Class 373 Eurostar withdrawals

[D365]

What would stop them using the GWML when that project is finished?

Oh for christ's sake, not again.

 

[TimboM]

Excellent shot, thanks for posting, I'm curious about the pair of 08s on the front of the 2 pairs of back to back powercars, wonder are they used to position the PCs for final scrapping, then when released bring in the next ones or are they scrappers themselves?

I was going to say they look like scrap themselves, however I can't see how the power cars could have got in that "siding" any other way really?

 

[CosherB]

And the reason they couldn't have been shortened? Surely a power car could be coupled to the split section of coach 9? Or even have less coaches in the rake like the NoL sets.

What would stop them using the GWML when that project is finished?

We're 45 pages in and you're still asking questions about guff like this? :roll:

 

[Mordac]

Today's Railways June 2017 edition reports (on page 68) that the powercars from 3101 and 3102 (which had been stored out of use) have been moved to Long Marston for storage with a view of making them into gate guardians for the High Speed Railway colleges at Brum and Donnie.

 

[cjmillsnun]

And the reason they couldn't have been shortened? Surely a power car could be coupled to the split section of coach 9? Or even have less coaches in the rake like the NoL sets.

What would stop them using the GWML when that project is finished?

The fact that they were bespoke for the Chunnel and after years of heavy use are knackered, with parts that are obsolete. All the useful bits will be going to Temple Mills and Le Landy. It wouldn't surprise me if the remaining 373s are scrapped within 10 years, quite possibly within 5.

 

[Southern Dvr]

Today's Railways June 2017 edition reports (on page 68) that the powercars from 3101 and 3102 (which had been stored out of use) have been moved to Long Marston for storage with a view of making them into gate guardians for the High Speed Railway colleges at Brum and Donnie.

Gate Guardians?

 

[najaB]

Gate Guardians?

A replica/preserved vehicle placed at the entrance to an associated facility. Commonly done with aircraft at the entrance to an airbase/airport.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Vickers at Elswick, Newcastle had a challenger 2 as a gate guardian for many years. On BAe closing the facility the tank was donated to the Hancock museum. Its currently parked outside in a fake shipping crate while the associated display works are carried out

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Theres a minature concorde outside Heathrow...

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The fact that they were bespoke for the Chunnel and after years of heavy use are knackered, with parts that are obsolete. All the useful bits will be going to Temple Mills and Le Landy. It wouldn't surprise me if the remaining 373s are scrapped within 10 years, quite possibly within 5.

Do Eurostar have the option of a follow-on order for 374s?

 

[gimmea50anyday]

That has to be the tidiest scrapyard I've ever seen.

Gone are the vic berry days of torch'em and rip'em to shreds. They have to be more environmentally conscious with recycling of materials and disposal of damaging or hazardous materials

(Other 1980's scrap buisnesses were available...)

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Do Eurostar have the option of a follow-on order for 374s?

Probably...

Not bad for what was originally a small order placed to increase services...

 

[gimmea50anyday]

And the reason they couldn't have been shortened? Surely a power car could be coupled to the split section of coach 9? Or even have less coaches in the rake like the NoL sets.

What would stop them using the GWML when that project is finished?

They could also have kept the 50's or stuck a pan on a 43 or lobotomised a 73 even. Too old, too complicated, not enough spares and rebuilds may well cost more over the whole life of the stock.

You can put lipstick on a pig, its still a pig...

Never claimed a 373 for haulage, dont think Im going to be able to either....

 

[rmt4ever]

Theres a minature concorde outside Heathrow...

I think that's been replaced by a mini A380 in Emirates livery. Not sure where the BA Concorde went- but of course there is still a full sized ex passenger service one in the airport which can sometimes be seen when taxiing from T5

 

[CosherB]

I think that's been replaced by a mini A380 in Emirates livery. Not sure where the BA Concorde went- but of course there is still a full sized ex passenger service one in the airport which can sometimes be seen when taxiing from T5

And Concorde 204 "G-BOAC" is at Manchester Airport.

 

[TheEdge]

You can put lipstick on a pig, its still a pig...

Don't mention pigs...

 

[adc82140]

Are there any plans to shuffle round coaching sets- or is it even possible to split them- to save the best condition individual vehicle(s) for one of the remaining sets? I'm aware that they're mostly articulated, so there are limited places you can split them.

 

[59CosG95]

Today's Railways June 2017 edition reports (on page 68) that the powercars from 3101 and 3102 (which had been stored out of use) have been moved to Long Marston for storage with a view of making them into gate guardians for the High Speed Railway colleges at Brum and Donnie.

I quite like this idea. Particularly fitting given that a large proportion of the fleet was built at Washwood Heath; whether 3101/2 were is a mystery to me!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I think that's been replaced by a mini A380 in Emirates livery. Not sure where the BA Concorde went- but of course there is still a full sized ex passenger service one in the airport which can sometimes be seen when taxiing from T5

The large Concorde model went to Brooklands to complement their real Concorde.

 

[matty1014]

9Z79 in the system for this Friday. No news on the GBRF move as of yet.

 

[ChilternTurbo]

9Z79 in the system for this Friday. No news on the GBRF move as of yet.

Any ideas on when the next move might be? I couldn't see anything on Real Time Trains. With the lighter mornings, I'd love to get some pictures of the shunting manoeuvres into Kingsbury...

 

[BananaRepublic]

Theres a minature concorde outside Heathrow...

I think that's been replaced by a mini A380 in Emirates livery. Not sure where the BA Concorde went......

The large Concorde model went to Brooklands to complement their real Concorde.

The Concorde model was removed from Heathrow about 10 years ago.
After a few years of restoration work, it was put on display at the Brooklands museum, as Peter reports above.

 

[BananaRepublic]

Do Eurostar have the option of a follow-on order for 374s?

They've already taken up one option on an extra 7 sets.
These were ordered in 2014 to add to the original order for 10 sets, placed in 2010.
More might be needed if expansion plans were to be realised, but those plans have already been scaled back and are now potentially in jeopardy.

 

[matty1014]

Any ideas on when the next move might be? I couldn't see anything on Real Time Trains. With the lighter mornings, I'd love to get some pictures of the shunting manoeuvres into Kingsbury...

VSTP in tonight from Peterborugh to St Pancras. The usual 0Z73 and then 6X73, 23:40 from St Pancras

Heard RTT is having some issues with STP/VSTP at the moment (I use freightlocate)

 

[matty1014]

Any ideas on when the next move might be? I couldn't see anything on Real Time Trains. With the lighter mornings, I'd love to get some pictures of the shunting manoeuvres into Kingsbury...

Seems the move from Temple Mills to St Pancras has gone missing from Freightlocate! No idea if its run or not

 

[59CosG95]

Been a while since the last move...any news on the latest drag?

 

[ChilternTurbo]

I wonder if the May drag actually took place? I can't say I've seen any pictures/videos if it did. Be interesting to see which unit is next for the chop...

 

[ChilternTurbo]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread as I passed EMR Kingsbury just over a week ago and briefly glanced around four (I think) power cars from the railway line. From the very brief glance they all seemed fairly intact. I didn't see any carriages although these may have been lurking behind the container barricade...

 

[coxy]

Hi,

I'm trying to update my records with a list of the units that have/are being scrapped. So far I have the following;

3003+3004 - December 2016
3005+3006 - November 2016
3013+3014 - March 2017
3019+3020 - December 2016
3107+3107 - February 2017

Can anybody confirm if this is all, or have there been others since March 2017 ?

Many thanks.
Coxy

 

[59CosG95]

Hi,

I'm trying to update my records with a list of the units that have/are being scrapped. So far I have the following;

3003+3004 - December 2016
3005+3006 - October 2016
3013+3014 - March 2017
3019+3020 - November 2016
3107+3108 - February 2017

All seems correct, though I have added some corrections in bold. Additionally, set 3017/8 is stored at Valenciennes, sets 3021/2, 3105/6 and 3208 (on its own) are stored at Dourges, and the powercars from set 3101/2, which haven't turned a a wheel in service for a good 15 years after a derailment, are stored at Long Marston.
The trailers are scrapped, but the powercars are due to be cosmetically restored and placed as "gate guardians" at the entrances of the National College of High Speed Rail campuses in Birmingham & Doncaster (i.e. one powercar outside each). Which powercar goes where, however, remains to be seen.