TPE Nova 1 Class 802/2 Progress

[coxxy]

I've noted this on my way home, what's the exact issue with the crossing? Is it one that is due to be rectified?

Speed drops to 60 mph for the crossing but the crossing keeper isn't always the quickest to clear the signals..

Dont think the crossing being updated would necessarily speed journey times up significantly which is probably why it's still there.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

The liverpool's are pathed to follow the londons from Newcastle and are booked fast line from Northallerton.
Only time they run slow is if an lner is a few min late, the tpe is moved to slow at Northallerton or Tollerton.

Signalling policy has changed (allegedly) since the timetable meltdown. on time LNER, XC and TPEs on the ECML are "supposed" to keep "priority" over any late running stuff, regardless of TOC. Of course the reality doesn't always tally with policy, and 1E01 (flying scotsman) seems to have its own set of rules which completely shafts everybody over when that is running late!

9M13 is the odd one as it departs at 14:52, omits Northallerton and is routed onto the slows. This is because XC 1V96 departs at 15:05 and runs via Leeds whereas all other Thames valley XC services usually depart Newcastle at XX:35 and run via Doncaster. TPE 9Mxx usually depart around XX:02 behind the LNER 1Exx to Kings Cross but in this instance would instantly be in the way of 1V96. missing Northallerton clears 9M13 out of the way of 1E17 which departs NCL at 14:59.

From my observations when I crew 9M13 is 9M13 has often passed Tollerton before 1E17 appears so easily could have kept the Northallerton stop and still be long gone. 9M13 is then sat at Skelton Bridge awaiting 1V96 to pass which - despite being 13 mins behind 9M13 at Newcastle - then departs York 4 mins ahead of 9M13 but then leaves Leeds 4 mins later than 9M13!

 

[td97]

9M13 is the odd one as it departs at 14:52, omits Northallerton and is routed onto the slows.

Thanks for clearing that up; 9M13 is one I use occasionally so thought they all were routed similarly.

I've noted this on my way home, what's the exact issue with the crossing?

The crossing over Chat Moss can't be closed as it's vital for farm use (there's no alternative road route); a bridge replacement would be a lot more expensive than your average bridge installation due to the fact it's located on a peat bog. Level crossing upgrades were probably also viewed as too expensive. Doing something with it would speed up journey times - "to go fast, don't go slow" comes to mind.

 

[800001]

Signalling policy has changed (allegedly) since the timetable meltdown. on time LNER, XC and TPEs on the ECML are "supposed" to keep "priority" over any late running stuff, regardless of TOC. Of course the reality doesn't always tally with policy, and 1E01 (flying scotsman) seems to have its own set of rules which completely shafts everybody over when that is running late!

9M13 is the odd one as it departs at 14:52, omits Northallerton and is routed onto the slows. This is because XC 1V96 departs at 15:05 and runs via Leeds whereas all other Thames valley XC services usually depart Newcastle at XX:35 and run via Doncaster. TPE 9Mxx usually depart around XX:02 behind the LNER 1Exx to Kings Cross but in this instance would instantly be in the way of 1V96. missing Northallerton clears 9M13 out of the way of 1E17 which departs NCL at 14:59.

From my observations when I crew 9M13 is 9M13 has often passed Tollerton before 1E17 appears so easily could have kept the Northallerton stop and still be long gone. 9M13 is then sat at Skelton Bridge awaiting 1V96 to pass which - despite being 13 mins behind 9M13 at Newcastle - then departs York 4 mins ahead of 9M13 but then leaves Leeds 4 mins later than 9M13!

What a palaver

I certainly would not like to be a signaller or a timetable planner.

 

[Jozhua]

Are 802's currently racking up fault free mileage?

Guessing once testing begins they should hopefully be accepted relatively quickly as most of the bugs should have been ironed out with GWR and LNER's trains.

Will catch the 802 up to Newcastle once they're running, had an unpleasant journey last time on a 185 so hopefully this will be a good improvement.

 

[realnovice]

Hope they're accepted quickly mind cos I don't know how much more I can take of the weekly Saturday crush between NCL and York. There's four in UK at the moment as I understand. Two just delivered, one liveried up and one not liveried up. That's from what I've gleaned from this forum and other places...

 

[Railperf]

Are the 802s replacing 185's?. I wanted to sample a 185 between Doncaster and Sheffield..but every standard seat was occupied or reserved. It is crazy the 185s are only 3 coaches long!!

 

[Jozhua]

Are the 802s replacing 185's?. I wanted to sample a 185 between Doncaster and Sheffield..but every standard seat was occupied or reserved. It is crazy the 185s are only 3 coaches long!!

Welcome to the TPE users club lol

185's aren't being replaced on the South Transpennine. Rumour is they're doubling up sets, but who knows if that will happen in reality.

 

[td97]

802202 ran Heaton -> Man Pic -> Lime St -> Man Pic -> Heaton on Friday pm/Saturday am.

More tests this week on the 2155 path out of Heaton; Monday's run to Huyton; Tuesday's run to Lime St; Wednesday's to Huyton; Thursday's to Lime St (all return)

 

[Fez14]

are these sets returning to heaton each time?

 

[A7rud]

Can anyone please ID the 2 5 car IETs at the back of Heaton depot at 1600 today.
One in TPE livery and the other plain white. (802201 & 802202?)

 

[Fez14]

802202 ran Heaton -> Man Pic -> Lime St -> Man Pic -> Heaton on Friday pm/Saturday am.

More tests this week on the 2155 path out of Heaton; Monday's run to Huyton; Tuesday's run to Lime St; Wednesday's to Huyton; Thursday's to Lime St (all return)

Another Heaton run cancelled

 

[td97]

Tuesday's run to Lime St

Tonight's has gone ahead; and sounded like it was running on diesel. Especially when compared with 5Q90 (a Hitachi test for LNER) a few minutes later, which was on electric and accelerated quietly from a standstill, with pantograph light visible too.

 

[Killingworth]

Welcome to the TPE users club lol

185's aren't being replaced on the South Transpennine. Rumour is they're doubling up sets, but who knows if that will happen in reality.

That rumour has been around for at least a year and it's more than a rumour. A few trains have been doubled up for that year, the 7.15 out of Sheffield being one. That said it has become well filled with 6 cars so it's heaving when short formed to 3 as it quite often is. A short formed 6 car 158 reduced to 4 would be a better deal. Most peak and day time trains are supposed to become 6 cars when 185 stock is available later this year.

We can't wait for the release of units from elsewhere, but have noted a distinct lack of platform and track capacity in the Manchester area to take all these lengthened trains, particularly when they don't run to time.

 

[Fez14]

Can confirm just saw 2 joint set making a 10 car formation running, all lit up.

Speaking of car numbers, this 10 car formation is easily the longest passenger service I’ve seen run along the Pennine line. Will the sets ever run as 10s or always just as single 5 car sets?

 

[SideshowBob]

Tonight's has gone ahead; and sounded like it was running on diesel. Especially when compared with 5Q90 (a Hitachi test for LNER) a few minutes later, which was on electric and accelerated quietly from a standstill, with pantograph light visible too.

Can confirm just saw 2 joint set making a 10 car formation running, all lit up.

Saw this in P5 at York. Rear unit was 802201, fully liveried, pan down. Didn't have time to stop and take a picture, sadly, nor to check out the leading set but it was plain white.

 

[td97]

Wednesday's to Huyton

To add, there's a return daytime run today to Picadilly. Was only the TPE-liveried one so I presume 802201.
5Q54
5Q55

 

[FQTV]

To add, there's a return daytime run today to Picadilly. Was only the TPE-liveried one so I presume 802201.
5Q54
5Q55

It is indeed 802 201.

 

[sprinterguy]

Speaking of car numbers, this 10 car formation is easily the longest passenger service I’ve seen run along the Pennine line. Will the sets ever run as 10s or always just as single 5 car sets?

Just as single 5 car sets, as there aren't sufficient trains ordered to allow them to be doubled up, and platforms at Manchester Airport, for those services that run there, can't handle a train of that length (There may be other such limitations at Huddersfield and certain platforms used by TPE trains at, for example, Leeds and Liverpool Lime Street).

 

[supervc-10]

How long can TPE's trains get? 6 cars seems doable currently across the network, as doubled up 185s aren't that unusual, and of course the WCML route is often doubled up 350s.

10 cars is clearly too much for many routes, but how long could the 802s be potentially extended to? Just looking on Google Maps at Manchester Airport, there's a 185 in the station and it looks like the platform can take about 8 cars of that length. Extending the 802s and 397s out to that sort of length would probably be a good idea IMO.

 

[Spartacus]

How long can TPE's trains get? 6 cars seems doable currently across the network, as doubled up 185s aren't that unusual, and of course the WCML route is often doubled up 350s.

10 cars is clearly too much for many routes, but how long could the 802s be potentially extended to? Just looking on Google Maps at Manchester Airport, there's a 185 in the station and it looks like the platform can take about 8 cars of that length. Extending the 802s and 397s out to that sort of length would probably be a good idea IMO.

There's other stations that have problems too. Really 802s couldn't be extended to 6 cars without platform works, and in some places trackwork would need altering, as a 6 car 802 would be 14m longer than a 6 car 185. A 5 car 802 TPE will already have marginally more seats than a 6 car 185 too.

Looks like 5Q54's returning north as 5Q55 due to being late off depot.

 

[Fez14]

10 car runs from heaton depot to manchester on wedenesday and thrursday, 5 car on friday. Any next week?

 

[3973EXL]

5X82/5Q83 Eastleigh - Acton - Heaton
802203

 

[td97]

Here was 802203 heading through the overcast North East earlier today

 

[anamyd]

Here was 802203 heading through the overcast North East earlier today

Very nice shot!

 

[td97]

Very nice shot!

Thanks! Had to crop it to about 2x which isn't ideal; looks better on a small mobile screen than a desktop.

Any next week?

The earlier Heaton -> Manchester run was cancelled; there's one return tonight to Liverpool LS. Unless there's 2 units with wheel flats, it may have been the new arrival 802203 on the run tonight (as it had a wheel flat when I saw it earlier this afternoon).
Looks to be a similar pattern for the rest of the week: daytime Manchester runs (which are usually cancelled) and overnight Liverpool runs.
Does anyone from TPE/Hitachi know if these are mileage accumulation trips, as they don't seem to have booked stops at intermediate stations any more?

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Passed me in York on P3 at around 23:10 southbound before I headed off to work 9E21. Funny enough it passed me in Durham earlier around 16:30 heading north while I had charge of 1P34 too!

 

[gimmea50anyday]

There's a possession on Chat Moss tonight, wether it's for train testing or engineering work however I cannot say but my Liverpool based colleague on the 21:00 NCL-LIV mentioned to me he was being taxi'd back from MCV-LIV

 

[mikemcniven]

5Q54 and 5Q55 operated today running Heaton TMRD to Manchester Airport, basically mincing the Newcastle service, but avoided Leeds, 802202 made it's first daylight appearance at Manchester Airport and I caught up with 5Q54 and 5Q55 at Heald Green (A short distance outside of Manchester Airport)

5Q54

TransPennine Express 802202 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

5Q55

TransPennine Express 802202 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr


TransPennine Express 802202 by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

 

[Mogz]

With apologies if it is buried in the thread...

Is there a seating plan available yet?

Many thanks.