Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

[ExRes]

The departure of 6Z79 seems to have been cancelled this morning, does Kirkdale have the spare room for 4 power cars and 7 wagons?



** Update to that, 2337 6Z79 Kirkdale CS to Edge Hill Gullet Sidings then RailAdventure set on 0612 6Z80 to Bescot, totally unsure of the area so is Edge Hill somewhere the 777s are berthed or is it just a way for the RA set to depart?

 

[8A Rail]

The departure of 6Z79 seems to have been cancelled this morning, does Kirkdale have the spare room for 4 power cars and 7 wagons?



** Update to that, 2337 6Z79 Kirkdale CS to Edge Hill Gullet Sidings then RailAdventure set on 0612 6Z80 to Bescot, totally unsure of the area so is Edge Hill somewhere the 777s are berthed or is it just a way for the RA set to depart?

It will be just the RA Class 43's and the barrier wagons. Class 777's go no where near or get stabled at Edge Hill as it is the last Station (area) before Liverpool Lime Street. The two Class 777's have been dropped off at Kirkdale CS.

Google 'Edge Hill, Liverpool' for a map, then Google Earth it, you soon see the area.

 

[ExRes]

It will be just the RA Class 43's and the barrier wagons. Class 777's go no where near or get stabled at Edge Hill as it is the last Station (area) before Liverpool Lime Street. The two Class 777's have been dropped off at Kirkdale CS.

Google 'Edge Hill, Liverpool' for a map, then Google Earth it, you soon see the area.

Thanks for the info @8A Rail I'll have a look at the maps

 

[childwallblues]

6Z80 departed the Gullet Sidings at 0608 running via Warrington Bank Quay.

 

[Parjon]

I would guess, then, that the “switch” to battery will have to be done at Rice Lane. This would mean the 777/1s will be running Rice Lane to Headbolt Lane on battery.

Like you say, Fazakerley isn’t a turnback station, and AFAIK there’s no shunting signals where the single track starts between Fazakerley and Kirkby. So unless one of those things is changing (which seems massively expensive) then it’s battery operation only from Rice Lane. Might as well just rip all the third rail up from there!

As the battery train service is experimental, and as all this is only happening because of British government obstructive behaviour regarding extensions of (Liverpool) third rail... My query is: what if this whole thing doesn't work out?? Who pays to put the rail back?

 

[8A Rail]

With the delivery of 777036 and 148 from Dollands Moor on Wednesday, these are the UK Class 777's in the UK (i.e. Merseyside area).

Kirkdale C.S. = 001 to 010 inclusive, 012, 013, 014, 015, 016, 018, 036, 049, 140, 142, 144, 146 and 148.

 

[jamesst]

As the battery train service is experimental, and as all this is only happening because of British government obstructive behaviour regarding extensions of (Liverpool) third rail... My query is: what if this whole thing doesn't work out?? Who pays to put the rail back?

Fazakerley will become a turnback platform. Any problems with the batteries or any electric only units sent towards Headbolt in the future and the unit would be taken out of service at Fazakerley. They would then shunt out behind ml308 signal and shunt back in on the up, this avoids the potential issue of a unit in the single platform at Kirby blocking everything.

Coming from Headbolt towards Liverpool the changeover from battery to Electric will be carried out at Kirkby.

The live rail will not be removed between Kirkby and Fazakerley.

 

[karlbbb]

Fazakerley will become a turnback platform. Any problems with the batteries or any electric only units sent towards Headbolt in the future and the unit would be taken out of service at Fazakerley. They would then shunt out behind ml308 signal and shunt back in on the up, this avoids the potential issue of a unit in the single platform at Kirby blocking everything.

Coming from Headbolt towards Liverpool the changeover from battery to Electric will be carried out at Kirkby.

The live rail will not be removed between Kirkby and Fazakerley.

Do you know how the limited service between Fazakerley and Central will run? Will the trains be running back up to Rice Lane on the down Kirkby to get to ML304?

 

[Skie]

As the battery train service is experimental, and as all this is only happening because of British government obstructive behaviour regarding extensions of (Liverpool) third rail... My query is: what if this whole thing doesn't work out?? Who pays to put the rail back?

It’s not experimental, it’s tested and proven technology.

 

[jamesst]

Do you know how the limited service between Fazakerley and Central will run? Will the trains be running back up to Rice Lane on the down Kirkby to get to ML304?

Terminate at Fazakerley on the down, shunt behind ml308, shunt back into Fazakerley on the up.

 

[LPJOHN]

According to “Realtime trains” a 777 is at Headbolt Lane, unfortunately, I am stuck in the house waiting for a parcel(s). It looks like the 777 left Kirkdale depot 33 minutes late.

 

[karlbbb]

According to “Realtime trains” a 777 is at Headbolt Lane, unfortunately, I am stuck in the house waiting for a parcel(s). It looks like the 777 left Kirkdale depot 33 minutes late.

Can certainly see them disappearing and re-appearing through Kirkby on the OTT map. Looking forward to the map being updated so we can watch them properly.

 

[Geeves]

Seems like one failed earlier on it's maiden voyage but seemingly it's all go now!

 

[mcnw35282]

Anyone manage to see the battery units in action?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Looks like some more runs have been set for next week Monday-Saturday

Realtime Trains | Departures from Headbolt Lane all day on 10/07/2023

Train information at Headbolt Lane all day on 10/07/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[73001]

A couple of hours of disruption today... train from Fazakerley at 1631 failed at/near Kirkdale but it took nearly 2 hours to move it, messing up the Ormskirk line as well. Assume it's a 777 with it being the Kirkby line?

 

[MattRat]

A couple of hours of disruption today... train from Fazakerley at 1631 failed at/near Kirkdale but it took nearly 2 hours to move it, messing up the Ormskirk line as well. Assume it's a 777 with it being the Kirkby line?

But there aren't any trains currently running on the Kirkby line in passenger service, is there? Unless it's a battery units on test, of course. Which wouldn't bode well if that was the case.

 

[jamesst]

But there aren't any trains currently running on the Kirkby line in passenger service, is there? Unless it's a battery units on test, of course. Which wouldn't bode well if that was the case.

Limited passenger services are running to Fazakerley from today.

 

[73001]

But there aren't any trains currently running on the Kirkby line in passenger service, is there? Unless it's a battery units on test, of course. Which wouldn't bode well if that was the case.

Yes, a 45min service to Fazakerley supplemented by buses to Kirkby.

 

[LPJOHN]

Yes, a 45min service to Fazakerley supplemented by buses to Kirkby.

in the morning I got the bus from Kirkby station to Aintree station, it was quick. As the bus arrived at Aintree station I noticed a yellow autobot; I think from Transformers?, dancing outside the entrance to Aintree race course, why I do not know.

In the afternoon I decided to get the train to Fazakerley instead of going to Aintree and I then got the bus back to Kirkby station. I knew I had to wait about 25 minutes, but other people did not, so they ended up getting the No. 21 which arrived first and one women decided to wait for the No 20 since that actually stopped near Headbolt Lane.

 

[mcnw35282]

In between that, buses will be running every 15 mins between Kirkby and Aintree, calling only at Fazakerley...with Rice Lane passengers advised to use Walton instead.

 

[LPJOHN]

In between that, buses will be running every 15 mins between Kirkby and Aintree, calling only at Fazakerley...with Rice Lane passengers advised to use Walton instead.

But not on a Sunday, the buses run every 30 minutes.

 

[73001]

in the morning I got the bus from Kirkby station to Aintree station, it was quick. As the bus arrived at Aintree station I noticed a yellow autobot; I think from Transformers?, dancing outside the entrance to Aintree race course, why I do not know.

In the afternoon I decided to get the train to Fazakerley instead of going to Aintree and I then got the bus back to Kirkby station. I knew I had to wait about 25 minutes, but other people did not, so they ended up getting the No. 21 which arrived first and one women decided to wait for the No 20 since that actually stopped near Headbolt Lane.

Slightly o/t but the Racecourse was hosting some corporate events this weekend.

 

[Vinnym]

Got 1947 Liverpool Central to Ormskirk this evening, got as far as Moorfields and it went out of service, 30 minute wait for next service. Seems strange that when we got dumped off at Moorfields the train was able to leave for the depot. You would think that they would have ironed out these teething problems by now, obviously not.

 

[315801]

I don't know if anybody saw it but there is a video on YouTube which was posted 2 days ago of 777003 which had to be rescued by 777008 which was running a service behind 003 which had failed at Kirkdale.

The formation was driven from 003 and in the video you can hear that only 777008 was under power pushing a completely dead 777003.

Presumably the formation would have worked to sandhills and drive into the reversing siding before 777008 would have lead the formation back to Kirkdale depot.

I would also like to state for the record that I have no idea what the cause of 777003s failure was.

 

[karlbbb]

This is the video in question:

Very interesting that 003 was too dead to run under its own power, but was still able to couple and control the working 008.

 

[Pacef8]

Thats probable the internal shunting battery for the depot movement

 

[samrammstein]

Platform works appear to have been completed at Hooton. Currently they can just about squeeze a 6 car pair in platform 1, so a track extension past the buffers would have to be undertaken to fit an 8 car pair in.

Hopefully this won't fall foul of the rules about new 3rd rail lines! I don't think this platform is currently vital to the timetable but it does prove useful during engineering work, disruption, or to get a failed/spare unit out of the way. This may figure in the conversion of the CTR/ELP lines to 777s soon...

 

[Skie]

Hopefully this won't fall foul of the rules about new 3rd rail lines! I don't think this platform is currently vital to the timetable but it does prove useful during engineering work, disruption, or to get a failed/spare unit out of the way. This may figure in the conversion of the CTR/ELP lines to 777s soon...

Well there’s your reason for cutting the 3rd rail back at Kirkby, so it can be added here whilst keeping the overall total length of 3rd rail the same. Just hope the ORR don’t notice

(I am kidding of course…)

 

[Falcon1200]

Just hope the ORR don’t notice

I had no idea that only 777/1 Units will be able operate to Kirkby, even if not going beyond that station, which seems ludicrously restrictive. Is the ORR really so anti-third rail that a tiny extension, within a station where part already has it, is an absolute no-no?