321448 demonstrator

[nxea321446]

does anyone know when greater anglia demonstrator 321448 is returning to ilford its been up at doncaster since october 2012 and ga have said they need the unit back in traffic

 

[transportphoto]

... ga have said they need the unit back in traffic

Although it's plausible, have you got a source to back up this statement please?

TP

 

[nxea321446]

i recently read about it in a railway magazine that greater anglia need the dusty back in service as greater anglia are quite a few units down at the moment

 

[Geeves]

Can they not use one of those 317s they have in store?

 

[nxea321446]

i suppose it would help abit but i dont think that will happen

 

[Dave1987]

Are we a few units down? All diagrams are covered with very few short forms on the 321 front.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Can they not use one of those 317s they have in store?

317's can't be used as none of us on the north area sign 317's anymore.

 

[W230]

317's can't be used as none of us on the north area sign 317's anymore.

I'm confused - you mean no one who works there signs them (as they had already gone before the drivers started) or you no longer sign them because you haven't driven one for ages?

I'm assuming it's the former, as we were told that once we signed a specific class of traction, it would always remain on our traction card.

 

[Dave1987]

I'm confused - you mean no one who works there signs them (as they had already gone before the drivers started) or you no longer sign them because you haven't driven one for ages?

I'm assuming it's the former, as we were told that once we signed a specific class of traction, it would always remain on our traction card.

As far as I'm aware no one signs them anymore. Drivers who did sign them don't anymore as far as I'm aware. As you no doubt know you have to have a traction assessment as part of your summary assessment and the only emus we now sign are 321 and 360.

 

[455driver]

we were told that once we signed a specific class of traction, it would always remain on our traction card.

Not likely, as soon as our depot lost work on <a class of emu> all the drivers at the depot had it removed from their cards, just as when I moved depots I had to remove all the routes that I would no longer work over even though some of them were handy diversionary routes.

If it isnt on your card you dont need refreshing on it!

 

[87015]

As far as I'm aware no one signs them anymore. Drivers who did sign them don't anymore as far as I'm aware. As you no doubt know you have to have a traction assessment as part of your summary assessment and the only emus we now sign are 321 and 360.

Some GE side drivers, certainly Ilford, must still sign them given that they are diagrammed and work on the Upminster branch regularly.

A stunning waste of the money spent by NX training up other depots if GA have taken off the cards then rather than letting it lapse for a refresh if required, and people wonder why the system is so inefficient...

 

[Dave1987]

Some GE side drivers, certainly Ilford, must still sign them given that they are diagrammed and work on the Upminster branch regularly.

A stunning waste of the money spent by NX training up other depots if GA have taken off the cards then rather than letting it lapse for a refresh if required, and people wonder why the system is so inefficient...

I did say north area. Ilford isn't part of the north area of GA.

 

[SprinterMan]

Can they not use one of those 317s they have in store?

The main problems with the stored 317/7s is their appalling standard class seating capacity (about the same as a 156!), but far more importantly the very high lease cost. It costs 3 times as much to lease a 317/7 that it does a 317/5 or likely a 321. This is why the 317/7s were gotten rid of originally. GA would rather short form service than spend loads of cash on leasing non-standard expensive trains with few seats.

Some GE side drivers, certainly Ilford, must still sign them given that they are diagrammed and work on the Upminster branch regularly.

A stunning waste of the money spent by NX training up other depots if GA have taken off the cards then rather than letting it lapse for a refresh if required, and people wonder why the system is so inefficient...

A few weeks ago, a 317/5 and 317/6 combination worked to Braintree and back a good few times on a Saturday to make sure drivers still signed them. Ilford drivers still signed 317s for Romford - Upminster, but Ipswich drivers don't anymore as there is no point as 317s don't go up there since the /7s were removed from service.

Adam

 

[badassunicorn]

kind of unrelated, but a 12 car 315 left Ilford the other week, first time I've heard/seen of that! Anyone know what it was doing?

 

[Dave1987]

kind of unrelated, but a 12 car 315 left Ilford the other week, first time I've heard/seen of that! Anyone know what it was doing?

Prob seeing if they still work in a 12 car formation only ever seen them as 8 cars.

 

[306024]

A few weeks ago, a 317/5 and 317/6 combination worked to Braintree and back a good few times on a Saturday to make sure drivers still signed them. Ilford drivers still signed 317s for Romford - Upminster, but Ipswich drivers don't anymore as there is no point as 317s don't go up there since the /7s were removed from service.

Adam

When the 317/7's were introduced on the GEML, as part of the DfT HLOS scheme to increase the number of seats into Liverpool St, they were only worked by Liverpool St, Ilford and the small link of drivers at Colchester who already signed the route to Stowmarket (the Peterborough link). Ipswich drivers were not involved. Then 8 weeks later when Abellio take over the wind changes direction and the 317/7's are taken off lease to save money, which the DfT would have agreed to as part of the re-franchising. Such is the politics of the modern railway.

As it is only a quick conversion course from a 321 to a 317 it is not such a stunning waste of money as it might appear, although annoying none the less. Liverpool St drivers already signed the traction.

With regard to the 12 car 315, then it could have been simply diagram modifications on West Anglia - take one train out of Ilford and split it at Liverpool St to save having to send two West Anglia drivers to Ilford. Just a guess though.

 

[W230]

Not likely, as soon as our depot lost work on <a class of emu> all the drivers at the depot had it removed from their cards, just as when I moved depots I had to remove all the routes that I would no longer work over even though some of them were handy diversionary routes.

Ah ok. I knew this was the case with routes signed but not traction. Certainly makes sense - I must have been daydreaming when they told us that bit.

 

[nxea321446]

back to my main question does anyone know when the 321 is coming back to ilford or how far wabtec are on the unit?

 

[SprinterMan]

back to my main question does anyone know when the 321 is coming back to ilford or how far wabtec are on the unit?

I am also after this information, I really wanna see the new 321448.

Adam

 

[nxea321446]

i really cant wait to take a ride on it also with air conditioning you wont have people slamming the windows shut

 

[badassunicorn]

Completely unrelated, but the 317 with the funny lights and big toilet etc has just been repainted so I guess it'll be back in service soon!

 

[D365]

Completely unrelated, but the 317 with the funny lights and big toilet etc has just been repainted so I guess it'll be back in service soon!

317722 I presume? Not completely unrelated as the life-extension works are similar, can't wait to see how it works out.

 

[badassunicorn]

It looks good in white with red doors, but probably not for long! It'll end up brown like all the other units

 

[nxea321446]

any pictures of the newly repainted 317?

 

[SprinterMan]

Completely unrelated, but the 317 with the funny lights and big toilet etc has just been repainted so I guess it'll be back in service soon!

This is really strange, as Greater Anglia don't lease 317/7s due to the disproportionately high leasing costs. GA have made it quite clear they don't want them, so it makes me think they will be operating the unit purely to test it, and won't be paying leasing costs for it. I have a horrible feeling they will confine it to the Romford - Upminster line, so it won't see any long-ish distance services, and won't get a chance to stretch it's legs. Hopefully GA take back all the 317/7s. Time will tell.

Adam

 

[badassunicorn]

Its not finished yet, still wrapped in bubble wrap stuff with no doors on and all the vehicles are still seperated

 

[jon0844]

Are they posting it back to London?

 

[SprinterMan]

Its not finished yet, still wrapped in bubble wrap stuff with no doors on and all the vehicles are still seperated

Does it still retain the stupid inwards opening doors on the gangways?

Adam

 

[anthony263]

Are they posting it back to London?

Parcelforce/Royal mail will certainly need a big lorry to deliver that.

 

[D365]

This is really strange, as Greater Anglia don't lease 317/7s due to the disproportionately high leasing costs. GA have made it quite clear they don't want them, so it makes me think they will be operating the unit purely to test it, and won't be paying leasing costs for it. I have a horrible feeling they will confine it to the Romford - Upminster line, so it won't see any long-ish distance services, and won't get a chance to stretch it's legs. Hopefully GA take back all the 317/7s. Time will tell.

Adam

As I said earlier, it might be 317722, the rebuild prototype - equivalent to 321448 here.

 

[SprinterMan]

As I said earlier, it might be 317722, the rebuild prototype - equivalent to 321448 here.

That's what I mean, there is no TOC that leases 317722 so GA must be taking it back.

Adam