Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

[Kite159]

..

Liverpool to Chester/Chester to Liverpool on Saturdays are always rammed both ways

Shame they can't run 8 coach services and simply skip Green Lane*, with any customers having to use Ellesmere Port services or another station.

(*Until the SDO issues are resolved)

 

[simonmpoulton]

I get the feeling they barely have enough functioning 777's just to run the normal service at present - seems to be a heck of a lot of failures this week. Certainly when they get more units working then skipping green lane isn't a bad idea and running the odd 8 car.

 

[prod_pep]

I get the feeling they barely have enough functioning 777's just to run the normal service at present - seems to be a heck of a lot of failures this week.

Indeed. They're very short at present hence six days of the old stock running in a row. There were no eight-car formations at all on the Southport line today so that provided a couple of additional spares.

 

[jamesst]

..

Shame they can't run 8 coach services and simply skip Green Lane*, with any customers having to use Ellesmere Port services or another station.

(*Until the SDO issues are resolved)

Hamilton Square is another (far busier) station that needs SDO

 

[nigelsporne]

I see from PTS that 053 is in service. Is this it's first day?

 

[childwallblues]

I see from PTS that 053 is in service. Is this it's first day?

No it has previously seen service

 

[paddyb6]

Liverpool to Chester/Chester to Liverpool on Saturdays are always rammed both ways

Been like this for a while, Chester services on the weekend get rammed frequently. I always try to catch the Ellesmere Ports as they're quieter, I do hope that 8 cars can appear on Chester services, especially on Saturdays/Race Days etc; although I can appreciate that 8 cars on Saturdays only will create operational challenges.

 

[nigelsporne]

No it has previously seen service

Thanks

 

[urbophile]

I get the feeling they barely have enough functioning 777's just to run the normal service at present - seems to be a heck of a lot of failures this week. Certainly when they get more units working then skipping green lane isn't a bad idea and running the odd 8 car.

Certainly there were a lot of cancellations on the Headbolt Lane line this morning.

 

[MTN 24J]

Can someone advise on the air release noise when arriving at Fazakerley towards Headbolt Lane, is this raising the conductor shoes?

I've seen it startle some passengers before!

 

[MR-507508]

Does anyone know the purpose behind the following runs such as the one below which are booked to run between Headbolt Lane and Liverpool Central of a weekday evening (although they don't always run). I presume driver training on the battery units but are not all Northern line drivers/train managers trained on them yet?
My other thought was 8 Car 777/1 testing or training but I guess this is not happening yet.
I have never managed to catch one yet to see whether it's an 8 Car or not.

Any ideas?

Realtime Trains | 5T76 2056½ Kirkdale C.S. to Headbolt Lane | 23/10/2024

Real-time train running information for 5T76 2056½ departure from Kirkdale C.S. to Headbolt Lane on 23/10/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[jamesst]

Can someone advise on the air release noise when arriving at Fazakerley towards Headbolt Lane, is this raising the conductor shoes?

I've seen it startle some passengers before!

Yep that's the noise of the shoes lifting

Does anyone know the purpose behind the following runs such as the one below which are booked to run between Headbolt Lane and Liverpool Central of a weekday evening (although they don't always run). I presume driver training on the battery units but are not all Northern line drivers/train managers trained on them yet?
My other thought was 8 Car 777/1 testing or training but I guess this is not happening yet.
I have never managed to catch one yet to see whether it's an 8 Car or not.

Any ideas?

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:s79676/2024-10-23/detailed

Just a path for any potential test trains (after maintenance etc), there's similar paths on the Ormskirk line.

 

[507016]

Just a question for anyone interested in motors, I know many 507/8s had really loud motors from gear wear e.g. 008, 018, 136. But do 777s have gears and will they ever start sounding louder in the future?

 

[Northerngirl]

They do seem to be getting louder, but mostly from the air con & the compressors (which also make a very noticeable vibration throughout the carriage)

 

[MR-507508]

Was out on the Ormskirk line earlier today and noted 3 of the 777/1's operating on this line (777142, 144 and 152). Given only 7 x 777/1s exist and 4 are required to work the Headbolt Lane line, all 7 must be in service today.

 

[simonmpoulton]

Surprising that the battery units are more reliable than the normal ones!

 

[childwallblues]

Surprising that the battery units are more reliable than the normal ones!

777/1s as you say are now quite reliable these days. Thre is normally one and sometimes two out on Ormskirk services. Better to use them on 777/0 services rather than them being sat on Kirkdale Depot all day.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Oct 2024 ==



Monday 28 October
According to PTS all seven 777/1 are in service this morning. 777140/46/48/50 are on the Headbolt Lane service whilst777142/44/52 are on Hunts Cross to Ormskirk line.

 

[Sam 76]

777/1s as you say are now quite reliable these days. Thre is normally one and sometimes two out on Ormskirk services. Better to use them on 777/0 services rather than them being sat on Kirkdale Depot all day.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Oct 2024 ==



Monday 28 October
According to PTS all seven 777/1 are in service this morning. 777140/46/48/50 are on the Headbolt Lane service whilst777142/44/52 are on Hunts Cross to Ormskirk line.

It seems an incredibly risky and dangerous strategy not having one spare/1 on hand for Headbolt services given the lines services depend on them.

Also points to what is being said too. The 777s right now are suffering from major fleet wide failures. I suspect we are not far away from services not running.

Now obviously Autumn is not a good time for trains, but perhaps it would have been wise to have replaced the 507s with as many 777 units to offset this a bit ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

It seems an incredibly risky and dangerous strategy not having one spare/1 on hand for Headbolt services given the lines services depend on them.

You're hardly parcelling them off to South Wales - it would be fairly easy to swap one in from the Ormskirk line and put another one (or a 507) in its place given that both run past Kirkdale depot.

 

[DarloRich]

Was in Chester for the weekend and travelled on the Wirral line up to Liverpool. I noticed 2 x 507 units in operation. First time I have been on a 777 and I must say they seem like nice trains if a little hard seat wise by the time Liverpool was reached.

Well, we didn't actually reach Liverpool by train due to a problem at Lime Street but Birkinhead was close enough!

 

[simonmpoulton]

Presuming here that 777051 has had some issue at Chester just now - it was two minutes late departing and having joined it at Bache the PIS screens are off and the other displays are stuck on Merseyrail logos! Also no announcements

 

[Pep and co]

Is there any news as to when 035 could be entering service? There are journeys today (4/11) Sandhills reverse Sidings to/from Southport and wondering if this is 035 on tests?
Many Thanks in advance for any updates

 

[MR-507508]

Any confirmation on whether an 8 Car Class 777 was running on the Ormskirk line today, as suggested from an earlier post

 

[jamesst]

Any confirmation on whether an 8 Car Class 777 was running on the Ormskirk line today, as suggested from an earlier post

No it's not yet possible

 

[childwallblues]

I caught the 0824 from Liverpool South Parkway to Ormskirk this morning. The PIS Screen was showing 8 car but it was 777051 on its own.

 

[Ellis101]

I caught the 0824 from Liverpool South Parkway to Ormskirk this morning. The PIS Screen was showing 8 car but it was 777051 on its own.

Exact same happened to me today… PIS said 8 car but it was just a single unit on its own.

 

[karlbbb]

No it's not yet possible

Do we have even an inkling of a date for all trackside equipment (and other steps in place - staffing?) for 8-car services being allowed past Central?

And as a broader question, once 8-cars are allowed, is it expected to be an immediate switch "back" of timetables, with Southport trains continuing to Hunts Cross as was the norm?

 

[MR-507508]

Exact same happened to me today… PIS said 8 car but it was just a single unit on its own.

It seems strange that it has started to do this....

 

[Bikeman78]

It seems strange that it has started to do this....

Given how few eight cars run, it seems almost pointless anyway. They would have been better off retaining the three pairs of class 507s until the 777s settled down. How many pairs of 777s are planned? And on which routes?

 

[Sam 76]

Given how few eight cars run, it seems almost pointless anyway. They would have been better off retaining the three pairs of class 507s until the 777s settled down. How many pairs of 777s are planned? And on which routes?

4 currently planned daily on Southports to Liverpool. Though today only 1 ran