Construction progress: TPE 350/4

[76020]

Class 350 Desiro 350401 makes its first ever run to Preston 14/11/13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX46Eri6DcA

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Seems to have worked pretty much straight out of the box. As you would hope.
Looks like it has a daily test run Crewe-Carnforth this week.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...1/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=TP

 

[YorkshireBear]

How much testing required? 20 days till first day what are the chances? I know kwvr45 said first scheduled use is late December but things do change.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

How much testing required? 20 days till first day what are the chances? I know kwvr45 said first scheduled use is late December but things do change.

We haven't had any news on the switch-on over Chat Moss yet (due next weekend, apparently).
Currently it looks like the train will be ready before the wires.
From the video, 350 401 will evidently need TP branding before then.

 

[WillPS]

We haven't had any news on the switch-on over Chat Moss yet (due next weekend, apparently).
Currently it looks like the train will be ready before the wires.
From the video, 350 401 will evidently need TP branding before then.

Vinyls could easily be applied overnight if necessary, EMT managed it with a 9-car Meridian IIRC. Stranger things have happened than a vehicle enter service without branding.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Vinyls could easily be applied overnight if necessary, EMT managed it with a 9-car Meridian IIRC. Stranger things have happened than a vehicle enter service without branding.

Yes, its not the cosmetic thing, rather the safety/ownership labels that allow it to operate in passenger service.
Currently I guess it is in the hands of Siemens/Angel Trains.

 

[WatcherZero]

I wondered about the possibility of the first unit continuing to be used for training and compatability tests with the other 350's and the first service trains being the 2nd and 3rd unit.

 

[ianhr]

Does anyone know the timings of the Crewe-Carnforth runs as I may be going to Carnforth later this week?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Does anyone know the timings of the Crewe-Carnforth runs as I may be going to Carnforth later this week?

See the link in post #242. Click on 5T72/73.
Not guaranteed, of course.

 

[Class377/5]

I wondered about the possibility of the first unit continuing to be used for training and compatability tests with the other 350's and the first service trains being the 2nd and 3rd unit.

Been stated that 401 will allow the 350/2 to return to LM and be the unit for staff training from 8th Dec when it's handed over to TPE.

Only 1 unit will enter service on the 30th December is what's being stated by source. Elsewhere.

Yes, its not the cosmetic thing, rather the safety/ownership labels that allow it to operate in passenger service.
Currently I guess it is in the hands of Siemens/Angel Trains.

The livery is a type thing not Siemens. Contact was for Siemens to deliver an unbranded unit as when ordered TPE franchise was supposed to be ending soon after.

 

[Edvid]

Looks like a new type of pantograph on top. Is it another Brecknell Willis product?

 

[mackeral1234]

Looks like a new type of pantograph on top. Is it another Brecknell Willis product?

Looking at youtube video - it looks like the standard BW pantograph to me but i may be wrog

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Does anyone know the timings of the Crewe-Carnforth runs as I may be going to Carnforth later this week?

Through Wigan at 1121 today.

 

[TheJRB]

Does anybody know if these new 350s will be brought straight through the tunnel and up to Crewe or will they be brought over the day before and spend a while at Dollands Moor? It'd be nice to them at Dollands Moor from a passing train; it'd make a good way of getting a look without going to the station at 04:00!

 

[monty9120]

why do the 350s have that awful sound

 

[Class 92]

I like the 350 sound, better then just silence.

 

[swt_passenger]

why do the 350s have that awful sound

Because they are brim full of very complex electronics that rectifies the AC from the OHLE to DC, and feeds the DC into a 3 phase converter to drive the 3 phase motors at variable speeds, to accelerate the train smoothly.

When the train is braking, the same electronic devices operate in reverse, to feed AC back into the mains.

Siemens technology is subtly different to other builder's equivalent equipment, but all modern EMUs basically do the same, although the exact noises can differ.

 

[YorkshireBear]

It is an amazing sound!

 

[MK Tom]

Not exactly the most helpful contribution I realise, but I always thought that sound was reminiscent of the alien spaceships from the 1950s War of the Worlds movie.

 

[3141]

Not exactly the most helpful contribution I realise, but I always thought that sound was reminiscent of the alien spaceships from the 1950s War of the Worlds movie.

Great! Because it reminds me of the sound made by the carnivorous seaweed of the Sargasso Sea in the film "The Lost Continent" (based on Dennis Wheatley's "Uncharted Seas").

 

[ianhr]

I used to dislike the sound made by the 323s when starting and decelerating but when I travelled on them a week ago on the Manchester-Stoke line they seemed much quieter and really quite pleasant, or is this just my memory/imagination playing tricks. I find the sound of South West trains DC 350s perfectly acceptable but have not travelled much on the AC units.

 

[jopsuk]

350s and 450s make the same noise (roughly), as both have the same motor system. On the AC units the power is fed through a rectifier (making it DC) before being passed to the variable frequency inverter.

 

[northwichcat]

I used to dislike the sound made by the 323s when starting and decelerating but when I travelled on them a week ago on the Manchester-Stoke line they seemed much quieter and really quite pleasant, or is this just my memory/imagination playing tricks.

I think Northern have done something to improve them when moving off. The lights used to flicker a lot on moving off but they've reduced that now.

I find the sound of South West trains DC 350s perfectly acceptable but have not travelled much on the AC units.

They are 450s.

 

[ianhr]

I think Northern have done something to improve them when moving off. The lights used to flicker a lot on moving off but they've reduced that now.



They are 450s.

Yes sorry, I was forgetting DC stock is in the 4xx series.

Actually I find with Siemens electric stock the air conditioning can be noisier than the traction equipment, it will be interesting to see what the 350/4s are like.

 

[MK Tom]

I used to dislike the sound made by the 323s when starting and decelerating

That's the best noise in the universe.

 

[Starmill]

That's the best noise in the universe.

Yup

 

[Crossover]

Yes sorry, I was forgetting DC stock is in the 4xx series.

Actually I find with Siemens electric stock the air conditioning can be noisier than the traction equipment, it will be interesting to see what the 350/4s are like.

Having been on an LM 350 when it was on loan to Southern, and used on 3rd rail, I'd say the pitch is lower when they are on DC power

Agreed about the noisy air con (noticeable at a neutral section!)...I suspect the new trains will be exactly the same

 

[Max]

Brough's not important. I recall it was to be removed as a TPE calling point when the TPE franchise started but when John Prescott said he was completely against that it remained as a calling point.

The last time I travelled to Hull the only people to board at Brough were a group of drunk middle aged women and it wasn't even midday!

I can only assume the smiley means you are joking?
Brough is a very well used station for both commuting and long distance journeys. TPE had to build a second car park a few years ago to cope with demand!

 

[Blindtraveler]

anyone know what service the first 350/4 wil work on 30 Dec? Im no fan, but even I can appreciate what a huge improvement theyl be over the 185s, quite possibly the worst DMU Ever and would like to be onboard!

 

[northwichcat]

I can only assume the smiley means you are joking?
Brough is a very well used station for both commuting and long distance journeys. TPE had to build a second car park a few years ago to cope with demand!

I was joking but just looking at the figures they are actually low compared to towns on my local line which only get an hourly stopping service.

Brough gets 342,000 entries and exits per annum.

In comparison
Knutsford gets 399,000 entries and exits per annum.
Altrincham gets 477,000 entries and exits per annum.

Maybe that's why First/Kelios did consider removing Brough as a calling point when they bid for the franchise? Stalybridge got reduced from 2 TPE services per hour to 1 TPE service per hour and gets over 1 million entries and exits per annum.