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Transfer of TPE 350/4s to West Midlands Trains (LNR)

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Silverlinky

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Do you know what services they are on?

350404 is currently at Liverpool Lime Street, booked to work 1305 departure to London Euston (1W90)
350410 currently in Wolverhampton en route to Euston (1W16) before working 1549 to Liverpool (1F54)
 
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Lozzy0603

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350 410 is on 2K24 MKC > EUS today. Joined to a naked 350/1 i didn't catch the number for.
 

driver9000

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350407 now wears LNW livery and is back in service with TPE this morning.
 

Silverlinky

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350401 out in revenue service with LNW today following modifications and acceptance.
350404/5 and 10 all stopped though, 404 failed, 405 with a fault and 410 on exam.
 

RealTrains07

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350401 out in revenue service with LNW today following modifications and acceptance.
350404/5 and 10 all stopped though, 404 failed, 405 with a fault and 410 on exam.
3 for the price of 1, how ironic :lol:

I look forward to seeing a complete 401 in service. Hopefully it will be the first unit to have LNR stickers too?
 

DGH 1

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As of last week, TPE had 5 in operation and 1 in the depot.


So 402, 403, 406, 407, 408 and 409 still with TPE it would seem.
Hi there, when you say the 350's are stil with TPE, are they still working up to Scotland do you know?.
 

djpontrack

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Hi there, when you say the 350's are stil with TPE, are they still working up to Scotland do you know?.

They definitely are mate. I’m currently sat in the back cab of 350403 on 1M92 17:04 Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport. :D
 

djpontrack

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How lucky are you!, thank you for replying to me, do they have any specific diagrams do you know?

It just seems to be whatever is available at the moment. I’ve not seen any 350’s on the services from Liverpool to Scotland via Carlisle, they have all been 185’s that I’ve been on.
 

DGH 1

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I suppose it will be the luck of the draw, whether I see one or not when i pick a day to go over to the Carlisle.
 

Lozzy0603

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Got a 350/4 ex. TPE un-refurbished today on LNR for the first time. In the "middle-manager meet" session the other day, a manager aluded to them suspending all but essential works on the 350/4's to get them in service with LNR. Were they only refering to internal refurbishment, such as removing the service compartments, or was there a bigger service scheduled for the 350/4s?
 

RealTrains07

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Got a 350/4 ex. TPE un-refurbished today on LNR for the first time. In the "middle-manager meet" session the other day, a manager aluded to them suspending all but essential works on the 350/4's to get them in service with LNR. Were they only refering to internal refurbishment, such as removing the service compartments, or was there a bigger service scheduled for the 350/4s?
The 350/4s will be getting the same treatment as the 350/3s and 1s (eventually:lol:)

Not surprised they have gone down this route thanks to CAFs delayed delivery of the 397s
 

Silverlinky

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350401 is very temperamental! Spends more time out of traffic than in!

The other 6 units are down for transfer in Late March/Early April.

Unit availability for 350's is so tight at the moment that there just aren't the numbers to be able to send any more away for refurb, therefore until the extras arrive the 4's already with LNR will stay as they are.

350/2's will now stay until December 2021 but will not be re-liveried, the Mark 1's will get their vinyls when the weather improves.
 

Bletchleyite

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I noticed elsewhere that the /4s have a trolley dock area which takes up roughly one bay and looks removable. Will this be replaced with something else e.g. luggage space or seats?
 

Silverlinky

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If it’s in the same place as the old conductor office on the mark ones it will be replaced with a luggage rack. The 4’s will then replicate the 1’s, with the exception of the additional toilet which is staying.
 

RealTrains07

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350401 is very temperamental! Spends more time out of traffic than in!

The other 6 units are down for transfer in Late March/Early April.

Unit availability for 350's is so tight at the moment that there just aren't the numbers to be able to send any more away for refurb, therefore until the extras arrive the 4's already with LNR will stay as they are.
Iam actually shocked that its going to be at least 2 more months before all 350/4s are in service. Not surprised in the delays though CAF have been relatively good with delivering the 397s just TPE clearly incapable of driver training and testing when only 2 units are in service with more units waiting to start service but they just sit there! :lol:

Its ridiculous, LNR is struggling as it is.
 

Bletchleyite

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If it’s in the same place as the old conductor office on the mark ones it will be replaced with a luggage rack. The 4’s will then replicate the 1’s, with the exception of the additional toilet which is staying.

I think it's in the First Class vehicle but half recall it being on the other side of the vestibule - but it is the same size.
 

Silverlinky

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There have also been issues with couplers, as WMT will uncouple and couple these units far more than TPE did. Modifications required to bring them to the same spec as mark 3's

Further issues with batteries....they have the old battery packs on them and there have been at least two occasions already where flat batteries have caused issues following OLE isolations. So they will all need new batteries too, with 350401 the only unit which has had the new packs fitted. The other units are being kept away from diagrams which stable anywhere that may be subject to OLE isolation in the meantime.
 

Bletchleyite

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There have also been issues with couplers, as WMT will uncouple and couple these units far more than TPE did. Modifications required to bring them to the same spec as mark 3's

What's different about the couplers on the TPE sets, or is it just lesser maintenance meaning they are in worse condition?
 

Silverlinky

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What's different about the couplers on the TPE sets, or is it just lesser maintenance meaning they are in worse condition?

there have been a few mods carried out over the years, such as coupler heaters, and coupler pin maintenance which won’t be replicated on the 4’s.
I don’t know how much coupling and uncoupling went on with them on TPE but it was no doubt nowhere near the three or four times a day it can happen on WMT
 

37057

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there have been a few mods carried out over the years, such as coupler heaters, and coupler pin maintenance which won’t be replicated on the 4’s.
I don’t know how much coupling and uncoupling went on with them on TPE but it was no doubt nowhere near the three or four times a day it can happen on WMT

Coupling on TPE has obviously reduced with the reduction of the fleet size but they often come and go off depot coupled, as required.

From what I can gather there are two tasks on the couplers that aren't on the /4 schedule. One task involves replacing electrical contacts (specifically ones which connect the TMS between units) and the other is electrical head guide pin and bush renewal, both done every 5 years and both can be done in a short amount of time. Other light coupler maintenance (exams) seem to be on par with the other 350s.

I can't see any documents to suggest any coupler modifications. CCU/TMS software has been updated though, which appears to be for compatability with the TOC (and maybe for working with /2s too).

Also, the /4s already have heaters fitted and are switched on over winter.

Batteries have always been an issue with these. Having spoke to someone from Kings Heath it seems the /3s and /4s have different cells to the rest which are apparently better. I've always had trouble keeping them powered on batts only while getting them onto the non-electrified wheel lathe / bogie drop roads. If they've not been disposed of properly by train crew, they go flat and a few tricks have to be carried out to nurse them back to life again! Always trip F10...
 
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boxerdog

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Coupling on TPE has obviously reduced with the reduction of the fleet size but they often come and go off depot coupled, as required.

From what I can gather there are two tasks on the couplers that aren't on the /4 schedule. One task involves replacing electrical contacts (specifically ones which connect the TMS between units) and the other is electrical head guide pin and bush renewal, both done every 5 years and both can be done in a short amount of time. Other light coupler maintenance (exams) seem to be on par with the other 350s.

I can't see any documents to suggest any coupler modifications. CCU/TMS software has been updated though, which appears to be for compatability with the TOC (and maybe for working with /2s too).

Also, the /4s already have heaters fitted and are switched on over winter.

Batteries have always been an issue with these. Having spoke to someone from Kings Heath it seems the /3s and /4s have different cells to the rest which are apparently better. I've always had trouble keeping them powered on batts only while getting them onto the non-electrified wheel lathe / bogie drop roads. If they've not been disposed of properly by train crew, they go flat and a few tricks have to be carried out to nurse them back to life again! Always trip F10...
To dispose of a 350 (as traincrew) in an OHLE isolation we pan down and battery off, no messing in cupboards and tripping of 32f10.
 

Bletchleyite

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Batteries have always been an issue with these. Having spoke to someone from Kings Heath it seems the /3s and /4s have different cells to the rest which are apparently better. I've always had trouble keeping them powered on batts only while getting them onto the non-electrified wheel lathe / bogie drop roads. If they've not been disposed of properly by train crew, they go flat and a few tricks have to be carried out to nurse them back to life again! Always trip F10...

Can 350s shunt on batteries, or would this be using a locomotive, in which case what is the power for?
 
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