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Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

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Class2ldn

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Well no because it wasn't suppose to be opening the doors.
If the train is ecs then it's not going to be letting people on is it
 
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Pumbaa

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Ah I see. That wasn't clear. Apologies.

Regardless, as far as I'm aware there are no problems with doors/SDO/associated gubbins, not all of it tested as complete due to systems end issues, but the on train stuff is all working as it should.
 

Class2ldn

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No i haven't heard any other issues this was just the actual driver who told me it happened.
Apparently a lot of wind noise in the cab but not sure how that's being rectified.
May have already been covered, haven't read the whole thread
 

Davehaslanded

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Sorry, but the guy claiming what I've said is false needs to back it up with more than 'I have a picture of train at a station with doors closed.' It is an issue, one that has been discussed amongst drivers in meetings and break rooms, with actual colleagues driving the 700. Others on this forum have stated they too have heard this.

While I'm sure that many people did find out about the rebrand, most drivers were not made aware. Trying to infer my mate doesn't check his briefings properly is not appreciated.

I simply thought I'd share the info I had from a reliable source.

Also, there is a driver on Twitter stating that there are currently only 50 trained drivers for the class 700, backing up my friends claims.
https://twitter.com/rulefiftyfive/status/724857438432808960
 
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swt_passenger

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Will all the SDO equipment be the same as what SWTs use on their Desiros?

Why would it matter? Siemens will no doubt have fitted a suitable integrated ASDO to the Thameslink Desiro City units as required by the contract.

In the case of SWT, it was an added extra fitted to 10 year old trains. We know from the rail press it is Hima-Sella Tracklink 3 on SWT's units, but there's no logical reason why the 700s must use the same.
 

gobbo

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Just saw (I think) 700110 at Hornsey EMUD along with a 319 as well.

Have they come though Canal Tunnels?
 

swt_passenger

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Just saw (I think) 700110 at Hornsey EMUD along with a 319 as well.

Have they come though Canal Tunnels?

Not according to the realtimetrains link posted on the previous page of this thread, no. Route was via the WLL & NLL as per normal stock transfers from the Southern area to Hornsey
 

ungreat

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There was indeed 700110 on Hornsey today. It later went on trial trips around the Hertford loop
 

jopsuk

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how many drivers, total, are to be trained on the 700s? Saying "only 50" is of limited meaning when we don't know the size of the cohort!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There was indeed 700110 on Hornsey today. It later went on trial trips around the Hertford loop

Will it be heading all the way up to Cambridge and Peterborough soon then?
 

westcoaster

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Way more than 50 trained, by the way those tweets are done and gloating may well be a trolling driver.

And at initial introduction only a few drivers needed a day.
 
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Minstral25

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What about the London to Brighton part? Major PR fail if the new Thameslink trains didn't use the Thameslink core...

Aren't the London Bridge to Brighton trains becoming Cambridge to Brighton via the core when the core is ready in 2018/9?
 

Bishopstone

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Whilst any initial glitches are ironed-out, and drivers/engineers gain familiarity, it would seem sensible to have a 'gentle' launch away from the Thameslink core, if only for a couple of weeks.

The London Bridge - Brighton trains are not heavily loaded, off peak, so if a 700 needs to be pulled from service the consequences are not as severe as a failure at City Thameslink (say).
 

Class377/5

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Sorry, but the guy claiming what I've said is false needs to back it up with more than 'I have a picture of train at a station with doors closed.' It is an issue, one that has been discussed amongst drivers in meetings and break rooms, with actual colleagues driving the 700. Others on this forum have stated they too have heard this.

While I'm sure that many people did find out about the rebrand, most drivers were not made aware. Trying to infer my mate doesn't check his briefings properly is not appreciated.

I simply thought I'd share the info I had from a reliable source.

Also, there is a driver on Twitter stating that there are currently only 50 trained drivers for the class 700, backing up my friends claims.
https://twitter.com/rulefiftyfive/status/724857438432808960

Back it up? You mean you believe messroom gossip is true because it's been said by a few people? All I know is I've read all the test briefs with events etc etc. No mention I've seen but hey if your expecting documents like that to be made public then your clueless. Not that testing has been stopped for anything like that either.

So far all you've provided is gossip and nothing else. I've at least tried to present actual evidence showing things like SDO in action. But if facts are worthless to gossip then it's pointless trying to show you otherwise.
 
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Davehaslanded

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Back it up? You mean you believe messroom gossip is true because it's been said by a few people? All I know is I've read all the test briefs with events etc etc. No mention I've seen but hey if your expecting documents like that to be made public then your clueless. Not that testing has been stopped for anything like that either.

So far all you've provided is gossip and nothing else. I've at least tried to present actual evidence showing things like SDO in action. But if facts are worthless to gossip then it's pointless trying to show you otherwise.

I'm not meaning to have a go, but without posting your own evidence, than your sources are no more reliable than mine. While I fully understand that 'gossip' is a game of Chinese whispers, I wouldn't class it as gossip. These guys work in close proximity all the time and my friend often crosses paths with drivers doing their 700 training.

But I took your point, and I've once again checked with him, and the information about the door issue came from a driver on his training. While I cannot verify the driver on Twitter, he does appear to be a TL driver at the very least and his posts do support what my friend has been told. Is it solid proof beyond reasonable doubt? No, of course not. But to see the same story from multiple source, including guys on this forum, there's a point where there is no smoke without fire.

Also to clarify an earlier post, I believe the Twitter guy means that 50 guys have completed their training, while I'm sure many more are still in the process, but that still leaves a lot of holes in a 24/7 rota.
 
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swt_passenger

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I'm not meaning to have a go, but without posting your own evidence, than your sources are no more reliable than mine.

You'll just have to accept that as Class377/5 works within GTR, and for FCC for a significant number of years before that, and in a position where he knows exactly what is going on, then he isn't going to post his own official evidence.
 
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jon0844

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From what I have heard the testing is on the Hertford loop due to the signalling test system Network Rail have on the north end of the route, so it might just be to test signalling rather than routes!

Any ideas when the testing might be? Might have a wander over to the Hertford line for a look at this new train in motion...
 

swt_passenger

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Any ideas when the testing might be? Might have a wander over to the Hertford line for a look at this new train in motion...

There's a video of it happening yesterday, so they've presumably cracked straight on with it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpzuWX-YuFA

I guess RTT will show the paths from and back to Hornsey, I found this path for today: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O88809/2016/04/28/advanced

...but will it be expected to show anything for a unit shuttling up and down the test track when it is switched out of the national network?
 
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Blamethrower

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That sounded very nice, it's got to be said.

Disagree.

Thought it sounded really loud. Didn't sound effortless, appeared to be making a right song and dance about it :)

But then Siemens has a track record of this. Think desiro city vs current desiro and ICE3.

All ridiculously noisy for no apparent reason, and all sound different too.

Bombardier have their critics, but noisy trains is not one of their faults
 

Domh245

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Disagree.

Thought it sounded really loud. Didn't sound effortless, appeared to be making a right song and dance about it :)

But then Siemens has a track record of this. Think desiro city vs current desiro and ICE3.

All ridiculously noisy for no apparent reason, and all sound different too.

Bombardier have their critics, but noisy trains is not one of their faults

You can bet that you won't be able to hear it inside though - certainly not over the noise of the air conditioning! :P

It sounded like it was running on recently ground track, which wouldn't have helped matters, but yes, it was a bit on the loud side. I couldn't really put a reason on why it is so loud other than perhaps parts being fastened directly to an equipment case rather than mounted on anti-vibration pads, nor why they sound different. We already know that they sound like conventional Desiro UK units on third rail with the UFO noise, and then rather like that AC motored 321 on overheads.

Beats the Derby rattle though.
 
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