SWT plans?

[Goldfish62]

If the train stops short the system will assume the train has stopped in the correct location so the guard will have to vigilant and ensure that the train has stopped in the correct location.

Oh dear - so a very passive version of the system on the Desiros.

It does beg the question why have they bothered fitting the beacons between Virginia Water and Reading as SDO isn't needed here and any 450 stopping short can still have all its doors released under the system?

 

[HSTEd]

The balises are presumably standard Eurobalise compatible devices and are thus cheap, which means deploying them now probably costs almost nothing.

It also simplifies operations if the computer always knows how many doors to release at a platform, it prevents a possible wrongside failure caused by the computer assuming a lack of a balise reading means that all doors should be released.

This way it can show an alarm to the guard/driver if no balise signal has been detected.

 

[pompeyfan]

The desiro system is still going to be an improvement on the current practice of working, for example if a 12 coach train pulls in to a 9 carriage platform, but the driver stops to carriages short, then the guard would have to walk to the cab of the 2nd unit.

Thank fully I've not seen much short stopping, and I have faith that both the guard and driver can and will do their job competently, and should any errors occur will react positively, (I mean there's gotta be a reason why they get so much money for just sitting on their bums pulling a handle back and forward and pushing buttons )

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The reason P20 is easy to bring back into use is because they are going to knock holes in the wall to P19 so people can leave/enter the platform easily, P21-24 you cant do that so everyone has to use the steps to and from the undercroft which wont pass fire regs/evacuation rules, a couple of eurostars is one thing but 3 or 4 peak loaded trains is another.

I think I have seen the "Holes" already alongside platform 19., The other way to use platforms 21-24 would be to have walkways from those platforms, going over the top of the low level Eurostar check in area towards the Victory Steps area or where the escalators went down to that area. It could be done but I guess would not be cheap.

 

[Goldfish62]

I think I have seen the "Holes" already alongside platform 19., The other way to use platforms 21-24 would be to have walkways from those platforms, going over the top of the low level Eurostar check in area towards the Victory Steps area or where the escalators went down to that area. It could be done but I guess would not be cheap.

Yes, Platform 20 has had access from P19 for about 5 years now.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Wait, though - making this all about me I'm very happy with an additional 07.22 from Raynes Park. I get the current 07.24 so it's perfect timing to have a (first ever?) Raynes Park starter. Where will it come from, do you think - empty from Strawberry Hill or somewhere?

 

[Callum J]

Where will it come from, do you think - empty from Strawberry Hill or somewhere?

Don't quote me, but wouldn't these extra Raynes Park services come from the existing Guildford to Waterloo via Cobham services simply making an additional stop at Raynes Park instead of running fast from Surbiton to Wimbledon?

 

[455driver]

Nope they are extra trains starting (and terminating) at Raynes park, which might seem like a funny place to start from but pax from there have been struggling to get on the already full services for a while although I would have thought that New Malden has the same problem so they could start from there.

Some 455s have had new blinds fitted which have "Raynes Park" on them.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Nope they are extra trains starting (and terminating) at Raynes park, which might seem like a funny place to start from but pax from there have been struggling to get on the already full services for a while although I would have thought that New Malden has the same problem so they could start from there.

Some 455s have had new blinds fitted which have "Raynes Park" on them.

Assuming they don't radically change the current timetable then it would probably have to come in on platform 2 (ie from the New Malden direction). Currently there's the 07.10 and 07.13 that come in via New Malden, then a fast from the same direction passing through at around 07.17. Next ones to stop are the 07.19 and 07.24 from the Motspur Park line so I guess the new one at 07.22 would have to come in from the New Malden direction and get out of the way quickly?

I guess they could have the 07.24 leave a minute later so you'd have a run of trains at 3 minute intervals (next one's the 07.28).

Getting on at Raynes Park any later than this is indeed a bit of a squeeze, although it's nothing compared to what then happens at Earlsfield!

 

[Surreyman]

Going back to this subject ('200 new vehicles likely to be ordered for SWT')
Looking at current service provision on the Waterloo - Reading line, without knowing the timetable frequency too well, there are currently 30 - class 458, of which 2/3 are used on Guildford to Ascot (450s too), allow for engineering spares, this would suggest @ 24 are in daily use weekdays on the Waterloo - Reading line, say 12 - 8 car units, can anyone confirm or correct me?

If this is the case (odd 450s not withstanding), then if there are to be 40 - new 5 car units = 20 - 10 car combinations, less engineering spares, there will be more new trains than needed, on Waterloo - Reading to displace what will then be 450s cascaded from Windsor/Weybridge.
If my numbers are accurate, where do you think the other new 5 car units will be used?

 

[Monty]

Once the 458/5 rebuilding program is complete, it should leave SWT with 36 5-Car units. As previously mentioned these will be used on the Waterloo-Windsor, Waterloo-Weybridge and Hounslow rounder services. I also do seem to remember there are plans to run additional peak time services on the Alton line with 458/5s, so that is where any spare units may be going.

 

[David Goddard]

I think I have seen the "Holes" already alongside platform 19., The other way to use platforms 21-24 would be to have walkways from those platforms, going over the top of the low level Eurostar check in area towards the Victory Steps area or where the escalators went down to that area. It could be done but I guess would not be cheap.

Is it not possible to walk round the buffers at the end of P20/21 and P22/23 to reach 21-24?

 

[Chris125]

Is it not possible to walk round the buffers at the end of P20/21 and P22/23 to reach 21-24?

Even if all the platforms could be accessed from platform 19, the congestion during the peaks would surely make it impractical.

Chris

 

[edwin_m]

They will surely have to bridge over the low-level concourse to restore something like the pre-Eurostar arrangement where the main concourse ran the full width of the station with level access to all the platforms.

 

[HSTEd]

Since they really don't need the full length of the platforms. (12 cars would be barely more than half full right?) Couldn't they just deploy temporary wooden platforms over the city end of the tracks to provide more circulating space and a shorter route "across" those platforms?

 

[Chris125]

Since they really don't need the full length of the platforms. (12 cars would be barely more than half full right?) Couldn't they just deploy temporary wooden platforms over the city end of the tracks to provide more circulating space and a shorter route "across" those platforms?

Improving access between the platforms may be useful but it doesn't address the limited access to and from the rest of the station.

Chris

 

[The Ham]

Details of the work that will be done on the 460's and 458's to covert them to 5 coach 458's, details here:
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/05/15/transforming-460s/

If all goes to plan, these two new Class 458/5 trains will enter passenger service in September, closely followed by another two. This will bolster the fleet so that a couple of Class 458s can be withdrawn and sent to Doncaster and Loughborough. These will be the first hybrid trains, so not only will one ex-Gatwick carriage be integrated into each one but the train management systems of the two different classes will have to talk to each other. More testing and commissioning required….

But, at the end of the day, South West Trains will have one class of thirty six 5-car Class 458/5 trains. Mechanically, they will be identical, simplifying both servicing and operations. Visually, they will also be virtually indistinguishable, the only give-aways being that some window sizes and interior panels may look a little different.

And that will leave just four Class 460 driving coaches left over. They will be stripped for spares, unless anyone has a use for two nice 2-car trains, one careful owner?

The last paragraph got me thinking, two nice 2-car trains (EMU's) could be useful for the Lymington Line to free up the 158's which currently run on it during the week.

 

[SprinterMan]

The last paragraph got me thinking, two nice 2-car trains (EMU's) could be useful for the Lymington Line to free up the 158's which currently run on it during the week.

The 4 left over vehicles are Luggage vans that have donated their only set of power doors to the other luggage vans that are getting rebuilt as passenger vehicles :P As annoying as it is for people with DMU shortages, SWT have said that the current arrangement at Lymington is staying in place for the immediate future.

Adam

 

[swt_passenger]

The 4 left over vehicles are Luggage vans that have donated their only set of power doors to the other luggage vans that are getting rebuilt as passenger vehicles :P

The author of that article must have missed that aspect of his briefing - it's been widely reported before that the 4 'spare' cars are not usable.

...unless roller shutter doors ever become popular in the future!

 

[hwl]

The author of that article must have missed that aspect of his briefing - it's been widely reported before that the 4 'spare' cars are not usable.

...unless roller shutter doors ever become popular in the future!

Not just the passenger doors, all the windows, interior panelling etc. from the passenger end will be needed too.

 

[swt_passenger]

Not just the passenger doors, all the windows, interior panelling etc. from the passenger end will be needed too.

Exactly. In attempting to inject a bit of humour the author has achieved the opposite, he's demonstrated he doesn't know the details.

Anyone got a suitable login and can put him right?