Class 325's working again on third rail?

[lumitumey12345]

Could it be possible to see these units working again on third rail territory?

 

[wickham]

They used to work to Tonbridge Postal Platform which is situated on a loop next to the down main line, the loop is still used mainly for non-passenger traffic so movements still take place through the platform although the Postal Station intself is disused. Do these units still have third rail equipment ? I suspect that the shoes may have been removed to avoid being knocked off, but is the dc equipment isolated or disconnected, or possibly even removed ?

 

[D7666]

Do these units still have third rail equipment ? I suspect that the shoes may have been removed to avoid being knocked off, but is the dc equipment isolated or disconnected, or possibly even removed ?

There is very little in the way of DC equipment on 325s. They are the same principle as 319s; indeed they are 319s in drag.

On 25 kV AC there is gubbins to transform rectify convert to 750 V DC for input to the traction pack; but all there is on the DC is a cable (the TPL, traction power line) direct to the same traction pack, apart from that cable there is nothing to remove in the way of "DC equipment". Unless they have done something dopey like remove the cab changeover switch, but that would no be difficult to reinstate.

Whether 325s ever work on DC again is simply down to Royal Mail business needs, and will ebb and flow, or not at all.

 

[Steve Harris]

There is very little in the way of DC equipment on 325s. They are the same principle as 319s; indeed they are 319s in drag.

On 25 kV AC there is gubbins to transform rectify convert to 750 V DC for input to the traction pack; but all there is on the DC is a cable (the TPL, traction power line) direct to the same traction pack, apart from that cable there is nothing to remove in the way of "DC equipment". Unless they have done something dopey like remove the cab changeover switch, but that would no be difficult to reinstate.

Whether 325s ever work on DC again is simply down to Royal Mail business needs, and will ebb and flow, or not at all.

What about the 3rd Rail collector shoes ?

 

[D7666]

What about the 3rd Rail collector shoes ?

It had already been correctly suggested above my post those have been removed, and was quoted in my post, so there was no need to further repeat it; I was replying to the DC equipment question other than the shoes.

 

[Steve Harris]

It had already been correctly suggested above my post those have been removed, and was quoted in my post, so there was no need to further repeat it; I was replying to the DC equipment question other than the shoes.

Suggested, but not confirmed. So yes there was a need to repeat it, so you could confirm it. Thank you.

 

[ExRes]

Some units had had their shoes removed before I stopped driving them in 2000, naturally those units were rostered for the Tonbridge job on more then one occasion, I also had one unit that the shoes on one side had been removed from by untamped ballast on its way south to Willesden, this caused a slight problem when I was stopped at a red just before Kensington Olympia and the conductor rail was the same side as the missing shoes ....... "Hello Signaller, Hello Control, I have a problem ....."

 

[D365]

The AC/DC changeover circuitry has not been modified in any way, I don’t remember though what happens if a driver would attempt to change to DC.

 

[D7666]

Some units had had their shoes removed before I stopped driving them in 2000, naturally those units were rostered for the Tonbridge job on more then one occasion, I also had one unit that the shoes on one side had been removed from by untamped ballast on its way south to Willesden, this caused a slight problem when I was stopped at a red just before Kensington Olympia and the conductor rail was the same side as the missing shoes ....... "Hello Signaller, Hello Control, I have a problem ....."

There was a phase during WCML PUG where load carrying 325s were dragged on MML; they - or at least those units that were dragged this way - had no shoes for those workings as the route is not shoegear cleared *** north of Bedford. That was late 1990s; I won't say use of MML 325s eaxctly aligned with the same dates as MML 'Rio' but were around the same period. Anyway, my "late 1990s" aligns with your "before 2000".

*** Obviously south of Bedford it was/is for 319/700 non retractable shoe gear, but if I do not say that now someone will come along and start "but what about 319s and 700s ...................

 

[43096]

There was a phase during WCML PUG where load carrying 325s were dragged on MML; they - or at least those units that were dragged this way - had no shoes for those workings as the route is not shoegear cleared *** north of Bedford. That was late 1990s; I won't say use of MML 325s eaxctly aligned with the same dates as MML 'Rio' but were around the same period. Anyway, my "late 1990s" aligns with your "before 2000".

*** Obviously south of Bedford it was/is for 319/700 non retractable shoe gear, but if I do not say that now someone will come along and start "but what about 319s and 700s ...................

As a date reference, Project Rio was May 2003 to September 2004.

 

[D7666]

As a date reference, Project Rio was May 2003 to September 2004.

Ahh thank you .... my memory suggests the MML 325s were earlier than that, but I might be wrong, hard to think all that is already 20-25 years ago.

 

[ExRes]

There are two photos on Flickr of 47739 hauling 92012 and 325011/003/012 on the MML dated 26th August 2003, I must have been off that day as I don't remember this happening at all, either that or I was suffering brain fade from too many Rio trips

 

[D7666]

There are two photos on Flickr of 47739 hauling 92012 and 325011/003/012 on the MML dated 26th August 2003, I must have been off that day as I don't remember this happening at all, either that or I was suffering brain fade from too many Rio trips

In that case my memory is flawed - like i said 2-025 years ago now.

I do not remember 92 at Luton on MML though not at all at all. But I have found those images.

This one

47739 92012 East Hyde 26-8-03 (031011)

A combination I'm unlikely ever to see again! 47739 "Resourceful" leads 92012 and a set of three 325 units, with 1A98 Warrington to Willesden PRDC

www.flickr.com

at East Hyde is about 2 miles from my home. Missed that then

 

[Strathclyder]

While not strictly relevent to the topic at hand, we simply can't forget the time two 325s went wayyyy off piste and made it to Fort William behind 66728 in February 2010. If I recall correctly, it was to do with gauge clearences prior to GB taking over the North Blyth Alcans from DBS, but am open to correction on that. The northernmost point any Mk3-based EMU has ever reached too if I'm not wrong. In terms of sheer bonkers-ness, this working is up there with the best of them imho.

66728 County March

66728 nears County March Summit with 4Z97 Fort William Alcan-Polmadie

www.flickr.com

(66728, 325002 & 325008 approach County March Summit headed from Fort William to Polmadie - 14th February 2010. Image copyrights remain with David Ross)

 

[sprinterguy]

While not strictly relevent to the topic at hand, we simply can't forget the time two 325s went wayyyy off piste and made it to Fort William behind 66728 in February 2010. If I recall correctly, it was to do with gauge clearences prior to GB taking over the North Blyth Alcans from DBS, but am open to correction on that. The northernmost point any Mk3-based EMU has ever reached too if I'm not wrong. In terms of sheer bonkers-ness, this working is up there with the best of them imho.

66728 County March

66728 nears County March Summit with 4Z97 Fort William Alcan-Polmadie

www.flickr.com

(66728, 325002 & 325008 approach County March Summit headed from Fort William to Polmadie - 14th February 2010. Image copyrights remain with David Ross)

Purely geographically, I think Aberdeen is slightly further north than Fort William, where 325005 found itself with Cotswold Rail's 47200 in July 2005.

Though I tend to agree that Fort William, and the West Highland line in general, is the most unlikely location a 325, or Mk3-based EMU of any kind, has ended up in the UK. I thought, in the WHL example, the pair of units were to simulate a load for handling purposes during driver training, though might well be wrong myself.

 

[Strathclyder]

Purely geographically, I think Aberdeen is slightly further north than Fort William, where 325005 found itself with Cotswold Rail's 47200 in July 2005.

Ah yes, totally forgot about that occurrence. Now that you've jogged my memory enough to dig a bit deeper, the G8 summit at Gleneagles on 6th-8th July restricted air movements, so the mail had to go by rail. GBRf hired in 47200 from CR for the two workings in question on 6th-7th July: 1Z95 19:30 Shieldmuir - Aberdeen Guild Street and 1Z96 11:30 return the next day.

Though I tend to agree that Fort William, and the West Highland line in general, is the most unlikely location a 325, or Mk3-based EMU of any kind, has ended up in the UK. I thought, in the WHL example, the pair of units were to simulate a load for handling purposes during driver training, though might well be wrong myself.

That's what I'm likely thinking is far more likely, as 'gauging trial' implies they would be getting dragged up there on the regular.