Why are 350/2s being replaced with 730s?

[physics34]

I reckon the 350/2s will end up in Scotland. Just a thought.

 

[AJDesiro]

Well almost - it's going to be a 10 car (which will mean double seats for everyone). Suspect that may be for reliability, though - I seem to recall 730/0s were originally only allowed in pairs for this reason.

I got a single 730/0 on the 3rd January 2024, (also my first one) so that must have been short lived!

 

[Russel]

Well almost - it's going to be a 10 car (which will mean double seats for everyone). Suspect that may be for reliability, though - I seem to recall 730/0s were originally only allowed in pairs for this reason.

WMR Really had faith in the new stock they ordered then...

 

[Silverlinky]

730's were only allowed in pairs initially, and yes it was for reliability however LNR were never going to run 3 car trains down south anyway so they were planned as 6 cars for timetabling and passenger capacity.
There were never any diagrammed 3 car services, but after a short time they did occasionally run as short-formed 3 car units only if the other unit had failed. WMR of course have and continue to diagram solo 730/0's on their routes now that reliability is at an acceptable level.

There is a special train planned to run from Euston to Milton Keynes for the southern dignitaries and press on 6th June.
1Z01 1105 Euston to Milton Keynes (1137)
1Z02 1147 Milton Keynes to Euston (1222)

Corresponding ECS moves to and from Bletchley TMD (5T01 and 5T02) either end of this.

The plan for the 9th is for 350's to work the morning part of the diagram and the 730/2's to be inserted for the evening peak by way of additional moves during the day.

 

[778]

730's were only allowed in pairs initially, and yes it was for reliability however LNR were never going to run 3 car trains down south anyway so they were planned as 6 cars for timetabling and passenger capacity.
There were never any diagrammed 3 car services, but after a short time they did occasionally run as short-formed 3 car units only if the other unit had failed. WMR of course have and continue to diagram solo 730/0's on their routes now that reliability is at an acceptable level.

There is a special train planned to run from Euston to Milton Keynes for the southern dignitaries and press on 6th June.
1Z01 1105 Euston to Milton Keynes (1137)
1Z02 1147 Milton Keynes to Euston (1222)

Corresponding ECS moves to and from Bletchley TMD (5T01 and 5T02) either end of this.

The plan for the 9th is for 350's to work the morning part of the diagram and the 730/2's to be inserted for the evening peak by way of additional moves during the day.

Did LNR plan for the 730/0s to run as 9 car trains when they were first introduced? I am sure I saw some 9 car stop boards at Watford Junction but I think they might have gone now. Have they started putting 5 and 10 car stop boards up yet for the 730/2s?

I hope all 730/2 services run in 10 car formations as that would mean no more standing for passengers on WCML local services.

 

[AJDesiro]

Did LNR plan for the 730/0s to run as 9 car trains when they were first introduced? I am sure I saw some 9 car stop boards at Watford Junction but I think they might have gone now. Have they started putting 5 and 10 car stop boards up yet for the 730/2s?

I hope all 730/2 services run in 10 car formations as that would mean no more standing for passengers on WCML local services.

Nearly all of the stop boards on the south WCML have been harmonised, there's now little-to-no rolling stock specific markers. For example, platform 1 at Rugby in the northbound direction used to have a Class 57/390 Loco Stop, a 9/11 390 marker, a 10 22x marker, an 8 car stop, a 5 22x marker and a 4 car stop. These have now been harmonised to a 57/390 Loco Stop, a 9-12 car stop, a 6-8 car stop and a 3-5 car stop. This sort of thing has been replicated pretty much across the WCML south of Crewe.

 

[185]

I got a single 730/0 on the 3rd January 2024, (also my first one) so that must have been short lived!

I think I jested in 2019 on here that no doubt with the bingo machine of unit numbers, sending any train anywhere, there would be a 3-car orange thing packed to the rafters with arms and legs out of the window scuttling past Harrow & Wealdstone at some point. I recall the same old faces on here rushing to correct me stating No! they were only for the cross city line.. and 2025... Yeah - here we are lol

Saturdays lottery numbers are:
4
11
26...
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[AJDesiro]

I think I jested in 2019 on here that no doubt with the bingo machine of unit numbers, sending any train anywhere, there would be a 3-car orange thing packed to the rafters with arms and legs out of the window scuttling past Harrow & Wealdstone at some point.

In all honesty it coped quite well. Once the /0s move up north having been displaced by the /2s I don’t think we’ll see it happen again…

 

[Bletchleyite]

In all honesty it coped quite well. Once the /0s move up north having been displaced by the /2s I don’t think we’ll see it happen again…

My experience is that a 3 car 730 is better than a 4 car 350. More standing space.

 

[Silverlinky]

Did LNR plan for the 730/0s to run as 9 car trains when they were first introduced? I am sure I saw some 9 car stop boards at Watford Junction but I think they might have gone now. Have they started putting 5 and 10 car stop boards up yet for the 730/2s?

I hope all 730/2 services run in 10 car formations as that would mean no more standing for passengers on WCML local services.

No, they were never planned although during the testing/measuring process it was all done on a "just in case" basis.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, they were never planned although during the testing/measuring process it was all done on a "just in case" basis.

Pre COVID the Bletchley starter Tring stoppers (!) were mostly 12 car formations and needed as such, so I'd imagine 9s would have happened had COVID not happened.

10.730 will be gross overkill for that 0656 diagram post COVID, 5 will be about perfect for it - I guess 10 is just for reliability initially. A good thing about 5 car formations is that 5x24m is enough for some services - 4x20m is not enough for anything bar very early Sunday mornings.

 

[tfw756rider]

It's been reported by Today's Railways on Twitter that the 730/2s will first work the 16:19 Euston-Northampton on the 9th June, with the full diagram, starting with the 06:56 Bletchley-Euston being implemented the following day.

https://x.com/TodaysRailways/status/1925920495410491602

Just to be clear, will this still be the case?