S Stock Deliveries - No longer Suspended

[trentside]

Deliveries of any further units of S Stock have been temporarily suspended while Bombardier make some modifications to improve reliability.

http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/metro/2011/12/20-transport-for-london-refuses-to.html

 

[Oswyntail]

What! Bombardier with reliability issues? Any idea what these are?

 

[trentside]

What! Bombardier with reliability issues? Any idea what these are?

I'm not completely sure - I believe there are some issues with the Correct Side Door Enable (CSDE) resulting in delayed door opening at certain stations.

 

[tsr]

I'm not completely sure - I believe there are some issues with the Correct Side Door Enable (CSDE) resulting in delayed door opening at certain stations.

Yep - I was on a service that was sat for about 20 seconds at Baker Street the other day while the driver tried to open the doors. Eventually they worked, but some pax started to get frustrated just by that much of a delay.

 

[Metroman62]

There are also times when it appears random sets of doors do not open at some stations. The trains can be set not to open doors at the ends, but sometimes doors in the middle do not open. From my experience of using them, the whole stopping and starting at stations seems slower than compared to A stock.

 

[anthony263]

Yes I have noticed this problem with the doors on the S stock particulary at Harrow on the hill when I was in London about a week ago.

 

[Schnellzug]

But at least they're British!

 

[Nym]

But at least they're British!

British in as much as something that is made by a division of a Canadian Company with their HQ in Germany yeah...

 

[RichmondCommu]

British in as much as something that is made by a division of a Canadian Company with their HQ in Germany yeah...

I think he was being facetious.

 

[12CSVT]

A stay of execution for the 'A' stock perhaps ?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I think not, sadly.

This is only a short suspension - I think it might have already been lifted as I'm sure there was a delivery last week - the 20s were present at Neasden last Friday morning and then ran in their usual return path.

 

[317 forever]

This is quite a shock happening to such modern stock, particularly as 2009 stock was delivered and put into service efficiently. I was considering going to Harrow in the 2nd quarter of 2012 and ride an S class train but it might be best to wait until later in the year.

Not all Underground stock is perfect. We have only to remember the premature withdrawal of 1983 stock, especially the 2nd batch from 1987-88.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I wouldn't postpone; you'll still find an S Stock operating every few minutes. They haven't been grounded.






Pity really. The A Stocks are much more comfortable...

 

[Dstock7080]

What! Bombardier with reliability issues? Any idea what these are?

"S8 train delivery to London remains temporarily suspended, although one train was delivered during the early hours of 15 December. This was in order to supplement our existing A and S Stock fleet and ensure there are sufficient numbers of trains to operate the new Metropolitan Line timetable, which started on 12 December. No more S8 trains will be delivered to London in the immediate future; deliveries will recommence once there is confidence of significantly improved performance.
Of the current reliability problems, a key one concerns levelling valves. Excessive movement between the car body and bogie is causing over-rotation of this valve, resulting in continuous venting. Even when this occurs, trains can still safely run in service, by means of deflating the local air suspension; this will stop the unexpected noise detected by Train Operators as a result of the over-rotation. Although this means the train is then running on emergency springs within the air bag and the ride will be slightly firmer, there are absolutely no safety concerns around operating the train in passenger service. However, a solution has been sought to rectify the overall problem and trials are currently being carried out to establish if a new design of valve will provide a solution. In addition, the latest train software modification is being loaded on to all of the S8 trains in London the impact should be to resolve several of the more minor issues recently experienced."

 

[swtandgw]

British in as much as something that is made by a division of a Canadian Company with their HQ in Germany yeah...

British as in the fact that it is built at the last remaining rolling stock factory in the UK with BREL heritage (via ABB's acquisition, then later, Adtranz, before the latter's acquisition by Bombardier).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

21025/6 was delivered a few days ago.



--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


21035/6 is en route tonight.....

 

[317 forever]

I do know the date I am likely to ride an S class train for the first time: Saturday June 23rd. Depending on what buses I ride, I shall ride the S class train from Northwood, Uxbridge or Ruislip back to Baker Street, or preferably King's Cross. Does anyone know which branch uses S class stock the most? (I could of course just ride one from Harrow-on-the-Hill and keep my wait short).

 

[TheJRB]

I do know the date I am likely to ride an S class train for the first time: Saturday June 23rd. Depending on what buses I ride, I shall ride the S class train from Northwood, Uxbridge or Ruislip back to Baker Street, or preferably King's Cross. Does anyone know which branch uses S class stock the most? (I could of course just ride one from Harrow-on-the-Hill and keep my wait short).

By then, most of the service on the Metropolitan line will be S Stock and you'd be more hard pushed to find an A than an S. I believe it's already about 50/50 between the two stocks without preference to any branch as far as I know.

 

[Dstock7080]

By that time the split would more likely be 90/10 in favour of S Stock.

 

[NY Yankee]

Has anyone else been on it? If so, how was the experience. If/when I visit England next year, the first thing I will do is head over to the Metropolitan line and ride the S Stock.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

S stock isn't a patch on the A stock in my eyes, I'm really not a fan of the former. For the start, the inside looks (is?) 100% plastic, and the layout is terrible (though good for crowded trains). Though for a different line, the 2008 Vic stock is a much better addition to the LUL family.

I personally really wouldn't make it the first thing I did if I was visiting London, there's several better rail-related things you could do in London (and on the Underground).

 

[MCR247]

S Stock:
- They doors still always scare the **** out of me hock:
- Acceleration seems average? Maybe that was just the drivers and not the train?
- Probably could do with a bit more 2+2 seating
- Very bright interior
- The lights on the inside don't fit in with the modern interior IMO dunno why


Don't really see the problem with a plastic interior?

 

[ChristopherJ]

Has anyone else been on it? If so, how was the experience. If/when I visit England next year, the first thing I will do is head over to the Metropolitan line and ride the S Stock.

The S stock are wonderful trains, they couldn't of came a moment too sooner - the Metropolitan was in desperate need of modernisation.

The A60/62 are now approaching 50 years and they're starting to show their age, they're really slow and rickety in comparison to other stock on the Underground. I do admit that they have a unique character attached to them - full speed on a fast Amersham service in the bouncy transverse seats is without a doubt just as exhilarating as any fairground pleasure ride.

I travel daily between Liverpool Street - Baker Street and always wait for the Metropolitan Line purely to have a few final trips on the A60/62 stock before withdrawal, presently from experience the current ratio of A60/62 v.s S8 ratio is approximately 40/60 or about 2/3 of the service.

Here's what I traveled on last week:

Monday: A60/62 out / S8 return
Tuesday: A60/62 out / S8 return
Wednesday: S8 out / S8 return
Thursday: S8 out / A60/62 return
Friday: A60/62 out / S8 return

Unless there is a mass stampede of S8 in introductions before you arrive in England, a few minutes at Baker Street will definitely be rewarded with either stock.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Don't really see the problem with a plastic interior?

Well, compared to the old A stock it is a bit of a stark contrast. The A stock is getting on and I have to admit it needs replacing, but there's something with the S stock that makes me still favour the A stock.

 

[Dstock7080]

Has anyone else been on it? If so, how was the experience. If/when I visit England next year, the first thing I will do is head over to the Metropolitan line and ride the S Stock.

If you come next year, S Stock will be providing the full service on the Metropolitan Line and part of the H&C service.

 

[CP165]

S Stock:
- They doors still always scare the **** out of me hock:
- Acceleration seems average? Maybe that was just the drivers and not the train?
- Probably could do with a bit more 2+2 seating
- Very bright interior
- The lights on the inside don't fit in with the modern interior IMO dunno why


Don't really see the problem with a plastic interior?

Surely the 'average' acceleration is because there are still A-stock trains running on the same lines? Any fast acceleration would cause S-stock trains to catch up with A-stock trains and mess up the timetable. When the last A-stock ceases to operate surely then S-stock drivers will take advantage of the acceleration of a brand new train, even more so when ATO eventually comes along.

Cheers

 

[TheJRB]

- Acceleration seems average? Maybe that was just the drivers and not the train?

Surely the 'average' acceleration is because there are still A-stock trains running on the same lines? Any fast acceleration would cause S-stock trains to catch up with A-stock trains and mess up the timetable. When the last A-stock ceases to operate surely then S-stock drivers will take advantage of the acceleration of a brand new train, even more so when ATO eventually comes along.

Cheers

As far as I know, the S Stock is actually capped in performance to match the A Stock and the same will apply when they are rolled out on the H&C, Circle and District lines (to the C and D Stocks). In fact if I remember correctly, very little will change until the signalling is upgraded.

 

[jon0844]

If you come next year, S Stock will be providing the full service on the Metropolitan Line and part of the H&C service.

If they haven't fallen to bits by then.

 

[TomJ93]

Any clue to how easy an A will be to snag on may Day?

 

[Dstock7080]

Any clue to how easy an A will be to snag on may Day?

If you mean Mon 7 May there will be no services Baker Street - Aldgate. Otherwise a Saturday service will operate.
Normally 35 trains are required for a Saturday service and this weekend the split was 27/8 in favour of S Stock.