More units for Northern

[CBlue]

Indeed, but mainly as a premium, added thing, typically costing £500+ extra. Only recently has it started appearing on base models (other than premium brands) so I'd still venture that the majority of cars on the road don't have it.

It also has a tendency to fail (pipes commonly perish, for example), so a considerable number of older cars might have it but not working, as people on limited budgets don't see fixing it as a priority.

As an aside, my 2007 registration base model Ford Fiesta had air conditioning fitted as standard. Hardly a premium brand but perhaps Ford was the exception back then.

Meanwhile A/C has been a normal fitment on trains since the late 1990s - barring one or two examples of metro stock in the capital.

 

[Starmill]

Indeed, but mainly as a premium, added thing, typically costing £500+ extra. Only recently has it started appearing on base models (other than premium brands) so I'd still venture that the majority of cars on the road don't have it.

It also has a tendency to fail (pipes commonly perish, for example), so a considerable number of older cars might have it but not working, as people on limited budgets don't see fixing it as a priority.

I agree that going years back air conditioning was available at an extra cost if you wanted it in a large range of new vehicles, but I think that by as late as 2011 the consumer had begun to view new options that did not simply include it as standard as third rate. Certainly now this is the case.

 

[Halifaxlad]

8-car of anything would be a nightmare on triangle services. Most of the platforms are only long enough for a 4 car 333/331. The idea of 6 car 331s works because at least some of both units would fit on the platform at every station. With an 8 car 350 (given they're slightly shorter than 333s) you might just about fit one door of the rear/front unit on. I realise 350s have gangways, but it'll still be a nightmare making sure passengers are in the right part of the train. You'd need to lengthen pretty much every platform for that to work.

I thought platforms were going to be lengthened anyway to cater for 331s although not at the start.

If platforms were lengthened to the length of 2 331s and 350s were used, then services would still only have 2 cars off the end of the platform, the same as what was planned for the 331s.

Personally I would rather have them all long enough to match the length of the service. Until then Leeds, Shipley (3 & 4) Keighley have platforms long enough for 2, 4 car sets without using SDO.

As for Skipton, p2 is long enough although I think p3 & 4 would be a bit of a squeeze!

 

[Neptune]

I thought platforms were going to be lengthened anyway to cater for 331s although not at the start.

If platforms were lengthened to the length of 2 331s and 350s were used, then services would still only have 2 cars off the end of the platform, the same as what was planned for the 331s.

Personally I would rather have them all long enough to match the length of the service. Until then Leeds, Shipley (3 & 4) Keighley have platforms long enough for 2, 4 car sets without using SDO.

As for Skipton, p2 is long enough although I think p3 & 4 would be a bit of a squeeze!

Shipley platform 4 is only 4 car length.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Oh yeah I tend to assume it is the same length as that of 3 opposite which i know definitely is long enough.

That would definitely have to be lengthened!

 

[Halish Railway]

If all goes well regarding the battery powered 331s, could more 331s be ordered as part of a larger order for battery multiple units? This would help to standardise not just Northern’s electric fleet, but also addressing their DMU shortage.

I don’t want to send this thread too far off topic, but here’s some ideas for routes that battery 331s could work, assuming that they have a 50 mile range:

- Leeds to Sheffield via Wakefield Westgate
- Leeds to Lancaster/Morecambe
- Leeds to York (Once the Colton Jn to Church Fenton wiring is completed)
- Leeds to Huddersfield (Once the Huddersfield to Westtown wiring is completed)
- Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton
- Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill Marple
- Manchester Victoria to Blackburn via Bolton
- Metrocenter/Newcastle to Morpeth/Chathill.

Some of these routes may require some way of having hotel power provided at unwired termini.

 

[D6130]

- Leeds to Lancaster/Morecambe

I'm afraid that Leeds-Lancaster is 70 miles.....with an extra 4 to Morecambe.

 

[HST43257]

I'm afraid that Leeds-Lancaster is 70 miles.....with an extra 4 to Morecambe.

Leeds to Skipton is wired. 44 miles Skipton to Lancaster.....with an extra 4 to Morecambe.

 

[Halish Railway]

Leeds to Skipton is wired. 44 miles Skipton to Lancaster.....with an extra 4 to Morecambe.

38 miles from Skipton to Carnforth where it picks up the wires again.

 

[D6130]

Leeds to Skipton is wired. 44 miles Skipton to Lancaster.....with an extra 4 to Morecambe.

True. I wonder whether the six miles between Carnforth and Lancaster will be sufficient distance/time to fully charge the batteries?

 

[Halish Railway]

True. I wonder whether the six miles between Carnforth and Lancaster will be sufficient distance/time to fully charge the batteries?

If Lancaster to Morecambe becomes a self contained shuttle then the additional dwell time between journeys spent at Lancaster could be spent recharging the batteries, of course the downside of this is that if the train arrives into Lancaster with a delay and only three minutes to turnaround then there won’t be sufficient time to charge the batteries.

 

[Halifaxlad]

We need to electrify!