As I said, 016 and 018 were adjacent to the WCML (that is the WCML, not the Alsager or Shrewsbury lines) yesterday afternoon - east side. The other four at Crewe were visible from the Alsager line.
Hopefully if this is the agreement the units could be in service soon, are all units having the door mods ?
I think there will be some kind of mobile device because there is a wireless charger for one, known as a “SPOT” in the cab.
It would be nice to see them in service instead of sitting idle, plus the guards keep their jobs
seats very comfortable, staff very engaging and willing to answer questions, driving cab layout is interesting and straightfoward.Today sets 777009/16 are on the east side of the WCML with further sets visible in the distance near the Stoke line.
Probably early new year for any service on a single line. Only requires a smaller number of drivers/guards to be trained and units accepted.
How long is a piece of string ?
The string may have to be lengthened as part of platform lengthening works before it will be possible to judge that.
Kirkby is a good line to test it in service while not too far from Kirkdale if anything goes wrong, so ideally a gradual introduction mixed in with 507/8 trains eventually 100% class 777 in service to bed in and see how it works in real world service.
I was on the understanding they would need to revert the whole of the Kirkby line to 777 operation to start with, since there would be differences in timetable/timings due to the faster acceleration of the class 777 compared to class 507/508. I was told this from one of the open day events in recent weeks.
Couldn't they just accelerate slower? If they went quicker they'd still get stopped at the next signal if the previous train hadn't cleared the section, I'd guess.
The plan is as MR-507508 states with complete conversion of firstly the Kirkby line, followed by the Ormskirk, New Brighton and West Kirby services. It is likely that there will be a period of mixed operation on the Chester and Southport/Hunts Cross routes due to the requirement for larger numbers of units. 14x Class 507 sets to be retained for double unit working until NR complete outstanding infrastructure alterations.
If the 777s were ready to begin passenger operation on the Kirkby line now, an issue at the moment is the Kirkby and Ormskirk trains interwork under the 20 minute frequency timetable. I guess the timetable would need to be revised to separate services on the two lines again, although next year when the 777s are ready for passenger operation this may already be the case if the 15 minute frequency service returns to both lines before the 777s begin operation.
Seven seems a lot for a service that requires only three units.
That’s three for the service, two as back up in case of problems and two for driver training.
Presumably if they want the Kirkby service to go over entirely to 777s (in anticipation of Headbolt Lane opening) then they want it to be irreversible so there won’t be any 507/508s available for cover because they will have gone for scrap.
