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Porterbrook Cl.769 'Flex' trains from 319s, initially for Northern

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JN114

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The protracted delay is reason enough to suppose there may be something seriously wrong. In fact it is the most plausible explanation.

It’s not the most plausible - the most plausible would be that the receiving TOC has so badly mismanaged it’s training programme that it isn’t ready for more units yet; this would be further evidenced by the attempted delivery of a 769 to TfW today; on (revised) schedule.
 

a_c_skinner

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But we are not waiting for the start of training or service, the apparently complete units are not yet testing on the main line. Perhaps some mundane explanation applies, who knows. Lets hope the testing in the latter part of March turns out to be correct and devoid of major faults.
 

Cardiff123

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It’s not the most plausible - the most plausible would be that the receiving TOC has so badly mismanaged it’s training programme that it isn’t ready for more units yet; this would be further evidenced by the attempted delivery of a 769 to TfW today; on (revised) schedule.
How is 769002 failing it's FTR (fitness to run) test anything to do with TfW?
 

RailWonderer

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Do 319s still work Euston commuter routes? I was on a 390 passing Tring at 5:30-5:40pm and I saw two, one in each direction. Also saw one at Ilford the next day.
 

JN114

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But we are not waiting for the start of training or service, the apparently complete units are not yet testing on the main line. Perhaps some mundane explanation applies, who knows. Lets hope the testing in the latter part of March turns out to be correct and devoid of major faults.

ROG are meant to be doing the mainline testing, with the two units Northern are still faffing over on Allerton. Northern will be responsible for the maintenance of the units once they are mainline testing, so it stands to reason that they’d want their maintenance staff trained on them before they accept responsibility for them on the mainline. With those units stuck on staff training northern can’t accept any more.
 

JN114

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You strongly implied that the reason that a 769 wasn't delievered to Canton today was because TfW wasn't ready for it, when in fact the very opposite is true.

I think you’re reading too much between the lines there. I in no way insinuated that TfW have anything to do with a unit that hasn’t been delivered to them, and I apologise if that’s how you’ve misinterpreted that post.
 

Mathew S

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The protracted delay is reason enough to suppose there may be something seriously wrong. In fact it is the most plausible explanation.
Because there couldn't possibly be any other explanation, could there? That Northern are busy training, testing on the 195s that they need to introduce urgently to replace the 185s they'll lose in May, for example.
I'm going to say this one more time: none of us know what the cause of the delay is and this speculation is utterly pointless.
 

Peter Sarf

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The 769s are intended to operate Wigan - Manchester via Bolton, which is a similar type of route. Alternate services are all stations and non-stop under the wires between Bolton and Salford Crescent. The difference is that they will be running as single 4-car units, not in 8-car formations in the peaks.

How often did Thameslink services leave passengers on the platform because they were physically unable to board?

Even off peak there was severe overcrowding. I gave up travelling to North London off peak in the morning from Croydon by Thames Link because the first two OFF PEAK services were impossible to board even though they were 8-car iirc. I was never aiming for a seat just hoping to get through the doors. I ended up timing my journey for the third off peak service although that was sometimes hard to board.
 

FenMan

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Some input as a passenger from GWR-land.

Many posts ago, we were told that the 769s could not transfer power "on the go". So, on the North Downs Line (NDL), this would entail a switch of power whilst stationary at Ash station. Normally Ash is only served by NDL stoppers.

Given the (1) the extremely far from stable current North Downs Line timetable (cancellations and delays a' plenty in the morning peak) is required to fit in with Thameslink timings at Redhill and Gatwick, and (2) the Reading-Gatwick semi-fasts would have to accommodate an additional stop at Ash when turnarounds are tight enough already, I would welcome input from those "in the know" how this will work.
 
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anthony263

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You strongly implied that the reason that a 769 wasn't delievered to Canton today was because TfW wasn't ready for it, when in fact the very opposite is true.
Exactly I think TFW are actually pretty desperate now to start getting the 769s and testing them and training staff. 769002 can't arrive soon enough although there was a path a few days ago for delivery to canton which was also cancelled so i wonder why 769002 has failed it's for.
 

big all

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They’ll remain on Diesel through Guildford.
would make sense to electrify the half mile or so from northcamp to aldershot south junction
i wonder how practical it would be to just make sure the junction is just "ramped" if required and just coast to northcamp to change over

"ramped " just means the 3rd rail has ramps to raise shoes onto the 3rd rail from another direction in this instance from a direction thats probably not catered for
 

37201xoIM

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... These trains spent much of their life so far with passenger loads well into that range so I doubt that running occasionally in the Northern backwaters of diesel infill lines with such loads are seen as a problem...
That's priceless! I note you are based in St Albans...
 

driver_m

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That's priceless! I note you are based in St Albans...

Just provocative nonsense for AM9 to be posting that. I'd have thought people would know better to belittle anywhere else for overcrowding when we know that historically the most overcrowded trains can occur anywhere and the recent worst one was in NW England. (The 0422 Glas-Manc).My own personally worst overcrowding cases have been at Stoke, Birmingham Intl and on various LU tube trains. Testing would surely have to replicate weighting wouldnt it? (By effectively ballasting the train on runs?)
 

Sleeperwaking

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St Albans is the spiritual home of highly loaded 319s and being unable to board...
Brilliant phrasing :lol: Deserves its own thread as a topic I think - "what is your local station the spiritual home of?". Anyway, I digress, just wanted to show my appreciation. :)
 

hwl

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I've seen some tests done with metal weights placed on the seats as well, presumably to better represent seated passengers.
Indeed a better test overall but cast iron weights cost a bit more! When tweaking suspension settings for heavier loads later in life it tends to be sand bags.
 

hwl

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Brilliant phrasing :lol: Deserves its own thread as a topic I think - "what is your local station the spiritual home of?". Anyway, I digress, just wanted to show my appreciation. :)
I've struggled to get on 319s occasional in the past but St Albans was always the worst and in different league.
 

Sleeperwaking

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Indeed a better test overall but cast iron weights cost a bit more! When tweaking suspension settings for heavier loads later in life it tends to be sand bags.
Yeah, those tests were being done by a manufacturer, so can see how they would get a better return from upgrading to the heavy metal version. :)
 

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