Class 387

[D1009]

A May start won't be too bad, they won't be kept waiting and (IIRC) ahead of schedule still.

Just thought that these will be the first electric trains the franchise has operated. If the first one is not going to arrive until April, it doesn't allow much time for staff training and familiarisation, train crew and maintenance alike.

 

[Class377/5]

Same can't be said for NR who now say that electrification of the lines between Maidenhead and Didcot won't be finished until December 2017, which means no 387's will be running further than Hayes & Harlington for quite a while...

Still planned for atleast one 387 to get to Reading this summer. (Can't remember the month).

 

[leomartin125]

Still planned for atleast one 387 to get to Reading this summer. (Can't remember the month).

Electrification of the line between Maidenhead and Reading is barely even started! I highly doubt that a 387 will reach anywhere near Reading before 2017. I think GWR are being a bit ambitious with that, and generally think that because of the NR delays in electrification, think that the 387's will be confined to the London area for quite a while yet.

 

[JN114]

Electrification of the line between Maidenhead and Reading is barely even started! I highly doubt that a 387 will reach anywhere near Reading before 2017. I think GWR are being a bit ambitious with that, and generally think that because of the NR delays in electrification, think that the 387's will be confined to the London area for quite a while yet.

It doesn't necessarily need to get there under its own power.

 

[swt_passenger]

Same can't be said for NR who now say that electrification of the lines between Maidenhead and Didcot won't be finished until December 2017, which means no 387's will be running further than Hayes & Harlington for quite a while...

'Between Maidenhead and Didcot' doesn't mean they cannot run TO Maidenhead. GWR have already said electrification of services will happen in stages. The lack of a Maidenhead terminator (from Paddington) today doesn't mean it cannot be introduced.

 

[zdz]

What is the nature of the mods being done to the /1's?

 

[RichardN]

What is the nature of the mods being done to the /1's?

A software update was mentioned earlier in the thread. Not sure if this is all though.

 

[adc82140]

Just thinking aloud, with a bit of timetable rejigging, would there be paths available to run an electric stopper half hourly to Maidenhead, and recast the Oxford stoppers east of Reading as Twyford, Maidenhead, (Slough possibly), and Paddington only off peak, for an interim period?

Or failing that at least operate an electric stopping service as far as Slough bay to hoover up the West Drayton, Iver and Langley passengers?

 

[JN114]

Just thinking aloud, with a bit of timetable rejigging, would there be paths available to run an electric stopper half hourly to Maidenhead, and recast the Oxford stoppers east of Reading as Twyford, Maidenhead, (Slough possibly), and Paddington only off peak, for an interim period?

Or failing that at least operate an electric stopping service as far as Slough bay to hoover up the West Drayton, Iver and Langley passengers?

Slough bay went in April 2015, it's in the way of crossrail platform lengthening.

 

[Class377/5]

A software update was mentioned earlier in the thread. Not sure if this is all though.

Pretty much I believe.

It doesn't necessarily need to get there under its own power.

Indeed.

 

[MatthewRead]

GWr hope to start running electric trains as far as Maidenhead this summer and to Reading by Christmas this year and to Newbury and Didcot in 2017, then on to Cardiff by end of 2017 so they can get the wiring of the Severn Tunnel complete and then electrification to Swansea complete by 2018 followed by Bristol Temple Meads and finally Oxford but the latter two may not now be completed until 2020 at the earliest.

 

[trainmania100]

387207 and 387205 worked 5U77 12:07 Stewarts Lane to Gatwick today
387203 & 387124 worked 2W30 10:59 Three Bridges - Bedford

 

[D1009]

GWr hope to start running electric trains as far as Maidenhead this summer and to Reading by Christmas this year and to Newbury and Didcot in 2017, then on to Cardiff by end of 2017 so they can get the wiring of the Severn Tunnel complete and then electrification to Swansea complete by 2018 followed by Bristol Temple Meads and finally Oxford but the latter two may not now be completed until 2020 at the earliest.

They can hope for all they like, but Network Rail's estimated completion dates are here:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=2492894#post2492894

 

[Julian G]

387207 at Clapham Jn with 1415 Victoria-Gatwick after the Press launch
https://flic.kr/p/EYJfzi

 

[Clarence Yard]

GWr hope to start running electric trains as far as Maidenhead this summer and to Reading by Christmas this year and to Newbury and Didcot in 2017, then on to Cardiff by end of 2017 so they can get the wiring of the Severn Tunnel complete and then electrification to Swansea complete by 2018 followed by Bristol Temple Meads and finally Oxford but the latter two may not now be completed until 2020 at the earliest.

GWR are hoping nothing of the sort. Those dates are rubbish and GWR know they won't be getting to Maidenhead before mid 2017, Didcot much before the end of 2017 and Newbury sometime in 2018.

What this does to the 387 release profile from GTR remains to be seen.

 

[W230]

Pretty much I believe.

Yip. The main one being that the /2s give emergency brake force when doors are released at stations to remove risk of rollback. This is being added to the /1s during the software upgrade. It does mean you now can't complete a static brake test when opening up the cab when changing ends but on modded units this is now just done only when prepping a unit for service at a depot (presumably completed with the doors closed but i've not had to do it yet!).

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Yip. The main one being that the /2s give emergency brake force when doors are released at stations to remove risk of rollback. This is being added to the /1s during the software upgrade. It does mean you now can't complete a static brake test when opening up the cab when changing ends but on modded units this is now just done only when prepping a unit for service at a depot (presumably completed with the doors closed but i've not had to do it yet!).

Does that mean when coupling/uncoupling the cab doors on both units have to be shut?

 

[Hattermick]

8 car 387/2 throught Luton today(12th),anyone know which ones are currently on loan ?

 

[Class377/5]

8 car 387/2 throught luton today(12th),anyone know which ones are currently on loan ?

201/202/203.

 

[Hattermick]

Thanks.

 

[postye]

387205 & 387211 made it out at lunchtime today running ecs from Stewart's lane for an additional round trip from Gatwick at 1330 and return from Vic at 1415 before running ecs back to Stewart's Lane.

Same pair due out on 1826 tonight

 

[Class377/5]

387205 & 387211 made it out at lunchtime today running ecs from Stewart's lane for an additional round trip from Gatwick at 1330 and return from Vic at 1415 before running ecs back to Stewart's Lane.

Same pair due out on 1826 tonight

That's now a booked moved for 387s as of today.

 

[cjmillsnun]

That's now a booked moved for 387s as of today.

Thought I saw a pair at Horley today. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[W230]

Does that mean when coupling/uncoupling the cab doors on both units have to be shut?

There will be no change. The unit doing the coupling has to have the cab door shut for interlock anyway, the other unit is irrelevant as they're not electrically coupled a this point, until you hit the couple button. As you no longer need to do a static brake test you won't need all doors closed after electrically coupling anyway.

 

[asylumxl]

While I remember to ask, on Sunday I was on a 387 on Thameslink heading south on the BedPan route. The train to say the least was acting strangely.

At every stop, the door alarm would sound as normal. after a few seconds several interior lights would shut off, then on and then the door alarm would sound again. This would happen repeatedly for 30 seconds.

I assumed it was going in and out of load shed. Is this a plausible explanation? I'd be grateful if someone in the know could help answer this. Seems odd to turn out a train for service that could possibly fail at any moment.

 

[JaJaWa]

While I remember to ask, on Sunday I was on a 387 on Thameslink heading south on the BedPan route. The train to say the least was acting strangely.

At every stop, the door alarm would sound as normal. after a few seconds several interior lights would shut off, then on and then the door alarm would sound again. This would happen repeatedly for 30 seconds.

I assumed it was going in and out of load shed. Is this a plausible explanation? I'd be grateful if someone in the know could help answer this. Seems odd to turn out a train for service that could possibly fail at any moment.

Perhaps the GPS door release system was malfunctioning and they had to override it (like sometimes happens at St. Pancras)?

 

[IrishDave]

I spotted 387215+387217 in platform 7 at Brighton around 13:50 today, on a test run from Bletchley. Does that mean all of 201-217 have been delivered already? How much longer before all 27 of the /2s have been delivered?

 

[Class377/5]

I spotted 387215+387217 in platform 7 at Brighton around 13:50 today, on a test run from Bletchley. Does that mean all of 201-217 have been delivered already? How much longer before all 27 of the /2s have been delivered?

GTR has received 11 units so far. All will be delivered by start of summer.

 

[asylumxl]

Perhaps the GPS door release system was malfunctioning and they had to override it (like sometimes happens at St. Pancras)?

Not sure that's it. That's usually a one time deal. This kept cutting in and out at every stop south of Luton Airport Parkway

 

[Nym]

Derby Wiring Syndrome?