samuelmorris
Established Member
Perhaps but TfL don't need anything like all the 345s due to the delay to the Crossrail rollout. Until they need 24tph manning Paddington to Abbey Wood they can make do with barely half the fleet that's been ordered. Those 9-car units are going to be sitting idle for considerable time if they've all been built. I do see the point about software developers working on getting the 345s working with crossrail signalling though, that is undeniably a bigger political issue than Goblin, even if it has far less of a negative impact on the relevant users.I expect the priority for Bombardier is to carry out any required software updates and software testing on 345s. I expect any programmer etc resources used on the 710s will be to enable some but not all further mechanical testing. I always remember, when I was an Analyst/Programmer, that if there was too much going on then some projects (in this case class of train) would be prioritised over another. I think, at this stage, Bombardier would be focused on getting the almost complete fleet of 345s in action and paid for.
Lamentable that the delays are gradually dragging on leaving the user (Goblin route) with no forward planning ability. It would have been kinder for the supplier to be realistic about what they could achieve at an earlier stage. After all IIRC Siemens were not bidding for some contracts because they believed they could not deliver in the timescale required (OK that was on a mechanical front I suspect). It is what I always hated - having to keep quiet about an expected delay and watching parts of a company making unrealistic plans. I have seen unrealistic promises made just to get or retain the work.
Is the above what is happening here with the 710s ?.
It is not unusual. After all look at the timetable fiasco that everyone was too scared to admit might happen - and did happen. That is what happens when there is too much pressure to meet demands.
Is the plan not to only run the 378s at weekdays?plcd1 said:The problem with the 710 fiasco is that no one will be honest, open and decent and admit what has gone wrong, why and how it will be fixed. I know I'm being ridiculously optimistic in expecting such an approach but passengers deserve an explanation and a realistic timescale for when the new trains might run. I note a remark above about the "4 car 378s" being an example of "getting stuff done". Well yes but extremely late in the day and a solution that is not sustainable. You simply can't flog the same three trains up and down the route for an average of 16 hours a day, 7 days a week with only a few overnight hours for "maintenance". Something around the service that passengers receive has to give at some point - be it the extent of hour operated or part or all of the weekend operation - to allow the trains to receive proper attention to keep them safe and operable. Even with 2 of the 378s now in use the service is extremely fragile. There have been train failures and points failures umpteen times lately causing the service to fall to bits. That fragility will be worse with only 3 trains.