Class 345 progress

[AC47461]

One was out on Saturday 24th June at Shenfield. Came in about 12.35pm and left just after 1pm after a visit to the new stabling sidings. Left from platform 4.

 

[simple simon]

The fuel gauge in your car has a nice simple arrow saying which side the nozzle needs to go in - surely it's not beyond the whit of man to have the PIS showing something similar.

◀️ London Liverpool Street
Seven Kings ▶️

On stations where the platform might not be known until very late you could have

Romford
which then turns into
Romford ▶️
as the platforms become known?

(no idea which side the doors will open in these stations - simply examples)

I very much like the concept of showing arrows pointing to which side the doors will open at the next station. So much better than spoken words!

The image below shows this concept in action - on the Berlin S-Bahn. I took that photo about a dozen years ago. Its long overdue in London.

Simon

 

[AM9]

I very much like the concept of showing arrows pointing to which side the doors will open at the next station. So much better than spoken words!

The image below shows this concept in action - on the Berlin S-Bahn. I took that photo about a dozen years ago. Its long overdue in London.

Simon

Unless you have impaired vision.

 

[D365]

Unless you have impaired vision.

IIRC they provide an accompanying announcement.

 

[Techniquest]

Similar happens in Brussels on the Metro too, and I'm sure it does on trams there too. I'm not sure about Stockholm but it *might* be there as well.

 

[AM9]

IIRC they provide an accompanying announcement.

True but it was really a comment on simple simon's words:

"So much better than spoken words!"

 

[D365]

True but it was really a comment on simple simon's words:

"So much better than spoken words!"

Ah I didn't see that.

 

[MatthewRead]

One was out on Saturday 24th June at Shenfield. Came in about 12.35pm and left just after 1pm after a visit to the new stabling sidings. Left from platform 4.

So what would be my chances of getting a ride on one this Saturday?

 

[TEW]

So what would be my chances of getting a ride on one this Saturday?

Looks like one trip planned this Saturday: 1206 Liverpool Street-Shenfield and 1305 Shenfield-Liverpool Street. They really are very easy to spot on RTT. Just look for the 2Zxx headcodes.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea.../15/0200-0159?stp=S&show=all&order=wtt&toc=XR

 

[spark001uk]

2Z04/5/6/7 all cancelled today, problem with the unit.

 

[Mojo]

Are the trains being dispatched using the existing DOO mirrors/monitors or is the new track to train CCTV operational?

I noticed that every station seems to have these new cameras (photo attached) and what looks like a leaky feeder along the edge of the platform. Is this for the track to train CCTV or something else, as I noticed them fitted at places like Gidea Park which has train dispatch staff?

 

[hwl]

Are the trains being dispatched using the existing DOO mirrors/monitors or is the new track to train CCTV operational?

I noticed that every station seems to have these new cameras (photo attached) and what looks like a leaky feeder along the edge of the platform. Is this for the track to train CCTV or something else, as I noticed them fitted at places like Gidea Park which has train dispatch staff?

The leaky feeder is for the track to train CCTV.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Metro Report is saying on Twitter that TfL have increased the order from 66 to 70 345s

https://twitter.com/MetroReportInt/status/885520886555660289

Transport for London is to increase the order for Bombardier EMUs for the Crossrail Elizabeth Line from 66 to 70 units

I wonder if they are planning on increasing the service or think they will need more trains to operate the same service (or a mix)

 

[wls1]

I believe the service to reading and maidenhead will be increased off peak to match the current services i believe, Reading 4tph and 6tph at Maidenhead.

 

[matt_world2004]

Metro Report is saying on Twitter that TfL have increased the order from 66 to 70 345s

https://twitter.com/MetroReportInt/status/885520886555660289



I wonder if they are planning on increasing the service or think they will need more trains to operate the same service (or a mix)

Isnt this for the terminal 5 service

 

[D365]

For service increases to both Reading/Maidenhead and Heathrow I imagine.

I believe there was an option for 18 additional units on the original order of 65. By my calculations that's another 12 units to bring in if needed.

 

[swt_passenger]

I believe the service to reading and maidenhead will be increased off peak to match the current services i believe, Reading 4tph and 6tph at Maidenhead.

That may have been overtaken by recent events. The increased number of services west of Paddington proposed back in March was assumed at the time to be extra Maidenhead and Reading services, but then it has just been announced that 2 tph extra will be serving Heathrow T5.

So it depends if you believe these were separate proposals, or the same proposal in more detail...

It is now quite possible that Reading/Maidenhead will stay as originally planned, as 2 and 4 tph respectively.

 

[matt_world2004]

That may have been overtaken by recent events. The increased number of services west of Paddington proposed back in March was assumed at the time to be extra Maidenhead and Reading services, but then it has just been announced that 2 tph extra will be serving Heathrow T5.

So it depends if you believe these were separate proposals, or the same proposal in more detail...

It is now quite possible that Reading/Maidenhead will stay as originally planned, as 2 and 4 tph respectively.

According to lr there are increased reading services too.

 

[swt_passenger]

According to lr there are increased reading services too.

Maybe, but LR have been wrong before. Didn't a recent article start off by saying HEx would be moving to the reliefs, before it was amended.

TfL's March proposals already mentioned there would be a requirement for four additional units, and that was before Heathrow T5 was ever mentioned...

 

[matt_world2004]

Maybe, but LR have been wrong before. Didn't a recent article start off by saying HEx would be moving to the reliefs, before it was amended.

TfL's March proposals already mentioned there would be a requirement for four additional units, and that was before Heathrow T5 was ever mentioned...

I believe the article stated that it was a long term objective of network rail to get hex onto the reliefs. Not that there was a definite plan for hex to be on the reliefs. I believe the original article stated that. rolling stock increase of four trains was more than required to provide the additional services to Reading. I believe the additional reading services also come at the expense of the west drayton terminators.

The reading line is quite crowded. A service reduction of 2tph by running less gwr services to provide more services to terminal 5 would be unacceptable.Especially as the heathrow loadings are quite low

https://www.londonreconnections.com/2017/final-result-crossrail-heads-terminal-5/

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I wonder what will happen to the H'row 360s? :neutral:

 

[samuelmorris]

I believe the article stated that it was a long term objective of network rail to get hex onto the reliefs. Not that there was a definite plan for hex to be on the reliefs. I believe the original article stated that. rolling stock increase of four trains was more than required to provide the additional services to Reading. I believe the additional reading services also come at the expense of the west drayton terminators.

The reading line is quite crowded. A service reduction of 2tph by running less gwr services to provide more services to terminal 5 would be unacceptable.Especially as the heathrow loadings are quite low

https://www.londonreconnections.com/2017/final-result-crossrail-heads-terminal-5/

No through services from the GEML beyond Paddington at all in the peak now? I'm really not sure about that. Although 10tph vs 8 will certainly be nice, the rest of what I hear about the changing nature of Crossrail's timetable is leaving me increasingly disappointed.

 

[matt_world2004]

No through services from the GEML beyond Paddington at all in the peak now? I'm really not sure about that. Although 10tph vs 8 will certainly be nice, the rest of what I hear about the changing nature of Crossrail's timetable is leaving me increasingly disappointed.

Its an extra 2.5 minutes to your journey time to stations beyond paddington.(probably less once you factor in the more frequent train service.

 

[samuelmorris]

By that notion, so might be changing at Stratford onto the Central line to go to Tottenham Court Road instead of using a direct train. If I have to get to Ealing Broadway and change at Paddington, I may as well go upstairs and get on an empty 387 rather than wait in what will be a very busy underground station for an already busy 345 to turn up. Bit by bit the direct connections promised in Crossrail are disappearing and it's becoming ultimately, an extra tube line with separate railways at each end, which is really what we already have. There comes a point where they may as well have just built the central section and terminated it at each end.
A bit melodramatic perhaps, but where is this going to end?

 

[matt_world2004]

By that notion, so might be changing at Stratford onto the Central line to go to Tottenham Court Road instead of using a direct train. If I have to get to Ealing Broadway and change at Paddington, I may as well go upstairs and get on an empty 387 rather than wait in what will be a very busy underground station for an already busy 345 to turn up. Bit by bit the direct connections promised in Crossrail are disappearing and it's becoming ultimately, an extra tube line with separate railways at each end, which is really what we already have. There comes a point where they may as well have just built the central section and terminated it at each end.
A bit melodramatic perhaps, but where is this going to end?

Except you will have a five to six minute walk from the underground crossrail platforms at paddington to the surface plus whatever time you need to wait for a 387 by the time you board the 387 train the crossrail train behind yours will be at ealing Broadway.

 

[jimm]

I wonder what will happen to the H'row 360s? :neutral:

I suppose they and their soon-to-be-redundant cousins on the east side of London may be parcelled up by Angel Trains (owns AGA's 360/1s) and BAA/Heathrow (360/2s) and offered as a package deal. Could be part of a future LM franchise perhaps, given their compatibility with the 350s.

 

[samuelmorris]

Except you will have a five to six minute walk from the underground crossrail platforms at paddington to the surface plus whatever time you need to wait for a 387 by the time you board the 387 train the crossrail train behind yours will be at ealing Broadway.

Yes, I am being a bit perverse, changing trains doesn't really bother me, but it's still a little frustrating that the Abbey Wood branch is the focus of all the attention with through-trains.

 

[macaronlover]

Yes, I am being a bit perverse, changing trains doesn't really bother me, but it's still a little frustrating that the Abbey Wood branch is the focus of all the attention with through-trains.

Not to those on that side of the river it isn't. TfL train services are top-heavy on the map and will be for a VERY long time.

 

[coppercapped]

Yes, I am being a bit perverse, changing trains doesn't really bother me, but it's still a little frustrating that the Abbey Wood branch is the focus of all the attention with through-trains.

As has been posted on the londonreconnections website the reason for the separation is to ensure as far as possible that any disruption on the GE lines does not affect the GW and vice versa. Thus disturbances on the GW will be confined to the Abbey Wood branch (as it is isolated from the Great Eastern and does not use South Eastern metals at all) and disturbances on the GE will not get past Paddington.

For the price of getting off one train, staying in the same place on the platform and getting back onto another a couple of minutes later, that seems quite a good solution.

 

[Wivenswold]

As has been posted on the londonreconnections website the reason for the separation is to ensure as far as possible that any disruption on the GE lines does not affect the GW and vice versa. Thus disturbances on the GW will be confined to the Abbey Wood branch (as it is isolated from the Great Eastern and does not use South Eastern metals at all) and disturbances on the GE will not get past Paddington.

For the price of getting off one train, staying in the same place on the platform and getting back onto another a couple of minutes later, that seems quite a good solution.

I agree, the thought of one stuck freight train at Stratford causing delays to Overground, Crossrail, GA and GWR doesn't bear thinking about.