Class 730 LNR & WMR Delivery/test Updates

[childwallblues]

Walsall-Wolverhampton requires 6 fewer diagrams per day than the Cross City, so it's probably easier to diagram drivers that actually sign 730s on that route.

I believe the three 323s that have gone up north will be all that is being transferred for the time being, with the rest of the fleet being withdrawn much closer to the middle of this year (though I may be wrong on this).

Aren't Liverpool services diagrammed as 8 cars off-peak and 4 cars at 2tph during the peaks? LNR has been struggling with train lengths as of late, though 12 cars on Euston-Crewe on Sundays is thoroughly welcome, I only hope that this becomes a thing on Saturdays as well. When the 730/2s enter service Liverpool's should be operated by a 5-car 730 at 2tph.

On Tuesday all off peak Liverpool services were 4-car being a mix of /1 and /2 plus 350408.

 

[James Kevill]

Will more of the Class 730/2 Aventra Fleets to be built for LNR? Because I have a feeling it's very uncertain that the Alstom Litchurch Lane Works at Derby is at a risk of losing the jobs because of concern over the future of the factory in the face of a lack of contracts and the government’s delay in delivering HS2.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm sitting on a 730/0 en route from MKC to EUS and I can't help noticing that the LNR services from Euston to New St via Northampton have been erased from the route map above the door!

Try looking at the other map above the other doorway opposite behind you...

 

[D1511]

Thank you, but i'm not a complete half-wit
It's not on that either

 

[Bletchleyite]

They appear to be only showing lines that are or will be 730 operated. This is unnecessarily confusing in my book because most people don't care what rolling stock operates on a given route.

 

[Lewisham2221]

They appear to be only showing lines that are or will be 730 operated. This is unnecessarily confusing in my book because most people don't care what rolling stock operates on a given route.

Nor do most people wait until they are on the train to plan their journey. As discussed earlier in this thread, it's the norm for the current fleet, too. Aren't they more for figuring out where about you are (on your current journey/leg) than advertising/journey planning?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Nor do most people wait until they are on the train to plan their journey. As discussed earlier in this thread, it's the norm for the current fleet, too. Aren't they more for figuring out where about you are (on your current journey/leg) than advertising/journey planning?

Yes, but just leaving a gap like that is confusing. If you're going to only show where those units go, just show separate lines without showing where they connect.

I also very much doubt no 730 will ever do Euston-Brum. I give it a week or so before stuff ends up the wrong way round and it happens, assuming Bletchley crews sign it. Or if they don't, I give it a few months before other crews are trained.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Nor do most people wait until they are on the train to plan their journey. As discussed earlier in this thread, it's the norm for the current fleet, too. Aren't they more for figuring out where about you are (on your current journey/leg) than advertising/journey planning?

In times of service disruption it is nice to know what your alternatives are (at least within the same TOC so ticket validity). It also seems a big yawning gap denying the existence of Rugby to Coventry/Birmingham as it must be quite an important sector for LNR.

Or are LNR supposed to try not to compete with Avanti ?!.

Maybe LNR don't want London to Liverpool, Crewe or Stafford customers knowing they could go via Birmingham ?.

TBF it omits the StAlbans Abbey branch and the Marston Vale as well.

Just a dotted line for "other LNR services" would help.

I can imagine there is a limit to how far the diagram can spread. Maybe the thinking is like the tube diagrams. But the missing bits are so little to add.

Thinking more about this istr there is a separate square map on the 350s by the doors showing the whole network ?.

Yes, but just leaving a gap like that is confusing. If you're going to only show where those units go, just show separate lines without showing where they connect.

I also very much doubt no 730 will ever do Euston-Brum. I give it a week or so before stuff ends up the wrong way round and it happens, assuming Bletchley crews sign it. Or if they don't, I give it a few months before other crews are trained.

Not sure about how soon but very true it will happen.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thank you, but i'm not a complete half-wit

It's not on that either

Oh that's odd - I was on them on Monday on all three diagrams off Euston ( I did Euston to Harrow on the 15.54; Harrow to Bushey on the 16.24 and Bushey to Watford on the 16.39 ) so all six units for the day and saw both maps, but I couldn't say which specific units had both because I didn't really study the maps much... I just thought that because some of them did, all of them would...

 

[Merle Haggard]

The omissions from the maps were discussed on another thread soon after the 730/0's introduction, but I am struggling to find it - although I did post on it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'll have a look again next time I'm on the 730s, but that might not be until the 5th February unfortunately.

 

[D1511]

They appear to be only showing lines that are or will be 730 operated. This is unnecessarily confusing in my book because most people don't care what rolling stock operates on a given route.

That is absolutely ridiculous, if the case, and is a recipe for customer confusion. Even if it did just show the class 730 operating routes, surely it is better to show the LNR connections by changing at MK central, Rugby or Bletchley (MVL isn't shown either) than not at all. What an odd decision.
I will continue my empirical research next week.
When I raised it with the guard, he was also puzzled, and admitted to not having noticed it before!

 

[The_Train]

I don't think I have ever seen a "normal" customer looking at the maps on trains anyway

 

[SCDR_WMR]

There should be the full LNWR map within the carriages too - normally on the end walls rather than by the doors. So I think it's just the above doors version that is incomplete. I will flag it with fleet and see what they say

 

[Merle Haggard]

I don't think I have ever seen a "normal" customer looking at the maps on trains anyway

I have - possibly because they can't believe how long the journey is taking and checking that they haven't missed their stop. (Euston - Northampton - Birmingham).

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Also, 730206 is out and about today. Currently at Stafford P4

 

[3973EXL]

730003/048

Realtime Trains | 5Q65 1004 Derby Litchurch Lane to Oxley Car. M.D. | 16/01/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Q65 1004 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Oxley Car. M.D. on 16/01/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[wickham]

Thanks for the posing regarding 730003/048: This train apperars on RTT to have run very late, not leaving Derby Lit till 1442 (instead of 1004) !
One that appears to have been missed is that 730046 was delivered from Derby to Oxley on 17.11.23 hauled by 37611 (there are photos on Flickr) - this means that all the 3 car units are now delivered, 048 being the last.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Thanks for the posing regarding 730003/048: This train apperars on RTT to have run very late, not leaving Derby Lit till 1442 (instead of 1004) !
One that appears to have been missed is that 730046 was delivered from Derby to Oxley on 17.11.23 hauled by 37611 (there are photos on Flickr) - this means that all the 3 car units are now delivered, 048 being the last.

But when will they all be in service? 2024 or only in '25? Will the first dash 2 enter service before the last dash zero?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

But when will they all be in service? 2024 or only in '25? Will the first dash 2 enter service before the last dash zero?

Hard to say, would envisage December TT for the LNR varients in service. Given the WMR units officially enter service in a few weeks, I can't see them taking more than 6 months to get the rest out in service

 

[wickham]

Don't forget that a lot of the WMR units are stored at Doncaster (at least 16 units, with a few others elsewhere) so will have to be brought back, but that won't take six months !

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Don't forget that a lot of the WMR units are stored at Doncaster (at least 16 units, with a few others elsewhere) so will have to be brought back, but that won't take six months !

The 6 months is what I'm giving them to the units that have only just been delivered through fault free running and acceptance etc. The majority I would imagine are ready to go, even if not stored locally

 

[Peter Sarf]

From today (Monday 22/01/2024) there are now four pairs of 730/0s running out of Euston - see Part Time Spotter.

However also tonight (Monday 22/01/2024) three 730/0s remained at Camden sidings after 17:15. I saw all four services (pairs of 73/0) run and I get the impression these remaining three are being tested. Any ideas of the id's ?.

 

[Zeremony]

From today (Monday 22/01/2024) there are now four pairs of 730/0s running out of Euston - see Part Time Spotter.

The fourth diagram replaces two 350s and operates between Euston and Milton Keynes/Tring throughout the day.
Starts and ends at Bletchley of course.

 

[Sutton in Ant]

I have a feeling that all of the 730s being in service by June time.

 

[The_Train]

730005 has entered service today

 

[AndrewE]

The fourth diagram replaces two 350s and operates between Euston and Milton Keynes/Tring throughout the day.
Starts and ends at Bletchley of course.

Lucky old London! (In keeping with the thread title...) Any chance of released units strengthening the 4-car Brum-Lpool services? Which luxuriate in just 1 8-car a day, for the Londoners who can't imagine a train shorter than 8.) I guess I know the answer to that.
When might any new vehicles reach beyond the services which run direct to London?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Lucky old London! (In keeping with the thread title...) Any chance of released units strengthening the 4-car Brum-Lpool services? Which luxuriate in just 1 8-car a day, for the Londoners who can't imagine a train shorter than 8.) I guess I know the answer to that.
When might any new vehicles reach beyond the services which run direct to London?

Given that the only 730s running have been to release the 319 jobs, there isn't any trains free to strengthen.

With looking strike and ASOS, the West Mids launch have been pushed back to mid Feb. Strengthening could happen then, but highly unlikely.

And the reason is not due to lack of available units. Nor is it lack of passengers.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Lucky old London! (In keeping with the thread title...) Any chance of released units strengthening the 4-car Brum-Lpool services? Which luxuriate in just 1 8-car a day, for the Londoners who can't imagine a train shorter than 8.) I guess I know the answer to that.
When might any new vehicles reach beyond the services which run direct to London?

Well given that the pairs of 730/0s being used add up to six coaches and 3 (or all 4) of the diagrams they are on in London were 8car before I am not too sorry for the West Midlands. The 319s that were replaced in London by 730/0s were dropping like flies and WM seemed not to be in a position to use them. Reason - I *think* WM want enough drivers and units to replace a whole route in one go. So in the meantime these 730/0s are presumably earning money by being subleased by WMR to an operator more desperate.

Rest assured the 730/0s will be coming to the West Midlands as soon as the 730/2s come on stream. Oh and the order was changed so there were more 730/0s than before at the expense of the 730/1s and 730/2s that were meant for the WCML.

Nobody is getting much extra iirc - the 730s are replacing 323s, 319s and some of the 350s. The biggest deal seems to be all these passengers who want to stay at home and work there !.

 

[DjU]

So in the meantime these 730/0s are presumably earning money by being subleased by WMR to an operator more desperate.

Well given that the pairs of 730/0s being used add up to six coaches and 3 (or all 4) of the diagrams they are on in London were 8car before I am not too sorry for the West Midlands.

No one is sub leasing anything to anyone... its the same TOC! They just have subbrands for the routes.

And - I could be wrong - but I'm pretty sure all the 730s much like the majority of the AC Aventras are 23-24m long compared to the 19-20m 4 car fleets. So a 6 car is not too far off the length of a 8 car 350 / 319.