Construction progress: TPE 350/4

[455driver]

It's going to be vinyls. No one is going to repaint a brand new train (especially not an operator whose franchise is going to end in a couple of years).

Plus it would invalidate the paint warranty.

 

[Class172]

Is that the same blue/silver scheme as used by Silverlink/Central a decade ago. I quite like the colour scheme, though I wait to see what vinyls will be plastered over it.

 

[Geeves]

They might decide to put the trains into the new corporate colours popping up currently on the bus fleet. Lots of white, lilac and er pink!

 

[Manchester77]

Is that the same blue/silver scheme as used by Silverlink/Central a decade ago. I quite like the colour scheme, though I wait to see what vinyls will be plastered over it.

Kinda someone posted that its the London Midland base colours (without the fancy green bits though!)

 

[Eagle]

Is that the same blue/silver scheme as used by Silverlink/Central a decade ago.

Similar, but not identical.

 

[Techniquest]

Very similar, except they used a navy blue (or something close to it) colour for the doors I do believe when the 350/1s were first introduced.

Also, and I'm being picky, but the 350s are not a decade old. They weren't introduced until mid 2005 or thereabouts. Certainly my first journey on 350109 wasn't until 4th November 2005, and they were still pretty new then. Yes I did have to double-check the date mind, but knew it was 350109. Some things just stick in your head better than others! So the 350/1s are just over 8 years old, crikey hasn't that flown by!

 

[Eagle]

You could argue that SWT had their "350s" in use earlier than that :P

 

[Techniquest]

But they're not 350s though, are they?

I mean, if we were going to be *that* fussy, I could mention that TPX have had their 350s for a fair few years now. By which I mean 185s, still part of the Desiro family though!

Of course, that's being a little ridiculous...

 

[Eagle]

Well that would be ridiculous. 450s and 350/1s are almost identical trains (they were part of the same order), whereas 185s are substantially different, not least in their traction package and bodyshell design.

 

[Techniquest]

Well that would be ridiculous. 450s and 350/1s are almost identical trains (they were part of the same order), whereas 185s are substantially different, not least in their traction package and bodyshell design.

Regardless, each class is part of the Desiro family and if we can consider the 450s as part of the same batch (I don't recall if they were originally part of the same order, 450s started running before I developed an interest in EMUs) of trains, when the two classes are quite different...

As for my argument about 185s, RidicuAbsurdym at play!

 

[Class377/5]

Regardless, each class is part of the Desiro family and if we can consider the 450s as part of the same batch (I don't recall if they were originally part of the same order, 450s started running before I developed an interest in EMUs) of trains, when the two classes are quite different...

As for my argument about 185s, RidicuAbsurdym at play!

The 350/1 started out as 450 on SWT original 10 car railways plan that the SRA changed when they realised the cost to altering things to fit the trains in.

However the 450 were dc versions of the 350/0s.

EDIT: First 350/4 to go to Airwick happens today.

Here's the path

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N25707/2013/11/28/advanced

Even a chance to grab a photo.

 

[Starmill]

Indeed; should be interesting to see, if it really does get parked up in platform 3

 

[Thomas6187]

A friend of mine managed to got a picture of earlier, in the two minutes it was parked at Piccadilly

Picture of the TPE Facebook page

 

[Starmill]

That will be a yes then

 

[Lampshade]

The 350/1 started out as 450 on SWT original 10 car railways plan that the SRA changed when they realised the cost to altering things to fit the trains in.

However the 450 were dc versions of the 350/0s.

EDIT: First 350/4 to go to Airwick happens today.

Here's the path

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N25707/2013/11/28/advanced

Even a chance to grab a photo.

Wow, they've diversified hock:

 

[1D53]

I imagine it'll prove to a rare shot of a /4 in the main shed at Piccadilly considering they'll spend most of the time over on 13/14!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They might decide to put the trains into the new corporate colours popping up currently on the bus fleet. Lots of white, lilac and er pink!

With regard to the corporate 350/4 fleet livery, has there yet been any official statement made by First TPE that any other livery to their standard rail fleet livery will be used on the new EMU ?

 

[Pumbaa]

Word on the street is its a new rail livery.

 

[Manchester77]

First TPE 350402 & 350403 at Preston by Rorymacve Part II, on Flickr

Would this be the first 8 car test out on the mainline?
And have these units come over via the Chat Moss route or had they not transferred to Ardwick yet and so were still at Crewe?

 

[CJ]

Don't think they've been to Ardwick yet. They arrived at Crewe on the 27th November.

Most likely doing tests between Crewe - Preston via WCML.

 

[Manchester77]

Cheers, makes sense since the test train that was supposed to run on the phase 1 electrified line was cancelled.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Would this be the first 8 car test out on the mainline?

Ironically, despite all the weather chaos yesterday, TPE managed a test run Crewe-Preston and return.
If the Chat Moss route had been available for electric traffic, it would probably have been used for diverted VT London-Manchester Pendolinos because both the Wilmslow and Macclesfield routes were closed by fallen trees and OHLE damage.

 

[anthony263]

Cheers, makes sense since the test train that was supposed to run on the phase 1 electrified line was cancelled.

I would suggest having a read through the latest Modern Railways and the north west wires thread over on WNNX as it is a very good read on why there have been some issue's with the north west electrification projects.

Tony Miles has made some very interesting comments recently

 

[Goatboy]

Ugly looking family of units really, a shame because its probably just the lights that make them look like that.

 

[Class377/5]

Ugly looking family of units really, a shame because its probably just the lights that make them look like that.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they are a good looking modern unit but look better in SWT colours.

 

[Manchester77]

They don't even look that bad in the base livery tbh, be interesting to see how well they fit the rumoured new First Group rail livery...

 

[WatcherZero]

Ive always thought they had a refined rugged look, like a evolved Sprinter Pokemon style :P

 

[SeanG]

Don't like the yellow ends extending onto the bodyside,but I suppose that's personal opinion

 

[Eagle]

Don't like the yellow ends extending onto the bodyside,but I suppose that's personal opinion

It's the same as the LM ones (it's just more noticeable with these because it's up against the plain grey rather than LM green).

It'll look better when the trains are coloured in :P

 

[jopsuk]

it's quite different to the LM version. On the LM version, the yellow stops short of the cab door with a curve, and doesn't extend all the way down. On these, it is yellow from solebar-to-roof, all the way back to the edge of the cab door.