Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[Class377/5]

From looking at that picture, and given that they will by definition be spending quite a bit of time in tunnels, may I propose the nickname "Vampires" for these, based on those long white fangs and evil eye headlights?

Siemens didn't like the Vamps name for them. That said there a cartoon going around with a 700 with red eyes and teeth (looking like its trying to eat trespassers).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Do you mean someone else has already suggested "Vampires"? I genuinely didn't know that. We can see exactly what is going to happen now can't we?

 

[GatwickDepress]

I'm going to start using the "Vamps" nickname from now on. It's certainly evocative!

 

[Class377/5]

Do you mean someone else has already suggested "Vampires"? I genuinely didn't know that. We can see exactly what is going to happen now can't we?

I said to the Siemens guys about the name, tho I didn't come up with it. Vamps aren't the worst name.

 

[traji00]

That said there a cartoon going around with a 700 with red eyes and teeth (looking like its trying to eat trespassers).

I think that's to do with the 'Bring Back British Rail' campaign.

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[NotATrainspott]

 

[Bald Rick]

Hmm, those are tail lights. So this train spits out money as it goes along? Can't wait for it to arrive on these shores!

 

[jon0844]

Those passengers shouldn't be on the line anyway. Sod their safety - let the train carve them up!

At the end of the day, less passengers will mean more chance of a seat!

 

[fgwrich]

Hmm, those are tail lights. So this train spits out money as it goes along? Can't wait for it to arrive on these shores!

Those passengers shouldn't be on the line anyway. Sod their safety - let the train carve them up!

At the end of the day, less passengers will mean more chance of a seat!

See, Bombardier rolling stock eats up all your money as bills for the repairs, Siemens give you money and a reliable if slightly people eating train!

Perhaps Thameslinks new livery ought to be a rehash of the old Sliverlinks livery - then we could see the return of the Purple People Eater nickname!

(Best two posts I've seen on here for a while by the way!)

 

[samuelmorris]

Lmao - who the hell drew that? It looks terrible

 

[SPADTrap]

For some reason that drawing just makes me giggle!

 

[Class377/5]

The first Class 700 on test has now reached 100mph on the test track. Siemens have released some images, all below are their images.

http://www.siemens.co.uk/en/news_pr...s-class-700-reaches-100mph-during-testing.htm


Class 700 on test by Sparkyscrum, on Flickr


Class 700 on test by Sparkyscrum, on Flickr


Class 700 on test by Sparkyscrum, on Flickr

The need for speed: Thameslink trains reach 100mph on test track

The first completed Class 700 Desiro City train, designed and built by Siemens for Thameslink, has comfortably reached 100mph in a speed test at the company’s dedicated test track at Wegberg-Wildenrath, Germany.

The 12-car train successfully achieved the speed earlier this month, marking an important milestone for the ongoing Thameslink Programme. Siemens is on schedule to complete the first train for handover to the long term owner and the train operator.

Iain Smith, Programme Director, Thameslink, at Siemens Rail Systems UK, said: “The Class 700 will be required to travel at up to 100mph every day in service so this rigorous testing process is a fundamental part of the programme. This will ensure reliable performance of the 24 train an hour service through central london when the Thameslink Programme is completed.”

Thameslink rail operator First Capital Connect (FCC) has been managing the new trains contract with Siemens for the Department for Transport.

FCC’s Thameslink Programme director Jonathan Bridgewood said: “Our pasengers have been looking forward to new trains on the Thameslink route with great anticipation. To actually now see one travelling at line speed on the test track in Germany is a wonderful achievement and a credit to everyone involved in the project.”

Andy Pitt, Executive Chairman of Cross London Trains added: “As the future, long-term owner of the trains, we are delighted to see that the Class 700 has achieved another manufacturing milestone, travelling at 100mph on the test track.”

The Class 700 trains are approximately 25% lighter than previous generations, and are up to 50% more energy efficient. They have been designed to be spacious and airy with the latest passenger information systems and features for people with restricted mobility.

There will be 115 new trains on the expanded Thameslink network, which equates to 1,140 carriages in total, dramatically increasing capacity. Once all the new trains are introduced by 2018, Thameslink trains will flow in and out of central London with tube-like frequency.

 

[Saint66]

They look so futuristic, and new! We Thameslink commuters wont have any idea what's going on when they arrive!

 

[Bald Rick]

Excellent pics.

However, the 'chuck cash out the back' function doesn't seem to be working (as per Artist's impression).

Back to the factory!

 

[ainsworth74]

They're certainly quite long! I mean I know they were always going to be 8/12 car units and there are plenty of 8/12 car formations around but still something about them just makes them seem really really long! I guess it's probably because it's all one unit rather than two or three different ones.

 

[jon0844]

The 12 car version will be around a quarter of a kilometre, give or take, won't it? That'll be fun to walk through!

Out of interest, when a 12 car train leaves Blackfriars, does it enter City Thameslink at all before it leaves? I know the stations are close, but not just how close. There can't be much in it if it doesn't.

 

[Bald Rick]

The 12 car version will be around a quarter of a kilometre, give or take, won't it? That'll be fun to walk through!

Out of interest, when a 12 car train leaves Blackfriars, does it enter City Thameslink at all before it leaves? I know the stations are close, but not just how close. There can't be much in it if it doesn't.

Nope. In fact you can stand a 12 car between Blackfriars and City and still get another one in the platform behind it.

It is almost exactly a mile from the 'north' end of Farringdon platforms to the south end of Blackfriars platforms. Approx half of which is platform, leaving the other half mile or so split between the two inter-station gaps.

 

[starrymarkb]

Out of interest do they have a 25kV bus or are there two discrete electrically independent sub-units within the unit?

Wiki suggests a 12 car as M-T-M-M-T-T-T-T-M-M-T-M so possibly 2 independent 'Tractor units' sandwiching four trailers (all permanently coupled)

 

[asylumxl]

I would like to know if they met their specified noise limits at 100mph, what with those sliding plug doors and wide gangways.

Even a Siemens engineer at the Excel didn't seem too sure about it.

 

[fgwrich]

They're certainly quite long! I mean I know they were always going to be 8/12 car units and there are plenty of 8/12 car formations around but still something about them just makes them seem really really long! I guess it's probably because it's all one unit rather than two or three different ones.

I would say it's also because of the slab grey livery they will be delivered in that makes them look longer, whereas a livery like SWTs will just about show you where one unit ends and where the next coupled unit begins.

 

[Bayum]

Still no videos available??

 

[samuelmorris]

I would like to know if they met their specified noise limits at 100mph, what with those sliding plug doors and wide gangways.

Even a Siemens engineer at the Excel didn't seem too sure about it.

Whatever's said about the seating, I actually found the outside noise level on the 378s very acceptable with the open gangways and sliding doors. Admittedly that's at a far lower speed, but if the bigger EMUs are anything to go by, if Bombardier can do it around 50mph, Siemens can probably still do it at 100mph... The only thing I'm a little concerned by is whether there would be any noticeable banging when two units pass each other at full speed. Sliding doors aren't so good for that.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It would look better with swing-plug doors rather than all those messy pockets.

 

[Mikey C]

It would look better with swing-plug doors rather than all those messy pockets.

Yes, why do they have sliding doors when many of the routes they'll be operating on will be medium distance ones with relatively few stops? Are the flush plug doors on 377s and 450s such an issue?

 

[tsr]

It would look better with swing-plug doors rather than all those messy pockets.

Plug doors would, however, almost certainly be slower, which is why they were not chosen - dwell times must be reduced as far as possible. In fact, the new doors on the Desiro City were originally so quick to open that engineers have had to slow them down, in order to avoid them rebounding/bouncing!

 

[jon0844]

The only thing I'm a little concerned by is whether there would be any noticeable banging when two units pass each other at full speed. Sliding doors aren't so good for that.

The 395s have sliding doors, and they seem to seal tightly when closing so they don't move. I assume sliding door tech has moved on considerably since the likes of the 317s that have wobbling doors and bang considerably when a train passes, or a train enters a tunnel etc?

Mind you, I assume the 700s won't be quite the same as the 395s in that regard, as there's a long delay to lock and unlock the doors even if they open quickly.

 

[SPADTrap]

Have they changed the wipers?

 

[user15681]

The 395s have sliding doors, and they seem to seal tightly when closing so they don't move. I assume sliding door tech has moved on considerably since the likes of the 317s that have wobbling doors and bang considerably when a train passes, or a train enters a tunnel etc?

Mind you, I assume the 700s won't be quite the same as the 395s in that regard, as there's a long delay to lock and unlock the doors even if they open quickly.

The tech on the 395s is brilliant and even at 140mph the sliding doors don't bang or move. Surprisingly, it's a mechanism that's 40 years old now at Hitachi! Effectively there are 4 devices (one on each corner of the door), that push the door outwards and seal it against the body of the car as soon as the train goes over 9mph. The door is then sealed by the pressure pushing out. The tech is noticeable in action - when the train is accelerating you can hear the doors being sealed once speed picks up and when the doors are opening you can see them going in ever so slightly.

The only down side is that from the door 'Open' button illuminating to passengers being able to get off is at least 5 seconds, because the pressure is released and the door moves in ever so slightly and then slides open. That valuable time is too long for Thameslink and the 700s.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I would say it's also because of the slab grey livery they will be delivered in that makes them look longer, whereas a livery like SWTs will just about show you where one unit ends and where the next coupled unit begins.

Though the 700s aren't planned to work in multiple unless one of them breaks, which is of course why they're all so long.

 

[Mikey C]

The tech on the 395s is brilliant and even at 140mph the sliding doors don't bang or move. Surprisingly, it's a mechanism that's 40 years old now at Hitachi! Effectively there are 4 devices (one on each corner of the door), that push the door outwards and seal it against the body of the car as soon as the train goes over 9mph. The door is then sealed by the pressure pushing out. The tech is noticeable in action - when the train is accelerating you can hear the doors being sealed once speed picks up and when the doors are opening you can see them going in ever so slightly.

The only down side is that from the door 'Open' button illuminating to passengers being able to get off is at least 5 seconds, because the pressure is released and the door moves in ever so slightly and then slides open. That valuable time is too long for Thameslink and the 700s.

It still seems a bit odd aerodynamically that the 140mph 395s have sliding doors, whereas the 75mph 465s have plug doors!