Heathrow Connect suspended/332s withdrawn from service (running again)

[Southsider]

Nobody killed, just a guard and a couple of passengers had seriouds injuries in the first of the problems (an explosion rather than a fire!).

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_EMUFailures1962.pdf has the full report.

Thanks for the correction. Significant injuries but not quite as serious as I had thought.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

When the terminal shuttle is in normal service, does it cross over the running line for the main branch at all?

 

[Lunipart]

Is that possibly going to mean the entire bogies will need replacing along with the parts they mount onto on the underframe?

No,the bogies are not affected.Having a brief look today at the pictures it seems that the cracks emanated from a bracket that was added later for strength.

 

[matt_world2004]

Teehee, you made a funny.

Not sure where you're getting £2 a minute from. A standard single on the HEX is £22 (currently reduced to £17 pending the return of the 332s) for a 15-minute journey, and advance fares start from £5.50..

£30 is the business first fare that is £2 a minute so to say they charge customers £2 a minute is correct.

 

[Nippy]

When the terminal shuttle is in normal service, does it cross over the running line for the main branch at all?

What do you mean? Normal weekday/Saturday service the shuttle runs ECS from OOC to Heathrow Central via Padd and then stays self contained running between Heathrow Central and Terminal 4.

 

[PHILIPE]

Replying to a query GWR Twitter says likely to be several weeks before things return to normal.

 

[island]

£30 is the business first fare that is £2 a minute so to say they charge customers £2 a minute is correct.

More like grossly misleading, referring to the fare paid by both of the BusinessFirst passengers when by far the majority of the train is in Express class.

 

[matt_world2004]

More like grossly misleading, referring to the fare paid by both of the BusinessFirst passengers when by far the majority of the train is in Express class.

Only if you struggle with English Island, If I said they charge all passengers £2 a minute you may have a point. But I didn't.

 

[jon0844]

Standby to repeat again when someone else comes up with another daft idea. The GE 360s are quite happy where they are thanks.

442s with OHLE and ATP upgrades. Perfect! Have done airport service before so are proven....

 

[island]

Only if you struggle with English Island, If I said they charge all passengers £2 a minute you may have a point. But I didn't.

You said they charge customers £2 a minute. If you'd said "some customers" I'd agree with you. But you didn't.

 

[matt_world2004]

You said they charge customers £2 a minute. If you'd said "some customers" I'd agree with you. But you didn't.

I didnt say all customers though. It is factually correct that they charge £2 a minute is correct. The fare for buying on board the train as well is £27.00 which is pretty much £2 a minute or £1.80 a minute if you want to be precise.

 

[Nym]

442s with OHLE and ATP upgrades. Perfect! Have done airport service before so are proven....

Proven, yes. Appropriate?

 

[jon0844]

Proven, yes. Appropriate?

Heck, who cares. Someone had to suggest it!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

What do you mean? Normal weekday/Saturday service the shuttle runs ECS from OOC to Heathrow Central via Padd and then stays self contained running between Heathrow Central and Terminal 4.

How busy is the shuttle normally? Is a 360 overkill for what it needs?

 

[stut]

How busy is the shuttle normally? Is a 360 overkill for what it needs?

Send a 153 down there, that'll sort 'em out!

 

[Mikey C]

How busy is the shuttle normally? Is a 360 overkill for what it needs?

It's not full, but it's essential to provide a regular service to Terminal 4, as otherwise all it would get would be the half hourly Heathrow Connect service

 

[D365]

Send a 153 down there, that'll sort 'em out!

Even better, why not use the shuttle as a trial route for the D-Train.

 

[Class 170101]

To use a GE Class 360 would mean having a train with no active safety system available at all, so it wouldn't be allowed in passenger service in any case, and there's absolutely no way a derogation should be being issued for their operation.

Point missed. I was try to establish whether the GE 360s were allowed to operate in tunnels like Heathrow or whether there were any differences (besides ATP) between GE and GW 360s under the skin.

 

[matt_world2004]

It's not full, but it's essential to provide a regular service to Terminal 4, as otherwise all it would get would be the half hourly Heathrow Connect service

The tube doesn't serve terminal 4 then?

 

[Mojo]

The tube doesn't serve terminal 4 then?

It's a fair walk from the Picc line to the Heathrow Exp station at T123.

(There's also engineering on the Picc this weekend, services only running between Heathrow - Northfields and Hammersmith - Cockfosters)

 

[matt_world2004]

It's a fair walk from the Picc line to the Heathrow Exp station at T123.

(There's also engineering on the Picc this weekend, services only running between Heathrow - Northfields and Hammersmith - Cockfosters)

Which wont effect those using the picc as a terminal transfer service. Its a major flaw in that when this crisis came to light that hex didnt come to some sort of agreement with tfl about issuing free transfer tickets that operate the gateline at terminal stations but not the rest of the network. They already pick up the tab for oyster/contactless terminal transfers

 

[me123]

^The tube is also not great for transferring from Terminals 2&3 - Terminal 4. Going from Terminal 4 to the Central Stations is fine, but going the other way you have to go out to Hatton Cross and back.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Point missed. I was try to establish whether the GE 360s were allowed to operate in tunnels like Heathrow or whether there were any differences (besides ATP) between GE and GW 360s under the skin.

Sorry, no differences under the skin which would prevent their access, other than safety equipment fit out. The tunnels are pretty big, plenty big enough for most (probably all) stock to get into Heathrow.

We've had a Class 86 and a pair of Class 66 diesels through the tunnels, doing OLE load testing, and I'm sure there have been loco hauled test trains on the branch too, but that's not my thing.

I'd expect 313121 will put in an appearance when the branch is ready for ETCS testing, and I'd guess the Class 97 ETCS locomotives may also appear for testing if needed.

 

[antharro]

It's a fair walk from the Picc line to the Heathrow Exp station at T123.

If I recall correctly, when you exit the Tube at T123, you walk past the entrance to the HEX on your way to terminal 3? I do recall it's a bit of a walk from that point to the actual HEX platforms though.

 

[Trailfinder]

I work in a passenger assistance role in the Heathrow terminals and we advise passengers to use the Heathrow Express shuttles to transfer between terminals 2/3 and T4 or T5, rather than use the Piccadily line, because of potential Oyster or CC payment problems. There are 2 travelators between the tube station and terminal 3 or Hex, and one travelator to T2. If transferring between 4 or 5, it is easier to use the 482 or 490 buses, which are free. Connecting passengers, unless they have good reason should not become landside, and should use the airside buses.

The Hex inter terminal shuttle runs every 15 minutes; Heathrow Connect services normally terminate at T5. As I use it for my travel, I think I was the only person on it from T5 the last time I used it.

 

[D1009]

HEX goes half-hourly on Saturdays due to Crossrail work which will free up one or more units.

According to RTT full 4 tph service on Hex today.

 

[MatthewRead]

The 156s were a newly built batch en route to Scotland and which were commandeered and diverted to Canton to cover. Drivers had a day conversion on the Sunday ready to introduce them on the Monday. I can recall Regional Railways Control cancelling half the Cardiff Valley trains on the Friday and deploying the 150s on the Portsmouth route.

I thought thumpers units were used on the Cardiff to Portsmouth services.
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Silverlink withdrew the class 321 fleet in Sept 2003 due to issues with the brakes.

I remember going to Cheddington and most services that ran were formed of Wagn 313s.

I didn't know that I know that Silverlink hired some loco hauled sets from Virgin Trains if someone could enlighten me a bit more that would be nice.

 

[43074]

I thought thumpers units were used on the Cardiff to Portsmouth services.

There was a temporary batch of 25 156s at based at Canton to cover the 155s.

I didn't know that I know that Silverlink hired some loco hauled sets from Virgin Trains if someone could enlighten me a bit more that would be nice.

They also had a couple of Central Trains 150/1s I recall from one of the magazines at the time.

 

[MatthewRead]

There was a temporary batch of 25 156s at based at Canton to cover the 155s.



They also had a couple of Central Trains 150/1s I recall from one of the magazines at the time.

Did the 150s operate out of along with WAGN 313s?

 

[Nippy]

Getting back on topic. Connect services still suspended until further notice according to the Heathrow Connect website.