Class 172 Production Progress

[Crossforth]

I like the 172/3as well but I'm sorry, better than the front of a class 70? I know the 70 isn't the prettiest machine in the world but I can think of well uglier than the front of a froth!

Well yeah but I'm just on about new stuff now

70012 might look better after it's "accident"

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Well yeah but I'm just on about new stuff now

70012 might look better after it's "accident"

The way I see it, looking at the class 70s is like looking at Fiona Bruce

She isn't the prettiest woman to look at but you still wouldn't mind jumping into bed with her

Not that you would want to jump into bed with a class 70, I am just pointing that out!

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I prefer these lights

I detest these ones.

Although they look better on 375/377s than 357s and 170s

Agreed.

 

[Crossforth]

The way I see it, looking at the class 70s is like looking at Fiona Bruce

She isn't the prettiest woman to look at but you still wouldn't mind jumping into bed with her

Not that you would want to jump into bed with a class 70, I am just pointing that out!

All I can say is

 

[sprinterguy]

I’m very glad to see that an LM 172 is finally out and about for testing. I’m looking forward to London Midland getting them into service on the Snow Hill lines, and at long last long-suffering Northern can have their share of the spoils from the 150 cascade.

It’s very pleasing to see, for the first time in their twelve year production run, despite the fact that they’ve been a set feature on most of the Electrostars for years, a Turbostar with corridor connections! Perhaps there is hope for common sense in the rail industry after all!

Would it be reasonable to presume that at least some LM 172 diagrams will be in place from the May timetable change, or would that be asking too much from the spawn of Bombardier?

 

[fgwrich]

...or would that be asking too much from the spawn of Bombardier?

Probably!

We shall see how this copes! Whilst the Old Dalby test track has some form of a gradient, it's by far not as much as the likes of the Licky & Old Hill Bank...Now The Licky is fairly steep, but seeing how the 172s continue to be plagued by problems with the Mechanical Transmission, it’ll be interesting to see how they cope running up these two inclines! :roll:

 

[sprinterguy]

Probably!

We shall see how this copes! Whilst the Old Dalby test track has some form of a gradient, it's by far not as much as the likes of the Licky & Old Hill Bank...Now The Licky is fairly steep, but seeing how the 172s continue to be plagued by problems with the Mechanical Transmission, it’ll be interesting to see how they cope running up these two inclines! :roll:

The 172s shouldn’t see much of the Lickey in day to day service, though they will undoubtedly be tested down there as there is the occasional diagram that currently takes a 150 that way. On the other hand, Old Hill bank will be a regular challenge for the units, so it will indeed be interesting to see how they manage once introduced to the West Midlands terrain. Fingers crossed for a December 2011 introduction to service then...

 

[Kneedown]

Still wonder why on earth did Bombardier ever conceived the idea of bringing back Mechanical Transmission though???

Have to agree 100% there,
It's a complete mystery to me why electric transmission isn't the standard. Far better acceleration and top end, far more reliable, cheaper and easier to maintain, and it can be converted to ac overhead as and when lines get wired up!

 

[the sniper]

Have to agree 100% there,
It's a complete mystery to me why electric transmission isn't the standard. Far better acceleration and top end, far more reliable, cheaper and easier to maintain, and it can be converted to ac overhead as and when lines get wired up!

Well there's got to be some good reasons, otherwise, why would they have bothered...?

 

[Kneedown]

Well there's got to be some good reasons, otherwise, why would they have bothered...?

I live in hope that one day someone with the relevant professional knowledge will see fit to enlighten me! :-/

 

[NXEA!]

I live in hope that one day someone with the relevant professional knowledge will see fit to enlighten me! :-/

I have an idea that in TR UK it said the reason they used Mechanical Transmission was because with the stop-start nature of the services they're going to operate they will use less fuel or something along those lines. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, it was just an inkling. Just out of interest, wouldn't a mechanical Transmission unit have a higher acceleration?

 

[43021HST]

I like the 172/3as well but I'm sorry, better than the front of a class 70? I know the 70 isn't the prettiest machine in the world but I can think of well uglier than the front of a froth!

A class 70 has looks only its mother can love, I mean its creator

 

[route:oxford]

Didn't the 101s managed for 50 years fairly reliably with mechanical transmission?

I'm sure if a laden 3 car 101 (centre trailer) could manage up the queen street tunnels from a standing start with just 300hp in the rush hour, a 3 car class 172 should reach the top of the licky with 1455hp on tap.

 

[Pumbaa]

Well there's got to be some good reasons, otherwise, why would they have bothered...?

Reason?! ££££££££££££££££££ etc!

 

[the sniper]

Reason?! ££££££££££££££££££ etc!

I wondered that, but wouldn't it have been an additional cost for Bombardier, designing, testing and refining mechanical transmission, rather then sticking with the tried and tested hydraulic transmission?

 

[Pumbaa]

More to the point, it would be a hefty additional cost losing potential new orders when customers realise their 'new' products are sh*te!

 

[MCR247]

More to the point, it would be a hefty additional cost losing potential new orders when customers realise their 'new' products are sh*te!

How are they still in business then....?

 

[trains2064]

More to the point, it would be a hefty additional cost losing potential new orders when customers realise their 'new' products are sh*te!

I think the fact that they have built well over 1000 cars from the turbo/electrostar range shows a differant answer. 172 are a new design which is up to modern standards. Yes they will be one or two teething problems but the design is good and it was only a matter of time before some asked for a turbostar with corridor connections.

They are a good design which the customers will like and enjoy them. The customer on the Snow Hill lines see the 150's as dirty, old and expired. 172's will be New, fresh, clean and up to the standard of the 350's.

So the use of the word Sh*te is poor, unguided and in terms of Uk rail un educated.

 

[MCR247]

I think the fact that they have built well over 1000 cars from the turbo/electrostar range shows a differant answer.

But the delays of Bombardier stock also show a different answer. 377s Compared to 350/450s they definitely feel cheap.

 

[trains2064]

But the delays of Bombardier stock also show a different answer. 377s Compared to 350/450s they definitely feel cheap.

350/450 cost more, weigh more where as 17x products are the 3rd generation version compaired with 15x.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Yeh The users of trains on Snow Hill services have suffered from "Hand Me Down" rubbish for as long as I can remember. For once we will get something new, bring them on I say!!!

 

[Crossforth]

Yeh The users of trains on Snow Hill services have suffered from "Hand Me Down" rubbish for as long as I can remember

You mean like Northern Rail?

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Yeh you get our crap, but i'll travel on a 185 if you dont want them!!!

 

[ukrob]

Yeh you get our crap, but i'll travel on a 185 if you dont want them!!!

Northern don't have any 185s though....?

 

[the sniper]

Northern don't have any 185s though....?

Northerners do though.

 

[starrymarkb]

Yeh The users of trains on Snow Hill services have suffered from "Hand Me Down" rubbish for as long as I can remember. For once we will get something new, bring them on I say!!!

were the 150s not in a way a design for centro, who IIRC were offered Pacers and refused wanting something better, hence BR went back and came up with the Sprinter

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Wow got me!!!!!!
Shall we say trains serving the cities of the north of England with a bit of over Hadrians wall chucked in!!!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

were the 150s not in a way a design for centro, who IIRC were offered Pacers and refused wanting something better, hence BR went back and came up with the Sprinter

The SPRINTERS on the Snow Hill services are hand me downs from east midlands and yes who in there right mind would want a nodding donkey!

 

[jon0844]

Yeh The users of trains on Snow Hill services have suffered from "Hand Me Down" rubbish for as long as I can remember. For once we will get something new, bring them on I say!!!

But, as you know how the railway works, you may find they're stolen away at some point in the future!

 

[sprinterguy]

Yeh The users of trains on Snow Hill services have suffered from "Hand Me Down" rubbish for as long as I can remember. For once we will get something new, bring them on I say!!!

You've got to be kidding? As starrymarkb says, Centro received it's very own dedicated fleet of 150/1s for the Snow Hill lines in the late 80s, with the more usual fare of Pacers that many other PTEs further north were lumbered with refused as not being suitable. These form the majority of the Snow Hill lines' trains, and are available in large enough quantities for 16 three carriage trains to have been formed up from two carriage units, which is a luxury many other operators of 150s cannot afford.

 

[Sparks807Evo]

I love this! I can't wait to have these on the line. However my only moan is that the green top is too far up. It needs to be lower down as it looks quite weird at the moment! But everything else is bliss!