Scotrail Class 385 Discussion

[swt_passenger]

Will the UK testing be done at Old Dalby?

Some might be, but not all. It isn't big enough to do decent runs for mileage accumulation for a start.

 

[J-2739]

Here it is, looking nice.

Looks like a cross between a Desiro unit and a AT300 unit. Such a slick design. They should get a picture of it besides the Scottish highlands soon, not this industrial rubbish!

 

[D365]

They should get a picture of it besides the Scottish highlands soon, not this industrial rubbish!

Calm down, they're only loading it off the ship!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Will these be sharing any maintenance facilities in Scotland with the IEPs (with both being by the same manufacturer)?

 

[Clansman]

Will these be sharing any maintenance facilities in Scotland with the IEPs (with both being by the same manufacturer)?

I imagine they will share Craigentinny with the IEPs once the depot is transferred over to Hitachi.

 

[jopsuk]

the 385s are having a new facility built at the Millerhill yard as their primary depot

 

[Clansman]

the 385s are having a new facility built at the Millerhill yard as their primary depot

Really? Any confirmation on this - only asking because apparently (since we're talking about depots) there's a new depot planned to be built in Perth for the HSTs and to cater for electric trains for future electrification programs?

 

[jopsuk]

It's part of EGIP

 

[Altnabreac]

the 385s are having a new facility built at the Millerhill yard as their primary depot

As I understand it Millerhill will be their nightly stabling point and where they undergo cleaning / washing / fueling / CET emptying etc but Craigentinny will be where they go for any maintenance requirements.

I'm not sure exactly how that will be split and if there may be some light maintenance at Millerhill.

 

[najaB]

...They should get a picture of it besides the Scottish highlands soon...

To be that annoying pedant - it'll be a while seeing as they're EMUs and the Highlands aren't wired.

 

[J-2739]

Calm down, they're only loading it off the ship!

I know, I was just joking, and maybe you was too. These trains would really look good in an open environment though

To be that annoying pedant - it'll be a while seeing as they're EMUs and the Highlands aren't wired.

Locomotives?

 

[Philip Phlopp]

This has been discussed extensively, but to recap.

Class 385s are based formally at the new Millerhill depot, being built as part of the EGIP project. This will be a light maintenance and stabling facility.

The heavy maintenance work will take place at Craigentinny when that passes to Hitachi as part of the IEP/Agility Trains East operation. Hitachi will also maintain the HST sets at Craigentinny under contract, with additional maintenance at Inverness to make use of their skill and experience with Mark 3 maintenance.

Haymarket was looking slightly under utilised, but with the decision to retain more DMU stock, they'll have a slightly lighter workload which should hopefully allow the DMU stock to get back on depot earlier and a regime more like SWT at Salisbury developed, which will do wonders for their slightly poor MPC figures.

 

[Carntyne]

Will the UK testing be done at Old Dalby?

Nope.

 

[Clansman]

New photo uploaded onto Twitter by @Scotrail and the second retweeted by @HitachiRailEurope

 

[fgwrich]

Not a bad looking design, very Desiro like. But I cant say I'm a fan of the rather ugly 'chin' of that air dam. I hope it's reinforced as well, as experience shows these things don't tend to last long in one piece!

 

[asylumxl]

Not a bad looking design, very Desiro like. But I cant say I'm a fan of the rather ugly 'chin' of that air dam. I hope it's reinforced as well, as experience shows these things don't tend to last long in one piece!

I believe the current rules require units to have a rather substantial deflector just above the rail level and overriders, hence the "chin". Although some recent units may have worked around this better.

 

[J-2739]

I believe the current rules require units to have a rather substantial deflector just above the rail level and overriders, hence the "chin". Although some recent units may have worked around this better.

Makes me wonder how extra 387's were ordered and yet doesn't comply...
That being said, I actually like the 'chin'; it makes the unit look more robust.

 

[asylumxl]

Makes me wonder how extra 387's were ordered and yet doesn't comply...
That being said, I actually like the 'chin'; it makes the unit look more robust.

The RAIB urged the relevant parties to retrofit a deflector to Electrostars only a few months ago, as can be read about here.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The RAIB urged the relevant parties to retrofit a deflector to Electrostars only a few months ago, as can be read about here.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hstcallum/8499891133/in/photostream/

Are them two metal blocks either side of the coupler obstacle deflectors?

 

[Pumbaa]

No - they're overriders. The obstacle deflecter is just above rail head height to push things out of the way on the rails.

 

[NotATrainspott]

First Hitachi EMU for ScotRail arrives at Velim

 

[47802]

OMG that's one pig ugly looking train, makes a 380 look good, OK I know the latest regs make things more difficult especially with a corridor connection but that's a bit of a minger.

 

[jopsuk]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hstcallum/8499891133/in/photostream/

Are them two metal blocks either side of the coupler obstacle deflectors?

those are anti-climb buffers- designed to stop one train riding up over another in the event of a collision. The object deflector is the plow type thing underneath

 

[J-2739]

OMG that's one pig ugly looking train, makes a 380 look good, OK I know the latest regs make things more difficult especially with a corridor connection but that's a bit of a minger.

I can see why you don't like it, but I think this is a gorgeous design! Sleek 158 styled windows, slanted front, Japanese like-headlamps... the list goes on. This train design shall bring moments of joy to Scottish rail travel.

Ok, maybe I'm overreacting, but I don't see the design as bad as most people on this forum. There are worse designs- 380, 456, 319.

 

[RobShipway]

OMG that's one pig ugly looking train, makes a 380 look good, OK I know the latest regs make things more difficult especially with a corridor connection but that's a bit of a minger.

I have said this before, but it looks to me like a Hitachi version of the class 380.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Will the corridor connection retract when not in use or is it fixed in that position permanently?

 

[fgwrich]

I have said this before, but it looks to me like a Hitachi version of the class 380.

I agree! My only drawback with them is the over sized 'Bo Selecta' chin it has. If they just scaled back that front fairing, it would look a lot sleeker!

 

[507 001]

Forward visibility looks as if it'll be horrendous with this funny shaped windscreens!

 

[Harbornite]

For those incapable of clicking links, here are the pictures from the railjournal article.

And here's Bo selecta as Craig David, something else with a big chin.

 

[fgwrich]

I believe the current rules require units to have a rather substantial deflector just above the rail level and overriders, hence the "chin". Although some recent units may have worked around this better.

Just noticed your reply from a few weeks ago. It's something I agree with - not least with the small but apparent rise of the likes of shopping trolleys or bikes left on the line, but if the Desiro City & 380 can have an open plough like deflector and still look like neat designs, then it's a shame someone within DCA or Hitachi (whomever is designing these units) has stuck what appears to be a large fiberglass fairing over the front of it - You've only got to look at the designs from Derby to see how easily broken they can be - the 165/166 and early batches of Class 168s & 170s for example. Although I've not seen as many Electrostars with broken front ends - presumably down to a good number of spares?

Hence my Bo Selecta (cheers All 4 ) comment - the face of the units look fairly neat, just let down by the bulbous chin.