Class 379 Miscellanea

[Tottenham Flyer]

Well, I can say it - the Brimsdown and Enfield Lock area is the badlands of Hertfordshire

Ah, I'll have to do some checking on who the ex SE host now driver is then

I've forgotten her name, but her nickname was Fergie. That must be 10 years ago.....

There's a lot of drivers that used to be hosts. I think I've worked out who you mean though.

Anyway, back on topic: the last two 379's (002 & 030) are due to arrive at Ilford next Tuesday. Sorry but I don't have any timings. If I find them out, I'll post them.

 

[jon0844]

Don't I know how bad it was.. if you think about the people in cars (or on foot) that cause misery to the railway - imagine the poor sods who lived nearby and met these people every day.

I lived nearer Enfield town, but still used to go down there quite a lot and it was like another world.

 

[STN commuter]

Anyway, back on topic: the last two 379's (002 & 030) are due to arrive at Ilford next Tuesday. Sorry but I don't have any timings. If I find them out, I'll post them.

How's the driver training going?

For the first time this week I have had a 379 morning and evening (0615, 1655), this morning was back to a 317/7, but I suspect that was because a 379 computer decided to have a lay-in

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

How's the driver training going?

For the first time this week I have had a 379 morning and evening (0615, 1655), this morning was back to a 317/7, but I suspect that was because a 379 computer decided to have a lay-in

I don't quite know what's going on in that respect- until next Wednesday, Stansted services are booked to run with 2 8 car 317's, and 7 8 car 379's. I was told due to driver availability, they would be on permanent diagrams so the roster clerks could work out easier who to put where to avoid drivers waiting on platforms to then say they don't sign the traction. But this week, the 317's seem to have swapped diagrams. The diagrams that start with the 0540 (returns to Ilford at night) and the 0655 (comes out of Ilford in the morning) used to be 317's but they've been swapped over to 379's. I don't remember what diagrams the 317's were on today, except that they were on consecutive diagrams.

Driver training I understand to be progressing well. Still quite a few to get trained up though.

 

[STN commuter]

There's a lot of drivers that used to be hosts. I think I've worked out who you mean though.

I remembered on the way home. Alexis - but you probably already figured that out

 

[Kingfisher200262]

Are you on 054?! Or is it coincidence that the A/C broke in that Coach C a few days ago?! Weird

I wasn't on 054, that is unless Alstom decided to give the new trains that "shabby chic" look, to fit in with the existing fleet.

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

I remembered on the way home. Alexis - but you probably already figured that out

I was actually thinking of Starsky.

I see Alexis most days. Lovely lady.

 

[STN commuter]

I was actually thinking of Starsky.

I see Alexis most days. Lovely lady.

Long gone are the days when Alexis used to get on the train and give us all a lot of grief

Funnily enough I was talking to Gill the StanEx host on the way home this evening and Starsky's name came up too

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

379002 & 030 have arrived at Ilford and are now in traffic. Today (11/8) they are working (from now):

0940 Liv St - Stansted
1045 Stansted - London
1155 London - Stansted
1300 Stansted - London
1410 London - Stansted
1515 Stansted - London
1625 London - Stansted
1730 Stansted - London
1840 London - Stansted
1945 Stansted - London
2055 London - Stansted
2200 Stansted - London
2254 London - Ilford Depot

 

[jopsuk]

That's now all in service yes? So only thing standing in the way of the 12 car services is the Cambridge and Broxbourne platform works?

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

That's now all in service yes? So only thing standing in the way of the 12 car services is the Cambridge and Broxbourne platform works?

That's the booked 27 out of 30 units in service.

12 car operation starts in December but from what I understand, will be Kings Lynn trains only (between London & Cambridge) and vice versa.

I don't know when they plan to lengthen the platforms at Broxbourne- so maybe this is where the SDO will come in?

 

[jopsuk]

Someone here posted the planning application (approved), needed listed-buildings consent. Can't remeber which thread though. The files here show the 12 car peak services (one or two are a bit broken, such as the PM Liverpool Street one). AM, it's (from Cambridge):
0648 (starts Cambridge)
0718 (start kings Lynn)
0748 (Start Cambridge)
PM, from liverpool Street:
1707 (To Kings Lynn)
1737 (to Cambridge)
1807 (to kings Lynn)

None of them appear to stop at Broxbourne or Harlow Town- it appears calling pattern is Cambridge, Whittlesford Parkway, Audley End, Bishops Stortford, Tottenham Hale, London Liverpool Street (and reverse in the peaks)

 

[STN commuter]

379002 & 030 have arrived at Ilford and are now in traffic. Today (11/8) they are working (from now):

0940 Liv St - Stansted
1045 Stansted - London
1155 London - Stansted
1300 Stansted - London
1410 London - Stansted
1515 Stansted - London
1625 London - Stansted
1730 Stansted - London
1840 London - Stansted
1945 Stansted - London
2055 London - Stansted
2200 Stansted - London
2254 London - Ilford Depot

For anyone that cared (read: was stupid enough) to get up early today, 002/030 in fact ran as the 0615 ex SSD - I was on it

I guess it would therefore have run:

0615 Stansted - London
0725 London - Stansted
0830 Stansted - London

Then as per your list

How's the driver training going?

We had a very interesting trainee driver this morning - he is Welsh, but his accent is deep south USA!

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

For anyone that cared (read: was stupid enough) to get up early today, 002/030 in fact ran as the 0615 ex SSD - I was on it

I guess it would therefore have run:

0615 Stansted - London
0725 London - Stansted
0830 Stansted - London

Then as per your list

How's the driver training going?

We had a very interesting trainee driver this morning - he is Welsh, but his accent is deep south USA!

You're absolutely right; and it's journey before was 1B04 0510 London - Stansted (and before was 5B04 some unearthly hour from Orient Way).

I was watching when your train pulled in this morning, and it was obvious that there was a trainee driver on it but I didn't see who it was, nor do I recognise the description.

Driver training is progressing (slowly!) and that's all I really know. I know the roster clerks for Chingford, and especially for Bishops Stortford and Cambridge drivers are having a horrible time of it at the moment juggling all the drivers around to make sure all the 379 jobs are covered with a driver that signs the stock.

 

[STN commuter]

I was watching when your train pulled in this morning

I must know you, or at least by sight

I've not seen or heard the trainee before (once heard, not forgotten), he must be new.

 

[es373]

I dont really see this new stock come into Orient Way.

Only seen it once as it was rolling past temple mills and I was out on track walk, What is the light shining up at the panto? Is it some sort of camera or something?

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

I dont really see this new stock come into Orient Way.

Only seen it once as it was rolling past temple mills and I was out on track walk, What is the light shining up at the panto? Is it some sort of camera or something?

The 379's only go into Orient Way at night.

The light shining towards the pan is indeed to aid a camera.

 

[es373]

Oh I see. So is the driver able to view the camera image for the pantograph? Also why would such a thing be needed on a domestic service? Or is it because Panto faults are quite common with them guys?

Excuse the questioning but I am quite interested in this stock. Thinking about it I should have asked a NXEA depot driver who got on the staff bus this afternoon!

 

[Kingfisher200262]

Oh I see. So is the driver able to view the camera image for the pantograph? Also why would such a thing be needed on a domestic service? Or is it because Panto faults are quite common with them guys?

Excuse the questioning but I am quite interested in this stock. Thinking about it I should have asked a NXEA depot driver who got on the staff bus this afternoon!

Class 379 is one of the first fleets to be fitted with infrastructure monitoring equipment. The principle is that scheduled trains collect data for Network Rail, rather than Network Rail needing to put out so many infrastructure monitoring trains itself.

The idea is that more data gets collected, more frequently and in this way, trends can be established that can be used to predict the need for maintenance interventions and plan for them.

Regarding the panto equipment specifically, I think the camera just records, so that in the event of there being a problem, the footage can be reviewed to establish the root cause. I don't think the driver has access to this view in real time, but others here probably know more about that than me.

 

[jopsuk]

as well as the pantograph one, they've got a downward facing one at the cab ends to record the track. I assume only the one at the front in the direction of travel is used, as this too has a fairly powerful white light?

 

[317666]

And considering the OHLE on the West Anglia looks fairly old, it would probably be a good idea to monitor it more regularly so that it's better maintained.

 

[STN commuter]

Class 379 is one of the first fleets to be fitted with infrastructure monitoring equipment. The principle is that scheduled trains collect data for Network Rail, rather than Network Rail needing to put out so many infrastructure monitoring trains itself.

The idea is that more data gets collected, more frequently and in this way, trends can be established that can be used to predict the need for maintenance interventions and plan for them.

Regarding the panto equipment specifically, I think the camera just records, so that in the event of there being a problem, the footage can be reviewed to establish the root cause. I don't think the driver has access to this view in real time, but others here probably know more about that than me.

Due to the lunatic way we run our train system, i.e. one organisation to operate the track and infrastructure and many organisations to run trains, it also serves to try and apportion blame as to who is responsible when a unit pan brings the OHL down

as well as the pantograph one, they've got a downward facing one at the cab ends to record the track. I assume only the one at the front in the direction of travel is used, as this too has a fairly powerful white light?

They aren't allowed to show a white light to the rear (or red to the front, one 379 at least has already fallen foul of this), so they switch ends and only use the white lights at the front and red at the rear, according to the direction of travel

 

[Kingfisher200262]

17.40 St-Ex departure from Liverpool Street (379110 + 379114) painfully slow between Tottenham Hale and Broxbourne, with two unplanned stops. PA announcement - pre-recorded - apologising for the delay due to a slower service on front of ours.

It's a bit of an admission of failure if you are so resigned to fast trains being delayed by slower ones that you put a pre-recorded announcement in the PA!

 

[Aictos]

17.40 St-Ex departure from Liverpool Street (379110 + 379114) painfully slow between Tottenham Hale and Broxbourne, with two unplanned stops. PA announcement - pre-recorded - apologising for the delay due to a slower service on front of ours.

It's a bit of an admission of failure if you are so resigned to fast trains being delayed by slower ones that you put a pre-recorded announcement in the PA!

That's forward thinking that is!

 

[Kingfisher200262]

That's forward thinking that is!

LOL, true enough!!

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

17.40 St-Ex departure from Liverpool Street (379110 + 379114) painfully slow between Tottenham Hale and Broxbourne, with two unplanned stops. PA announcement - pre-recorded - apologising for the delay due to a slower service on front of ours.

It's a bit of an admission of failure if you are so resigned to fast trains being delayed by slower ones that you put a pre-recorded announcement in the PA!

I remember when I went to Ilford Depot for my vehicle familiarisation on the 379's, I sat in the cab and started playing around with the announcements. There are loads of different recording programmed into the system from all sorts of delay reasons to train evacuation.

 

[Kingfisher200262]

I remember when I went to Ilford Depot for my vehicle familiarisation on the 379's, I sat in the cab and started playing around with the announcements. There are loads of different recording programmed into the system from all sorts of delay reasons to train evacuation.

Fair comment. Hopefully that's an announcement that we won't hear too often, although I'm not holding my breath, especially on the Tottenham Hale - Broxbourne section!

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

Fair comment. Hopefully that's an announcement that we won't hear too often, although I'm not holding my breath, especially on the Tottenham Hale - Broxbourne section!

You'll know about it when it goes off. There's a really loud alarm that I wasn't expecting, and it goes on for what seems like ages. The chap from Bombardier thought it was funny but I couldn't wait for it to shut up.

The Tottenham Hale to Broxbourne section isn't all that bad. What would be really good is if the Natives would stop knocking the level crossing barriers off and understand why the level crossings are there!

 

[jon0844]

Wasn't this one of the announcements played on a 378 that was recorded and put on YouTube (as if the driver had put it into demonstration mode). It read out every single possible announcement!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct9COwWu69k

I think they've covered just about everything! 'Is there a doctor onboard?'

Interesting that it has 'This is coach number' and 'This is car number', so operators can even pick and choose.

 

[Peter Sarf]

As a rough idea of progress with the 379s I saw 22 class 379s in action out of the total of 30. These were all in pairs between 19:05 and 21:30 at Harlow Mill on Thursday 25/08/2011. The 379s after 20:36 were repeats so there were 22 units in 81 minutes after the evening peak !. Some might be on test but maybe there would have been more in the peak or less/none ?.

Thats at least 001-007, 011-017, 019, 020, 022, 024, 025, 027-029 in action.

Having travelled on some 379s before I must say they are rather nice. I am fairly happy with 377s and 375s. I feel the 379s are nicer than desiros which seem to have a very sterile interior, not very cosy.

Details :-
19:08 S 379022 & 379014
19:13 N 379002 & 379003
19:16 S 379006 & 379024
19:19 N 317722
19:24 N 317884 & 317886 to Cambridge
19:27 S 379007 & 379011
19:30 N 379015 & 379016
19:34 N 317652 to kings Lyn
19:35 S 317665 & 317510 to Liverpool Street
19:43 N 379019 & 379027
19:45 S 379020 & 379021
19:47 N 317503 & 317507 to Cambridge
19:58 S 379003r& 379002r (seen 19:13)
20:01 N 379005 & 379017 to Stansted Airport
20:07 N 379013 & 379012 to Cambridge
20:07 S 317668 & 317667
20:11 N 379025 & 379029 to Stansted Airport
20:14 S 379016r& 379015r (seen 19:30)
20:16 N 317515
20:22 S 317722r (seen 19:19)
20:26 N 317505 & 317502
20:28 S 379027r& 379019r (seen 19:43)
20:33 N 379014r& 379022r to Cambridge (seen 19:08)
20:36 S 379028 & 379004
20:36 N 379??? & 379??? missed it ! (probably 379024 & 379006).
20:44 S 379017r& 379005r (seen 20:01)
20:53 S 317503r& 317660 (503 seen 19:47)
20:56 N 379011r& 379007r (seen 19:27)
20:58 S 379029r& 379025r (seen 20:11)
21:00 N 317510r& 317665r to Cambridge (seen 19:35)
21:09 N 379001r& 379020r (seen 19:45)
21:14 S 317502r& 317505r (seen 20:26)
21:16 N 317653
21:20 S 317515r (seen 20:16)
21:24 S 317626?& 317624? to Liverpool Street
21:26 S 379006r& 379024r (seen 19:16 & 20:36?)
21:27 N 379002r& 379003r (seen 19:13 & 19:58)

r = repeated (i.e seen earlier).
N = Northbound (Down, towards Stansted/Cambridge)
S = Southbound (Up, towards London)
Destinations were mainly from front of trains.
The destinations seem to be seldom shown on 379s - perhaps only when the unit is stopping ?.
We were in the carpark on the UP side.