Nicholas43
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Is there any information, or informed conjecture, about what services GWR are planning to run, when? Is it only Reading<>Gatwick? Or (some?) Oxford<>Reading<>Gatwick?
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Porterbrook Cl.769 'Flex' trains from 319s, initially for Northern
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The reports I have seen, suggest; -
Reading to Gatwick & presumably on the same tracks the Reading - Redhill stopping service.
Paddington to Oxford through trains i.e over and above the 387s running Paddington - Didcot under the "juice', although given that IETs are on order for this route, I suspect they may be just a few peak hour through trips.
Reading - Basingstoke.
Not specifically noted but assume that Slough - Windsor & Twyford - Henley branches would be 769 operated
The West Ealing - Greenford & the Maidenhead - Bourne End - Marlow branches won't take 4 car trains.
They could work Didcot/Reading - Banbury.
387s run to Swindon sidings now and are due to provide 'Rugby Specials' through to Cardiff in future, main line beyond Didcot won't be cleared for 769s but presumably could be.
If there are 19 units due and allowing for engineering spares, that suggests a max of 17 diagrames, would roughly work out at 7 for Reading - Gatwick, one apiece for Windsor & Henley branches, 2 for the Basingstoke line and assuming either 3 - 8 car or 2 - 12 car for Paddington - Oxford, makes a total of 17? (will probably be corrected very soon!!!)
It has been implied in print that they would replace the 12 387s converting to Heathrow Express, how exactly that pans out in real numbers I'm not sure but then when Crossrail eventually starts running, it will displace 387s currently used on Paddington - Reading 'Stoppers', so long term, (unless Didcot - Oxford & Reading - Basingstoke are electrified), std GWR 387s are only going to be used Reading - Newbury 'Stoppers' and Paddington - Newbury/Didcot 'fasts'.
It’s been implied incorrectly then.
i though perhaps connect basings with gatwicks as a single service but realized that would restrict electric working from gatwick to reigate if no moving changeovers can take place
Correct. And while grade separated junctions exist at either end of Reading station now; the flow of traffic through Reading really isn’t geared up to through services from other lines onto the SR at Southern or Spur Junctions.
its a shame really as perhaps a eastleigh to gatwick via reading or a southampton to brighton via reading would be a very useful service not end to end but middle one half to middle to end the other half or beginning to middle other half route way more in a spoke in wheel way where a journey is via the more sensible connecting reasonable short to medium route
notlob.divad
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Can I suggest the discussion regarding 7u9s at GWR be moved to the dedicated thread below.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rmation-discussion.174866/page-2#post-3798363
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rmation-discussion.174866/page-2#post-3798363
zn1
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once they are bedded in, the maintenance depots, train crews and passengers have got used to them, and of course the units themselves have got used to the roads they will operate on....19 units with 2 MS will work...id personally allow so slack just to allow for the above...they wont be running at 100% diagram efficiency at first..if reading depot have any sense they will keep at least 4 turbos on as spares with at 2 at RG and 2 at maidenhead for cover daily for a short period...
johnpeter3
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Is there one out for testing today, or is it a sprinter or 331/195 from Allerton? 5Z20 - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S05852/2019/03/12/advanced and return to Liverpool South Parkway 5Z21 - http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S05854/2019/03/12/advanced timed as Sprinter one way and 319 the other way!
jonesy3001
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Last edited:
6Gtraincrew
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002 coupled up and ready to leave. Debranded, but still in Northern colours. Grey with blue doors.
jonesy3001
Established Member
think you mean old thameslink colours.
Kyle1
Member
Post removed as I'm a blithering idiot
Last edited:
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
What's this then ?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O90718/2019/03/14/advanced
Seems to have been 2 schedules
Kyle1
Member
I must have misread it then. Phew. The sooner we get these units the better. I'll alter the original post as it's incorrect.
anamyd
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769-002 now delivered to Canton 14/3/19 1457
But when are they going to be any use?
crosscity
Member
Which Thameslink unit was this converted from? A cursory look at earlier posts mentions 319426 or 319002.
anamyd
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Supposedly will be going into service in May after route, driver and guard training...
anamyd
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319-002 (the 769s retain their 319 unit numbers other than the class). this will be followed by 003, 006, 007 and 008 which are the other units of the original 5 ordered under Arriva Trains Wales. 426 and three other identified units would be the extra 4 ordered under Transport for Wales.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
4 week period of fitter training first. Can't go out on the road and fail without fitters to fix it
Kite159
Veteran Member
May 2020?
Who wants to bet 769002 will end up heading back towards Loughborough before it turns a wheel on the public network. Or the first test from Cardiff Central to Cardiff Queen Street it breaks down attempting to climb the hill in the rain
anamyd
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by summer then I guess...
May 2020?
Who wants to bet 769002 will end up heading back towards Loughborough before it turns a wheel on the public network. Or the first test from Cardiff Central to Cardiff Queen Street it breaks down attempting to climb the hill in the rain
May 2020?
Who wants to bet 769002 will end up heading back towards Loughborough before it turns a wheel on the public network. Or the first test from Cardiff Central to Cardiff Queen Street it breaks down attempting to climb the hill in the rain
if they can manage the 1/4mile 1/46 into sutton platform i am sure they can manage the worst the vallies can throw at them
Kite159
Veteran Member
if they can manage the 1/4mile 1/46 into sutton platform i am sure they can manage the worst the vallies can throw at them
But that was on electric, who knows what they will be like on diesel on a very wet day
Charlie Smythe
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Not brilliant considering they are, at least compared to the 150's which this unit often compared to, rather under powered at only 1050hp for 155 tonnes (6.7hp/tonne) compared to a 4 car 150's 1140hp for 143 tonnes (8hp/ tonne)
As for on a wet day then its more about weight on driven axles which for a 4 car 150 is around 50% at 70 - 72 tonnes, however for a 769 its only 50 tonnes.
Therefore on paper at least the 150 should be a better performer although with modern electronic equipment and the fact that a 769 is diesel electric multiple unit, the performance deficit may not be so much, if not at all.
It’s the same traction equipment, just a different source of electricity; the total additional weight of which is less than a crush load of passengers in one coach. They’ll cope absolutely fine.