Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

[Techniquest]

@prod_pep Thankfully not! I'm sat on my comfortable armchair, if I was sat on a 777 for too long then I'd be needing to see a chiropodist!

 

[Ribbleman]

@prod_pep Thankfully not! I'm sat on my comfortable armchair, if I was sat on a 777 for too long then I'd be needing to see a chiropodist!

Errr, I don’t think that your average chiropodist would be of much assistance in the event of a numb bum.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Apr 2023 ==

Merseytravel's 30 year plan in 2017 did list opening another depot is Birkenhead as an option, took it to mean Central.

There's still space to re-open some of the old sidings at Birkenhead North, though that wouldn't be idea if the storage issues are over the other side of the water.

Passing Birkenhead Central a couple of times recently, I noticed an excavator was parked up next to the former depot sidings. Intriguing.

 

[Wezz]

Tbf to the 777s I think they have gone 4/5 service days without one being pulled now which is good going especially after the first few weeks

We're still having PIS issues with them, but Stadler to their credit are working really hard to find the cause and address the issue.

 

[samrammstein]

777049, 013 and 009 are out on Kirkby services as of 1115.

013's internal screens aren't working quite right

 

[Skie]

The Echo will be saying TFT Test Layer is the next new Merseyrail station to be announced.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Someone needs to get the clown testcard on that!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Apr 2023 ==

In all seriousness I wonder if they'll update the screen software? It's very poor at the moment, with the text way too small and the layout unintuitive. I'm surprised it's compliant, to be honest. Yet another of the design flaws of these units though at least cheap to fix!

(Does anything do PIS better than the 700?)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Had a first ride on a 777 today, on 013.
Pretty good really, good ride except over jointed track.
Variable floor hight disconcerting at first.
Didn't notice the steps moving at all, but maybe not needed on the Kirkby route.
USB/power points working, but I never got past the Icomera front page on the WiFi.
Doors slow to open, especially at Central. Is that a guard thing?
PIS voice is the same as the old fleet, with a few extra announcements.
Just one rendition of See it Say it Sorted to endure.
The end-panel PIS display is a 2-line dot-matrix affair with destination on top and a scrolling next station below.
This hardly needs to waste its time scrolling "This is the Merseyrail service to xxx" when the destination is on the line above.
The internal side panel screens were in test mode, so no idea what they will show - route map perhaps?
"Kirkby" is hardly the most testing PIS display, but it managed "Liverpool Central" without scrolling on the return, inside and out.
There were 3 units on the Kirkby run, doing quite smart 45 minute round trips within a 15-minute frequency, just a couple of minutes turnround at each end.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Doors are driver release and close (half of me wonders if they're being slow on purpose just to rebel; elsewhere on the network DOO door release is a few seconds quicker than guarded). The steps will move out before the doors open. The guard acts as a sort of dispatcher, giving the first tip via a proximity card.

 

[XAM2175]

013's internal screens aren't working quite right

Being pedantic, the screens appear to be working just fine

 

[DJH1971]

Didn't 777001 make its service debut yesterday?

 

[Liverpool 507]

Didn't 777001 make its service debut yesterday?

Yes it failed after around 1 hour and 30 mins. First day for 001 which was replaced by 003, also having its first day in service.

 

[Wezz]

Yes it failed after around 1 hour and 30 mins. First day for 001 which was replaced by 003, also having its first day in service.

003 also being the very first unit that arrived on the network for testing, it was quite reliable during the testing phase so hopefully it won't have many issues.

 

[MattRat]

003 also being the very first unit that arrived on the network for testing, it was quite reliable during the testing phase so hopefully it won't have many issues.

This just made me think, what factories were all units built in? There might be a correlation between the factory and reliability.

 

[Liverpool 507]

This just made me think, what factories were all units built in? There might be a correlation between the factory and reliability.

The odd numbered units (with the exception of a few low odd numbered units) are built in Poland and the even numbered units in Switzerland.

 

[507020]

003 also being the very first unit that arrived on the network for testing, it was quite reliable during the testing phase so hopefully it won't have many issues.

What I heard during the mileage accumulation runs to Southport in 2021 was that 003 was indeed reliable, but 001 was absolutely knackered already from what the Germans had put it through at RAF Wildenrath.

 

[XAM2175]

... from what the Germans had put it through at RAF Wildenrath.

I didn't realise that Siemens had changed their name.

 

[507020]

I didn't realise that Siemens had changed their name.

Siemens purchased the Wildenrath site from the Royal Air Force…

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The odd numbered units (with the exception of a few low odd numbered units) are built in Poland and the even numbered units in Switzerland.

It's possible only the bodyshells are made in Poland.
The clever bits (those that can go wrong) are probably Swiss (the traction system is from TSA Austria).

Stadler Rail Metro for Merseyrail Liverpool

Stadler Rail Metro for Merseyrail Liverpool - TSA

www.tsa.at

Much like Hitachi 80x have the same components whether they are assembled in Japan, Italy or the UK.

 

[XAM2175]

Siemens purchased the Wildenrath site from the Royal Air Force…

I think it's probably safe to let go of the "RAF" prefix now, given that the actual RAF haven't been there since 1992

 

[cjbirkett]

777 001, 008, 049 on Kirkby today.

AM Aintree crowdbusters appear to be

777 009
507 018/508 128
508 117/ 508 126

507 025 is on Southports

 

[prod_pep]

507 025 is on Southports

You couldn't let me know what time service you saw it on, please? I'd like one last run to the seaside and back on this unit before it goes.

---

To go back to subject, it is mentioned on other forums that the Ormskirk line will lose all its peak time paired services once the 777s take over. This is ludicrous in my book; capacity cuts are just about forgivable on the West Kirby line etc. but not the much busier Ormskirk route. If you can't run them in multiple, you can't run the 777s in four car formation on such busy services at this time, simple as that. I hope this is wrong or reconsidered if it is planned.

Merseyrail will soon be providing a service considerably worse in capacity terms than that offered by the much-maligned MTL. Temporarily or not, 'Miseryrail' is back.

 

[Bletchleyite]

To go back to subject, it is mentioned on other forums that the Ormskirk line will lose all its peak time paired services once the 777s take over. This is ludicrous in my book; capacity cuts are just about forgivable on the West Kirby line etc. but not the much busier Ormskirk route. If you can't run them in multiple, you can't run the 777s in four car formation on such busy services at this time, simple as that. I hope this is wrong or reconsidered if it is planned.

Merseyrail will soon be providing a service considerably worse in capacity terms than that offered by the much-maligned MTL. Temporarily or not, 'Miseryrail' is back.

To me this all smacks of XC. Instead of ordering a large fleet of relatively cheap, basic units (e.g. LO type Aventras with a different seat layout), they chose to order fancy units with lots of fancy custom features. Now I'm all for level boarding (though they could have done that the other way as the Lizzie did by raising the platforms or just Harrington humps by the wheelchair area), but a load of the other stuff is very custom and will have cost a packet. As a result of this there aren't enough units, so it means they need a standee interior and will ram people in.

It does seem Ormskirk station is being converted (by moving the Preston buffer stops I think) for double sets, though, so they will happen occasionally!

 

[Liverpool 507]

777 001, 008, 049 on Kirkby today.

AM Aintree crowdbusters appear to be

777 009
507 018/508 128
508 117/ 508 126

507 025 is on Southports

777001 seems to be operating better than it's debut run.

507024 is also on the Southport line.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It does seem Ormskirk station is being converted (by moving the Preston buffer stops I think) for double sets, though, so they will happen occasionally!

There was some infrastructure work going on at Kirkby yesterday, beyond the current Merseyrail buffers - there was a JCB alongside the Northern platform.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

There was some infrastructure work going on at Kirkby yesterday, beyond the current Merseyrail buffers - there was a JCB alongside the Northern platform.

That will be works involving Headbolt Lane

 

[cjbirkett]

It was running on the 12.27 from Central to Southport. (Slightly amended times today) HTH

 

[prod_pep]

It was running on the 12.27 from Central to Southport. (Slightly amended times today) HTH

Many thanks for that.

 

[Lloyds siding]

It's possible only the bodyshells are made in Poland.
The clever bits (those that can go wrong) are probably Swiss (the traction system is from TSA Austria).

Stadler Rail Metro for Merseyrail Liverpool

Stadler Rail Metro for Merseyrail Liverpool - TSA

www.tsa.at

Much like Hitachi 80x have the same components whether they are assembled in Japan, Italy or the UK.

As I understand it all the bodyshells are made in Hungary, I assume wiring and other hardware are then fitted in the Polish and Swiss factories. Bogies come from Spain.

 

[Sam 76]

You couldn't let me know what time service you saw it on, please? I'd like one last run to the seaside and back on this unit before it goes.

---

To go back to subject, it is mentioned on other forums that the Ormskirk line will lose all its peak time paired services once the 777s take over. This is ludicrous in my book; capacity cuts are just about forgivable on the West Kirby line etc. but not the much busier Ormskirk route. If you can't run them in multiple, you can't run the 777s in four car formation on such busy services at this time, simple as that. I hope this is wrong or reconsidered if it is planned.

Merseyrail will soon be providing a service considerably worse in capacity terms than that offered by the much-maligned MTL. Temporarily or not, 'Miseryrail' is back.

I’m sure I read the plan was to run a couple of 6 cars until the 8 cars can start. Will the and find the commment

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Apr 2023 ==

I would imagine old sets will be used for peak services until the software issue with 8 cars is fixed.

This seems to be the most likely scenario instead of them loosing peak capacity

 

[cjbirkett]

The afternoon crowdshifter 777 seems to be 018, that's what's just moved out from Kirkdale Depot anyway.

The first journey was 508 117/126 again