Class 484 replacing class 483 on the island line: progress updates

[Southern Dvr]

The only way to improve the ride quality down there is with air suspension stock.

 

[philthetube]

I was there last week and I thought that the ride quality was much better than a couple of years ago.

 

[Chris125]

It looks like 007 is finally sitting on it's refurbed bogies, a sign of progress hopefully.


483 007 receiving attention inside Ryde Depot by Mike G. McDermott, on Flickr

For any modellers out there I've just noticed the handrails on the cab corners were chopped off the units late last year for some reason?

 

[Chris125]

An interesting video has emerged of the first unit moving under battery power at Long Marston, which should allow some (presumably low-speed) testing before they reach the Island:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/372798640807853/

Unlike Vivarail's other fleets the alcove for the whistle still hasn't been plated over...

 

[cav1975]

An interesting video has emerged of the first unit moving under battery power at Long Marston, which should allow some (presumably low-speed) testing before they reach the Island:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/372798640807853/

Unlike Vivarail's other fleets the alcove for the whistle still hasn't been plated over...

Good to see the progress and the livery looks great apart from the unsightly red rectangles - any idea what they are?

 

[swt_passenger]

Good to see the progress and the livery looks great apart from the unsightly red rectangles - any idea what they are?

I believe they’re the emergency release handles for the doors, I assume they have to contrast with the main colour.

 

[Domh245]

Good to see the progress and the livery looks great apart from the unsightly red rectangles - any idea what they are?

Emergency door egress handles I think. From memory, the D78 had a single butterfly cock per vehicle that'd release one door - that system looks like it'll allow all doors to be release

 

[swt_passenger]

Emergency door egress handles I think. From memory, the D78 had a single butterfly cock per vehicle that'd release one door - that system looks like it'll allow all doors to be release

Pairs I think, there’s two per vehicle?

Same fit on the Marston Vale units, but there’s an instruction label in the middle of the red lever that means it doesn’t “stand out” so much in photos or videos, I expect they’ll be added later.

 

[Domh245]

Pairs I think, there’s two per vehicle?

Good point - it was 2 butterfly cocks per vehicle (ie 1 per side) on the D78 stock, but it's now 4 egress handles per vehicle (2 per side) as a 230/484

 

[Chris125]

It's been posted on another forum that Island Line will run hourly from 20th November to 23rd December to allow for fault free running and driver training, so the first 484 should be imminent. The line is also closed on the 5th and 6th of December for 'maintenance'.

 

[hooverboy]

It's been posted on another forum that Island Line will run hourly from 20th November to 23rd December to allow for fault free running and driver training, so the first 484 should be imminent. The line is also closed on the 5th and 6th of December for 'maintenance'.

I would have thought they would be testing out potential gauging issues rather than running a mainline service.lets face it, with covid/lockdown happening it would be an ideal time to close the line and get some of these niggles sorted out prior to the reboot of new trackworks+rolling stock.

If anything they ought to be able to accelerate the schedule if they have an extra couple of months of downtime where passenger service was previously expected.

 

[Chris125]

I would have thought they would be testing out potential gauging issues rather than running a mainline service.

People are still going to work, kids are still going to school and there'll be more travel over Christmas. There were two weekend closures in August to address gauging issues with track relaid under Rink Road and Smallbrook Lane, so it should be good to go.

 

[spark001uk]

With the planned closure of the whole line from Jan to March next year, does this mean the plan is to complete the bulk of unit testing in the remainder of this year? Obviously the new track / infrastructure clearances can't be checked until they're done, but in respect to the rolling stock itself.

 

[Bob Price]

How many units so they need to start the service? Assuming they are tested on the mainland then they should be able to enter service very quickly. We know one is complete, it just depends on how the others are coming on.

 

[MotCO]

An interesting video has emerged of the first unit moving under battery power at Long Marston, which should allow some (presumably low-speed) testing before they reach the Island:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/372798640807853/

Unlike Vivarail's other fleets the alcove for the whistle still hasn't been plated over...

Why are the doors different colours? One of the dark blue doors is the disabled access door, but the other isn't. Are they different colours because half the carriage is light blue, and half the carriage is dark blue and you need a contrast? It would have made more sense if only the disabled access door was a different colour.

 

[spark001uk]

All passenger doors have to be in contrast to the bodywork surrounding it, to meet PRM regulations. If the body colour varies down the coaches, they have to take that into account as well.

 

[Chris125]

With the planned closure of the whole line from Jan to March next year, does this mean the plan is to complete the bulk of unit testing in the remainder of this year? Obviously the new track / infrastructure clearances can't be checked until they're done, but in respect to the rolling stock itself.

Correct, testing and training overnight was the plan - they'd better get a hurry on!

How many units so they need to start the service? Assuming they are tested on the mainland then they should be able to enter service very quickly. We know one is complete, it just depends on how the others are coming on.

They were planning to commission 3 before the blockade, the other 2 TBC.

 

[swt_passenger]

How many units so they need to start the service? Assuming they are tested on the mainland then they should be able to enter service very quickly. We know one is complete, it just depends on how the others are coming on.

I think it’s already been confirmed somewhere that the first two or three are to get tested on the Island?

 

[Rick1984]

They do look smart. Would have liked something a bit more unique to the Island but better for being 2 car and not having vast swathes of pale blue/white like the rest of their fleet

 

[spark001uk]

They do look smart. Would have liked something a bit more unique to the Island but better for being 2 car and not having vast swathes of pale blue/white like the rest of their fleet

I believe it's the use of ex London Underground stock which has become the unique thing about the island.
They have a certain charm to them I must admit - apart from the old 485/486 which would regularly throw you across the carriage that is.!

 

[pompeyfan]

First one is going over on the 1400 boat from Portsmouth.

Maldonado heard a whisper that 007 was fired up yesterday.

 

[Chris125]

First one is on it's way! Crossing this afternoon apparently...

https://twitter.com/PaulCliftonBBC/status/1329362521824882689

To Portsmouth. To see a train. On a lorry. On a ferry. Could be fun. First time they’ve done this since....1989. I’ll drive there, but board on foot, and use drone pics. I think that’s all transport bases covered in one day.

Railways of the Isle of Wight | I cannot vouch for the accuracy of a comment seen elsewhere, but it is claimed local radio is suggesting the first 484 is being ferried across the Sol... | Facebook

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of a comment seen elsewhere, but it is claimed local radio is suggesting the first 484 is being ferried across the Solent today. From tomorrow of course Island Line...

www.facebook.com

 

[DelW]

To Portsmouth. To see a train. On a lorry. On a ferry. Could be fun. First time they’ve done this since....1989. I’ll drive there, but board on foot, and use drone pics. I think that’s all transport bases covered in one day.

It may be the first time Island Line (and predecessors) has taken passenger stock to the island since 1989, but it's certainly not the first time rolling stock has been ferried over, since the steam line has moved various steam and diesel locomotives to and fro, plus there have been moves of on-track plant as well.

(I'm sure Chris125 is well aware of this, but Paul Clifton seems not to be).

 

[spark001uk]

When I read the tweet, I took "they" to refer to island line.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Didn't a class 33 pay a visit to the IoSWR a couple of years ago, crossing both ways by ferry ?

https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2017/11/RM-Nov-p84.jpg

 

[Chris125]

When I read the tweet, I took "they" to refer to island line.

I read it as the last time the first of a new fleet was ferried across tbh, we'll give Paul the benefit of the doubt!

 

[Gloster]

Although the vehicle will almost certainly pass within a quarter-mile of my house, I am not going to stand around on the main road waiting for it to come by. I know just how slowly these movements travel and how often they stop. It is quite possible that it won’t leave the ferry terminal until after dark.

 

[Bob Price]

Slightly off topic, did they scrap the 05 on the island or take it back to the mainland?

 

[DelW]

I read it as being: first time since 1989 for "a train ... on a lorry ... on a ferry", which it isn't. But I agree it's ambiguous, and he may have been specifically referring to Island Line stock .

 

[Gloster]

They have carried rolling-stock belonging to the steam railway on the ferry: a few years ago I saw a Terrier going along Station Road in Wootton on a low-loader. I think it was going to be an exhibit at a major holiday trade exhibition. (Even the most jaded travel agent is likely to notice a steam loco.)