WMR Class 196 Build and Implementation

[FLIRTfan18]

WMR replied to somebody on Twitter a few days ago saying new trains on the Shrewsbury line will be in service during the latter half of next year, so if I'm not mistaken Covid has knocked it back by around an entire year

 

[Liverpool 507]

Just seen this on Twitter:

View attachment 80725

(@WMTrainspotting on Twitter).

Looked much better with black gangway doors IMO.

 

[Sparks807Evo]

Last I had seen first unit should enter service by end of year according to the Conference document on here (http://news.wmtrains.co.uk/documents) with Hereford introduction first, then Snow Hill and then Shrewsbury.

Had seen that 196101 had shifted up to by the running lines when I passed yesterday so hopefully promising that it may move soon. Any particular reason why the gangway door colour has been changed as would have thought the headlights would be up to the required standard for the safety case to dispense with the yellow requirement? Is there a safety trend back towards the yellow ends as aside from TPE and Hull Trains new trains with their black end fronts, there has been a majority of yellow end switches including the Greater Anglia units' design being switched from black to yellow, as were the Class 701s for SWR and recently the TFW Class 230s which swapped from red to yellow.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

I hear on the grapevine that the Class 195 and Class 196 units aren't compatible with each other - the coupler electrical connection is top mounted on the Class 195 and bottom mounted on the Class 196.

Humour me. Why ?

 

[Energy]

I hear on the grapevine that the Class 195 and Class 196 units aren't compatible with each other - the coupler electrical connection is top mounted on the Class 195 and bottom mounted on the Class 196.

Humour me. Why ?

I'm not sure why, it maybe the gangway as the 377s also have it bottom mounted? Doesn't look to be enough space for top mounted with the gangway there.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I hear on the grapevine that the Class 195 and Class 196 units aren't compatible with each other - the coupler electrical connection is top mounted on the Class 195 and bottom mounted on the Class 196.

Humour me. Why ?

Is it maybe so they can be compatible with the mechanically similar 172's?

 

[Energy]

Is it maybe so they can be compatible with the mechanically similar 172's?

Different connector still.

 

[Speed43125]

I'm not sure why, it maybe the gangway as the 377s also have it bottom mounted? Doesn't look to be enough space for top mounted with the gangway there.

Do you mean that they've effectively had to move it from the top to the bottom to fit the gangway in? ie. when the Northern ones were built they didn't consider the possibility of some being ordered with Gangways?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Looked much better with black gangway doors IMO.

It looks like a Fisher Price train, it really is a truly awful livery. Full yellow front might make it tolerable, though. Like the 350s, highlighting the ugliest part of the train above the solebar (the gangway connection and its many squashed bluebottles) really does make it look bad.

 

[Energy]

Do you mean that they've effectively had to move it from the top to the bottom to fit the gangway in? ie. when the Northern ones were built they didn't consider the possibility of some being ordered with Gangways?

I think so, can't think of another reason and there doesn't look to be enough space on top anyway.

 

[Energy]

It looks like a Fisher Price train, it really is a truly awful livery. Full yellow front might make it tolerable, though. Like the 350s, highlighting the ugliest part of the train above the solebar (the gangway connection and its many squashed bluebottles) really does make it look bad.

Can someone Photoshop the 196 into another livery? The WMR livery seems to look bad on any train so I'm interested to see what it would look like in another livery. It's a shame they went from the great London Midland livery to this...

 

[LowLevel]

EMR have advised internally that the first ex WM 170s are now expected April '21 at the earliest so that tallies with the delay above.

 

[Bob Price]

Can someone Photoshop the 196 into another livery? The WMR livery seems to look bad on any train so I'm interested to see what it would look like in another livery. It's a shame they went from the great London Midland livery to this...

Just go on the TfW site and look at the 197's

 

[hwl]

I hear on the grapevine that the Class 195 and Class 196 units aren't compatible with each other - the coupler electrical connection is top mounted on the Class 195 and bottom mounted on the Class 196.

Humour me. Why ?

The typical <110mph UK unit dellner install is bottom mounted so effectively just reverting to UK normal for the 196s...
CAF might have actually read some RSSB documents this time including where the Dellner electrical connectors go!

 

[Bletchleyite]

The typical <110mph UK unit dellner install is bottom mounted so effectively just reverting to UK normal for the 196s...
CAF might have actually read some RSSB documents this time including where the Dellner electrical connectors go!

Is there a safety issue from having it at the top? Though the bottom does seem the UK norm for almost all types of autocoupler.

 

[atsf_fT]

Last I had seen first unit should enter service by end of year according to the Conference document on here (http://news.wmtrains.co.uk/documents) with Hereford introduction first, then Snow Hill and then Shrewsbury.

Had seen that 196101 had shifted up to by the running lines when I passed yesterday so hopefully promising that it may move soon. Any particular reason why the gangway door colour has been changed as would have thought the headlights would be up to the required standard for the safety case to dispense with the yellow requirement? Is there a safety trend back towards the yellow ends as aside from TPE and Hull Trains new trains with their black end fronts, there has been a majority of yellow end switches including the Greater Anglia units' design being switched from black to yellow, as were the Class 701s for SWR and recently the TFW Class 230s which swapped from red to yellow.

The doors you are seeing are the inner doors 'there 2 sets inner for when the unit is coupled and passingers walk through the outer doors when running are black ' it's been on depot like this for 2 months

 

[Domh245]

The typical <110mph UK unit dellner install is bottom mounted so effectively just reverting to UK normal for the 196s...
CAF might have actually read some RSSB documents this time including where the Dellner electrical connectors go!

It certainly seems that plenty of modern stock is being fitted with couplers where the electrical connector is above the main block. Desiro Cities and FLIRTS both have 'top side' connectors, although Aventras do have 'bottom side' connectors. Seems to me that the bottom side mainly became so standard in the UK as a result of all the gangwayed stock that was procured in the 2000s rather than any inherent advantage, and if there's no need for electrical compatibility between the fleets, there's no point tying yourself to that arrangement of coupler

 

[Energy]

It certainly seems that plenty of modern stock is being fitted with couplers where the electrical connector is above the main block. Desiro Cities and FLIRTS both have 'top side' connectors, although Aventras do have 'bottom side' connectors. Seems to me that the bottom side mainly became so standard in the UK as a result of all the gangwayed stock that was procured in the 2000s rather than any inherent advantage, and if there's no need for electrical compatibility between the fleets, there's no point tying yourself to that arrangement of coupler

Not sure about Desiro Cities but Flirts look to be capable of 125mph operation as there is a model (the FLIRT200) on Stadler's website although the GA models are limited to 100mph. This could be why it is top mounted so if Stadler get any orders for a 125mph unit they don't have to modify the cab.

 

[the sniper]

I think the gangway doors would look better if only the bottom part was yellow, top part black, like various 350s have. Just enough to fulfil 1m2. Full black or full yellow are a bit much. The mock up at Tyseley, as seen in the third picture, three posts above, has this design but with orange.

 

[py_megapixel]

I don't know what's with this sudden trend of not putting TOPS numbers on the front. In the past it's only been on units with very streamlined fronts, such as pendolinos and voyagers, which don't have a sensible place to put it on the front. But now many if not most new rolling stock deliveries seem to be have it in tiny letters on the side. TPE even reliveried older rolling stock with it in a different place.

I know the railway isn't built for spotters, but still... why change a perfectly good standard?

 

[Speed43125]

I don't know what's with this sudden trend of not putting TOPS numbers on the front. In the past it's only been on units with very streamlined fronts, such as pendolinos and voyagers, which don't have a sensible place to put it on the front. But now many if not most new rolling stock deliveries seem to be have it in tiny letters on the side. TPE even reliveried older rolling stock with it in a different place.

I know the railway isn't built for spotters, but still... why change a perfectly good standard?

Perhaps the numbers give the trains a sort of 'utilitarian' look that is outwith the brand TOCs want to present?

 

[uniquicity]

196101 is doing a trip from Tyseley to Hereford and back this afternoon... just left Worcester outward bound

 

[HSTEd]

There's a ban on 2+ people in a cab, so no TOC is able to do training that involves it. While there are other aspects that can be covered, there's not much point if they would lapse before the rest can be completed.

Slightly OT, but how long can they keep that up before training starts lapsing?

 

[nigelsporne]

A driving cab from 196104 was noted on the M42 this lunchtime.

 

[Stephen Lee]

when are they expected to start rev. service?

 

[DannyMich2018]

when are they expected to start rev. service?

Defo wont be till 2021. They need to be fully tested and then crews trained. The latter will be very hard at the minute to do. Probably first quarter of 2021?

 

[city dweller]

Moor Street Station

 

[Apedlar12]

I guess covid may have some part in the non testing ' but WM metro have been training drivers on there route daily for over a month so no problem with drivers and instructors in the cab so not problem working rules wise.
And while takeing these photos of the 196 a got talking to 2 workers at the depot who said the 196 arrived two months ago !
And no testing has started has there seems too be a bit of a differnce of opinion between CAF and WMT about how testing should be done.
Odd it's been here for 2 months and it's not made a few runs out Stratford or whitlocks end like the 172s did.

I have seen this which looks like a test for the 196 and seems to be doing it all day today, tomorrow, Thursday and Friday but hasn't run today yet:

Realtime Trains - 5Z21 0840 Tyseley L.M.D. to Tyseley L.M.D.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[newtownmgr]

It was out overnight to Crewe. Paths are as reqd so not always used.

 

[Apedlar12]

It was out overnight to Crewe. Paths are as reqd so not always used.

Seems as if it has run on the second test this morning, any idea of which unit? I assume 196101?

Realtime Trains - 5Z22 1040 Tyseley L.M.D. to Tyseley L.M.D.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk