If that is true then the 350/2s should be sent to Northern instead of the 323s.
The WMR ones look to be progressing a lot more than the LNWR units...
You meen the 730/0s? Tbh I’ve only seen a few LNWR 730s, however given the high leasing costs of the 350/2s I feel they will get replaced by some 730/0s until enough 730/1s and 730/2s are built.
I doubt it, 323s and 350/2s are both Porterbrook but only the 323s have a future lease right now. Ideally Porterbrook want both on lease at the same time so will want the 323s back first to lease to Northern rather than the 350/2s to put into storage.
Ideally that is what Porterbrook want, however it may change depending on when Northern want to replace the 323s.
I’ve heard this a few times myself as well, so I’m also going to suspect it’s true.
They'll want the WMR 323s ASAP to replace their 319s, Northern's 323s won't be being replaced yet.
They wouldn't be ideal being 4x20m units instead of 3x23m.
They've had their PRM mods, the 323s probably have 10 years more in them.
10 more years, dream on. The Northern sets were hammered on the old Piccadilly to Manchester airport shuttle work.
I regularly travel on both the Northern and West Midlands sets and would support that they have another 10 years in them. For a train built and designed almost three decades ago they feel relatively modern in my opinion. The ongoing additions of digital screens and charging ports are also a bonus.
I agree. Was on a Northern 323 the other day that had just had USB charging points installed. And it felt like a newish train - they've stood the test of time well - at least to the eye. And they're pretty reliable, which may indicate that they're they're not doing too badly machanically either.I regularly travel on both the Northern and West Midlands sets and would support that they have another 10 years in them. For a train built and designed almost three decades ago they feel relatively modern in my opinion. The ongoing additions of digital screens and charging ports are also a bonus.
I wouldn’t actually know whether they are struggling mechanically, but from my passenger experience it doesn’t seem it
But ultimately you’re right, only time will tell…
In the scheme of things aluminium trains are far better for corrosion than steel body trains.
You are correct, to replace 319s,
The 323s are workhorses and do the job very well both in the West Mids and in the North West. The irony is that WMR are having 730/0s to replace the 323s to go to Northern to replace 319s. Whilst WMR aka LNR are sending some 730/0s to Bletchley to replace their 319s. There is logic there but it seems cackhanded, and mostly due to the fragmented industry ordering over 2800 Aventra family vehicles of similar but different designs. At the time Bombardier were building 345s, 701s, 710s, 720s and 730s of various lengths. DfT should have standardised on three basic designs - 20m and 23m lengths and gangway everything.
That is why I implied DfT should have ordered 20m and 23m length bodyshells to suit the various Aventra customers. The series of orders was clearly too complex for Bombardier to deliver in the timescales. The internal fit clearly would need to be different between the different users, but it seems crazy that 710s and 720s are in traffic but ASLEF are having beef over what should have been DC only class 710s for SWR.
Just because units have been approved in one area does not mean they would have been approved in another (is my understanding). More likely, but not a given. For example sighting and position of equipment might be fine on GA but an issue on SWR. That is just a hypothetical scenario not actual issues.
Will the 730/2s have 2+2 seating? I assume 730/1s and 2s will run as 10 cars (2 units coupled together).
The 701s aren't DC only 710s. The cab is different layout with sliding plug door rather than inward opening hinged doors. Similar to the difference between a 317 and a 321.
No it hasn't
but will it be built?
Not at Bescot anymore no.
Yes the issues are due to cab layout. The differences aren't de minimis.
In what way are they different?
Not a better analogy. 150/1 and 150/2 are very similar
Again not correct there is more difference than just the cab moulding.
The ventilators are different in the different subclasses the early 317s\455s and the later 317/455 batches. The electrical setup of the 317s,318s,321s,320s,322s is very similar they use the same 315bz TM2141 dual sourced traction motors. The 'low' power of the 317s seems to be a transposition of the motor rating figure one of those errors introduced by the famous author.
Most of the 701 and for that matter 730 issues are down to the snub nosed cab. But there are loads of Bombardier build quality problems too.