LNER Azuma (Class 800/801)

[Sirgerbil]

They have the storage space at Tyne Yard.......I believe that is been set to for the base for the units needing testing.

I think they have only secured 4-5 roads there (I'll have to look next time I go past..) But as you say they are for FFR trains. I was talking about the 4/5 trains that have been accepted, BG and FP are at full capacity on nights (Hitachi usually stick a FFR/Test train in both at night) So until some MkIV's go, space is gonna be tight.

 

[ainsworth74]

Surely they have to be stored somewhere every night...

Yes, but at depots that won't also be full of 225s and HSTs

 

[43096]

Yes, but at depots that won't also be full of 225s and HSTs

But when a fleet is being transitioned you need more space than for the steady state fleet - it is blindingly obvious really.

 

[ainsworth74]

But when a fleet is being transitioned you need more space than for the steady state fleet - it is blindingly obvious really.

Yeah and it sounds like they've got some extra room up at Tyne Yard to help during the transition period (as well as the roads at Doncaster depot). But thanks for pointing that out.

 

[ajrm]

It has only been to Aberdeen on platform validation tastings which was not a "true' performance test, unless I've missed other moves up there

Correct, there's only been that one run to Aberdeen so far (last June).

 

[800001]

Surely they have to be stored somewhere every night...

They do, but Doncaster which is one of the main depots is pretty full with units used for testing and for commissioning. As it's about to

Correct, there's only been that one run to Aberdeen so far (last June).

Thought so, and it wasn't a performance test as in time wise, it was purely for measuring stopping distance, platform height against the train etc.

 

[59CosG95]

Monday's gatherings of test workings.

5Q30/5Q31/5Q32/5Q33/5Q34 - confirmed to be 800106 (unchanged since last week's debut).
5Q01/5Q02/5Q03/5Q04/5Q05/5Q06 - confirmed to be 800109 (now FULLY stickered).
5Q11/5Q12/5Q13 (cancelled); 5Q14/5Q15/5Q16/5Q17/5Q18 - confirmed to be 800107.
5Q70/5Q71/5Q72/5Q73 - shown as 'ZZ' on RTT, so might be a TPE 802.
5Q94/5Q95/5Q96 - confirmed to be 800111 - fully stickered.

And coming up on delivery: 5X82/5X83 - confirmed to be 800202 - thanks to @3973EXL.
This'll be edited as the day unfolds.

 

[3973EXL]

5X82 Eastleigh 800202

 

[swt_passenger]

...And coming up on delivery: 5X82/5X83 - confirmed to be 800202 - thanks to @3973EXL.
This'll be edited as the day unfolds.

Just as a side point, does anyone know why the above Eastleigh > Acton> Doncaster move gets two separate train IDs? Is it perhaps because they're STP, and organised by different planners?

 

[800001]

Just as a side point, does anyone know why the above Eastleigh > Acton> Doncaster move gets two separate train IDs? Is it perhaps because they're STP, and organised by different planners?

It will then go forward to Merchant Park this evening, to collect 801106 and return south to Acton Mainline then forward to Eastleigh.

 

[59CosG95]

It will then go forward to Merchant Park this evening, to collect 801106 and return south to Acton Mainline then forward to Eastleigh.

Juicy! I assume Eastleigh's being used to commission all the Aycliffe-built units?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

This Railway Gazette piece details the conditions on acceptance of the Azuma fleet imposed by ORR.
It is by no means a blanket authorisation, and initially only covers King's Cross-Leeds.
https://www.railwaygazette.com/news...ass-800-authorised-for-passenger-service.html

UK: InterCity East Coast operator LNER has finally received approval for its Class 800 ‘Azuma’ trainsets to enter passenger service on the East Coast Main Line, subject to the completion of final testing.

In a letter to manufacturer Hitachi Rail Europe, the Office of Road & Rail has authorised the operation of the Class 800/1 nine-car and Class 800/2 five-car electro-diesel trainsets to work in five, nine or 10-car formations at up to 200 km/h, but with some restrictions when sets are running in multiple with more than one pantograph raised.

ORR has raised caveats over the use of automatic selective door opening on the ECML, insisting that ASDO ‘must not be used until the infrastructure is available and operational rules developed’. Whilst ETCS onboard equipment is fitted to the trains, it may not be used except for limited functionality such as providing speed signals to the door system.

Concerns had been raised that people could put themselves in danger by climbing on the inter-vehicle jumper cables to reach the roof-mounted high voltage equipment or the 25 kV 50 Hz overhead electrification. ORR says the operator and manufacturer must ‘reach agreement’ on minimising the risks before either the bimode or electric trains are placed into service, pending the implementation of modifications. LNER is expected to brief its staff to be ‘extra vigilant’ on stations and during the dispatch process.

With work continuing to address potential EMC interference with signalling equipment on parts of the ECML, the initial clearance only applies to the route between London King’s Cross and Leeds. Network Rail is installing isolation transformers to the signalling between York and Edinburgh before this section can be cleared. In addition, reactors are being fitted to each transformer car, adding approximately 750 kg per vehicle.

According to an industry insider, Network Rail ‘has taken a risk-based approach to bringing the trains into service without the filters on the transformer cars’, on the understanding that they will be fitted by the end of 2019 or early next year. In the meantime if the interference issues damage signalling modules or track circuits, NR has reserved the right to impose restrictions on the trains or revoke the acceptance. Meanwhile, ORR has instructed Hitachi to ‘record harmonic footprints for each train prior to entry into service on the ECML’.

LNER is hoping to reach agreement with Hitachi to accept nine bimode sets into its fleet by the end of March and final testing of the automatic power change-over software is underway. With EMC testing still to be completed LNER is cautious about setting a date for passenger service, but hopes to make an announcement by mid-March. A senior insider said the operator wanted eight weeks ‘to get them loaded into the reservation system, but we certainly expect to have sets in traffic for the summer. We're delighted that the ORR has authorised the Azumas, subject to a number of key pieces of work that need to be completed’.

 

[HSTEd]

Why on earth were the trains ordered without proper electrical filtering equipment already installed?

Who botched this?

 

[Failed Unit]

Apologies if this is mentioned in the thread elsewhere but is Lincoln cleared yet?

 

[ainsworth74]

Why on earth were the trains ordered without proper electrical filtering equipment already installed?

Who botched this?

At the risk of rehashing old ground they met the specification for electrical interference but it then turned out the specification was not actually an accurate measure of the amount of interference they could get away with generating. So retrofits are now required to the trains and the signalling. It was covered in some detail on this thread at the time and also by Roger Ford in Modern Railways.

As to who botched it, that would depend on peoples biases. Some blame Hitachi for not going above and beyond the specification, others blame the DfT for issuing a faulty specification, others blame Network Rail for not having better signalling and also not informing the DfT when creating their specification. And so on and so on.

 

[SeaKing]

If Hitachi had gone above specification then told DfT the price, they would of been told be don't need that so down spec.

 

[800001]

Juicy! I assume Eastleigh's being used to commission all the Aycliffe-built units?

Eastleigh is being used by Hitachi for Post Production Modifications (carried out by Hitachi staff based there).

Commissioning is still completed at Doncaster.

 

[GrimShady]

Wasn't it something the staff had input on and wanted to keep?

Since when did VTEC give a hoot about their staff though?

 

[385001]

Some interior shots thanks to @That_Train_Guy on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/That_Train_Guy

https://twitter.com/That_Train_Guy/status/1105137224289607680
https://twitter.com/That_Train_Guy/status/1105135455836737536

 

[Metal_gee_man]

Some interior shots thanks to @That_Train_Guy on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/That_Train_Guy

https://twitter.com/That_Train_Guy/status/1105137224289607680
https://twitter.com/That_Train_Guy/status/1105135455836737536

They look nice, I refuse to comment on comfort as that's a contentious issue based upon the levels of padding on said persons derrière, personal preference and general leg length!

 

[Darandio]

Since when did VTEC give a hoot about their staff though?

Well quite, but i'm talking post VTEC when there was apparently a consideration to dropping the name.

 

[Andyh82]

Standard class looks ok, although the seat padding still remains a question.

First class looks horrid and a significant downgrade on the current trains. The maroon/brown colour is very 80s

 

[corsaVXR]

not much in the way of ambience in first...

 

[GrimShady]

Just looks like Shinkasen interiors, bland, boring, basic and with harsh lighting.

 

[jymiee]

The head cushions in first should be changing before launch

 

[Skimble19]

Standard class looks ok, although the seat padding still remains a question.

First class looks horrid and a significant downgrade on the current trains. The maroon/brown colour is very 80s

Having been on board a completed unit I think it definitely looks better in the flesh, quite classy.. photos don't seem to do it justice. Perhaps a slight downgrade in ambiance compared to now but not significantly so.

 

[Wivenswold]

Standard class looks ok, although the seat padding still remains a question.

First class looks horrid and a significant downgrade on the current trains. The maroon/brown colour is very 80s

One man's "horrid" is another's "Oooooh, look at that". I don't think it's a downgrade, it's just different.

 

[SC43090]

The standard class red looks very much like the IC colours of mid 1980s

SC 43090

 

[Terry Williams]

What's this, fixed armrests in standard class!
IMHO a very. very retrograde step.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

What's this, fixed armrests in standard class!
IMHO a very. very retrograde step.

I don't think they're fixed. On the fourth image above, you can see that the armrest has a pivot point at the back.

But fixed armrests are hardly retrograde compared to Mk IIIs - the original privatisation-era seats there have fixed armrests, and they aren't small! Greater Anglia's and Chiltern's sets still have those.