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GWR Class 230 Information, Movements & Discussion.
- Thread starter FGW_DID
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RailUK Forums
The usual band of YouTubers and industry freeloaders, no doubt.
Anonymous10
Established Member
Industry freeloaders?
Yeah Network Rail desk jockeys (of which there are many, many, many) and RSSB mainly
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GWR aren't saying this publically and I've no idea why given the interest, but after Saturday 31st January and 7th February, it won't then be running 14th and 28th February, and 7th March, due to some possessions or something which means it can't stay at West Ealing sidings. So in fact in February and March it's probably going to spend more time standing idle than it was in the previous 22 months of non-passenger service.....
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Because the comms got a bit confused
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Yeah Network Rail desk jockeys (of which there are many, many, many) and RSSB mainly
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
GWR aren't saying this publically and I've no idea why given the interest, but after Saturday 31st January and 7th February, it won't then be running 14th and 28th February, and 7th March, due to some possessions or something which means it can't stay at West Ealing sidings. So in fact in February and March it's probably going to spend more time standing idle than it was in the previous 22 months of non-passenger service.....
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Because the comms got a bit confused
That's interesting, it does make you question why they are launching it now then rather than waiting until after the works are done.
Purple Train
Established Member
Will it be running on the 21st February, do you know, please? I'll be in London that day, hopefully with a bit of time to kill...
I'd love to make it tomorrow, having missed the 230s completely on the Marston Vale line, but I'm not usually very good at short notice!
Should be running Sat 21/02, usually disclaimers apply
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
Well there goes my chance to get it!
Maybe next year if it lasts that long.
That thought had crossed my mind too...
Purple Train
Established Member
Thank you
Kite159
Veteran Member
Especially the first train of the day which I suspect on a normal Saturday would probably be carrying fresh air
Given the number of "new" DMUs sitting around awaiting repair (the TfW are the ones that I see) I would think that this thing, with so many fewer moving parts, is much more likely to outlast them.
Maybe.
I know they aren't entirely the same, but TFW haven't been having much luck with theirs and neither did LNWR, I'm just not convinced these conversions are a suitable long term solution to anything.
Warrior2852
Member
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2018
- Messages
- 318
Do the doors still make that distinctive locking noise at the end of them closing that they made back when they were D Stock?
From my ride in them today the doors seem VERY slow to open , they open more quickly when you give them a push though.
They're stored in Long Marston IMCR yard alongside the unconverted D stock.
They have the three that were used on the Marston Vale line, but as I understand it the other two would need an awful lot of work to bring into a serviceable condition.
DavidGrain
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Dec 2017
- Messages
- 1,488
The three used on the Marston Vale line (230003/4/5) are all stored at Long Marston. This one (230001) that GWR have worked on was a demonstrator never before used in public scheduled service.
Same as on the Isle Of Wight stock then, what is the reason for slowing the doors to a glacial pace?
Purple Train
Established Member
Well, I managed a quick detour today to grab the unit on the 21.15 from West Ealing and 21.30 return. As usual, I have made all the least helpful findings, available below...
- First impressions are good. The unit feels more spacious than it is, and the surgical whiteness of its surfaces will no doubt be dimmed by use.
- The seats are firm, but not uncomfortable. Not that it matters much on a 10-minute shuttle.
-The unit lost a couple of minutes in each direction. Presumably once they start to become familiar in service, they'll be better at keeping time - unless it simply got tired at the end of the day
-The headrests are monogrammed with what appears to be an Intercity Swallow, which seems on the optimistic side.
-The toilet is spacious, but is in a state already. This must be some sort of record.
-The door cycle is very slow. The door opening chime sounds for five seconds. The door closing chime sounds for ten seconds. (As measured at Drayton Green. I only measured it once, so this may have been an outlier.)
-The little trick where holding down the door button opens the door immediately does work, as it does on the 165s. However, the door cycle is so slow that tight connections are a mug's game anyway, although I did make mine.
-From the inside, the train is very quiet when decelerating and coasting, silent when coasting at low speeds, and slightly noisier when accelerating.
-The ride is very smooth.
Overall I think it's a perfectly adequate unit for 2026, and if they were ever to build more to increase the resilience of the Turbo fleet, I wouldn't say no. I like the 165s and both they and this 230 have their pros and cons, but overall I'm quite impressed.
A selection of photographs are attached, which mostly illustrate the above points but also include the informative stickers inside on the unit's history. I'm still not entirely sure how to describe them properly without embedding them, so forgive me please, moderators, if I have erred. (My old phone refused to attach photos, and I'm still getting used to the capabilities of this one.)
- First impressions are good. The unit feels more spacious than it is, and the surgical whiteness of its surfaces will no doubt be dimmed by use.
- The seats are firm, but not uncomfortable. Not that it matters much on a 10-minute shuttle.
-The unit lost a couple of minutes in each direction. Presumably once they start to become familiar in service, they'll be better at keeping time - unless it simply got tired at the end of the day
-The headrests are monogrammed with what appears to be an Intercity Swallow, which seems on the optimistic side.
-The toilet is spacious, but is in a state already. This must be some sort of record.
-The door cycle is very slow. The door opening chime sounds for five seconds. The door closing chime sounds for ten seconds. (As measured at Drayton Green. I only measured it once, so this may have been an outlier.)
-The little trick where holding down the door button opens the door immediately does work, as it does on the 165s. However, the door cycle is so slow that tight connections are a mug's game anyway, although I did make mine.
-From the inside, the train is very quiet when decelerating and coasting, silent when coasting at low speeds, and slightly noisier when accelerating.
-The ride is very smooth.
Overall I think it's a perfectly adequate unit for 2026, and if they were ever to build more to increase the resilience of the Turbo fleet, I wouldn't say no. I like the 165s and both they and this 230 have their pros and cons, but overall I'm quite impressed.
A selection of photographs are attached, which mostly illustrate the above points but also include the informative stickers inside on the unit's history. I'm still not entirely sure how to describe them properly without embedding them, so forgive me please, moderators, if I have erred. (My old phone refused to attach photos, and I'm still getting used to the capabilities of this one.)
Attachments
On transfer to GWR, 230003/4/5 were originally held at Reading TCD, ostensibly for staff training. They very rarely turned a wheel, took up valuable siding space and the only time they left the depot was when they were shipped off by road to join the rest of the D stock in ”storage”.
britishrail375
Member
Perhaps the drivers aren't too familiar with it yet. I remember the train having to awkwardly coast at a very low speed whilst stopping at what I believe was South Greenford, with one of the GWR ticket staff saying "he's [presumably the driver] buggered it". Hopefully over time the drivers can make smoother stops as they get more used to the 230s-The unit lost a couple of minutes in each direction. Presumably once they start to become familiar in service, they'll be better at keeping time - unless it simply got tired at the end of the day
Yes, I also thought that the stops were rather odd, especially when seated in the rear carriage. New (old) train woes.Perhaps the drivers aren't too familiar with it yet. I remember the train having to awkwardly coast at a very low speed whilst stopping at what I believe was South Greenford, with one of the GWR ticket staff saying "he's [presumably the driver] buggered it". Hopefully over time the drivers can make smoother stops as they get more used to the 230s
Apologies for my ignorance here. I'm trying to fit in a visit, but it would have to be quite early or late on a Saturday. Is it known whether the very last services (e.g. the 21:45 from West Ealing) are still operated by the 230? Obviously I realise there's always a chance of a change and so on.
It’s the entire day of services operated by the 230 provided there are no issues with it
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Theyw ere always like that - one reason (as well as being single-leaf) they were withdrawn from the District Line before they were lie-expired.
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Diamond Geezer has alerted us that maintenence work on the main line on 14th and 28th Feb and 7th March will make the sidings at West Ealing innaccessible, trapping the 230. Not obvious from GWR's website, as the shuttle will still run on those dates, but using a 165.
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some excellent findings and very nice photos!