NXEC want the 180s

[class 313]

Interesting.

Speculation elsewhere that they are standing in (short term) for teh damaged VWC train which got hit by a paving slab last week.

They were on the Oxley - Crewe test.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

FGW appparently can do it (as said on their site), but I've never heard of it done myself. I always thought that the coupler was underneath the panel with the number on it, though:

Sorry for dragging this question up but yes you can couple them up, Ive been on a pair of 180s to Bristol, though the rear 5 were OOU.
The coupling is indeed under the panel and sometimes I have seen a 180 on its own work with the couplers or, and if you need to know the train number, the carriage number is on the coupler.

So you could double up 180s for extra seats...whoever gets them...

 

[ungreat]

Saw one of the 180's pass through Peterborough last week heading south..I think it was thursday.

There were rumours that we (FCC) were going to have a few to run a Spalding-KX limited stop service,but that appears to have gone to bed for now

 

[Edvid]

OT I know, but according to FCC directors the current timescale is as follows:
December 2008 - 2 317s from FCC TL
May 2009 - 5 321s from LM
Sometime in the future (July 2009 onwards?) - 5 321s from LM

The word on RailwayScene.co.uk is that 180111 was diagrammed for the 1305 HUL-KGX and 1705 KGX-HUL yesterday.

 

[Jordy]

Yes it certainly ran the 1705 KGX-HUL

 

[me123]

Is it in livery yet, or is it still First colours?

 

[16CSVT2700]

Still carrying de-branded FGW

 

[Galaxy]

I understand they won't be done until the relaunch of Hull Trains anyway.

 

[dave12435]

i know it has already been mentioned that they would be good for the east coast mainline because of ther top speed but they would also be useful on the westcoast mainline possibly euston to holyhead services?
this wud mean that more boyagers cud be released for other services/transferred to axc to increaes their services
i know what id rather have on the journey from euston to holyhead compared with a voyager

 

[vc-10]

Sorry to be ignorant, but people have refered to some trains as 'Skodas'. What types are these and why are they called Skodas?

 

[Max]

i know it has already been mentioned that they would be good for the east coast mainline because of ther top speed but they would also be useful on the westcoast mainline possibly euston to holyhead services?
this wud mean that more boyagers cud be released for other services/transferred to axc to increaes their services
i know what id rather have on the journey from euston to holyhead compared with a voyager

Can't run at 125mph though as they can't tilt, and the upcoming timetable includes little room for non-tilting trains.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I don't know for definite why but the skodas are Class 90 Electric Locomotives

 

[djw1981]

They were/are alleged to have the reliability of a skoda (of the 1980's vintage prior to the VW buyout) - i.e. very low.

 

[The Planner]

Can't run at 125mph though as they can't tilt, and the upcoming timetable includes little room for non-tilting trains.

Dont be suprised if you see a couple of red and silver 180s in the future....

 

[djw1981]

They could do the BNS-EDB/GLC runs. Leaving the tilting 221's for the Holyheads/Wrexhams.

 

[me123]

The 221s, however, utilise the EPS which the 180s could not: that was why it wasn't really viable to put them on Scotland-Manchester runs (the 185s weren't much slower and they were already there).

Virgin's non-tiltling stock has been all sent off to XC so the displaced 221s would only supplement services from EUS-North Wales (which as previously said need the 125mph due to the high usage at Euston from December) and I'm not sure if the demand is there to warrant more trains at the moment.

 

[djw1981]

I didn't think that there was much tilt below Crewe though......so the speed issue may not be too bad.

 

[Kneedown]

They were/are alleged to have the reliability of a skoda (of the 1980's vintage prior to the VW buyout) - i.e. very low.

They're still not much better now, avoid em like the plague!

My Sis in Law bought one 18months ago and she's had nothing but trouble with it, and the main dealers also try and get out of doing repairs under warranty, to the extent of denying there is a warranty until you waft the paper under their nose. So much for the "Legendary" customer service!

 

[Doorslammer]

They're still not much better now, avoid em like the plague!

My Sis in Law bought one 18months ago and she's had nothing but trouble with it, and the main dealers also try and get out of doing repairs under warranty, to the extent of denying there is a warranty until you waft the paper under their nose. So much for the "Legendary" customer service!

Wish my local car dealer sold Electric Locomotives from the UK... :-P

 

[vc-10]

Dont be suprised if you see a couple of red and silver 180s in the future....

I want a blue and gold one, in a dark blue or red and yellow box... OO modelers will know what I mean!

Re the Skoda cars, my dad's had an old shape Octavia for a while, and it's been fine.

 

[dave12435]

thing is they may not be able to tilt but there top speed is 125mph without tilt though isnt it anyway
also according to wiki virgin want to lease them for services between Euston and new street to replace the 90+mk3 till the replacement pendo is delivered
this is as well as NXEC and Hul Trains who have already started using them

 

[me123]

Don't forget GC! (Are the proposals still in place?)

 

[gordonthemoron]

Don't forget GC! (Are the proposals still in place?)

They'll probably have gone bust before they get any

 

[me123]

<awaits exposion from Sir Clag and co.>

 

[BJMorley]

Just seen the Thread, but if they don't work in the West, aswell as the ECML with 180111, why do they want them? They can't even brake properly!!!
Brandon

 

[jopsuk]

thing is they may not be able to tilt but there top speed is 125mph without tilt though isnt it anyway?

Yes, but only on lines where 125 is allowed without tilt- the whole reason for having trains that tilt is to allow them to run at 125mph on twisty lines without throwing the passengers against the sides of the saloon.

 

[jagardner1984]

Yes, I read a response from Network Rail, which I cant find online now, saying the Speed Limit for non-tilting stock on the WCML remained 110mph, although whether sections could be cleared for 125mph running.

 

[jopsuk]

If the amount of line that could be run at 125mph without tilting was actually significant in length, we wouldn't have tilting trains in the first place surely?

 

[Max]

If the amount of line that could be run at 125mph without tilting was actually significant in length, we wouldn't have tilting trains in the first place surely?

Presumably though it would have cost far more to upgrade the WCML for standard 125mph running, and in some cases completely impossible due to the relief of the surrounding land.

 

[Nym]

Indeed, and at the time there was nothing, bar the 220s that would be using the WCML in the forseeable future that could make 125mph and not be able to tilt...