Class 387 related disruption, inc. Heathrow Express suspension

[FGW_DID]

The vast majority of the priority units to be checked were done on depot Friday evening. There’s only one or two left, to be mopped up as they rotate through the depot.
150+151 are coupled together as they just happened to be next to each other when we formed up the service.

i guess the saying “size matters” is true, even if the difference is measured in mere mm!

 

[Horizon22]

As long as the coupling/uncoupling occurs under engineering supervision; with some additional checks - it doesn’t matter what combination of overhauled/not overhauled units are coupled. I believe 150+151 have both been to Ilford recently; but that they’re a pair today is just a coincidence.

To de-risk operations today; alterations have been made by control to some formations to eliminate any and all coupling/uncoupling away from depot. In short, almost everything is running as a fixed 8 car; except the two 4 cars on the Newburys.

387s don't tend to do that much detatching during the day generally though - a few late night ones at Paddington but otherwise its mainly losing/gaining coaches at Reading?

 

[Benjwri]

387s don't tend to do that much detatching during the day generally though - a few late night ones at Paddington but otherwise its mainly losing/gaining coaches at Reading?

In the week at least there's a few going into the peak that attach at Paddington.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Can units that have been overhauled work in multiple with each other, or can they not yet work in multiple at all? This afternoon I was on 387150+387151 (14.08 London Paddington-Didcot Parkway), and I'm sure I saw 387150 when it was being hauled back (by 37800, if I remember correctly) to Reading. I'm not sure if 387151 has been overhauled, hence the question!

You were on same train as me. Annoyingly stopped at a red signal at taplow.

 

[Horizon22]

You were on same train as me. Annoyingly stopped at a red signal at taplow.

Looks like a two-track railway today, so always tight to keep things in order.

 

[JN114]

387s don't tend to do that much detatching during the day generally though - a few late night ones at Paddington but otherwise its mainly losing/gaining coaches at Reading?

When going through it in the early hours of this morning I was surprised by just how much there actually is; especially for a Saturday! There’s even one train that splits AND attaches at Paddington on a Saturday mid-morning (2P25 splits for 2N26 and RP 1K09, 1K08 attaching to make 1K09 an 8 car).

Despite being responsible for the overall train service; it’s scary almost how much we just take it for granted when it’s as diagrammed and we only really show an interest when it goes wrong. Nature of the job I guess.

It was about 20 individual alterations to unit working in total today, to achieve total fixed formations all day; 1 short form (8v12) and many many long forms 8v4.

Contrast a Sunday; where all day there are only 3 coupling/uncoupling moves in traffic - a join at Paddington, a split at Paddington and a split at Reading.

 

[Class15]

Looks like a two-track railway today, so always tight to keep things in order.

Are you sure? Railcam is showing all 4 tracks open.

 

[Bikeman78]

It’s only in service they aren’t permitted, the units can run as 4 or 12’s ECS, they just haven’t been certified to run as a 4 car in service yet, despite them recently running tests and installing 4 car stop markers

What needs to be certified? They run everywhere else as single units.

 

[Class15]

What needs to be certified? They run everywhere else as single units.

Exactly what I was thinking. Hopefully GBR can sort this kind of thing out. That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[FGW_DID]

What needs to be certified? They run everywhere else as single units.

387s may run elsewhere as 4 cars But the HEX don’t. It’s operational related to the ETCS when as a 4 car. it’s almost 99% there and it’s mostly outstanding ticks in boxes. Others on here will have a more in depth knowledge of what’s actually involved.

 

[Horizon22]

Are you sure? Railcam is showing all 4 tracks open.

You are correct - Sunday is.

 

[MasterPhillips]

387s don't tend to do that much detatching during the day generally though - a few late night ones at Paddington but otherwise its mainly losing/gaining coaches at Reading?

Sorry!! There are far too many splits and attachments which cause issues pretty much every day. Most of which are totally unnecessary. They are a total headache for staff and passengers and should be reduced.

When going through it in the early hours of this morning I was surprised by just how much there actually is; especially for a Saturday! There’s even one train that splits AND attaches at Paddington on a Saturday mid-morning (2P25 splits for 2N26 and RP 1K09, 1K08 attaching to make 1K09 an 8 car).

Perfect example. 8 Car splits to form a 4 car service only for the other half to then join with a 4 car to make an 8 car.

 

[Benjwri]

Sorry!! There are far too many splits and attachments which cause issues pretty much every day. Most of which are totally unnecessary. They are a total headache for staff and passengers and should be reduced.


Perfect example. 8 Car splits to form a 4 car service only for the other half to then join with a 4 car to make an 8 car.

Of course when you say unnecessary, without the split you have to chose one of those workings to lose half its length and likely end up severely overcrowded.

Since the extra 387s were lost post Covid there aren’t enough, and some minorly annoying splits and attachments is better than severe overcrowding and passengers being left behind.

 

[Bikeman78]

Of course when you say unnecessary, without the split you have to chose one of those workings to lose half its length and likely end up severely overcrowded.

Since the extra 387s were lost post Covid there aren’t enough, and some minorly annoying splits and attachments is better than severe overcrowding and passengers being left behind.

How many diagrams are there? If my maths is correct, running all Didcot and Newbury trains as pairs requires 18 units. Add two for Reading to Newbury, so that is 20. There ought to be enough to cover that and leave a few for the Intercity runs.

 

[800301]

How many diagrams are there? If my maths is correct, running all Didcot and Newbury trains as pairs requires 18 units. Add two for Reading to Newbury, so that is 20. There ought to be enough to cover that and leave a few for the Intercity runs.

GWR have done the maths, while it might seem simple, it really isn’t, even with all the splitting, it’s still quite tight, along with having a unit away for overhaul and just general maintenance, doesn’t leave them sitting about spare, even when I was doing traction training on them before the extra units went, there were days where we didn’t have 2 spare units to play with to train coupling and uncoupling

 

[Bikeman78]

GWR have done the maths, while it might seem simple, it really isn’t, even with all the splitting, it’s still quite tight, along with having a unit away for overhaul and just general maintenance, doesn’t leave them sitting about spare, even when I was doing traction training on them before the extra units went, there were days where we didn’t have 2 spare units to play with to train coupling and uncoupling

I'd expect 26 diagrams from the 30 (?) units so am curious as to what the other six are doing.

 

[Benjwri]

I'd expect 26 diagrams from the 30 (?) units so am curious as to what the other six are doing.

Given 20 is only an estimate, I can’t remember the actual number of diagrams although someone maybe a long to confirm, there could be a few more diagrams, especially depending on the turnaround times you have used.

One you take into account two double sets play make belief as IETs, you’ve reached your 26.

Coupling and uncoupling is expensive for GWR too, they have to pay for the extra drivers, and make sure there are enough spare. They don’t just couple and uncouple for the fun of it.

 

[FGW_DID]

27 required from 30 units for the SX diagrams.

 

[Siemens Staines]

I'd expect 26 diagrams from the 30 (?) units so am curious as to what the other six are doing.

I think that there are 27 diagrams. Some of the pairs sit spare, so the 8-car off 0739 Reading - Paddington goes ECS to West Ealing and (usually) that is the end of day. That set comes out the following morning and does the 0712 to Cardiff + return, ECS to Reading and end of day. The 8-car off 0919 Newbury - Paddington goes ECS to West Ealing and (usually) does 1612 Paddington - Bristol Parkway, ECS to Cocklebury and end of day. The two sets at West Ealing sometimes swap over during the day or, as happened today, only one set ended up stabling there which today was due to the incident at Maidenhead

 

[pompeyfan]

Let’s hope SWR don’t have the same issues with their Desiros. For splitting and attaching I’d guess their second only to Southerns 377 fleets.

 

[andybarsblade]

Let’s hope SWR don’t have the same issues with their Desiros.

The incorrectly fitted 'coupling link' is not replaced during Desiro overhauls.