fTPE Rant

[F Great Eastern]

I know FGE wanted the 360s to have corridor connections like 350s, but because of visibillity or something they couldnt...

Correct, Health and Safety did not allow both DOO and gangway connections so the gangway connections got the chop.

 

[tbtc]

Seems daft to build short trains without corridor connections - at least with the old 158s on TPE you could make them any length you wanted (stock permitting) - two, three, four, five, six... rather than multiples of three (with no corridor connection)...

 

[northwichcat]

Seems daft to build short trains without corridor connections - at least with the old 158s on TPE you could make them any length you wanted (stock permitting) - two, three, four, five, six... rather than multiples of three (with no corridor connection)...

There were 8 cars on some old TPE 158 services when there were sport events on.

Even with 150/1s you can adjust the length by putting 150/2s, or parts of 150/2s in the middle, but obviously not as easy as joining two 150/2s together.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Here's an Artists impression of what a 360 would have looked like had health and safety not objected:
http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Artists impressions/Desiro360.jpg

 

[MCR247]

Thats actually a mock up, not an artists impression

 

[Failed Unit]

Correct, Health and Safety did not allow both DOO and gangway connections so the gangway connections got the chop.

That can't be totally true either 317's run DOO and they have corridor connections! The 380's ordered for Scotrail will have corridor connections. I think the most likely reason was that they just didn't order them with them. I have read elsewhere on TPE press releases that they didn't expect the trains to ever run in multiple so didn't see the point. I am glad BR didn't have the attitude with the sprinters (although I am sure the drivers will disagree)

 

[MCR247]

That can't be totally true either 317's run DOO and they have corridor connections! The 380's ordered for Scotrail will have corridor connections. I think the most likely reason was that they just didn't order them with them. I have read elsewhere on TPE press releases that they didn't expect the trains to ever run in multiple so didn't see the point. I am glad BR didn't have the attitude with the sprinters (although I am sure the drivers will disagree)

FGE did actually want them with corridor connections. I'm not sure why they couldnt though

Unlike the South West Trains and West Coast Main Line Desiros, the Class 360 lacks inter-unit gangways. This was a late design change, as the Health and Safety Executive was not happy with the driver's forward visibility with the previous design's gangway cab.

 

[HH]

IIRC at FGE drivers objected to the proposed layout. TBH it does restrict the view.

 

[tbtc]

There were 8 cars on some old TPE 158 services when there were sport events on

Those were the days

I'm all for units built like the 150/153/155/156/158s to better tailor demand to supply - in the way that you could add an extra coach to locl hauled trains in BR days - rather than today's fixed length units (with no corridor connections)

 

[me123]

Cascaded 350s will run Manchester Airport to Scotland services, so they will get an extra carriage. If it's 350/1s then they will be almost identical to the 185s, but with an extra carriage. If it's 350/2s then it will be a downgrade.

The cascaded 350s will be instead of new diesel units. Whether TPE will get any new diesels is to be confirmed later in the year.

Thanks for the info.

Any 350/2s cannot be allowed. You're on the train for a long time.3+2 seating is not suitable for what, IMO, should be an intercity service. 350/1s would be what's needed. Ideally, new rolling stock should have been acquired for both Birmingham and Manchester services, but 350/1s aren't a downgrade at least.