Dampflok
Member
The testing of the new set continued last week after the train was turned during the weekend so that the loco was on the north end, presumably to even out the testing of doors on each side of the train. The return run from BMO though had some of the intermediate stops at smaller stations cut out, so I'm not sure how that squared with testing the doors, and timings were slightly altered as a result.
67014 was replaced by 67013 for the final day's testing on Friday 25th May 2012 and the set was due to be turned again at the end of this run so that the loco would be on the south end again. This part of the run was cancelled and the set remains with the loco on the north end.
Chiltern Railways very kindly invited me to travel on the final up run from Moor Street as far as Haddenham & Thame Parkway, along with members of the railway press, and it was interesting to see and hear the new plug doors in action. The revamped vestibules in the coaches give a much more spacious feel as the train is boarded and the whole atmosphere is light and airy (perhaps helped by travelling on a gloriously sunny day!).
There are now some shots on my site of the doors and interiors during the test runs over the last couple of weeks and yesterday's final test run (more still to come), they can be found in the May 2012 collection here:
http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/May-2012/22831126_ZKDCtK
Sample shot here:
Much has been made of the remaining old style slam door adjacent to the galley - as stated above, to replace this would have meant moving the whole galley set-up and this was just not viable. There are no handles on the doors but they can be opened in an emergency using a red lever behind a glass panel above the doors (this is alarmed!). The droplights still work but are locked shut, though staff can open them with a carriage key...
The formation of the train is DVT (at present 82305) - GFW (Galley First Wheelchair) 10271, ex-WSMR 10236 - TSOL (Trailer Standard Open Lavatory) 12605, ex-West Coast FO 11040 - TSO 12604, ex WSMR 12131 - TSOL 12603, ex-West Coast 12053 -TSO 12602, ex-WSMR 12072 - Class 67 (at present 67013).
The TSOLs only have lavatories at one end, so perhaps there might be a shortage of facilities if the products of the galley are too liberally consumed!
As the train ended up at Wembley LMD, I understand there will be an ECS move, possibly on Sunday evening, to get the set to BMO for Monday morning when it should work the 06:19 from BMO to MYB on the 28th...
Usual disclaimers apply!
Cheers, Geoff
67014 was replaced by 67013 for the final day's testing on Friday 25th May 2012 and the set was due to be turned again at the end of this run so that the loco would be on the south end again. This part of the run was cancelled and the set remains with the loco on the north end.
Chiltern Railways very kindly invited me to travel on the final up run from Moor Street as far as Haddenham & Thame Parkway, along with members of the railway press, and it was interesting to see and hear the new plug doors in action. The revamped vestibules in the coaches give a much more spacious feel as the train is boarded and the whole atmosphere is light and airy (perhaps helped by travelling on a gloriously sunny day!).
There are now some shots on my site of the doors and interiors during the test runs over the last couple of weeks and yesterday's final test run (more still to come), they can be found in the May 2012 collection here:
http://plumbloco.smugmug.com/Trains/May-2012/22831126_ZKDCtK
Sample shot here:
Much has been made of the remaining old style slam door adjacent to the galley - as stated above, to replace this would have meant moving the whole galley set-up and this was just not viable. There are no handles on the doors but they can be opened in an emergency using a red lever behind a glass panel above the doors (this is alarmed!). The droplights still work but are locked shut, though staff can open them with a carriage key...
The formation of the train is DVT (at present 82305) - GFW (Galley First Wheelchair) 10271, ex-WSMR 10236 - TSOL (Trailer Standard Open Lavatory) 12605, ex-West Coast FO 11040 - TSO 12604, ex WSMR 12131 - TSOL 12603, ex-West Coast 12053 -TSO 12602, ex-WSMR 12072 - Class 67 (at present 67013).
The TSOLs only have lavatories at one end, so perhaps there might be a shortage of facilities if the products of the galley are too liberally consumed!
As the train ended up at Wembley LMD, I understand there will be an ECS move, possibly on Sunday evening, to get the set to BMO for Monday morning when it should work the 06:19 from BMO to MYB on the 28th...
Usual disclaimers apply!
Cheers, Geoff
I always thought they still had two toilets at each end of the coach.
. Not as good as Chilterns Mk3s but surprisingly still better than a Voyager or Pendolino 
.
