting. Other posters have explained why Point Pleasant/east Putney is impractical
Thanks. I thought it mighht be soemthing like that, but hadn't appreciated that the train wouold be too long - I assume a 10-car unit on its own (sans locomotive and barriers if any) could enter the depot from that direction though?
To be clear I was assuming barrier vehicles as well - should have made that clear. 10 car EMU and 12 car on their own, can and do enter the depot via Wimbledon Park station (LUL) entrance, thence run via one of the reception roads to gain access to No 1 or 2 washer roads.
I assume you mean Southfields !
Typing too quick. Yes Southfields
not normally any barrier vehicles on deliveries like this.. just loco +10
There’s should be another unit coming out from long marston later today, 47727 on the way now
Yes - although in the 2 weeks prior to this one, it switched to a 701 from Tues onwards (I think!)
Yes, I really wasn't expecting a new one next week.