edwin_m
Veteran Member
As I understood it the mechanicals are CAF and the electrical parts are Siemens. Not sure which the bogies are counted as.
Thanks. You have confirmed what many of us have been saying - they are for scrap...….Hello all
Just thought I'd like to add to this, as I am internal with Siemens and can provide a bit of info.
As far as I am aware, there is no future plans for these units. There is a number of issues with them at present with bodywork & bogies, and they are also non standard type Desiros. They do not have TPWS either which would have to be retrofitted, but it is unlikely this will happen.
Heathrow own the units and would have to be sold by themselves to another party to be in with a chance of surviving. They will probably be put into storage as a result.
Cheers
The bogies are CAF.As I understood it the mechanicals are CAF and the electrical parts are Siemens. Not sure which the bogies are counted as.
Can't see them fitting in anywhere when better alternatives are on the horizon for Northern. The 331s will directly replace the 321s/322s.The best place I can think of for them would be some of the longer Northern electrified routes out of Manchester.
Or perhaps to replace 321/322 in the Yorkshire area.
Some of the new 331s will be going to Yorkshire to replace the 321/322 fleet.The best place I can think of for them would be some of the longer Northern electrified routes out of Manchester.
Or perhaps to replace 321/322 in the Yorkshire area.
Am I right in thinking that they can be reduced to 3 car? As it stands they have about 10hp/tonne on a four-car formation (less on a five car) so some of the TSOs (especially from the 5 cars, but also the 4s) may be at risk of becoming scrap even if the trains see further use. They might be of use working at Northern with the 333s in West Yorkshire, which were originally 3 car anyway and could be reverted back if need be.
Can't see them fitting in anywhere when better alternatives are on the horizon for Northern. The 331s will directly replace the 321s/322s.
Surplus 323s are already queuing up - Northern are the only realistic takers for them. These are well suited to the Northern network as 3 carriage units - additionally they could also just about operate as 6 carriages on some key routes such as Blackpool North-Bolton-Manchester-Airport.
My expectation is that Porterbrook will exchange Northern's 319s for the remaining 323s (including WMTs remaining 26 units by 2021) over the next couple of years. This will then allow PB to convert more 319s to 769s or strip them out for spares. At the same time, it will ensure the 323s should have a home for next 10+ years. They've been burnt once after cancelling Northern's lease on the 323s in the hope the new West Midlands franchise would take them when actually they opted for new trains - they're not going to make that mistake again.
I concur with the view that the 332s will be broken up for spares unfortunately.
On mechanical condition, have Northern looked after theirs better then? It seems extraordinary that poor maintenance has lopped 15 years off the life expectancy of the Heathrow Express trains.
The 333's still feel like the most modern train on the east of the Pennines by far. For me, they are better in feel than the 185s as they are much quieter, being electric rather than diesel. That is even despite the fact that they are unrefurbished and 3+2 seating, which tells you something about the disgraceful state of rolling stock up north in general.
Such a shame, like countless things with the railway today - units nowhere near life expired (or wouldn't be had they been looked after properly since their introduction), built for a specific purpose, have fulfilled that purpose well, destined to likely be scrapped or at the very least moved elsewhere.
they wouldn’t be paying GWR the sums of money it is to modify 14 of their 387s to replace them from next year.
That's the same with C2C's /3 units is it not?GWR's 387s are standard class only, so like Chiltern's 168s in that respect. In one of the carriages, there's an internal door. Is that there for possible conversion of one side of it to First Class?
GWR's 387s are standard class only, so like Chiltern's 168s in that respect. In one of the carriages, there's an internal door. Is that there for possible conversion of one side of it to First Class?
No and GW-ATP will be turned of on the rest of the Heathrow Branch within 15 monthsIs the Western access likely to be signalled with GW-ATP?
It's a shame they're not in better condition as perhaps Corby services would make use of the 14 sets?
I wondered this as well, it would be good if they could be bolted on to lengthen the 333s.Probably been asked before: are the 332 intermediate coaches compatible with 333s?
If so, could Northern take some of the good ones to lengthen some of their own trains?
Probably been asked before: are the 332 intermediate coaches compatible with 333s?
If so, could Northern take some of the good ones to lengthen some of their own trains?
I wondered this as well, it would be good if they could be bolted on to lengthen the 333s.