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Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

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trainlogger

trainlogger

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SpacePhoenix said:
Have Siemens reached the halfway point yet with the number of units built (overall Great Northern and Thameslink)?
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I'm going with "no, nowhere near the half way point"

12/115 of the Thameslink units are in the UK. I don't know figures, but can't imagine there are 45ish complete sets in Europe to take to the halfway point?

I doubt any of the other 45 Moorgate units have begun building yet?
 
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RailUK Forums

Class315

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We at Great Northern are expecting 25 new siemens class 700 variants for the Inner suburban service to Moorgate, Not 45.
 
Class377/5

Class377/5

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trainlogger said:
I'm going with "no, nowhere near the half way point"

12/115 of the Thameslink units are in the UK. I don't know figures, but can't imagine there are 45ish complete sets in Europe to take to the halfway point?

I doubt any of the other 45 Moorgate units have begun building yet?
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Actually I believe Siemens are half way through the build process. Don't forget 700101 was first seen complete running around Wildenrath in April 2014.

So far we have 12 units here, another 8 or so at Wildenrath and some like 20 odd in store at various places.

Don't forget the 707 build is in full swing and should be complete next year with the 701 order following on from both 700/707 with the spare capacity.
 
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jon0844

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If GTR plans on a rebrand for the Moorgate trains, maybe it should sort it out now rather than wait until half the new build is done...!

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MCR247

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Ah - maybe ThamesLink\ is meant to be pronounced 'ThamesLinkLine,' (making sure you pronounce the L as a capital of course!) and so in the future we will have MoorGate\ and if they bid for the EM franchise they can call it MidlandMain\
 
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jon0844

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The whole thing is almost up there with 'one' as a silly rebranding exercise, and one that will likely not stand the test of time.

It also shows that whoever was paid to design it did a great job of convincing people that the / is a good addition, even though it looks ridiculous when used in other ways, such as the T/ on their Twitter account.

I wonder if it was the same agency that came up with the new BBC Three and CBBC logos for the BBC? Logos that are so narrow that they look ridiculously small on Electronic Programme Guides.

I appreciate that this is subjective, but the / serves no purpose to me. I doubt it's clever enough to be looked at a way of saying line, and you're giving GTR wayyy too much credit!!
 
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jonmorris0844 said:
The whole thing is almost up there with 'one' as a silly rebranding exercise, and one that will likely not stand the test of time.

It also shows that whoever was paid to design it did a great job of convincing people that the / is a good addition, even though it looks ridiculous when used in other ways, such as the T/ on their Twitter account.

I wonder if it was the same agency that came up with the new BBC Three and CBBC logos for the BBC? Logos that are so narrow that they look ridiculously small on Electronic Programme Guides.

I appreciate that this is subjective, but the / serves no purpose to me. I doubt it's clever enough to be looked at a way of saying line, and you're giving GTR wayyy too much credit!!
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With Gatwick Express you have 'GX' so with thameslink you have 'TL'

Works well on twitter
 
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jon0844

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GX is GX. TL would be TL.

On Twitter, it's T/

The / isn't an L. The L is an L!

In my opinion it doesn't work as the logo becomes just the T with a slash at the end, missing the L which was capitalised so presumably not just one long word.

I did say this was my opinion of course, but I'd hope not to be totally isolated on having that view.

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swt_passenger said:
Ah yes, that's now the cricket channel isn't it? :roll:
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hehe.. well, I suspect it will soon be the nothing at all channel. I can't believe for some second that it will survive being online only amongst all the more established YouTube channels.

I also remember the Sky Onc logo, which lasted longer than I thought, but was eventually changed.. I wonder which of these new logos will be changed first...
 
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RobShipway

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I am not sure why people are asking for an update as to when the Class 700's will be in service as they were not expected to be in service until the end of April anyway as per the Moving Wheels section of the May edition of Modern Railways, with or without the issues that they have had recently.

I will stand corrected, but at the earliest the 700's will start doing services when the new timetable begins on the 15th May, otherwise it is I suspect to be the end of May.
 
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Robbies said:
I am not sure why people are asking for an update as to when the Class 700's will be in service as they were not expected to be in service until the end of April anyway as per the Moving Wheels section of the May edition of Modern Railways, with or without the issues that they have had recently.
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Modern Railways May edition is only using the benefit of hindsight. People have been asking the question based on much earlier announcements that 16th April was the entry into service date. If you go back a year you can find online articles reporting introduction into service was to be in Feb 2016.

Now all that has subsequently been stated to be wrong (most regularly by Class377/5); but was the best info available at certain times in the past so it is understandable that people are wondering.
 
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neilm

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So any news on when the first one will be in service?

Also I was thinking could they not fit a pantograph to the 442s and use them on Thameslink or perhaps be dragged via a 73 in the core?

Joking about both questions btw ;)
 
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Davehaslanded

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Hi, so I signed up specifically for this thread. My best mate drives for thameslink. I was showing him this thread and to be honest he was laughing at the amount of guessing. Anyway, just so you know:
1. Most Thames link drivers have not started the training for the class 700, so much of this information is passed down from work colleagues to my best friend. My friend does not begin his training until at least the end of this year.
2. There is an issue that could be partly to blame for the delayed start of the class 700. The class 700 uses automatic door opening. The plan was that this would prevent accidental opening Of the doors on the wrong side of the train, however the system has had a dangerous side-effects. In tests it has been found, that's when the train stops at a red light that happens to be at the end of the platform, regardless of whether or not the train is scheduled to stop at that platform, the doors are opening without any input from the driver, and currently there is no override for this system.
3. The new rebranding was certainly not circulated internally before it rolled out. In fact my best friend wasn't even made aware of it until I pointed out to him on Twitter.
Anyway, if I do get any further information I think you guys may find useful, I will certainly post on here as I have been keeping an eye on this forum for a few weeks now.
 
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I'm pretty sure the new logo was shown here some time before it appeared on Twitter.
 
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Class377/5

Class377/5

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Davehaslanded said:
Hi, so I signed up specifically for this thread. My best mate drives for thameslink. I was showing him this thread and to be honest he was laughing at the amount of guessing. Anyway, just so you know:
1. Most Thames link drivers have not started the training for the class 700, so much of this information is passed down from work colleagues to my best friend. My friend does not begin his training until at least the end of this year.
Click to expand...

There is enough drivers trained for phase one. Note there are several hundred drivers to train up. It was several years from the first 377 in service until every driver was 377 trained.

2. There is an issue that could be partly to blame for the delayed start of the class 700. The class 700 uses automatic door opening. The plan was that this would prevent accidental opening Of the doors on the wrong side of the train, however the system has had a dangerous side-effects. In tests it has been found, that's when the train stops at a red light that happens to be at the end of the platform, regardless of whether or not the train is scheduled to stop at that platform, the doors are opening without any input from the driver, and currently there is no override for this system.
Click to expand...

Completely false. Automatic door opening is part of the ATO system not planned to be tested yet. Currently the 700s operate the same way as the 377/387 with the drivers opening the doors. Door release is not automatically given when the units stop.

I say this as someone who has been present with door release given at multiple stations (as part of SDO testing) and I can tell you now the reality is that door release is not automatically given. As your friend isn't getting training any time soon, it suggests he's heard gossip not something he's experienced for himself over the planned working of the ATO system come 2018.

Here is is the proof of the fact that trains do not automatically open doors. I had to manually get a door open by pressing the buttons to get them to open to take this shot.

700109 at Balcombe by https://www.flickr.com/photos/mackenzieblu/, on Flickr

3. The new rebranding was certainly not circulated internally before it rolled out. In fact my best friend wasn't even made aware of it until I pointed out to him on Twitter.
Anyway, if I do get any further information I think you guys may find useful, I will certainly post on here as I have been keeping an eye on this forum for a few weeks now.
Click to expand...

Re-branding has nothing to do with the delay. The rebrand however has been briefed out to staff who have taken notice of the email/notice boards.

trainmania100 said:
Hi can someone advise me what this is likely to be?
5Z01 Thameslink Three Bridges to Hornsey GBRf operated,
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K97170/2016/04/23/advanced

Does anyone know if its likely to run?
Thanks
Click to expand...

700110 going for ETCS testing. Was supposed to happen before now so should run.
 
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Class2ldn

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I can confirm that one train has opened the doors without any input from the driver at St pancras when he stopped so there is some truth in what the guy says.
Hopefully just an isolated issue as not heard of many other issues.
 
JaJaWa

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Class2ldn said:
I can confirm that one train has opened the doors without any input from the driver at St pancras when he stopped so there is some truth in what the guy says.
Hopefully just an isolated issue as not heard of many other issues.
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This sounds like the exact opposite of the issue that plagued the Electrostars for years at St Pancras! (not sure if it still does)
 
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jon0844

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JaJaWa said:
This sounds like the exact opposite of the issue that plagued the Electrostars for years at St Pancras! (not sure if it still does)
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Passengers at New Barnet in the morning peak will be well chuffed to think they might actually be able to get on a train held at the platform end signal before it gives the okay to switch to the up fast... Lord knows they always try just in case!
 
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Class2ldn said:
I can confirm that one train has opened the doors without any input from the driver at St pancras when he stopped so there is some truth in what the guy says.
Hopefully just an isolated issue as not heard of many other issues.
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It is exactly what is meant to happen in ATO mode. So hopefully not isolated!
 
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