Thameslink Programme, South Central & South Eastern area fleet cascades etc

[Tom C]

Funkwerk may be completely automantic but intervension is needed on an hourly basis in my experience as the system still have various faults within it. Funkwerk can make all the announcements but for a safety issue the announcements have been disabled. Although its likely to end up with a system familar to City and Farringdon when finished in 2012. Not good at all

Yes quite a big safety issue!! Was the same at City as well which was even more frightening!!!

Would I be right in saying only one system can be connected at once though?

Yes, you can only have one or the other not both.

So Funkwerk handles much more than the announcements then? This gets more interesting... If the GN side is getting new CIS then because of incompatibilities between the Ditra system and some types of screen then I guess it will be going then.

Where as before we had Ditra and LICC for the screens we now have Funkwerk which is supposed to do both.

Ah gotcha. Also seems very odd that some stations have no manual control either whereas others do.

Itis rather strange that only the biggest stations now have a terminal to change the screens when even Tooting used to have a LICC terminal but it seems as if FCC want the SDC's to be doing the screens whilst the ground staff deal with the punters. Good idea in prinicple but very asperational.

As an aside, something that really bothers me about Funkwerk is the delays it churns out. Is it an option in the system to not announce the length and reason of delay if it's under 10 minutes or is it programmed like that?

I have never been able to work this one out myself. Back in the good old days "delayed" ment the train was delayed indefinately and if it was 5 minutes late it was 5 minutes late!

The sheer number of these stupid delayed messages is also rather annoying as well.

Funkwerk may be completely automantic but intervension is needed on an hourly basis in my experience as the system still have various faults within it.

Hourly???? Surely you mean every 5 minutes!

Certainly at Blackfriars when it was new it seemed like it was being worked on every 5 minutes with lots of swearing to boot!

Ive done announcements for the loop and that system is very old. Its record an announcement then select ot from a drop down box and then select your stations before it asks you if you really want to send the annoucements and the then tell you its sent it. Complex and near useless when P2 is up the wall because you can't do anything.

Its the most reliable and simple system of the lot of them!!!

YOU record what you want to put out (I recorded a great number of those annoucements) and send it out where you want to and when you want to.

Bear in mind that Tooting used to have CCTV monitors for the entire Sutton Loop and had the phones for the help point and was far more important than the shell that it is now!

 

[westcoaster]

i saw 377213+ 37750x(4 maybe) heading north throught the core yesterday, anyone able to confirm what? when? where?

 

[73110]

It went past me in the tunnels empty. The 4-Car 377 before that had empy on the front too. I thought maybe one had failed. (It was 501 I think as I had been seeing that all over the place in the morning on it's own then again as above with 213.

 

[westcoaster]

from today
377501 bedford car sdgs
377504 bedford cauldwell ( must have been the unit in previous posting)
377201+208 coupled cauldwell

 

[Edvid]

Looks like the 0420 BDM-BTN will finally be a 377-pair. By the way, the Bedford Commuters Association have published the latest FCC and NR stakeholder presentations.

On page 4 of the NR pres. there are 3 tranches of TL North platform extension works between Bedford and West Hampstead Thameslink, plus additional works as follows:

West Hampstead Thameslink - new footbridge (already being built, plus new station entrance)
Bedford - new platform 1a, new through line, new station building
Luton - new DDA-compliant footbridge

On top of that, Elstree & Borehamwood/Flitwick/Radlett/Leagrave/Harlington will only have their Slow Line platforms extended and - surprisingly - all platforms at St Albans will be extended at the London end. hock:

On the FCC pres. it's mentioned that platform extensions at Hendon are under review (and obviously that Cricklewood/Kentish Town are not included).

 

[westcoaster]

501+504 coupled and ready in bedford carriage sidings.

 

[Edvid]

501+504 must be on the 0724 BTN-BDM right now, they left Redhill 12 minutes late according to NRES. I got 208+201 at LTN this morning, they came in 5 minutes late and with the 0629 LUT-SEV (319453) on the Up Slow just metres ahead the Electrostars had to call on the Up Fast.

During the journeys to Harpenden and St Albans where both services called, we gained a bit of ground on the 319 on both occasions, even fully overtaking it just before signal WH76 near Ayers End despite departing Harpenden 7 seconds in arrears - the regular sparks eminating from the 319 pan were even mildly fascinating to watch. At St Albans we departed 1 second in front and we were faster throughout but initially the difference was marginal, leading me to conclude that a 319 formation may just about outpace a 377 formation of equal length from rest for 10-15 seconds.

After that though, there's no catching the Electrostars. I for one was pleased we stayed on the UF until West Hampstead South Jn especially because the two TSRs between ELS and HEN (the second of which lasted only a week) are now gone. (EDIT: They did 100mph through Elstree Tunnel as expected, and I wouldn't be surprised if they hit top speed during the two aforementioned short journeys as well.)

 

[asylumxl]

201 and probably 204 (didn't see, but it was 8 carriages) seen going to Brighton from Blackfriars at 16:05.

 

[Edvid]

I'm almost certain the other unit is 208, most of the time the TL 377s are kept in the same pairs until another unit joins in. Hopefully they'll finish the day in Bedford coming off the 1737 ex-Brighton.

 

[westcoaster]

Is it me or are there a lot of units (319's) covered in grafiti, must be having to spend the night / day in sidings down the south eastern region.

 

[jon0844]

Yeah, I'd assume so. It is pretty scummy down there (and that's an opinion shared by good friends that live in Gillingham), having had the misfortune of using Southeastern services and seeing the state of the 465s. Aren't the toilets almost permanently locked out of use on them? Maybe FCC is going to have to consider doing that sooner or later.

The 377s are going to be used and abused down there very quickly. I presume they've got all the latest anti-vandal treatments though - God knows they'll need them.

 

[asylumxl]

Maybe FCC should just route them all back to Bedford (totally unrealistic i know).

 

[Julian G]

I heard something that there is going to be a Derby LL-Selhurst 377 Drag tommorow, and also 377507 was reported on the Test Track, Ta FK

 

[Edvid]

Fingers crossed. Rail Management report that FCC are expecting the third unit to be in service in two weeks, as it happens...

 

[will1337]

Yeah, I'd assume so. It is pretty scummy down there (and that's an opinion shared by good friends that live in Gillingham), having had the misfortune of using Southeastern services and seeing the state of the 465s. Aren't the toilets almost permanently locked out of use on them? Maybe FCC is going to have to consider doing that sooner or later.

That's a shame, I haven't seen much of SouthEastern's network yet and all the 465's I've been on have been okay but they are fantastic trains.

 

[mackenzie_blu]

377501 & 504
0606 Ashford - Bedford
0918 Bedford - Brighton
1154 Brighton - Bedford
then stays at Bedford. Diagrams 601 & 602. 314 miles.

 

[jon0844]

That's a shame, I haven't seen much of SouthEastern's network yet and all the 465's I've been on have been okay but they are fantastic trains.

The 465s were given a massive overhaul a while back, with new seating, brighter lighting, anti-graffiti paint and anti-etch film - so these did (do?) look much, much better. However, I can't believe that this has eradicated the problems of the areas the trains serve.

The key is to ensuring any graffiti is cleared off straight away. That's the best deterrant of all. No point spraying if nobody will see it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
When are the 377/5s getting the full FCC graphics? I've seen the 'new' 321 at Hornsey has just got the full livery now and it does make all the difference.

 

[westcoaster]

not sure when or if the 377's will get the graphics, from company literature i have seen it looks like they will just put the flying f and fcc name stickers on it a bit like 319008 has? but only time will tell.

Also Elaine Holt will be stepping down from the MD's job.

 

[jon0844]

Also Elaine Holt will be stepping down from the MD's job.

When? That's a real shame, although I am sure it is to go on to doing bigger and better things?

 

[MCR247]

I heard something that there is going to be a Derby LL-Selhurst 377 Drag tommorow, and also 377507 was reported on the Test Track, Ta FK

Why 501, 502 & 507?

 

[mackenzie_blu]

not sure when or if the 377's will get the graphics, from company literature i have seen it looks like they will just put the flying f and fcc name stickers on it a bit like 319008 has? but only time will tell.

Also Elaine Holt will be stepping down from the MD's job.

Im told this week for the vinyls so maybe by the end of the weekend we'll finally see the fully completed logo-ed 377/5.

Hmm wonder when we'll actually see all the missing units. Ive started keeping a record and there does seem to be a minor pattern.

501
Selhurst 31/01
Caudwell 27/02
Passenger service 24/03

504
Selhurst 17/02
Caudwell 28/03
Passenger service 30/03

507
Selhurst 31/03?
Caudwell - wonder if it'll be there around 27th after testing?

Why 501, 502 & 507?

You missed 503 and 506

And 501 around already

not sure when or if the 377's will get the graphics, from company literature i have seen it looks like they will just put the flying f and fcc name stickers on it a bit like 319008 has? but only time will tell.

Also Elaine Holt will be stepping down from the MD's job.

Id say its a good time to leave, she deliveried KO0 and a few new trains and helped lead FCC into the start of massive changes both on the TL and GN side. Now its all about managing the disruption these projects are about to create on us.

 

[MCR247]

You missed 503 and 506

And 501 around already

I mean, why not have them in order?

 

[mackenzie_blu]

I mean, why not have them in order?

Because as they are finished in the building the parts come in and go straight in rather than move a unit outside and bring them in so they're finished in number order.

A guess but these things are difficult to move that easy so much better to finished the one on the assembley line.

 

[Edvid]

Third Electrostar still in Derby apparently.

Yesterday was quite interesting and even frustrating at one point - two highlights for me were travelling on 504+501 together in the morning; and thanks to the signal failure at Preston Park plus a misbehaving TL 377 pair, I caught a very late (~45 minutes) 319 pair at Gatwick which after StP called at LTN and BDM only, covering the 29 miles between StP and LTN in 26 minutes 25 seconds which included stopping near Carlton Road Jn for 15-20 seconds before a DS->DF switch and slowing down to ~40mph for a DF->DS switch at Harpenden Jn.

Also worth mentioning we departed StP only three minutes ahead of the 1900 to Kettering so that was probably checked a lot.

[P.S. 377204 travelled non-stop (and possibly empty) on the UF through St Albans at ~1020, any ideas why?]

 

[mackenzie_blu]

Third Electrostar still in Derby apparently.

[P.S. 377204 travelled non-stop (and possibly empty) on the UF through St Albans at ~1020, any ideas why?]

Hmmm I'll try and find out if it left. 501 was rather later leaving and very late arriving.

There's been so 377/2 going to Selhurst lately from Bedford with a 377/2 behind it on a Brighton service. Im guessing this was doing the same. Will check on the unit when I get a chance.

 

[westcoaster]

Could that be 1zxx bdm- three bridges and return driver training run. Lots of fast running last night some services rightaway bedford from st albans.

 

[Tom C]

I caught a very late (~45 minutes) 319 pair at Gatwick which after StP called at LTN and BDM only,

I think I was on the same train off BTN, was in trouble around Patcham Tunnel, something to do with a signal failure near Clayton Tunnel. Train then also missed out Wivlesfield without any prior warning but continued to stop at Balcombe.

Still havn't caught a 377 yet

 

[mackenzie_blu]

Could that be 1zxx bdm- three bridges and return driver training run. Lots of fast running last night some services rightaway bedford from st albans.

And todays run used 501 which failed at Farringdon and was sent to Moorgate before returning home to Bedford. Wonder if anyone got a picture?

 

[73110]

Took a ride on 504 this morning and something happened at St Pancs with the rear doors on the rear coach, wouldn't open, was there for a while then carried on.

Also noticed a DRS loco and Barrier wagons around the back of Selhurst this morning, could be 507 arrived already...

 

[Edvid]

Noted on se-gen that said delivery didn't happen, in fact another 377 is going back to Derby. Thankfully for FCC it's 106 so it isn't one of theirs, they have enough problems as it is with two units losing shoegear in the Elephant & Castle area and both Maidstone line starters being affected today as a result with one being cancelled and the other running shortformed.

In light of that and the problems at Elephant & Castle/Nunhead I was relatively lucky that the 1737 ex-Brighton ran just fine, even after preceding the 1724 ex-Brighton through Central London (the latter came through E&C) and therefore picking up more passengers than usual.

I have a few more pictures from Tuesday and yesterday which I'll publish later. [N.B. My fotopic quota is full and I can't be bothered to pay for a bigger one, so I'll upload them to flickr from now on.]