Merseyrail 777 introduction

[nilvaj395]

I suppose more mpvs could make a difference but then you need the drivers to operate them of youre doing more trips.
The general rule for most tocs where a failure occurs is for the train behind to assist. You could in theory have a rescue locomotive instead but if a train is failed and blocked in by others as generally happens getting any locomotive to site isn't easy.

The only real way to avoid ice problems with third rail is to box it in or make it side contact, the costs would be very very high to achieve that.

I realise the situation around rescuing with blocked up trains, more so now you mentioned it. It was very much a speculative thing. I suppose we can blame the people many many many years ago for giving us top contact third rail before any other option came around.

I thought about having stronger batteries on existing units than just the shunt ones, but then it comes into the high cost of those batteries and maintenance and replacement so that is not viable either.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

Was out this evening and caught the 2201 from Port Sunlight in lightly falling snow. Running on time with no issues. The biggest problem the crewe were having seemed to be with snow sticking to the external body side CCTV cameras ... All though these days that could no doubt cancel services.

 

[MR-507508]

Has an 8 car 777 ever ran on the Wirral line yet?
I understand, there have been no passenger 8 car workings yet. I notice all the 8 car stop boards are in place at each station ready.

 

[jamesst]

Has an 8 car 777 ever ran on the Wirral line yet?
I understand, there have been no passenger 8 car workings yet. I notice all the 8 car stop boards are in place at each station ready.

Passenger service no, empty stock yes

 

[MR-507508]

Passenger service no, empty stock yes

As part of the testing of 8 cars on the Wirral? When?
I don't recall any Wirral ECS moves which are 8 car.

 

[Pacef8]

I think it was after midnight i recall .

 

[jamesst]

As part of the testing of 8 cars on the Wirral? When?
I don't recall any Wirral ECS moves which are 8 car.

Testing, after rescuing failed units and a couple of random moves has been it as far as 8cars on the Wirral are concerned

 

[Polarbear]

Noted that 777017 has been running around for a few days with minimal lights in one of the middle cars!

It’s a bit of an experience on the underground sections (and no doubt after dark too).

Are Merseyrail so short of available sets that they need to operate units in service with significant defects?

 

[M28361M]

Has an 8 car 777 ever ran on the Wirral line yet?

As I understand it, Hamilton Square is one of the stations that requires SDO so until that is sorted no 8-cars can run in passenger service on any branch of the Wirral Line.

Noted that 777017 has been running around for a few days with minimal lights in one of the middle cars!

It’s a bit of an experience on the underground sections (and no doubt after dark too).

I've been on a 777 in service where the daylight sensors didn't seem to be working, so the main lights weren't turning on when running in tunnels. We only had the "mood lighting" (sorry don't know what the proper term; it's the lights above the windows that project upwards onto the ceiling).

As an aside, does anyone find the lights going on and off quite annoying? I know its to save energy but personally I'd rather have a constant light level. It doesn't help that with the main lights off it's a bit too gloomy inside, in my opinion.

In other news, the May 2026 timetable for Merseyrail is now in Realtime Trains. It is showing Hunts Cross-Southport reinstated, but that is pretty meaningless as that has happened before and it always changes again at short notice. Let's see if it actually happens this time!

 

[WirralLine]

As an aside, does anyone find the lights going on and off quite annoying? I know its to save energy but personally I'd rather have a constant light level. It doesn't help that with the main lights off it's a bit too gloomy inside, in my opinion.

I agree, really annoying and makes them seem very dull.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It strikes me as very German. But given how little power LEDs use, it does make one wonder if it's actually worth it. My whole house's lighting circuit uses about 0.5A with all the lights on. That's nothing compared to moving the thing.

 

[FrontSideBus]

It wouldn't be so bad if it was a slow fade in and out instead of abruptly switching on and off.
Some units that I've been on have had terrible lighting, loads of dark spots behind the diffusers where the LED modules have failed. Some whole segments were at reduced brightness compared with the others.

 

[jamesst]

As I understand it, Hamilton Square is one of the stations that requires SDO so until that is sorted no 8-cars can run in passenger service on any branch of the Wirral Line.


I've been on a 777 in service where the daylight sensors didn't seem to be working, so the main lights weren't turning on when running in tunnels. We only had the "mood lighting" (sorry don't know what the proper term; it's the lights above the windows that project upwards onto the ceiling).

As an aside, does anyone find the lights going on and off quite annoying? I know its to save energy but personally I'd rather have a constant light level. It doesn't help that with the main lights off it's a bit too gloomy inside, in my opinion.

In other news, the May 2026 timetable for Merseyrail is now in Realtime Trains. It is showing Hunts Cross-Southport reinstated, but that is pretty meaningless as that has happened before and it always changes again at short notice. Let's see if it actually happens this time!

The Hunts Cross line is scheduled to close at some point for the new station build so I wouldnt take much notice of that!

 

[nilvaj395]

It wouldn't be so bad if it was a slow fade in and out instead of abruptly switching on and off.
Some units that I've been on have had terrible lighting, loads of dark spots behind the diffusers where the LED modules have failed. Some whole segments were at reduced brightness compared with the others.

This for sure, I wish it faded. Maybe dimmable LEDs were substantially more to LCR...

 

[urbophile]

The Hunts Cross line is scheduled to close at some point for the new station build so I wouldnt take much notice of that!

The whole line? For how long?

 

[karlbbb]

The whole line? For how long?

Between Hunts Cross and Central yes.

Given the amount of work needed to get the site of the old St James station up to scratch and ready for Liverpool Baltic is significant, so I believe it could be closed for months.

 

[Northerngirl]

I think it was after midnight i recall .

I have seen them daytime testing from Hooton to Birkenhead Central, probably late spring last year

 

[jamesst]

The whole line? For how long?

It was meant to be starting this month for a large period of the year with all trains turning at Liverpool Central, yet to hear anything more about it though.
The slab track is also due for renewal between Moorfields and Leeds Street at some point aswell which will mean Sandhills turnbacks and bidirectional workings, that work appears to of been delayed.

 

[karlbbb]

It was meant to be starting this month for a large period of the year with all trains turning at Liverpool Central, yet to hear anything more about it though.
The slab track is also due for renewal between Moorfields and Leeds Street at some point aswell which will mean Sandhills turnbacks and bidirectional workings, that work appears to of been delayed.

They could do with finalising these works and get them announced. There'll be a lot of disgruntled people if they're left to fend for themselves at short notice, or be stuck with a RRB for the best part of a year.

EDIT: I've opened a dedicated thread under Infrastructure (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/liverpool-baltic-station-opening-planned-late-2027.297243/) for talk of Liverpool Baltic construction.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Jan 2026 ==

Noted that 777017 has been running around for a few days with minimal lights in one of the middle cars!

It’s a bit of an experience on the underground sections (and no doubt after dark too).

Are Merseyrail so short of available sets that they need to operate units in service with significant defects?

Still in service today with a whole carriage of defective lights. The rest of the train is unaffected so this wouldn't appear to be a daylight sensor bug.

 

[Lloyds siding]

I've been tipped off two trains over the last few days when they failed on journeys to Chester.

When about to depart from Chester, the announcement is 'This train is for Liverpool Central. The next station is Moorfields'.

The train this evening at Chester was in darkness with no display: 'It's being rebooted' another passenger advised me. After ten minutes, we were ready to depart, ran semi-fast from Hooton to Birkenhead Central to regain time.

I've travelled in the train with only background lighting on in one carriage. Another train had one of the carriages with no destination display on the side.

A further glitch is displaying 'Not in Service' on the side displays. I assume that this prevents incorrect announcements.

There were several cancellations today (luckily these did not affect me) and doors out of action too.

All in all, reliability is still poor.

 

[baldyman26]

The PIS is dreadful, it has been from day 1 and isn't getting better. It's almost like they've accepted mediocre and living are with it. They've clearly lost the receipt!

 

[jamesst]

The PIS is dreadful, it has been from day 1 and isn't getting better. It's almost like they've accepted mediocre and living are with it. They've clearly lost the receipt!

The PIS is awful.
The Chester line is trialling a slightly different set up on the PIS, its seeing slight improvements but certain units seem to do what they want!!

 

[RichardAsh1981]

The Chester line is trialling a slightly different set up on the PIS

I thought it had changed in subtle ways recently! I would say an improvement, but I have certainly seen all of the oddities other posters have listed.

For a long time Chester direction services used to miss-announce Bromborough Rake as Bromborough (the subsequent stop), much to the confusion of passengers.

 

[baldyman26]

The PIS is awful.
The Chester line is trialling a slightly different set up on the PIS, its seeing slight improvements but certain units seem to do what they want!!

I've not been on the Chester line for a while. What's different?

 

[jamesst]

I've not been on the Chester line for a while. What's different?

Its no longer working off headcodes which were a big cause of problems. It does mean the loss of timings on the internal maps though

 

[Nexus1]

I was on the 11:01 out of Chester a few days ago. The internal screens shown the time of departure from Chester as 6am but just before we left Chester it updated and shown the correct departure time.

However oddly enough both the onboard screen and announcements, announced that the train was approaching Capenhurst despite the service not being timetabled to stop there. It also announced that the train was at Capenhurst as it passed through the station

 

[RichardAsh1981]

Its no longer working off headcodes which were a big cause of problems. It does mean the loss of timings on the internal maps though

Interesting. The train I am on now (2C49 which RTT shows as 777021) is showing internal maps with timings, and they are correct.

Although it does announce "the next station is ...." just as the doors open at the previous station, which can be a shock if you aren't paying attention.

 

[MR-507508]

777007 appears to have re-entered service, following a period of absence.
777004, 041 and 047 remain out of action and have done for some time now.

 

[Sam 76]

777007 appears to have re-entered service, following a period of absence.
777004, 041 and 047 remain out of action and have done for some time now.

Is that over 12 months since 004 was last in service now ?

 

[Liverpool 507]

Is that over 12 months since 004 was last in service now ?

Well over 12 months.

What’s the reason for 777041 and 777047 being long term stopped? For new trains it is pretty poor that 777004 is still a spare parts donor.