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Northern Class 331: Construction/Introduction Updates

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156420

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There’s 5 331/1 diagrams on the West plus a maintenance unit. Mainly operating out of Liverpool, and 1 doing Blackpool-Airport’s all day.
 
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childwallblues

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331s much in evidence on the Blackpool - MIA and Hazel Grove services today, either 3-car or 2x3-car. Also four-car 331.111 worked the 14.01 Piccadilly - Crewe, the first four-car I've seen west of the Pennines.
331103/05/07/11/12 are regulars on the west side.
 

Llama

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331 (and 397) restrictions have been reimposed around Preston/Blackpool area due to further OLE issues. Permission from signaller is required before raising pantographs, and there are restrictions on the numbers of 331s & 397s that can have their pantograph raised at any one time in that area.
 

Tracked

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Heard there was an issue (again) with the doors not opening at Bentley last night on the 21:28 Doncaster-Leeds service (someone I know's put a picture of Adwick station on Facebook, them and several others for Bentley ended up there)
 
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Llama

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Heard there was an issue (again) with the doors not opening at Bentley last night on the 21:28 Doncaster-Leeds service (someone I know's put a picture of Adwick station on Facebook, them and several others for Bentley ended up there)
Did none of them think to press the call for aid button? There's one right next to every door that puts them in direct communication with the driver or guard (call for aid can be answered at every door control panel, where the guard would be, as well as in the cab).
 

Meerkat

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Did none of them think to press the call for aid button? There's one right next to every door that puts them in direct communication with the driver or guard (call for aid can be answered at every door control panel, where the guard would be, as well as in the cab).
I think people are reluctant to use a call for aid button as they have read all the notices about fines for improper use.
 

D365

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I think people are reluctant to use a call for aid button as they have read all the notices about fines for improper use.

I'll agree with this; doors not opening at a station is not really an emergency situation.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I notice we seem to be in the habit of talking about 'west side' and 'east side' units. All 331s are theoretically allocated to Allerton - are 'east side' units never going to go there?
I'd have thought that without the ability to get there under their own power (without a very circuitous route), they'll only return for major exams when due for them. All other work can be carried out elsewhere without the need to hire a loco to drag them.
 

156420

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I notice we seem to be in the habit of talking about 'west side' and 'east side' units. All 331s are theoretically allocated to Allerton - are 'east side' units never going to go there?

In terms of the 4 car ones. 6 are based at Allerton, 6 at Neville Hill. They could be changed over but no need to unless it’s for urgent work that one or the other can’t do.

The same 6 stick to each side.

All 3 car 331’s are based at Allerton.
 

D365

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It's the call for aid, not the emergency alarm (passcom).

I think the original point still stands, in that passengers would be reluctant to use the button for fear of being fined.

In terms of the 4 car ones. 6 are based at Allerton, 6 at Neville Hill. They could be changed over but no need to unless it’s for urgent work that one or the other can’t do.

Are the six four-car units based out of Neville Hill essentially a like-for-like replacement of the Class 321/322 fleet then?
 

Tracked

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Did none of them think to press the call for aid button? There's one right next to every door that puts them in direct communication with the driver or guard (call for aid can be answered at every door control panel, where the guard would be, as well as in the cab).
Obviously not.
 

Llama

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I think the original point still stands, in that passengers would be reluctant to use the button for fear of being fined.
On the Northern CAF units the only mention of a 'penalty for misuse' is underneath the emergency alarm, which is all in red and behind a perspex seal and will stop the train (unless the driver overrides it to avoid the train stopping in an inappropriate place).
The call for aid which is above the emergency alarm but is clearly distinct from it is all coloured green and has no such warning for misuse. Using that if you think you are about to be overcarried because doors have failed to release or open, or have closed prematurely, is not a wrong thing to do, especially as the guard is likely to answer it quickly and sort the problem out.

The call for aid on the 150/156 units etc is usually pressed spuriously many times over the course of a journey on weekend evenings.
 

Meerkat

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On the Northern CAF units the only mention of a 'penalty for misuse' is underneath the emergency alarm, which is all in red and behind a perspex seal and will stop the train (unless the driver overrides it to avoid the train stopping in an inappropriate place).
The call for aid which is above the emergency alarm but is clearly distinct from it is all coloured green and has no such warning for misuse. Using that if you think you are about to be overcarried because doors have failed to release or open, or have closed prematurely, is not a wrong thing to do, especially as the guard is likely to answer it quickly and sort the problem out.

The call for aid on the 150/156 units etc is usually pressed spuriously many times over the course of a journey on weekend evenings.

my point is that most people think it is for emergencies - that’s what “call for aid” implies.
Personally I assume they are both for emergiencies, the only difference being whether I think the train must stop right now.
 

Bovverboy

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I notice we seem to be in the habit of talking about 'west side' and 'east side' units. All 331s are theoretically allocated to Allerton - are 'east side' units never going to go there?

I'd have thought that without the ability to get there under their own power (without a very circuitous route), they'll only return for major exams when due for them. All other work can be carried out elsewhere without the need to hire a loco to drag them.

I'd be very surprised if the Neville Hill-based 331s are sent to Allerton for any reason, tbh. Neville Hill are clearly well experienced at maintaining EMUs, so I doubt a drag to Allerton would be worthwhile.
 

Bovverboy

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In terms of the 4 car ones. 6 are based at Allerton, 6 at Neville Hill. They could be changed over but no need to unless it’s for urgent work that one or the other can’t do.

The same 6 stick to each side.

All 3 car 331’s are based at Allerton.

I haven't been over to Yorkshire for a long time so I'm a bit out of touch with what's happening there. AIUI the east side 331s were due to replace the 321s and 322s, but only six 331/1s are reportedly operating from Neville Hill. There's eight 321/322s to replace, so what's the current situation?
 

superkev

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I haven't been over to Yorkshire for a long time so I'm a bit out of touch with what's happening there. AIUI the east side 331s were due to replace the 321s and 322s, but only six 331/1s are reportedly operating from Neville Hill. There's eight 321/322s to replace, so what's the current situation?
Two of the 321s are off lease 901,902 and 3 333s are not in service. 333 007 is at Holbeck for interior refresh, 009 is at the railways technical centre with serious structural problems and I believe another is stored at Skipton.
There are rumours that the structural problem will take 9 months to repair and may be uneconomic putting in doubt the future of the whole class.
K
 
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Bantamzen

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I haven't been over to Yorkshire for a long time so I'm a bit out of touch with what's happening there. AIUI the east side 331s were due to replace the 321s and 322s, but only six 331/1s are reportedly operating from Neville Hill. There's eight 321/322s to replace, so what's the current situation?

331s are in use on the Doncaster line primarily, with a few diagrams on the Aire / Wharfe triangle. There are still plenty of 321/322s knocking about, along with the operational 333s (see above). Eventually the 331s are supposed to take over from the 3 321s & 5 322s that were originally allocated, though I thought there were supposed to be a few more 331s than the 6 currently here?
 

D365

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There are rumours that the structural problem will take 9 months to repair and may be uneconomic putting in doubt the future of the whole class.

I'm not surprised, bearing in mind the toils of the Class 332s.

If the Class 333s are in need of replacement, I don't think there are any 4x23m EMUs going spare. But that's a discussion best saved for another thread.
 

Staffordian

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Two of the 321s are off lease 901,902 and 3 333s are not in service. 331 007 is at Holbeck for interior refresh, 009 is at the railways technical centre with serious structural problems and I believe another is stored at Skipton.
There are rumours that the structural problem will take 9 months to repair and may be uneconomic putting in doubt the future of the whole class.
K
Do you really mean 331 007 ? If 331’s are already in need of interior refresh, it’s a sad state of affairs.
 
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