Class 373 Eurostar withdrawals

[Peter Sarf]

They'd need locos with TVM-430 to reach Temple Mills, and I don't know how reusable the 66 coupling adapter is (e.g., would it fit on a 92?). Or, I guess, possession of the line to run stock without.

Actually, it just occurred to me, would one of the Channel Tunnel (rescue/switcher) locomotives have been able to bring a 373 into St Pancras ?. I am guessing they might be more likely to be able to tow a 373 than any other locomotive.

 

[gsnedders]

Actually, it just occurred to me, would one of the Channel Tunnel (rescue/switcher) locomotives have been able to bring a 373 into St Pancras ?. I am guessing they might be more likely to be able to tow a 373 than any other locomotive.

Yeah, that was my other thought, especially given when the agreement was made GBRf was a subsidiary of Eurotunnel who own the locomotives. I dunno if they have KVB for St Pancras, but that was a problem for the 66s as well. Though pathing something up HS1 at 100km/h would fun!

 

[D1009]

A fair point... and one i shall get the answer to!



Nope - fully working... nothing missing... I asked the question why 2 locos couldnt got to Temple Mills and top and tail it all the way - thus negating the need for it needing to go under own power. But that is yet to be answered!!

It is Eurostar after all - they tend to do what they want...

Is there enough room at St Pancras to reverse a 373 set top and tailed to access the ECML connection?

 

[joncombe]

A big plus is that Eurostar is city centre to city centre.

Another big plus is that you can get straight off without having to queue for the passport checks, unlike at an airport. At an airport you will be waiting around at both the start and end of your journey.

 

[RichmondCommu]

True, but is this a result of high prices or because of them.

I was recently able to book return tickets from London to the Netherlands by Eorostar for £88. My travelling companions who preferred the plane could only manage £90 return without resorting to extremely inconvenient times and random regional airports.

I suspect the market is there for the right pricing structure.

OK that's fair enough However my next visit to Essen to see my eldest son and his young family will be on the 10.02.17, coming back on the 12.02.17. Even allowing for the check in time at the airport the train cannot compete with air travel (flying to Dusseldorf). Not only that but even on a early morning flight from Heathrow it's still cheaper to fly.

 

[yorksrob]

OK that's fair enough However my next visit to Essen to see my eldest son and his young family will be on the 10.02.17, coming back on the 12.02.17. Even allowing for the check in time at the airport the train cannot compete with air travel (flying to Dusseldorf). Not only that but even on a early morning flight from Heathrow it's still cheaper to fly.

Well, obviously there's a limit to what international rail can do in terms of timings. But then again, the city to city possibilities of rail has its advantages. My travelling companions flights take account of neither the time or the cost of the additional journey leg from the airport.

 

[Phil.]

Is there enough room at St Pancras to reverse a 373 set top and tailed to access the ECML connection?

No.
.................

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It now appears that 3003/4 is next up for disposal and will go tomorrow...

 

[59CosG95]

Interesting to see that the working passes through Tamworth an hour later than usual. Must be due to the operational farces they've been having with the tank trains.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
For those interested in London:
This is 3003/4 coming into St. Pancras Int'l: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L12163/2016/12/14/advanced
Followed by the GBRf 66: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02262/2016/12/14/advanced
And finally the drag to Kingsbury: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02263/2016/12/14/advanced

 

[Ploughman]

Without looking back at the previous 18 pages.
Does this working mean that the last self propelled move of the Eurostar is this move into St Pancras?

 

[najaB]

Without looking back at the previous 18 pages.
Does this working mean that the last self propelled move of the Eurostar is this move into St Pancras?

Yup. They are driven into St Pancras and never drive again. Sounds a little sad when you put it that way.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Interesting to see that the working passes through Tamworth an hour later than usual. Must be due to the operational farces they've been having with the tank trains.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
For those interested in London:
This is 3003/4 coming into St. Pancras Int'l: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L12163/2016/12/14/advanced
Followed by the GBRf 66: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02262/2016/12/14/advanced
And finally the drag to Kingsbury: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02263/2016/12/14/advanced

And this evening at about 21:45 I can confirm. I saw 373003 at the buffers with no nose cone. I quick walk to the North end of St Pancras to check revealed, behind an HST that is twenty years older, staff in orange jackets and paraphernalia that I assume is the coupling gear I saw last time I was there. I saw one coach number and that belonged to 373004. I left before the 66 turned up though as I had a trip to Croydon to grapple with (Southern strike).

It is rather sad. I could hear the 373 running down as its pantographs must have just left contact with life, in the form of the 25kV, for the last time.

 

[DarloRich]

It is rather sad. I could hear the 373 running down as its pantographs must have just left contact with life, in the form of the 25kV, for the last time.

It is an inanimate, mechanical object. There is no need to pretend it has some kind of soul. It doesn't. It has done its service, there is no further use for the object and is now being cut up.

 

[najaB]

It is an inanimate, mechanical object. There is no need to pretend it has some kind of soul. It doesn't. It has done its service, there is no further use for the object and is now being cut up.

Nothing wrong with a (little) bit of anthropomorphism -

 

[DarloRich]

Nothing wrong with a (little) bit of anthropomorphism -

I guess you are right - even if that is a big word for pre breakfast - and my quoted post seems needlessly grumpy. I think I am not a sentimental person.

 

[najaB]

I guess you are right - even if that is a big word for pre breakfast - and my quoted post seems needlessly grumpy. I think I am not a sentimental person.

Lol, it was pre-bacon so spell check assistance was required!

 

[Mikey C]

A big plus is that Eurostar is city centre to city centre. No need for me to drive to Stansted/Gatwick/Heathrow/Luton and pay for parking or use another leg of public transport. That's providing Eurostar goes to the right city centre of course !. I think a lot of people do not consider the option of Eurostar. But Eurostar has taken a lot of customers away from air on the London/Paris sector I seem to recall.

Eurostar has the vast majority of the point to point London to Paris/Lille/Brussels traffic. A few people will fly if you're on connecting flights (e.g. flying from London to somewhere via Paris on Air France)

I suppose on the flip side, many people might live nearer an airport or aren't going to the centre of the European city

The inconvenience of currently having to change to get to Amsterdam puts people off at the moment, especially with Schiphol being so well connected to the Dutch rail network. Once direct trains are available, I'm sure more people will use Eurostar

 

[59CosG95]

And this evening at about 21:45 I can confirm. I saw 373003 at the buffers with no nose cone. I quick walk to the North end of St Pancras to check revealed, behind an HST that is twenty years older, staff in orange jackets and paraphernalia that I assume is the coupling gear I saw last time I was there. I saw one coach number and that belonged to 373004. I left before the 66 turned up though as I had a trip to Croydon to grapple with (Southern strike).

It is rather sad. I could hear the 373 running down as its pantographs must have just left contact with life, in the form of the 25kV, for the last time.

I know, I was there slightly earlier (around 7:30). Put some pics up too.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I know, I was there slightly earlier (around 7:30). Put some pics up too.

That's a better view of 373004s power car than I had as later there was a HST on the adjacent platform. It did seem that this pair was a lot less grubby than the pair I saw a while ago.

 

[Peter Sarf]

It is an inanimate, mechanical object. There is no need to pretend it has some kind of soul. It doesn't. It has done its service, there is no further use for the object and is now being cut up.

Well it is inanimate now . Not that important - after all it was not a Western or a Deltic . Or even a 442.

 

[sd0733]

on Real Time Trains it looks like the move had some sort of issue somewhere between Moira and Branston running almost 6 hours late from there on.

 

[Class455]

How many sets are due to be scrapped?

 

[Ash Bridge]

How many sets are due to be scrapped?

From memory I think it could be all but 7 or 8, although I stand to be corrected on that.

 

[Peter Sarf]

How many sets are due to be scrapped?

Apparently it is nineteen pairs of 373s to be scrapped and replaced by seventeen pairs of 374s most of which are already in service.

 

[childwallblues]

Apparently it is nineteen pairs of 373s to be scrapped and replaced by seventeen pairs of 374s most of which are already in service.

Does that include the NOL sets which I understand are to return to the UK to be scrapped?

 

[59CosG95]

That's a better view of 373004s power car than I had as later there was a HST on the adjacent platform. It did seem that this pair was a lot less grubby than the pair I saw a while ago.

I agree, it certainly seemed in much better nick than 3019/20.

 

[BrunswickGreen]

A set was sitting in a siding at Burton on Trent station yesterday.

 

[59CosG95]

A set was sitting in a siding at Burton on Trent station yesterday.

That was 3003/4; it had to be held near Burton as one of the outbound tanks at Kingsbury (6E46) had failed at origin, and a rescue loco had to be dispatched. The sheer size of a Eurostar set means that the sidings have to be clear before one can enter.

 

[Dart34518]

Does anyone have a correct list of the ones Eurostar are keeping and scrapping etc...

Thanks in advance

 

[Mordac]

Does anyone have a correct list of the ones Eurostar are keeping and scrapping etc...

Thanks in advance

According to the platform 5 2017 EMUs book, the following are to be refurbished (or have been already):
3007/08
3015/16
3205/06
3209/10
3211/12
3219/20
3221/22
3229/30

The following have gone for scrap:
3003/04
3005/06
3019/20

The first two had been in service, but 3019/20 had been stored out of use.

Corrections welcome!