leomartin125
Member
Today, GWR's 387134 left Reading Traincare Depot bound for Ilford E.M.U.D. to be stripped in preparation for HEX upgrades, and will receive it's HEX livery whilst it's there.
The service was operated by DRS 57306 which is currently on permanent loan to GWR for the sleeper services. It was meant to be operated by the loco that came down from Leicester today, however I'm guessing the same happened that happened a few weeks back - wrong coupler was brought so ROG had to 'borrow' GWR's 57306 to complete the move (what would they do without DRS!). A 387 would struggle to get from Reading to Ilford 'under it's own power' as I'm not sure you have noticed but Acton Wells Junction isn't electrified from the GWML...Yeah it came from reading traincare. The loco seems to have arrived at reading from Leicester L.I.P around an hour before departing for ilford. Not sure if DRS have any trains at leicester but I know that ROG have 57s in a blue, sort of similar, livery to DRS. According to real-time trains the loco that hauled the 387 departed ilford around 2 and was meant to come back to reading. For an unknown reason the service was cancelled at Acton west.
Yeah it came from reading traincare. The loco seems to have arrived at reading from Leicester L.I.P around an hour before departing for ilford. Not sure if DRS have any trains at leicester but I know that ROG have 57s in a blue, sort of similar, livery to DRS. According to real-time trains the loco that hauled the 387 departed ilford around 2 and was meant to come back to reading. For an unknown reason the service was cancelled at Acton west.
Are these units actually going to be ready for 15th December?
“...specially converted by December 2019...” is the way it’s mentioned in the original GWR press release on the transfer:No, I’m not aware of that ever being the plan either?
The tunnels were closed last Saturday (23/10) due to Network Rail stuff.
Does anyone know if it was for signalling/testing purposes?
Upon passing the depot yesterday, I noticed that 132 has some seats in it. Does anyone know if they are new for Hex or the standard GW ones just not yet removed?
The service was operated by DRS 57306 which is currently on permanent loan to GWR for the sleeper services. It was meant to be operated by the loco that came down from Leicester today, however I'm guessing the same happened that happened a few weeks back - wrong coupler was brought so ROG had to 'borrow' GWR's 57306 to complete the move (what would they do without DRS!). A 387 would struggle to get from Reading to Ilford 'under it's own power' as I'm not sure you have noticed but Acton Wells Junction isn't electrified from the GWML...
Are these units actually going to be ready for 15th December?
The tunnels were closed last Saturday (23/10) due to Network Rail stuff.
Faulty fireproofing, sadly.
I was wondering, wouldn't an 5 car class 800 be better for airport, you would only loose about 30m compared to an 8 car (2 x 4) class 387 and as it is meant to be an express, surely an express train would be better? And the 800s can be serviced at North Pole whereas the 387s have to go to Reading.
Also are the HeX trains going to run in 4 or 8 cars?
Other way round, 8-car 332s are as long as (would-be) 9-car 387s.387s for HEX might be stored in West Ealing sidings (not decided yet) so it will save trips between services in Reading. These 30 m diffrence is actually a lot on HEX service as in rush hour trains go full. Also, 800 are longdistance and made to run 200 kmph. HEX is airport shuttle for just 15 mins (well, 21 mins) journey and top electric speed is only 160 kmph on this part of the line anyway. Also, according to some 8 cars 387s are almost as long as 9 car 332s as cars are longer on 387s (I didn't check it).
8 cars "at all times" (but obviously if one breaks down, they will decouple it)
Wait HeX trains get full? With the high pricing and frequency of trains I assumed that they don't get to busy, anyway with crossrail HeX will probably loose some demand as to get to canary wharf you can get crossrail to go direct, taking away lots of demand for business travellers, and crossrail may provide a good enough service that leisure travellers decide the extra price of HeX isn't worth it, right now HeX isn't really for leisure travellers, Heathrow Connect / TfL rail is.These 30 m diffrence is actually a lot on HEX service as in rush hour trains go full.
If GWR have donated 387s to the HEX operation does that imply short formations on their regular 387 operated services?
That doesn't really make sense... 9 car 332s take all platform's lenght at Heathrow, and what you are suggesting is 8-car 387s would be even shorter than 7 cars of 332s. That is making it way shorter than it is, whilst HEX is claiming that train will not be much shorter then they are now.Other way round, 8-car 332s are as long as (would-be) 9-car 387s.
Wait HeX trains get full? With the high pricing and frequency of trains I assumed that they don't get to busy, anyway with crossrail HeX will probably loose some demand as to get to canary wharf you can get crossrail to go direct, taking away lots of demand for business travellers, and crossrail may provide a good enough service that leisure travellers decide the extra price of HeX isn't worth it, right now HeX isn't really for leisure travellers, Heathrow Connect / TfL rail is.
No, because Crossrail trains will run to Reading and use some existing 387 paths
A 9 car 332 is approx 207m, 8 car 387 is 160m......