GWR Class 800

[Railperf]

And here we have a graph comparing 50 to 110mph acceleration in electric mode vs diesel mode. The red speed trace is in electric mode from Old Oak common westbound, while the Blue trace is in diesel mode eastbound from Reading.

 

[Railperf]

And the same data over distance -

 

[Railperf]

And to spice things up, I have finally added Class 180 trace in orange, and HST in green...

 

[Filton Bank]

Clarence Park Baptist Church??

Yes! That's the one!

 

[ainsworth74]

And to spice things up, I have finally added Class 180 trace in orange, and HST in green...

Very very interesting! Thanks for this (and all the other data it's been fascinating).

The red trace I note seems to dip off at around 100 seconds before picking back up again at the same rate at around 110 seconds. Are you able to offer any explanation? Driver easing off? Signal check?

 

[Filton Bank]

Very very interesting! Thanks for this (and all the other data it's been fascinating).

The red trace I note seems to dip off at around 100 seconds before picking back up again at the same rate at around 110 seconds. Are you able to offer any explanation? Driver easing off? Signal check?

The trace is from Old Oak Common heading west. Line speed rises from 100 to 125 roughly around Acton Main Line, so it looks like the dip is drivers shutting off to avoid exceeding 100, then retaking power once the train is clear of the increase in line speed.

 

[coppercapped]

Very very interesting! Thanks for this (and all the other data it's been fascinating).

The red trace I note seems to dip off at around 100 seconds before picking back up again at the same rate at around 110 seconds. Are you able to offer any explanation? Driver easing off? Signal check?

All westbound trains out of Paddington do a running brake check to reduce the speed by about 10% somewhere between Ladbroke Grove and Acton. I suspect that is what this dip in speed represents.

 

[HowardGWR]

This is very impressive (the changeover) but I still think that, given the steepest banks are a) up to Filton and b) Bath to Wootton Bassett, that electrification is fully justified. If GWR continue to want to run trains through to Swansea and through to Taunton via Bristol, then I suppose bi-mode has its place.

 

[superalbs]

Pic of VTEC Class 800/801 in the new livery extracted from the VTEC Red Report video. Oh dear. :/

 

[Railperf]

Here is a short video with a GPS overlay of an IET accelerating out from Paddington towards Reading in electric mode. The video ends as the train settled into 123mph cruise just before Southall.

 

[Railperf]

The trace is from Old Oak Common heading west. Line speed rises from 100 to 125 roughly around Acton Main Line, so it looks like the dip is drivers shutting off to avoid exceeding 100, then retaking power once the train is clear of the increase in line speed.

Yes @Filton Bank , that was exactly my assessment of the data too.

 

[ash39]

Pic of VTEC Class 800/801 in the new livery extracted from the VTEC Red Report video. Oh dear. :/

Not entirely surprising, it was strongly suggested by Virgin's design guy on twitter a while back that the final Azuma livery wouldn't have yellow ends. It's pretty much what I expected on the sides from what can be seen on the screen grab, basically the livery from 800101 minus the 'Azuma comimg 2018' stuff.

Personally think it looks OK, quite stealthy from the front. The overall look is a bit bland by Virgin standards though. I'm sick of white/silver based liveries. Had it all been red and black it would been really striking.

 

[samuelmorris]

Ah, a pressure seal against the doors! I must admit I've been on 3 or 4 of these now and have only just noticed. Sounds like a release of air just after coming to a stand, and suddenly the outside world can be heard. Quite impressive I think. Shows how well sealed they are.
Engines are the same, in fact on hard acceleration you can hear the motors whine more than anything else; the engine itself is barely identifiable. Have to listen real careful to hear them start/stop when the moving changeover takes place.

Sounds exactly the same as a 395 in that regard then, which is to be expected I suppose.

Many thanks for the interesting data railperf - a fascinating read.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not just 395s, Voyagers have pressure sealed doors as well, they noticeably release on dropping below 5km/h. I'm sure they are not the only ones.

 

[Sprinter153]

I worked my first set this week (as an assist as I'm not passed on them yet!) and I have to say despite mass hysteria on some fronts I think they are very good trains. The build quality seems to be fairly good, with only a few niggles (such as the metal bracket on the guards' panel doors which appears to be attached with double-sided sticky tape).

I like the ability to view live CCTV throughout the train from a TMS console. I used this a few times to answer queries about where the trolley was and keep an eye on what is going on in the front set. A PA in each guards' panel is also a godsend for those of us who prefer to silence the PIS and provide our own announcements (which is encouraged).

The Customer Hosts dislike them because, dare I say it, a Standard Class trolley is harder work than manning a buffet counter. Lots of passengers are still asking where said buffet is, but I suspect this is something they will get used to quickly.

I actually like the seats in Standard Class more than those in First Class which I found a tad uncomfortable. The reduction in First Class ambience compared to an HST has been noted by a number of passengers too.

 

[ainsworth74]

The reduction in First Class ambience compared to an HST has been noted by a number of passengers too.

Yes it was an interesting to contrast an IET with an HST when I had my ride. The fixtures and fittings on the HST were far better than those on the IET but I would say the experience in terms of everything else (so like noise, ride quality, etc) was far better on the IET.

 

[Bishopstone]

The Customer Hosts dislike them because, dare I say it, a Standard Class trolley is harder work than manning a buffet counter. Lots of passengers are still asking where said buffet is, but I suspect this is something they will get used to quickly.

Harder work physically, in terms of pushing the trolley and weaving it around obstacles etc; or harder work in terms of retail sales increasing, generating more transactions per hour? (or both?)

 

[Sprinter153]

Harder work physically, in terms of pushing the trolley and weaving it around obstacles etc; or harder work in terms of retail sales increasing, generating more transactions per hour? (or both?)

Harder work physically; in terms of retail sales there's little motivation for Customer Hosts to work harder, as they don't have targets or an incentive scheme (although the minimum wage Rail Gourmet agency staff on Turbos and 158s do have targets per hour!)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Harder work physically; in terms of retail sales there's little motivation for Customer Hosts to work harder, as they don't have targets or an incentive scheme (although the minimum wage Rail Gourmet agency staff on Turbos and 158s do have targets per hour!)

Must admit to being surprised that those who work buffets/trolleys don't get commission.

I think these days I prefer a trolley, that way I don't need to faff about taking stuff (expensive tech) with me. It does have to be reliable, though, or I'll just buy before getting on.

 

[Phil G]

The 07:00 from Paddington today was cancelled - announcements said late arriving from depot but I assumed a failure of the set - any other information?

 

[Domh245]

The 07:00 from Paddington today was cancelled - announcements said late arriving from depot but I assumed a failure of the set - any other information?

I've read elsewhere that it was supposed to be 800011's first day in service, but there were issues on depot, hence the cancellations

 

[JN114]

AWS issues on 11; they weren’t able to rectify in time for the 0700 off Paddington. Units ran around each other on North Pole to box in the fault and 11 is back out on diagram with 09

 

[Envoy]

I can’t see the point in giving catering staff targets. Either the passengers want something or they don’t. Perhaps it is just to make sure that they keep going up and down the train?

 

[WelshBluebird]

I can’t see the point in giving catering staff targets. Either the passengers want something or they don’t. Perhaps it is just to make sure that they keep going up and down the train?

Seems a bit unfair for those who work the busier trains where you literally can't get up and down the train then?

 

[mushroomchow]

That black end is about the only thing Virgin's new "corporate-wide" white and red livery has going for it.

It REALLY doesn't suit the Pendolinos in particular. I can understand the urge to tweak it after the best part of two decades on the network, but the white-dominated "minimal" look does not translate with a corporate branding as garish as Virgin's. Red should have at the very least been the primary colour.

Just my tuppence, anyway.

As for the additional performance data, very interesting. Are there any parts of the non-wired route with particularly notable gradients and if so how do they cope? It will be relevant when the 802s join the TPE fleet, since a lot of the Northern area they're supposed to be covering is "off-grid" and fairly challenging.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think the Pendolino would look fine if the "swish" was present at every coach join. And we know the reason it is not.

 

[Mordac]

I'd love to see those comparison charts with a Voyager thrown in there. I guess that will have to wait the 80xs make it to the East Coast Main Line (although they won't go on diesel mode there...)

 

[Domh245]

As for the additional performance data, very interesting. Are there any parts of the non-wired route with particularly notable gradients and if so how do they cope? It will be relevant when the 802s join the TPE fleet, since a lot of the Northern area they're supposed to be covering is "off-grid" and fairly challenging.

Worth noting that the 802s won't be restrained in terms of engine power (and thus acceleration) as much as the 800s, indeed the initial order was for units to go over the Devon banks - the TPE 802s should be fine.

 

[bonzawe]

I'd love to see those comparison charts with a Voyager thrown in there. I guess that will have to wait the 80xs make it to the East Coast Main Line (although they won't go on diesel mode there...)

The challenge for the ECML will presumably be the Aberdeen and Inverness routes where they will be operating on Diesel at 700hp . The Highland main line is heavily graded and the Aberdeen road has several short climbs.

 

[D1009]

I was quite surprised to see a notice fixed to the trolley "PROPERTY OF HITACHI RAIL UK". I hadn't realised their responsibilities extended to the trollies!