Grand Central's New MD - An Introduction

[paul1609]

Network Fail just being b*stards and a few faults on one of the Valenta's IIRC.

Whats network rail got to do with it?
It must be Grand Centrals VAB?

 

[Tom]

Network Rail are demanding additional testing to be done before allowing the final test runs ... which I believe began today?

 

[BOSCH]

Network Rail are demanding additional testing to be done before allowing the final test runs ... which I believe began today?

Correct,me and clag aboard also !
Paul,why do you have such a downer about GC,it seems to me and a few of my colleagues that also read this forum that you take great delight in being totally negative about GC ! :roll::roll:

 

[Tom]

He only supports operators who operate class 377s and try to kill off SWT.

 

[paul1609]

Correct,me and clag aboard also !
Paul,why do you have such a downer about GC,it seems to me and a few of my colleagues that also read this forum that you take great delight in being totally negative about GC ! :roll::roll:

If anything Bosch I feel sorry for the grand central staff being let down by whats quite poor project management.

I understand that GCs now off to next year due to the lack of EU interoperability paperwork?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

He only supports operators who operate class 377s and try to kill off SWT.

As I've told you before Tom the only TOC operator I dont like is FGW because of the state of their trains.
I cant see how Southern are trying to kill off SWT. SWT put forward no business case to retain their services on the Coastway. SN have just filled the gaps that would have seen key peak services otherwise withdrawn. SN have always had their existing fares structure.
It seems to me that SWT didnt properly consider some of the implications of pulling out of Brighton nor some of the loop holes that the expensive fares needed to support their franchise bid would cause.

 

[rail-britain]

How many hoops have Grand Central got to jump through to get their train into public service?!
In all that time at least four other train companies have been established and are now in operation, albeit non-passenger, and they too have been through the same processes
It really does show that ONE body should perform the vehicle type testing, rather than the three just now
Even under BR it was only one body
Even for stock that has expired certificates it should not take more than 6 weeks to get them into service, after receipt from overhaul

The HST power cars should sail through the certification, the only difference is the livery, the smaller yellow warning panel may be a concern as previous liveries had the yellow inverted for power cars with buffers

The unmodified Mark 3 coaches should also sail through
The only concern may be their need to meet new disabled access requirements

The modified Mark 3 coaches could case minor delays
Firstly the Mark 3a coaches will have to have had some modifications from their original design, including electrics, removal of buffers, upgrade to braking system, and so on
The Mark 3 TRFB are also being modified internally, to a completely new design

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

The Warning Panels conform to the Group Standard. Go read it! (IIRC the minimum isn't very big, just look at the preserved stuff running on the main line with small panels...)

We have been let down by Marcroft, they will be working on the coaches this weekend to try to fix the faults.

I agree, we are having to jump through lots of hoops at the last minute... G**R simpathizer(s) within NR anyone?

It was claimed at one point that we were stopping too quickly (?? I know, in an emergency that is what you want to do, stop as quickly as you can!), to which a colleague commented then why don't they look at the 91s and Mk4s, as they can stop on a sixpence?!

 

[Demps]

The Warning Panels conform to the Group Standard. Go read it! (IIRC the minimum isn't very big, just look at the preserved stuff running on the main line with small panels...)

Hopefully they will get rid of the anoying design on the warning panels, the first design they showed was pretty sexy..

 

[Metroland]

Well I for one wish Grand Central the best. Having lived in Teeside for a while, it not only needs a service, it deserves one. The area has for too long been hidden off the East Coast Main line, and it shows.

It’s a great shame there aren’t more open access operators starting up, but thanks to the politicians and numerous other public bodies, which stranglehold the railways with red tape and make them overly complex and expensive, it’s probably easier to start pretty much any other transport enterprise.

 

[91101]

I am personally now 110% supportive of Grand Central after spending the past week analysing their marketing environment for a 3000word essay!

 

[djw1981]

The Warning Panels conform to the Group Standard. Go read it! (IIRC the minimum isn't very big, just look at the preserved stuff running on the main line with small panels...)

We have been let down by Marcroft, they will be working on the coaches this weekend to try to fix the faults.

I agree, we are having to jump through lots of hoops at the last minute... G**R simpathizer(s) within NR anyone?

It was claimed at one point that we were stopping too quickly (?? I know, in an emergency that is what you want to do, stop as quickly as you can!), to which a colleague commented then why don't they look at the 91s and Mk4s, as they can stop on a sixpence?!

I still wonder why Gc chose marcroft, who were initially a wagon company, and who seem to have ruled themselves out (by reputation if noting else) from further coach work. I appreciate that with 15x, and FGW/GNER refurbs, the main contractors are busy, but Wabtec are opening a new depot at Eastleigh for FGW, so I'm sure that had they or others wanted the job, room would have been found. It does seem that GC believed the estimates of when the stoock would be ready without the project management to achieve it. Those of us who have watched Grand Designs, Property ladder etc know that poor management plus unachievable estimates leads to over-runs in cost and time. Sadly this has to an extent adversely affected the launch., especially since NatEx will be launching anew company and new livery around the time of the GC launch (ie this winter) and have more publicity /PR machinery to dwarf them out.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

Marcroft/ESG got the contract because of their work on the EWS Executive train...

 

[91101]

I suppose therein lies the problem: that was for an Internal client, and of a much smaller scale.

 

[djw1981]

And with a less public deadline?...

 

[paul1609]

The Warning Panels conform to the Group Standard. Go read it! (IIRC the minimum isn't very big, just look at the preserved stuff running on the main line with small panels...)

We have been let down by Marcroft, they will be working on the coaches this weekend to try to fix the faults.

I agree, we are having to jump through lots of hoops at the last minute... G**R simpathizer(s) within NR anyone?

!

As I understand it, its GCs lack of EU paperwork that is now the stumbling block, nothing to do with NR.

 

[paul1609]

local press article: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/All-aboard-for-direct-rail.3556311.jp