Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[Domh245]

Is the new Thameslink vinyl that thick?

Once they've gone through all the latest versions of the logo, it adds up!

 

[JohnElliott]

Have noticed a few coping stones have been "shaved" down at various stations and Dormans has had new ones installed on the down platform. Im guessing for Class 700 clearance

The work at Dormans was so Flying Scotsman could get through to the Bluebell without having to cut bits off it.

 

[physics34]

The work at Dormans was so Flying Scotsman could get through to the Bluebell without having to cut bits off it.

all that work for a kettle looooooooool

maybe that was why other stations were done then... maybe nothing to do with the 700s at all.

 

[Sunset route]

all that work for a kettle looooooooool

maybe that was why other stations were done then... maybe nothing to do with the 700s at all.

There were a lot of Line blockages on the BML Clapham to South Croydon and South Croydon to East Grinstead on night shifts from around Christmas for the Flying Scotsman gauging.

On night shift the class 700s tend to roam about all over the network for various trials. A few weeks back they were up and down the Arun Valley and Coastway West doing stopping location and DOO camera tests for the relevant stop boards and safe viewing of the doors.

 

[EMD]

I noticed something while being stuck on the 700 today. Every time we were waiting at signal there was no air circulation. When we started moving again you could feel cold air coming through the gaps in 1st class partition wall (I was on the peasant class side). Is it me or did the geniuses at Siemens got the A/C vent placement slightly wrong?

 

[notverydeep]

A couple of questions: is there any source online of the post 21/05 class 700 Diagrams?

Secondly, how precisely can the Selective Door Operation (SDO) be configured for each station, for example, if the platform was long enough for 10 whole cars, plus one door, is that how the SDO could be set up for that platform, or is it just possible to shut the rear four cars of a 12 car 700?

Apologies if this has been posted before, I did a search of this very long thread. It might be me, but I struggle to find specifics with even the advanced search function just returning more or less every thread...

 

[Roast Veg]

Secondly, how precisely can the Selective Door Operation (SDO) be configured for each station, for example, if the platform was long enough for 10 whole cars, plus one door, is that how the SDO could be set up for that platform, or is it just possible to shut the rear four cars of a 12 car 700?

Since the SDO is automatic in normal running and operates based on the train's knowledge of where it is, it will open the exact number of doors it knows it is allowed to open. As far as I'm aware, it does not possess the capability to open "half a carriage", since the number of doors that are permissibly opened is determined by Network Rail who have never accounted for this possibility. In your example, as long as the infrastructure is correctly set up then 10 cars will open, with the remaining 2 closed.

 

[trainmania100]

Have been advised Saturday that on Saturday there will be 8 car 700 route refreshing between Brighton and Lewes and Haywards Heath under the 5Z31/5Z32 TL paths
On monday there are STP paths also expected to run
Can anyone confirm whether these are planned to run?
I have been told they will but just double checking to avoid missing it if they do. Thanks
Paths start from Brighton Down Siding on saturday morning to Haywards Heath via lewes.

 

[samuelmorris]

A couple of questions: is there any source online of the post 21/05 class 700 Diagrams?

Secondly, how precisely can the Selective Door Operation (SDO) be configured for each station, for example, if the platform was long enough for 10 whole cars, plus one door, is that how the SDO could be set up for that platform, or is it just possible to shut the rear four cars of a 12 car 700?

Apologies if this has been posted before, I did a search of this very long thread. It might be me, but I struggle to find specifics with even the advanced search function just returning more or less every thread...

Yes, WNXX - I believe the current is:

https://pastebin.com/Sgyr24qE

However that's a composite from two separate posts, so don't take it as gospel

 

[notverydeep]

Since the SDO is automatic in normal running and operates based on the train's knowledge of where it is, it will open the exact number of doors it knows it is allowed to open. As far as I'm aware, it does not possess the capability to open "half a carriage", since the number of doors that are permissibly opened is determined by Network Rail who have never accounted for this possibility. In your example, as long as the infrastructure is correctly set up then 10 cars will open, with the remaining 2 closed.

Thanks for this, that makes it very clear. I was peripherally involved a number of years ago with decisions about stations that might use SDO with a new Bombardier train being introduced. On that stock, the number of sets of doors could be configured and this feature was used, so I was interested to hear what flexibility the 700 had.

Thanks also to samuelmorris for the link to up to date 700 diagrams. Don't worry, I won't hold any 319s or 377s turning up against you - I am interested in the general degree of progress, rather than tracking down particular units...

 

[dlj83]

Are the class 319 trains still running on the Sutton Loop? I want to catch one from Streatham this Saturday.

 

[notverydeep]

I haven't fully read through all the diagrams linked in the above samuelmorris post, but morning's 2V27 0823 St Albans to Sutton via Wimbledon was a pair with 319449 leading.

 

[samuelmorris]

Whilst I can't personally vouch for the accuracy of that data since I'm not the source of it, 2V27 is not present anywhere in that list, so it being formed of 319s is to be expected.

 

[tsr]

Since the SDO is automatic in normal running and operates based on the train's knowledge of where it is, it will open the exact number of doors it knows it is allowed to open. As far as I'm aware, it does not possess the capability to open "half a carriage", since the number of doors that are permissibly opened is determined by Network Rail who have never accounted for this possibility. In your example, as long as the infrastructure is correctly set up then 10 cars will open, with the remaining 2 closed.

700s can open half a coach's worth of doors as part of the SDO system. At least one side of the island platform at Tulse Hill is or was SDO 6.5 at one point.

 

[Roast Veg]

I stand corrected! Disregard everything I said above in that case.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Have been advised Saturday that on Saturday there will be 8 car 700 route refreshing between Brighton and Lewes and Haywards Heath under the 5Z31/5Z32 TL paths
On monday there are STP paths also expected to run
Can anyone confirm whether these are planned to run?
I have been told they will but just double checking to avoid missing it if they do. Thanks
Paths start from Brighton Down Siding on saturday morning to Haywards Heath via lewes.

That'll be good if they run... assume there's no engineering works this Saturday - haven't checked yet

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Are the class 319 trains still running on the Sutton Loop? I want to catch one from Streatham this Saturday.

There are still 319s running but expect some to be stood down as I believe their days are numbered on the Sutton loop (2 weeks to go?)

 

[MatthewRead]

Are the class 319 trains still running on the Sutton Loop? I want to catch one from Streatham this Saturday.

I don't fancy your chances I tried to get one last Saturday and the line was closed for engineering works

 

[Bald Rick]

As of yesterday, there appeared to be 14 diagrams covered by 2x319s

Approx half the Sutton loop is 700s, the rest 319s

Sevenoaks is approx 1/3 700s, the rest 319s.

The 7 remaining 2x377 diagrams appear to be on a few Three Bridges services and the peak services that terminate / originate at Elephant & Castle.

All the non-700 diagrams are held all day, ie no splitting and joining. I assume this makes them 700-ready. Also it sees the end of 4 car running, including the famous 1756 stopper off St Pancras, which is now 8.

 

[urpert]

As of yesterday, there appeared to be 14 diagrams covered by 2x319s


All the non-700 diagrams are held all day, ie no splitting and joining. I assume this makes them 700-ready. Also it sees the end of 4 car running, including the famous 1756 stopper off St Pancras, which is now 8.

Presumably that doesn't apply to weekend Sevenoaks workings (which are all still 319 and quite often only 4 car)

 

[EMD]

I noticed something while being stuck on the 700 today. Every time we were waiting at signal there was no air circulation. When we started moving again you could feel cold air coming through the gaps in 1st class partition wall (I was on the peasant class side). Is it me or did the geniuses at Siemens got the A/C vent placement slightly wrong?

The plot thickens, I was on a stopping service which as always operates standard class only setup and therefore got myself a seat in the "check your privilege" compartment. Now either I'm hallucinating (not) or did Siemens really design 1st class to have nice cool A/C which is on all the time and the rest of the train is somehow dialled down to ridiculous levels. It's so bad you can cut freaking air with a knife in standard peasant cattle class when the train isn't moving. In 319's one could at least open a window but in these plastic nightmares there isn't such modern facility. So was it Siemens or is Govia cutting corners everywhere as they always do (except for their logo and the vinyl used to wrap the trains, ah and the paint they use to make the handrails nice and shiny on all stations - because what I want from a freaking TOC is for them to provide nice shiny handrails)?

 

[asylumxl]

The plot thickens, I was on a stopping service which as always operates standard class only setup and therefore got myself a seat in the "check your privilege" compartment. Now either I'm hallucinating (not) or did Siemens really design 1st class to have nice cool A/C which is on all the time and the rest of the train is somehow dialled down to ridiculous levels. It's so bad you can cut freaking air with a knife in standard peasant cattle class when the train isn't moving. In 319's one could at least open a window but in these plastic nightmares there isn't such modern facility. So was it Siemens or is Govia cutting corners everywhere as they always do (except for their logo and the vinyl used to wrap the trains, ah and the paint they use to make the handrails nice and shiny on all stations - because what I want from a freaking TOC is for them to provide nice shiny handrails)?

I have to say the AC on the 700s seems anaemic to say the least (at least in standard class), which is surprising for a Desiro. I put it down to cost cutting. It can get rather warm in peak with a full train load.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk

 

[JaJaWa]

700s can open half a coach's worth of doors as part of the SDO system. At least one side of the island platform at Tulse Hill is or was SDO 6.5 at one point.

One of the platforms at Gatwick Airport was set up as 11.5 cars too I think (although all doors still opened)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The latest delivery last night was 700 118, I believe.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Not done enough milage on the horrid things to really comment although last trip I did was in the rear declassified first section between Blackfryers and Croydon and I'll admit to it feeling less air conditioned when I left that cabbin to exit the train.

 

[Pumbaa]

I concur. It's especially evident in the core when jam packed waiting time at City and Farringdon, sweating away until the train starts moving again.

 

[jon0844]

Perhaps an eco mode, which on air conditioning systems I've used with such a feature is often pretty slow to cool. Clearly there to save energy, but not necessarily good if loads of hot bodies are heating up faster than the train can cool.

I will likely be on a 700 tomorrow to Brighton and as it's going to be one of the hotter days of the year so far, I expect I'll find out how good it is. I can't remember from last year, but don't remember them being uncomfortable.

 

[Pumbaa]

For what it's worth, the 700 this morning was hotter than sun.

 

[physics34]

What nice comfy units these are...grrrrr

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Is the air con on a 700 tied into the loading sensor system at all (cooling/heating amount relative to the loading)?