Northern Class 331 East:West unit swap

[oscarthecat92]

What is the difference between the east and west sides?331's run in pairs on the west side without any issues.
Units out of service for maintenance/repairs/modifications is the main problem at the moment.
On Monday morning for example 4 class 331 (33% of the east fleet) and 4 class 333 (25% of the fleet) were unavailable for traffic.
The simple answer (maybe not to Northern management) would be to temporarily transfer another couple of 331's from west to east and replace these with 322's of which there are a surplus.

Isn't the problem with the SDO? I think they have done a more thorough job of extending the platforms on the west side.

I agree with your solution though

 

[Bayum]

I was going to say, surely the issues are related to operation here rather than incompatibility considering they’ve been running as 3x2 sets across the Pennines with no issues.

 

[oscarthecat92]

I was going to say, surely the issues are related to operation here rather than incompatibility considering they’ve been running as 3x2 sets across the Pennines with no issues.

I’ve overheard the guards mentioning there is too much SDO and it is inconsistent (some stations the front of the train is off the platform, others the back) and the systems are not straightforward or playing ball.

 

[308165]

What is the difference between the east and west sides?331's run in pairs on the west side without any issues.
Units out of service for maintenance/repairs/modifications is the main problem at the moment.
On Monday morning for example 4 class 331 (33% of the east fleet) and 4 class 333 (25% of the fleet) were unavailable for traffic.
The simple answer (maybe not to Northern management) would be to temporarily transfer another couple of 331's from west to east and replace these with 322's of which there are a surplus.

If 28% of the entire EMU fleet in West Yorkshire are unavailable, and half the total are more or less new units, and if the west doesn't have similar issues it starts to make you wonder what it is that Neville Hill are doing wrong.

 

[skyhigh]

If 28% of the entire EMU fleet in West Yorkshire are unavailable, and half the total are more or less new units, and if the west doesn't have similar issues it starts to make you wonder what it is that Neville Hill are doing wrong.

Last I heard, the East fleet were using a different newer version of the ASDO software which potentially explains why they are having more issues. The main issue seems to be communication faults between the two units.

Most of the stopped/faulty 331s are awaiting CAF support or spares - as CAF are involved in the maintenance there's not much Neville Hill staff can do.

333s - again, fully maintained by Siemens so they are responsible for them. There is 1 unit stopped at any time for PIS upgrade work. There is also 1 unit stopped for C exam. Together they make half of the unavailable units quoted.

Currently there is 1 failed unit awaiting a coupled move home for repair, and another under repair.

 

[IanXC]

The simple answer (maybe not to Northern management) would be to temporarily transfer another couple of 331's from west to east and replace these with 322's of which there are a surplus.

"322s of which the are a surplus"

How can there be a surplus when they have all been scrapped?

 

[skyhigh]

"322s of which the are a surplus"

How can there be a surplus when they have all been scrapped?

They obviously mean 323s?

 

[Northern158170]

I think the comment was meant to be rather tongue-in-cheek

 

[AmateurRambler]

Speaking as someone who drives these services: The main issue is with ASDO, the system that automatically selects which doors are available to be released at a given station (as most platforms aren't long enough). There are numerous software and hardware faults which tend to spring up when units are in multiple. Furthermore the ASDO cells at Guiseley, Shipley and Saltaire are faulty and causing ASDO to lose GPS signal until the train is hard reset.

This is the answer. NTL is now reaping the rewards of the more basic version of ASDO it bought.

The limitations of the NTL ASDO are masked in the west because most platforms accommodate 2x3-car 331s. The triangle, bafflingly, has not had all of its platforms lengthened.

 

[david l]

5Q16 12.28 AN-NL today (was 5Q18). 37510 on its way from Derby. Now amended, seems to be more than 1 37 in the area today.
Edit:- 37501 + 331014 advised on 5Q16 but 331028 now quoted as the unit and confirmed by eyeball en-route! Strange as original December diagrams for Northern had no change for NL/AN units. However have been advised that this is a temporary move to cover for over-running PIS work on the 333's.

 

[1D53]

Is it definitely 014 coming over? 028 is allocated to 5Q16!

 

[Geeves]

Definitely 028. Hanging on for dear life behind a 37 absolutely gunning it through Vic just now.

 

[John C]

331028 could do with entering service as soon as on the triangle services, to highlight the shortage of available 333’s the 0630 Leeds-Bradford F Sq/0711 Skipton/0809 Leeds is being covered by 158758 according to RTT in place of the usual 333.

 

[xotGD]

I was on a 6-car formation yesterday evening (plenty of seats in the front set) and there was some sort of faff going on with the door controls, requiring a manual override. So an ongoing issue.

 

[1D53]

331028 could do with entering service as soon as on the triangle services, to highlight the shortage of available 333’s the 0630 Leeds-Bradford F Sq/0711 Skipton/0809 Leeds is being covered by 158758 according to RTT in place of the usual 333.

There's no 333 shortage. The root cause of the 158 this morning is a 331 failure on the depot.

 

[xotGD]

A 6 car set collapsed at Steeton this morning during rush hour. Joy of joys.

Just an hour delay getting to Leeds.

 

[InkyScrolls]

A 6 car set collapsed at Steeton this morning during rush hour. Joy of joys.

Just an hour delay getting to Leeds.

What does collapsed mean in this context? Not being sarky, I drive them for a living so I have a professional interest!

 

[skyhigh]

What does collapsed mean in this context? Not being sarky, I drive them for a living so I have a professional interest!

Transformer fault.

 

[InkyScrolls]

Transformer fault.

Thank you! Not the unusual faults then.

 

[Elecman]

Transformer fault.

Flashover or Buckholz relay tripped?

 

[xotGD]

17:16 Leeds - Skipton 3 in place of 6 this evening. Christmas shoppers, compounded by cancellations of Carlisle and Lancaster services. Absolutely rammed.