Class 345 progress

[JonathanH]

5Z40 OOC - Reading 345038 7 cars
5Z50 OOC - Reading 345056 7 cars

345038 in service this morning as a 7 car - 9T24 1047 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington

345059 on the other half hour.

 

[py_megapixel]

I'm very sorry if this question has come up already, but does anyone know the purpose of locking out the centre doors for some stations? It must confuse plenty of passengers.

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm very sorry if this question has come up already, but does anyone know the purpose of locking out the centre doors for some stations? It must confuse plenty of passengers.

Platform curvature, the gap at the centre of the vehicle is too large at a concave platform edge. I believe it only happens at certain platforms at Paddington with tight curves, and has happened ever since first introduction of the class.

 

[ijmad]

Platform curvature, the gap at the centre of the vehicle is too large at a concave platform edge. I believe it only happens at certain platforms at Paddington with tight curves, and has happened ever since first introduction of the class.

And of course, not a problem when the trains switch to the low level station. Unless they occasionally use the high level platforms during closures, but still, hopefully rare.

 

[Watto1990]

Platform curvature, the gap at the centre of the vehicle is too large at a concave platform edge. I believe it only happens at certain platforms at Paddington with tight curves, and has happened ever since first introduction of the class.

It happens at all platforms at Paddington, the GPS / ASDO isn’t accurate enough to tell what platform it’s on so simply locks the centre set of doors out at the entire station.

 

[swt_passenger]

It happens at all platforms at Paddington, the GPS / ASDO isn’t accurate enough to tell what platform it’s on so simply locks the centre set of doors out at the entire station.

Yes, that seems obvious now you mention it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It happens at all platforms at Paddington, the GPS / ASDO isn’t accurate enough to tell what platform it’s on so simply locks the centre set of doors out at the entire station.

The centre doors do open in platform 11, at least on the carriage nearest the buffers. I haven't checked the rest of the train...

 

[TFN]

The centre doors do open in platform 11, at least on the carriage nearest the buffers. I haven't checked the rest of the train...

I believe the rear 4 or 5 coaches (on arrival into PAD) will always have the centre doors locked on the 345s.

 

[JonathanH]

345055 is a further 7-car conversion in action tonight on 9T56 1847 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington.

 

[fgwrich]

345057 Out and about in service this morning on the 07:32 from Reading.

Is this a new in service unit or one that's previously operated over on the Shenfield Metro?

 

[JonathanH]

345057 Out and about in service this morning on the 07:32 from Reading.

Is this a new in service unit or one that's previously operated over on the Shenfield Metro?

In service by at least 23 November - not been over to Shenfield yet.

The conversions tend to do a few weeks out of Old Oak before they are taken over to Ilford.

Reports so far are:

345003/5-17/22 original 7-cars
345027/8/30/4/5/7 9-cars in service (*)
345029/38-40/2/4/7/9/51/2/5-7/9 converted 7-cars

(*) limited on one evening diagram Monday to Friday evening and special weekend working as required.

If anyone thinks anything else has been in service, please say.

 

[reddragon]

345055 is a further 7-car conversion in action tonight on 9T56 1847 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington.

That makes 35/70 reported in service, half way - 29 7-car & 6 9-car.

 

[Brian Bennett]

345's at Old Oak Depot today.
345020,021,024,025,028,032,035,037,041,
054,061,062,063,064,066,067.
Viewed from the canal footpath.

 

[Peter Sarf]

345's at Old Oak Depot today.
345020,021,024,025,028,032,035,037,041,
054,061,062,063,064,066,067.
Viewed from the canal footpath.

Is it easy to tell which are 9-car and which are incomplete ?.

 

[JonathanH]

Is it easy to tell which are 9-car and which are incomplete ?.

Not from the canal footpath I would imagine (not that I have been) - you would need to look at the positions from the towpath and then view the position of the units from the mainline.

 

[3973EXL]

5Z40 OOC - Reading 345063 7
5Z50 OOC - Reading 345064 7

 

[ijmad]

Why do some of the inte-rcar gangways appear to have buttons? Are there hidden doors which can close and then be reopened by passengers?

(Sorry for the quality - it's a screencap from a video but the button is visible)

I've never seen them closed - intended for colder weather perhaps, or if a carriage has to be locked out of service due to someone vomiting on the floor or similar?

 

[hwl]

Why do some of the inte-rcar gangways appear to have buttons? Are there hidden doors which can close and then be reopened by passengers?

(Sorry for the quality - it's a screencap from a video but the button is visible)

I've never seen them closed - intended for colder weather perhaps, or if a carriage has to be locked out of service due to someone vomiting on the floor or similar?

Fire doors between car 4 and 5 (of 9 car) - this also marks the electric separation point between the 2 half units.

 

[3973EXL]

Is it easy to tell which are 9-car and which are incomplete ?.

Path runs along the side at a slightly higher level. You would have to note the 7 car units from the London end and then count across at the stop blocks end.
Steps to the walkways at the stop blocks, with the low units numbers does causes a sighting problem.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Path runs along the side at a slightly higher level. You would have to note the 7 car units from the London end and then count across at the stop blocks end.
Steps to the walkways at the stop blocks, with the low units numbers does causes a sighting problem.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Not from the canal footpath I would imagine (not that I have been) - you would need to look at the positions from the towpath and then view the position of the units from the mainline.

Thankyou

 

[JonathanH]

345038 9T18 0917 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington
345056 9T20 0947 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington

Both 7-car

A third one should be out on a Reading diagram

5P18 0642 Maidenhead Carriage Sdgs to Reading
9P18 0719 Reading to London Paddington
9R21 0842 London Paddington to Reading
9P39 1018 Reading to London Paddington
9R33 1142 London Paddington to Reading
9P51 1318 Reading to London Paddington
9R45 1442 London Paddington to Reading
9P63 1618 Reading to London Paddington
9R59 1742 London Paddington to Reading
5R59 1845 Reading to Maidenhead Carriage Sdgs

with the displaced GWR units running to from West Ealing Sidings as appropriate.

 

[Nippy]

The Reading diagram is currently 345059

 

[Peter Bonner]

Monday 9th Dec

345009/022/040/042 all working Liverpool St to Shenfields around midday

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Tuesday 10th December the Hayes shuttles are 345 063 and 345 064, both seven car knockouts.

 

[Brian Bennett]

5Q73. 37608 + 345070.
Kings Langley. 17:25.

 

[Peter Bonner]

Tuesday 10th December the Hayes shuttles are 345 063 and 345 064, both seven car knockouts.

Tuesday 10th December the Hayes shuttles are 345 063 and 345 064, both seven car knockouts.

Saw 345056/63/64 0800 0900 ish this morning at Paddington tues 10/12

345057 and 3 others at Maidenhead carriage sidingsat 0915

Anyone got this mornings OOC list of 345s?

 

[fgwrich]

345056 seems to be the only one working up to a Reading this week, as I’ve had it both Monday and Tuesday. Not sure if it is out today though.

 

[essex_commuter]

345038 is now out East as I'm currently sat on it at Liverpool Street. Has that new train smell!

 

[kevin_roche]

Yesterday the latest reports by Jacobs were published on the TfL website. They cover period 6 (18 Aug 2019 to 14 Sep 2019) and Period 7 (15 Sep 2019 to 12 Oct 2019)

There are some interesting comments about the train signalling software and the use of RLU (7 car) and FLU (9 car) trains for the Stage 5A operation (Reading - Paddington) due to start on Sunday.

In the period 6 report:

The FLU fleet has been slowly increasing its services on the Hayes & Harlington service, but the MTIN remains poor, reaching 760 in Period 6. However, the passengers are generally not affected due to the relatively minor nature of many of the faults and the speed of manual intervention. There is unlikely to be a significant improvement in performance until the Z1.00 software configuration is installed on the trains, currently forecast for the end of November 20198.

This date is past the decision point of 15 November 2019 set by MTR-C as to whether FLUs or RLUs should start the 5A service. We therefore currently expect RLUs to open the service in December 2019.

For information about MTIN see: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/how-is-mtin-calculated.87260/
The designation Z1.00 is used to indicate a configuration version of the software supplied by Bomardier which supports the TCMS and ETCS Signalling on the GWML and tunnels to Heathrow.

In the period 7 report:

The MTIN for Period 7 was 427miles. As we stated in our last report, the figure is not expected to significantly improve until the Z0.100 software configuration is installed on the trains and approved for passenger service. The date for this has improved by circa one week since our Period 6 report. (footnote says: Now forecast for 22 November 2019.)

Testing of this configuration is currently taking place at Melton. This will assist in providing evidence for the decision point of 15 November 2019 when MTR-C and RfL assess whether FLUs or RLUs should start the 5A service. We remain of the opinion that the FLU option will be deemed as too high a risk on 15 November 2019, and that RLUs will be selected to start the service on 15 December 2019. However, the evidence being generated by the FLU should be the basis for developing a plan for their implementation at the earliest opportunity. This may be able to start from January/February 2020.

In regards to Stage 2B operation of 345s to Heathrow the reports say, In the period 6 report:

The principal risk to Stage 2B Opening is now the production and compilation of safety authorisation evidence. The forecast date for the software that enables driver training to start has slipped by 2 weeks in the period (period 6). The risk to the train’s software development programme has receded with the successful completion of the ‘39’ formal integration tests with the wayside ETCS.

In the period 7 report:

The date for approval of the software that enables driver training to start has been held since our Period 6 report. Assuming this situation continues, we could expect FLUs to be incrementally introduced into service, possibly from December 2019. However, the time required for driver training completion means that the earliest that full service is likely to be achieved is the end of March 2020, although this could be extended to May 2020.

The reports also mention the software for support of the central section CBTC signalling. There is no separation in the reports between the on train software and the trackside software and I believe the two are closely linked.
In the period 6 report:

Early investigations have shown that the errors are contained within the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) component of P_D+10. Siemens has therefore agreed with CRL that P_D+10 will still be deployed as planned but using the corresponding tested ATP component from P_D+8. Clearance of the ATP test logs associated with P+D+8 has been prioritised by Siemens, and the reduced P_D+10 configuration (which has become known within the Crossrail Signalling fraternity variously as ‘P_D+10 Minus’, ‘Lite’ or ‘Hybrid’) was loaded onto the CIF on 27 September 2019; the configuration is planned to be made available to the Central Section on 6 October 2019,in line with the DCS.

Note that P_D+nn is the forrmat of the version numbers used by Siemens for their Trainguard MT software.
I believe 'CIF' is the Crossrail Integration Facility testing site where testing is done prior to use on the railway.

In the period 7 report:

Recent work by the Reliability team suggests that P_D+11, whilst containing the necessary functionality to allow Trial Running to start, does not address faults that have disrupted reliability runs so far. A side benefit of a delay to the current February start date for Trial Running is that PD+12 can be introduced which aims to address these faults. Such action could avoid a disruptive start to Trial Running, which seems likely if starting with P_D+11.

I notice that the version numbering seems to be a little slapdash with Z1.00 and Z0.100 and P_D+11 and PD+12. I am assuming that these are just typing mistakes in the reports.