Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[Bald Rick]

It's rather disappointing that the Eurotunnel has coverage, even at its deepest depth of roughly 76m down, yet St Pancras International LL doesn't.

I'd imagine it'd not even take much cellular equipment to extend coverage to the platforms, though a leaky cable system through the core would be better.

Huawei were keen to provide it for LU, perhaps they'd be willing to do a trial installation on TL instead .

The coverage in Eurotunnel was rather expensive to provide. It was only available in one direction for a couple of years!

 

[transmanche]

It's rather disappointing that the Eurotunnel has coverage, even at its deepest depth of roughly 76m down, yet St Pancras International LL doesn't.

I'd imagine it'd not even take much cellular equipment to extend coverage to the platforms, though a leaky cable system through the core would be better.

Heck the Tyne & Wear Metro has had mobile phone coverage at its deep-level stations for over 12 years now!

Although it's only for EE, O2 and Vodafone users. Three customers lose out as it was a consortium of the other operators who fitted the equipment.

 

[jon0844]

The coverage in Eurotunnel was rather expensive to provide. It was only available in one direction for a couple of years!

I can imagine it not being cheap. To do the entire underground would be very costly, but doing platforms no harder than having installed Wi-Fi.

Yes there is Wi-Fi calling, but not all networks or handsets support that, and it has issues when you move around from one AP to another. It's pretty useless in that regard.

 

[jaig]

Hi, sorry if the diagrams have been posted already, but I just wanted to double-check the diagrams for today (Saturday)?

Sent from my SM-J500FN using Tapatalk

 

[class387]

Travelled on 700113 today. I noticed that the swinging doors to first class have been removed, does anyone kow why this might be?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Travelled on 700113 today. I noticed that the swinging doors to first class have been removed, does anyone kow why this might be?

Oh is this something to come...? Was this at both ends?

The units I travelled in today still had the swinging doors...and that included 700113

 

[D365]

Might it be the declassified section?

 

[jon0844]

Might it be the declassified section?

Are they doing that rather than just using the displays I wonder?

If so, I assume the yellow stripe will be taken off outside too.

 

[asylumxl]

Might it be the declassified section?

It wouldn't surprise me to see such a thing. On the 377s the door would often be locked open on the declassified section.

Doors are the true premium feature of first class travel on TL.

 

[LLivery]

It wouldn't surprise me to see such a thing. On the 377s the door would often be locked open on the declassified section.

Doors are the true premium feature of first class travel on TL.

Really? I've only seen the stickers saying anyone can use the area. Unfortunately "Southern" still refuse to let anyone know that FC is declassified on the suburbans, even though they did before they made the PAs even more annoying.

 

[class387]

Oh is this something to come...? Was this at both ends?

The units I travelled in today still had the swinging doors...and that included 700113

Front end going south from St Albans. I did not know whether it was declassified due to the PIS being down, but the anti-massacars were still in place.

 

[Class377/5]

Quick run down of the situation with the class 700. So far 28 units have been delivered (15x 12 car 700/1 and 13x 700/0 8 cars). So far 11 700's have been in service, only 700/1 so far. The first 8 car 700/0 will be running
in service soon.

The first days in service are as follows;

700102 - 29/07/16
700103 - 30/08/16
700104 - 12/07/16
700107 - 04/07/16
700108 - 20/06/16
700109 - 21/06/16
700110 - 02/08/16
700111 - 25/08/16
700112 - 20/07/16
700113 - 25/07/16
700114 - 04/07/16

Current 700 locations

700/0
700002 - Three Bridges Depot
700003 - Three Bridges Depot
700004 - Ferme Park Sidings
700005 - Siemens Hornsey Depot
700006 - Cricklewood Depot
700007 - Ferme Park Sidings
700008 - Three Bridges Depot
700010 - Three Bridges Depot
700014 - Three Bridges Depot
700015 - Cricklewood Depot
700016 - Three Bridges Depot
700018 - Three Bridges Depot
700019 - Three Bridges Depot

For the record not 100% sure about the units at Cricklewood as they are switched off.


700/1
700101 - Three Bridges Depot Commissioning
700102 - Three Bridges Depot
700103 - TB501
700104 - Jowett Sidings
700105 - Three Bridges Depot - commissioning
700106 - Siemens Hornsey Depot - commissioning
700107 - TB503
700108 - Jowett Sidings
700109 - Three Bridges Depot
700110 - ETCS testing (based at Cricklewood)
700111 - Three Bridges Depot
700112 - Three Bridges Depot
700113 - Three Bridges Depot
700114 - Three Bridges Depot
700115 - Three Bridges Depot - commissioning

 

[JonathanH]

The first days in service are as follows;

700110 - 02/08/16

Just one point in this helpful summary, 700110 entered service on the evening of 1 August 2016 as your posting on that day (and my record of a trip on it) confirm.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2651972&postcount=4464

 

[trainmania100]

Looks like 103 had a few door issues today
My friend was on the Brighton to bridge service and missed the 1001 thumper due to the fact that the doors didn't open
I had myfirst ride on one the other day and was impressed at the toilets and acceleration

 

[Kite159]

Front end going south from St Albans. I did not know whether it was declassified due to the PIS being down, but the anti-massacars were still in place.

Probably has been removed due to vandalism

Drunks playing silly buggers and swinging on the door on a late night service (probably)

 

[The Box Photter]

They can't put stickers or notices on the doors/windows of the declassified 1st class section because the rearmost 1st class section is always declassified in the direction of travel.

Keep it quiet though, we don't want the riff-raff sitting in declassified 1st.

 

[Class377/5]

Just one point in this helpful summary, 700110 entered service on the evening of 1 August 2016 as your posting on that day (and my record of a trip on it) confirm.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2651972&postcount=4464

Ah I will adjust my records then! I think I grabbed a photo of it at Brighton as I had spotted it by prue chance that day.

Looks like 103 had a few door issues today
My friend was on the Brighton to bridge service and missed the 1001 thumper due to the fact that the doors didn't open
I had myfirst ride on one the other day and was impressed at the toilets and acceleration

Not a unit fault. Both units out today were affected. Currentl sat on 103 who is manual door release at every station without any noticeable delay.

I pointed out the thumper to the Siemens guys as it past the depot this afternoon. What was it out for/to?

 

[jon0844]

They can't put stickers or notices on the doors/windows of the declassified 1st class section because the rearmost 1st class section is always declassified in the direction of travel.

Keep it quiet though, we don't want the riff-raff sitting in declassified 1st.

When I first used them it was the front in direction of travel. Why the swap?

 

[radamfi]

I was on the 0944 from Brighton and there was a delay of about 15 seconds at each station before the doors could open where the platform was on the left.

 

[JonathanH]

I pointed out the thumper to the Siemens guys as it past the depot this afternoon. What was it out for/to?

Celebrating 175 years of Haywards Heath station - it worked shuttle trips from there to Ardingly throughout the day which were well patronised.

At either end of that it worked a rail tour from Hastings via Victoria and to Brighton after the Ardingly trips.

http://www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/railtours/

 

[GoByThameslink]

When I first used them it was the front in direction of travel. Why the swap?

That must have been a screw up. Ever since I have been talking to FCC (and now GTR) about it, it has always been the plan to declassify the rear unit's posh seating area

 

[GodAtum]

They can't put stickers or notices on the doors/windows of the declassified 1st class section because the rearmost 1st class section is always declassified in the direction of travel.

Keep it quiet though, we don't want the riff-raff sitting in declassified 1st.

So there is only two 1st section on a 12 car train? That's very bad, the Thameslink route has a lot of 1st class passengers!

 

[Class377/5]

FCC did not declassify just the rear end. They declassified one end perminately but due to them being turned it wasn't possible to say it was always one end of a train.

This meant a 4 car had one area, 8 two and 12 three. This was due to the percentage of 1st class to standard meant it was more balance by doing this.

 

[jon0844]

This is why using the screens to say which end is declassified makes more sense. It CAN always be the right end that way.

So it is odd if they're going to remove antimacassars, doors, stripes or anything in the future (not saying they are.. it might have been a door fault, or even an experiment).

It would help if the screens always worked though. No way I want to be in a declassified first class section with an RPI approaching and they turn off!

 

[The Box Photter]

Was sitting in the rear 1st class section this morning in unit 700107. CIS was scrolling through but instead of the message about standard class ticket holders being able to use that area, there was a warning about CCTV being in use.

RPIs got on at Luton and passed through the 1st class section checking all our standard tickets/passes. No problems at all.

 

[jon0844]

Was sitting in the rear 1st class section this morning in unit 700107. CIS was scrolling through but instead of the message about standard class ticket holders being able to use that area, there was a warning about CCTV being in use.

RPIs got on at Luton and passed through the 1st class section checking all our standard tickets/passes. No problems at all.

I've only seen the CCTV ones too recently. Seems like you've got to have guts to try this!

 

[swt class 450]

Ive recently noticed that the 700s make two completely different motor sounds depending on whether they are on third rail or overhead. On third rail (DC) they sound just like other Desiro trains (350/360/450/etc) but when they are on overhead (AC) they make a completely different sound that sounds more similar to an Electrostar. Does anyone know why this is?

 

[jon0844]

Was sitting in the rear 1st class section this morning in unit 700107. CIS was scrolling through but instead of the message about standard class ticket holders being able to use that area, there was a warning about CCTV being in use.

RPIs got on at Luton and passed through the 1st class section checking all our standard tickets/passes. No problems at all.

I now have Tweet confirming the rear first class is always declassified and revenue staff all know. Good news, and now I hope they actually stop telling anyone else!!

 

[philjo]

I was on the 0832 St Pancras to Blackfriars this morning.
Screens on the platform showed that 1st classs only in use at the front of the train.

I boarded the rear carriage. Screens on board not working & no announcements either. I got a seat in the 1st section at Farringdon. The seats are much better in those in standard in that they are a couple of inches away from the side of the train so that trunking does not crush your leg in the way it does in stadnard class. The seats themselves are no more/less comfortable than standard but the presence of armrests helps considerably and as far as I could see made no impediment to the speed passengers got off at City Thameslink or Blackfriars. I personally think these seats should have been fitted throughout the train.

 

[jon0844]

Maybe 11.5 coaches could be first and 0.5 standard? Let's see if Virgin gets the next contract...