Class 456's on the move?

[387star]

Surely a refurbished unit can't be far from being in service? I understand this can only happen with two refurbished units available

Be interesting to see the new design in the flesh

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I'll have retired & Hell will probably have frozen over by the time that they've got them done.

 

[SprinterMan]

You'll be a bit infested if you work an unrefurbished one, we've seen creepy crawlies on at least two of them & I'm not talking spiders!

I guess you be ITCHING to find out!hock:

Oh god, it is not fleas is it? NXEA had them on the ex-silverlink 321/4s when they decided it would be much cheaper to put them into service without a deep clean or refurbishment. I am sure I have been bitten by a flea on an NXEA 153 before as well

Adam

 

[fgwrich]

Oh god, it is not fleas is it? NXEA had them on the ex-silverlink 321/4s when they decided it would be much cheaper to put them into service without a deep clean or refurbishment. I am sure I have been bitten by a flea on an NXEA 153 before as well

Adam

I seem to recall a similar issues with the 180s for a while as well. I think it was after they finished with Northern before re-entering service with FGW that they had to be fumigated!

 

[Rick1984]

were Virgin trains not notorious for fleas when they started out. May have just been a media storey and wasn't Virgins fault as it was the stock they acquired.

 

[swt_passenger]

First refurbished 456 to be in service in 'two weeks' according to today's web chat.

 

[Goldfish62]

First refurbished 456 to be in service in 'two weeks' according to today's web chat.

Only six months late. That's quite good for SWT....:roll:

 

[455driver]

Only six months late. That's quite good for SWT....:roll:

Yeah coz SWT are doing the refurbishment arent they! :roll: :roll:

 

[Feathers44]

First refurbished 456 to be in service in 'two weeks' according to today's web chat.

Do we know where?

 

[swt_passenger]

Do we know where?

They didn't say. But didn't it get posted earlier that the fully converted 456s would not be able to work with the original 456s, but would be able to work in multiple with SWT's 455s?

So if that's right then apart from 'not on Ascot to Guildford' I'd be guessing!

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Probably on 2J90 - 0722 RAY-WAT, that's the additional service that originates from the phenomenally expensive Guildford North Box Sidings.

 

[Bigfoot]

They didn't say. But didn't it get posted earlier that the fully converted 456s would not be able to work with the original 456s, but would be able to work in multiple with SWT's 455s?

So if that's right then apart from 'not on Ascot to Guildford' I'd be guessing!

Unless it is a pair being delivered. Then they can run gld act.

 

[Goldfish62]

Yeah coz SWT are doing the refurbishment arent they! :roll: :roll:

I love it when some people bite because of criticism of SWT.

 

[TEW]

Probably on 2J90 - 0722 RAY-WAT, that's the additional service that originates from the phenomenally expensive Guildford North Box Sidings.

Which have now finally opened I notice.

 

[swt_passenger]

Which have now finally opened I notice.

There was quite a detailed article about it in this month's Rail Engineer, and Spencer Rail have made it available on their website as well:

http://spencerrail.co.uk/the-long-road-to-guildford

Interesting to see how a relatively minor project can go a bit wrong, much of it seems weather related, but the major issue seems to have been the withdrawal of the facility to either get deliveries, or remove spoil, by rail.

 

[455driver]

I love it when some people bite because of criticism of SWT.

The reason I bit is because the delays have bugger all to do with SWT (who are actually the customer) and everything to do with Wabtec (who are doing the actual work), but dont let the facts get in the way of a dig at SWT will you! :roll:

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Which have now finally opened I notice.

Yep. You just have to remember to take your rubber gloves & radio with you when you go. :roll:

 

[user15681]

Surprised it's not been mentioned yet that refurbished 456014 is being road delivered to Wimbledon right now.

 

[Juniper Driver]

The reason I bit is because the delays have bugger all to do with SWT (who are actually the customer) and everything to do with Wabtec (who are doing the actual work), but dont let the facts get in the way of a dig at SWT will you! :roll:

I think some criticism of SWT can be unfair at times.I know SWT do their best to run a service.Where the 458s/456's have been a bit of a disaster I think the Desiros have been a great "out of the box train" success.

 

[455driver]

I think some criticism of SWT can be unfair at times.I know SWT do their best to run a service.Where the 458s/456's have been a bit of a disaster I think the Desiros have been a great "out of the box train" success.

Can you explain how the late delivery of the 456 and 458/5s are in any way SWTs fault then because I cant see it!

 

[Juniper Driver]

Can you explain how the late delivery of the 456 and 458/5s are in any way SWTs fault then because I cant see it!

No.I can't.If it looked like I was blaming SWT then my message came across wrong.

I always knew there would be problems with this.456 and 458 stuff.

If people want to believe this rubbish just for the fact that they want to (without knowing the actual facts) or they are on a wind-up then that's up to them.

 

[Goldfish62]

The reason I bit is because the delays have bugger all to do with SWT (who are actually the customer) and everything to do with Wabtec (who are doing the actual work), but dont let the facts get in the way of a dig at SWT will you! :roll:

I can understand why you feel that way, but no one or no organisation is beyond a tongue-in-cheek dig at times. How dull the world would be otherwise.

Having said that, in contractual relationships, the usual "the customer is always right" doesn't always apply. The customer is responsible for the contractual specification being clear and realistic in the first place. I'm not saying this is the specific issue here, but you can't automatically blame a supplier in such instances, unless the facts point that way.

 

[swt_passenger]

I can understand why you feel that way, but no one or no organisation is beyond a tongue-in-cheek dig at times. How dull the world would be otherwise.

Having said that, in contractual relationships, the usual "the customer is always right" doesn't always apply. The customer is responsible for the contractual specification being clear and realistic in the first place. I'm not saying this is the specific issue here, but you can't automatically blame a supplier in such instances, unless the facts point that way.

But even then, the trains are owned by ROSCOs, and it is presumably them that wrote the detailed work specifications, which puts SWT a step further away from Wabtec and Knorr Bremse?

 

[user15681]

456003 also on its way to Wimbledon today. Like buses, you wait for one...

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I believe that they have to undergo a period of testing before they're released to service, which I would have thought will be between Guildford & Ascot until there's enough of them done & enough 455's have had the PRM-TSI stuff completed.

 

[TEW]

Presumably they won't be tested alone seeing as they can't run on their own on SWT normally so 456014 can't start until 456003 is delivered.

 

[Juniper Driver]

Took 8 car 455 into Wimbledon and in the old yard where the 47 and barrier wagons are sometime based there were 458020 and 456007 stabled there..

 

[Olaf]

I can understand why you feel that way, but no one or no organisation is beyond a tongue-in-cheek dig at times. How dull the world would be otherwise.

Having said that, in contractual relationships, the usual "the customer is always right" doesn't always apply. The customer is responsible for the contractual specification being clear and realistic in the first place. I'm not saying this is the specific issue here, but you can't automatically blame a supplier in such instances, unless the facts point that way.

It has already been made clear by SSWT that the problems lie wholly with the contractor with regard to the 458 project, and there has not been any comeback on that position.

The gist of the problem appears to be that the contractor underestimated (for whatever reasons) the effort required on their part necessary to deliver to specification within the agreed time-scales.

A dig may have it's merits, but only were humour is involved and were there is some sort of basis for the taunt in the first place.

 

[Goldfish62]

It has already been made clear by SSWT that the problems lie wholly with the contractor with regard to the 458 project, and there has not been any comeback on that position.

The gist of the problem appears to be that the contractor underestimated (for whatever reasons) the effort required on their part necessary to deliver to specification within the agreed time-scales.

A dig may have it's merits, but only were humour is involved and were there is some sort of basis for the taunt in the first place.

Thank you, but I don't need some sort of moral lecture. And in any case, I was referring to the 456s, not 458s.

 

[BestWestern]

Reading an SWT 'Improving your railway' leaflet, the fairly detailed information included the quote that the refurbed 465s will have 'wider doors' - accompanied by a photo of the first set in its new livery, apparently still with the original doors in place. Any thoughts on what exactly is being done to make the doors 'wider'?!