Construction progress: TPE 350/4

[ianhr]

350405 may have had an even worse day than sister 404 did yesterday.



I boarded at Preston and noted that the train had many expectant passengers for EDB, did not have any A/B/C/D window stickers, nor the electronic interior displays working, and looked spotless in and out.

It fell to the same unfortunate Conductor who was on yesterdays delayed working, and whom takes the train over at Preston, to inform the passengers on board that Carlisle was were the train would terminate and they would have a 40 minute wait before joining the next TPE service for Edinburgh.

What I don't know is whether 405 was defective at Oxford Road and repaired, or whether 405 was a swap for another defective unit. Was this 405s first day in public service?

So does anyone know what exactly was wrong with it? If when it had reached Preston it was fit to run to Carlisle why could it not continue to Edinburgh?

 

[WatcherZero]

The internal PIDS dont display all the time, they seem to only scroll information just before and just after leaving a station and are blank the rest of the Journey.

 

[harz99]

So does anyone know what exactly was wrong with it? If when it had reached Preston it was fit to run to Carlisle why could it not continue to Edinburgh?

Presumably because it was around 80' down and would still have been around an hour down returning from EDB. I understand the run back from CAR to MIA was uneventful and near enough to time.

It is a shame that there is no crossover and third platform at Lockerbie that could berth a late running train under these circumstances, providing of course that crew diagrams were suitable. As it is the unit was shunted and sat at CAR for around 1.75 hours.

 

[Aictos]

Any idea what diagrams the Class 350/4s work at the weekend?

 

[harz99]

Any idea what diagrams the Class 350/4s work at the weekend?

They don't.

 

[JonathanH]

They don't.

Maybe the previous posters question should have been any idea what diagrams the Class 350/4s work at the weekend from 15 February when the current West Coast engineering blocks finish. If none, when are they scheduled to start picking up weekend work?

 

[andyb2706]

On passing Ardwick this on the train I noticed a load of barrier wagong with 350406 sandwiched in between. Unless my eyes decieved me.

 

[Class 92]

2 more units were delivered on Saturday.

 

[Class377/5]

2 more units were delivered on Saturday.

Reported as 406\407. New 350/4 diagrams supposed start 10th Feb with three units in service.

 

[Bantamzen]

Have TPE made a decision on a livery yet, given that they've now got 7 of the 10 units in their possesion?

 

[joeykins82]

I suspect that TPE's decision on livery will follow DfT's decision on the future franchise holder; no point paying for something that's maybe changing hands in the relatively near future

 

[Class377/5]

Have TPE made a decision on a livery yet, given that they've now got 7 of the 10 units in their possesion?

They only have 5. 406/407 need to be commissioned as until they are formally accepted into TPE fleet, so until then are Siemens units. Even tho its TPE doing the testing.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Soon to be 7 we are doing well. Looking forward to the improvements across TPE North once they are done.

 

[Class377/5]

Soon to be 7 we are doing well. Looking forward to the improvements across TPE North once they are done.

Soon be May and the improvements will be most welcomed.

 

[ianhr]

Soon to be 7 we are doing well. Looking forward to the improvements across TPE North once they are done.

Knowing TPE they won't be in too much of a hurry to provide more seats on their scandalously overcrowded trains. I assume they will need more conductors to man the 2x3-car and 2x2car diagrams, if they ever materialise!

 

[BurtonM]

In reference to the previous page, another potential reason for old/non-standard logo use in TPE is the fact that Keolis have a stake in the business, and the 'i' of Pennine is in fact the swooshy i from the Keolis logo. You'd have to acknowledge Keolis somewhere else and that'd just clutter things up.

 

[Class377/5]

Knowing TPE they won't be in too much of a hurry to provide more seats on their scandalously overcrowded trains. I assume they will need more conductors to man the 2x3-car and 2x2car diagrams, if they ever materialise!

You do realise TPE wanted more carriages but wasn't allowed too?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Knowing TPE they won't be in too much of a hurry to provide more seats on their scandalously overcrowded trains. I assume they will need more conductors to man the 2x3-car and 2x2car diagrams, if they ever materialise!

Nope same as current 2x3 car where 1 guard can operate..... Of course if you was to just be pointlessly rude about TPE then go ahead. The additional diagrams are already in place for May 2014.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

You do realise TPE wanted more carriages but wasn't allowed to ?

Now where in the past did I hear exactly that same sentiment mentioned when a new fleet was on the horizon for TPE ?

 

[MCR247]

You do realise TPE wanted more carriages but wasn't allowed too?

No they didn't, TPE and every other toc love overcrowding so definitely their fault. Everyone knows that tocs like to short form trains whenever possible as well!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

No they didn't, TPE and every other toc love overcrowding so definitely their fault. Everyone knows that tocs like to short form trains whenever possible as well!

Your cynicism does you proud for one so youthful. Perhaps there should be a forum classification for the likes of both of us...."Established Cynic"..

 

[Class377/5]

Now where in the past did I hear exactly that same sentiment mentioned when a new fleet was on the horizon for TPE ?

The TOCs are really an excuse for DfT to implement its ideas without getting attacked for it.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

. . . and everyone knows that TPE management keeps lots of spare units hidden away whilst they giggle at pax squeezed in between Leeds and Manchester.

 

[ianhr]

. . . and everyone knows that TPE management keeps lots of spare units hidden away whilst they giggle at pax squeezed in between Leeds and Manchester.

I sometimes wonder whether their staff ever say anything to the TPE management, because the overcrowding often makes it difficult for the train crews to do their job properly. There are many trains on which it is impossible for the conductor/guards to sell or check tickets, or for the catering trolley to circulate, because it is physically so difficult to move through the train. Station dwell times are increased due to the mob of passengers around the doors. This is exacerbated if a train runs a few minutes late because passengers are already pouring onto the platforms at Leeds, Huddersfield & Manchester expecting the following train. I doubt that some of these trains could be evacuated safely in the event of an emergency. We have discussed TPE problems many times on this and other threads. My personal view is that what is needed is LONGER trains so that passengers can distribute themselves along the platforms and move about inside the train, not even more frequent very short trains. TPE is not a tramway. In their defence I always find the crews cheerful, knowledgeable and professional but somehow I am left with the feeling that the management care very little about passenger comfort.

 

[NotATrainspott]

I sometimes wonder whether their staff ever say anything to the TPE management, because the overcrowding often makes it difficult for the train crews to do their job properly. There are many trains on which it is impossible for the conductor/guards to sell or check tickets, or for the catering trolley to circulate, because it is physically so difficult to move through the train. Station dwell times are increased due to the mob of passengers around the doors. This is exacerbated if a train runs a few minutes late because passengers are already pouring onto the platforms at Leeds, Huddersfield & Manchester expecting the following train. I doubt that some of these trains could be evacuated safely in the event of an emergency. We have discussed TPE problems many times on this and other threads. My personal view is that what is needed is LONGER trains so that passengers can distribute themselves along the platforms and move about inside the train, not even more frequent very short trains. TPE is not a tramway. In their defence I always find the crews cheerful, knowledgeable and professional but somehow I am left with the feeling that the management care very little about passenger comfort.

Everyone in the railway industry knows about the overcrowding on some routes so the train staff telling upper management about the problems wouldn't help a great deal. To solve these capacity issues it isn't possible just to order another set of DMUs and it's not possible within the franchise structure to remove services from less busy sections to relieve busy ones. The TPX routes are being electrified and that's by far the best way of solving the problems even though it will take many years. When you have electrified lines, it's really much easier than diesels just to tag on another order of whatever Siemens or Bombardier (or soon Hitachi) are building at the moment, and the trains would have a full life of revenue service ahead of them so the ROSCOs would be more than willing to finance them.

 

[swt_passenger]

. . . and everyone knows that TPE management keeps lots of spare units hidden away whilst they giggle at pax squeezed in between Leeds and Manchester.

But even now few people know that every post-privatisation order for EMUs included a 5% extra add-on that was never publicised, but transferred directly to the 'strategic reserve'. Not even Platform 5 list these units...

 

[WatcherZero]

And theres always the Strategic Steam Reserve, hidden away in the tunnels in case of nuclear war :P

 

[Philip]

I'm guessing the following two diagrams will be worked by 350s from Monday:

(05:51 Ardwick - Lancaster ECS) 07:23 Lancaster - Man Airport, 09:00 Man Airport - Glasgow Central, 13:09 Glasgow - Man Airport, 17:00 Man Airport - Glasgow

(ECS Ardwick - Man Airport) 07:00 Man Airport - Glasgow, 11:09 Glasgow - Man Airport, 15:00 Man Airport - Oxenholme, 17:31 Oxenholme - Man Airport, (Man Airport - Ardwick)

 

[richardio123]

I'm guessing the following two diagrams will be worked by 350s from Monday:

(05:51 Ardwick - Lancaster ECS) 07:23 Lancaster - Man Airport, 09:00 Man Airport - Glasgow Central, 13:09 Glasgow - Man Airport, 17:00 Man Airport - Glasgow

(ECS Ardwick - Man Airport) 07:00 Man Airport - Glasgow, 11:09 Glasgow - Man Airport, 15:00 Man Airport - Oxenholme, 17:31 Oxenholme - Man Airport, (Man Airport - Ardwick)

Someone posted this days ago

0558 MIA - EDB & 1008 EDB - MIA 1 x 350 MTWFO, 1 x 185 ThO
0812 EDB - MIA 1 x 350 FSX, 2 x 350 FO
0900 MIA - GLC & 1309 GLC - MIA 1 x 350 MTWO, 2 x 350 ThO, 1 x 185 FO
1200 MIA - EDB & 1612 EDB - MIA 1 x 350 FSX, 2 x 350 FO
1400 MIA - EDB & 1812 EDB - MAN/MIA 1 x 350 MTWFO, 1 x 185 ThO
1700 MIA - GLC 1 x 350 MTWO, 2 x 350 ThO, 1 x 185 FO
2000 MIA - EDB 1 x 185 FSX, 2 x 350 FO

 

[WatcherZero]

Signs up saying the Lancaster service (5:15 Man Pic) will no longer call at Bolton and Chorley from next week so that looks like a service switching to election traction.
Replacement Northern service will start from Manchester Oxford Road at a similar time for Bolton line users.