Shouldn't have thought so, as the safety case for third/fourth rail charging is [somewhat] based on the train being in the way of the rails when energised.
Aye. A trailer vehicle provides four additional 'rafts'.
Have you any idea what/ when the path was for this to get to Bletchley?
It has been at Bletchley for some time. It will have come by road from Glasgow.
Thanks
Some work is still being carried out with the charging prototype at Bletchley.
Nothing is happening at Bletchley. The administrators have made all but 2 of the Vivarail staff redundant.
Last I heard, it was all but 30. That’s extremely disappointing to hear.
There is a glimmer of hope for some of the Vivarail staff working on the fast-charge project, but technically yes they were all made redundant bar 2.
As expected. Although they will need some engineering support for it..
They better understand some extra carriages etc if they plan on getting more units to cover the other thames valley branches
Yes, the DfT supported First Group/GWR to put in a successful bid to Grant Thornton (Vivarail administrators) to take on the fast charge project, including the rolling stock, IP, equipment etc. 14 of the Vivarail staff made redundant just before Xmas will be taken on by GWR, which can only be a good thing.
It's just a trial so far, no guarantee that there will be a further expansion of 230 operations on GWR.
It's likely that some of the D stock will go for scrap, but don't rule anything out at present - discussions still ongoing. Even some of the vehicles that have been sold for scrap might get a reprive.
Do we know how many vehicles went for scrap in the recent movements that were mentioned on this forum? Was it just a handful of the ones in worst condition - or did a lot more go that we don't know about yet?
If the battery trial works, the technology doesn't have to be installed under a D stock train.
This was indeed the intention, as we saw with the prospective Class 321 conversions.
Been told Plasser works/sidings next to WE LMD could be where it would be based for storage and very light maintenance don't know where heavy if any at this rate would be considering the Vivarail situation, could come in house with GWR I guess as they/Dft want to buy the single unit/technology with it.
Day to day stuff will be at West Ealing LMD, but for exams etc. Vivarail had an arrangement to use Willesden, so that's one option, with drivers hired in to do the move either way, rather than GWR drivers learning the route once they sign the traction. Rail Adventure (now they've taken over SLC Operations) are the obvious choice as they have drivers who already sign 230.
Is there any updates on where it will be based for repair work's?
Nothing as yet, still being worked on.
It does have a shore supply socket, and there is a charger that can be used from the back of a van, but that would be trickle charge not fast charge. I doubt it would ever be feasible to fast charge from the back of a van due to the voltages involved. Having said that, the unit has been designed with redundancy in mind, with 3 batteries per DM vehicle but only 2 of those 3 being used at any time (1 powering each bogie), with the third as a 'spare' if the battery voltages drops too low. If the unit does ever require recovery, it's more likely to be due to something else (air burst for example) rather than flat batteries.
A nuclear explosion seems a little overkill for rescuing the D Stock!
