Northern Class 331: Construction/Introduction Updates

[Red Devil]

I believe more 331 training is being done at Skipton as space at Doncaster is short now 195 traning is being carried out there.
Indeed siding space around Northern land must be very short with all these new trains arriving and very little leaving.
K

Very,very short of space at the moment . Springs branch and a refurbished Newton heath can't come quickly enough

 

[Red Devil]

Dont forget that that was a 4 car 331. The 3 cars (if we ever get them in Yorkshire as was the plan) are supposed to be several seconds faster which would make tthem the fastest uk emu.
K

The 3car are lightning quick. You're having to keep an eye on the speedo constantly.

 

[Railperf]

According to Rail Engineer the driving cars have 4 220kw motors each making an impressive 1760kw (2360hp) per train.
https://www.railengineer.co.uk/2018/04/03/northerns-trains-from-spain/
Rail Express gave a 4 car at 152t.
K

So 15.5 hp/ton for the 331. That is lower than a 395.
A 755 4 car inc power pack is 163t. But they have 2600kw - 3486 hp - equals 21.4hp/ton.
And a 755 3 car will weigh even less!

 

[Railperf]

The 3car are lightning quick. You're having to keep an eye on the speedo constantly.

Sounds like you are a driver...are you having to carefully apply power to stop passengers falling over?

 

[driver_m]

Your last 4 car is sat at Edge Hill (112) and there’s more 195s arriving. Northern need to get a move on with the training!!

 

[InOban]

Very,very short of space at the moment . Springs branch and a refurbished Newton heath can't come quickly enough

According to a post on the infrastructure forum, Springs Branch went live this weekend

 

[at60]

Your last 4 car is sat at Edge Hill (112) and there’s more 195s arriving. Northern need to get a move on with the training!!

Lots of 331’s sat at Doncaster today, while both Leeds diagrams were 321 operated. There was also a 195 training when i caught the 10.25 to Leeds.

 

[superkev]

According to a post on the infrastructure forum, Springs Branch went live this weekend

Forgive my ignorance but what's happening at Springs branch. Just stabling or also servicing. How many sidings / units.
Thanks
K

 

[Red Devil]

Your last 4 car is sat at Edge Hill (112) and there’s more 195s arriving. Northern need to get a move on with the training!!

They are,just short of suitable locations to carry it out

 

[driver_m]

They are,just short of suitable locations to carry it out

There must be another one imminent as there’s a cordon in place near the entrance. (Usually when a set is getting brought in) and there’s already a set on there. (195 128). When are you accessing Springs Branch? I mentioned on here that the AC should now be live, presumably Blackburn is available as well for the 195s.

 

[Red Devil]

No idea for springs branch. Stockport and Preston being added to locations to join,Blackpool, Allerton and Huddersfield

 

[AWCook]

I went passed Edge Hill on Friday and wrote down 331012 466012 and 463013. Is that possible? (i.e was it possible for both 331012 and 331112 to be there.) I think it was 466112 which didn't have any set number on the nose. Just for the record Allerton had 331004, 331007 and 195123. On Saturday Newton Heath had 195116, 007, 001 and 121.

Then had a trip on the 16.47 Piccadilly - Preston on 195114. Very impressed. Quiet and comfortable. 10 mins early into Preston!

 

[driver_m]

I went passed Edge Hill on Friday and wrote down 331012 466012 and 463013. Is that possible? (i.e was it possible for both 331012 and 331112 to be there.) I think it was 466112 which didn't have any set number on the nose. Just for the record Allerton had 331004, 331007 and 195123. On Saturday Newton Heath had 195116, 007, 001 and 121.

Then had a trip on the 16.47 Piccadilly - Preston on 195114. Very impressed. Quiet and comfortable. 10 mins early into Preston!

Yes. 012/013/112 are all at Edge Hill. Plus a couple of others.

 

[Adam0984]

Stakeholder special(s) on the Skipton line tomorrow using either 331002 or 331110 or both

 

[Tracked]

Lots of 331’s sat at Doncaster today, while both Leeds diagrams were 321 operated. There was also a 195 training when i caught the 10.25 to Leeds.

333003 was on Yesterday morning, into Doncaster just after 11:00 (I was on it from Bentley), then on the 11:25 service to Leeds from Doncaster

 

[Railperf]

If anyone gets a chance to do so...can you please take a picture of or record the plated unit and vehicle weights for one of these please.
Many thanks in advance.

 

[156441]

Final Platform interface testing is taking place overnight for the next 3 nights on the following nights prior to the introduction of Cl331’s on the Liverpool - Blackpool runs.

(Monday/Tuesday night, Allerton-Wigan)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N32042/2019/09/03/advanced
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N32044/2019/09/03/advanced

Tuesday/Wednesday morning, Allerton-WBQ-MCO-WBQ-LIV-Allerton
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N32043/2019/09/03/advanced
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N32045/2019/09/04/advanced
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N32046/2019/09/04/advanced
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/N32047/2019/09/04/advanced

The Warrington Bank Quay Part is future proofing to allow the units to fall on to those diagrams if required.

 

[superkev]

Deleted

 

[superkev]

Stakeholder special(s) on the Skipton line tomorrow using either 331002 or 331110 or both

331002 is the 3 car which with 4car 110 has been on training at skipton. Perhaps theve had steps fitted etc for passengers.
K
K

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Stakeholder special(s) on the Skipton line tomorrow using either 331002 or 331110 or both

When you say both, I assume that suggests a possible swap part way through the event, rather than a 7-car working?

 

[Sleeperwaking]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but there is talk of increasing the maximum permitted speed of 331s to 110mph for the South Manchester services.

I hope whoever's talking about it has included time to do the 10% overspeed tests for design approval of the running dynamics (among other things) - the 331s have not been tested up to 121 mph as far as I know... I'm not sure the benefit from a bit of extra speed on the line to Stoke would really offset all the effort required to get the technical file updated for 110 mph.

 

[driver_m]

I hope whoever's talking about it has included time to do the 10% overspeed tests for design approval of the running dynamics (among other things) - the 331s have not been tested up to 121 mph as far as I know... I'm not sure the benefit from a bit of extra speed on the line to Stoke would really offset all the effort required to get the technical file updated for 110 mph.

If it stops Northern or CAF getting a hefty delay for holding up an XC or VT service on said route I can think they would actively look at it.

 

[superkev]

I hope whoever's talking about it has included time to do the 10% overspeed tests for design approval of the running dynamics (among other things) - the 331s have not been tested up to 121 mph as far as I know... I'm not sure the benefit from a bit of extra speed on the line to Stoke would really offset all the effort required to get the technical file updated for 110 mph.

I seem to remember reading they reached 120 plus mph on the test track. 127 sticks in my mind. May be wrong.
K

 

[AWCook]

Yes. 012/013/112 are all at Edge Hill. Plus a couple of others.

Brilliant - thanks.

 

[Neptune]

Just seen the 331 pass my house in either direction on the Bradford launch train. 5Z98 from Skipton was about 20 late due to the earlier failure of a 321 and 1Z98 to Skipton about 5 mins down. It was a 4 car unit. Will look out for 1Z99 when it returns in a bit.

 

[t52192]

Just seen the 331 pass my house in either direction on the Bradford launch train. 5Z98 from Skipton was about 20 late due to the earlier failure of a 321 and 1Z98 to Skipton about 5 mins down. It was a 4 car unit. Will look out for 1Z99 when it returns in a bit.

A little confused why these are running on the Airedale line, as 80% of these are the swanky Siemens 333 of which a few are refurbs too. Will the 331 be replacing the 321s on this line

PS - I hate the 321s!

 

[Adam0984]

When you say both, I assume that suggests a possible swap part way through the event, rather than a 7-car working?

I didn’t know what the plan was whether they were using 1 set or both coupled together but both were scheduled to be cleaned of graffiti

A little confused why these are running on the Airedale line, as 80% of these are the swanky Siemens 333 of which a few are refurbs too. Will the 331 be replacing the 321s on this line

PS - I hate the 321s!

The 331s will initially replace 2 of the 3 321/2 diagrams from Monday

 

[Neptune]

Yes 4 car 331’s are initially being used to replace the 321/2 fleet by December.

Eventually the Airedale/wharfedale line services are planned to use 2x3 car 331’s on certain diagrams releasing 4 car units to the west to replace those 3 car units coming east. This will only happen once the resignalling and a new track layout are complete at the west end of Leeds station to allow longer formations.

 

[xotGD]

One of the 331s stabled at Skipton has been 'tagged' on one end.

 

[t52192]

One of the 331s stabled at Skipton has been 'tagged' on one end.

I thought of all the places this would happen, Skipton would be the least likely to suffer from graffiti. Perhaps the security of the site isn't as good as others stations or depots. Don't think I have ever seen a "tagged" 333