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Class 230 units training/introduction on the Borderlands line: updates

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sw1ller

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I’d seen the photo of it before I commented this morning. It’s clearly a TfW 230 and has the logo on the front. #108-109 were comments from the 23rd of March so I assumed Yorkie was misled into thinking #110 was on about the island line units. So I was just letting him know that the poster was right to bring this up in this thread is all.
 
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ExRes

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A few photos of 230006 on Peter Tandy's site today, have to say that it looks pretty good in that livery, certainly puts a lot of other efforts in the shade
 

D365

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A few photos of 230006 on Peter Tandy's site today, have to say that it looks pretty good in that livery, certainly puts a lot of other efforts in the shade

Aye, looks far better than what I was expecting from the "artist's impressions".
 

Brissle Girl

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I suspect passengers will be far more interested in Vivarail’s ability to deliver a reliable train than a decent paint job.
 

37424

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I think the slightly revised front end and paint scheme makes it look a lot better, makes it look a bit more 21st century and less noddy than the WM units.

Have opted to retain 4 doors unlike the WM units except 1 carriage which has 3 doors by the looks of it I assume that's to accommodate a toilet.
 

Bletchleyite

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A few photos of 230006 on Peter Tandy's site today, have to say that it looks pretty good in that livery, certainly puts a lot of other efforts in the shade

Yeah, the front end does look less "space invadery" or "Pac Man ghost". It's a different shape front fairing, though, I think?

I would say it would benefit from a window band, but it doesn't look bad.
 

Neen Sollars

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Bletchleyite, Agreed, with the usual TfW (very dark green?) window band these 230`s really would have looked the business. But they do look good and Peter Tandy has captured them brilliantly, the new front moulded panels with the lower profile are a nice touch.

Bristle Girl, Exactly. They not only have to look good, but be comfortable and reliable. I suppose we will only view the inside when they enter service.
 
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WRXBID

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Does anyone have a contact e-mail or know Peter. I can't seem to find a way to contact him and would like to ask about permissions.
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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I’m really impressed; think it looks ace man, like a modern metro train you’d find in Spain or somewhere. A far cry from D Stock which was decent but did definitely look ancient
 

D365

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I suspect passengers will be far more interested in Vivarail’s ability to deliver a reliable train than a decent paint job.

Discussion about each of those aspects does not have to be mutually exclusive. As far as I’m aware, these are the first modern units operating in a diesel-battery hybrid mode. As yet, I’ve not had a chance to experience the Class 230 production units, so I’m very interested to hear how the TfW units fare.
 

Mogz

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Shortly before the lockdown I managed to get a ride on one of these from Bletchley-Bedford and return along what was part of the Varsity line (I happened to be in the area and thought “why not?”)

Having been on one now, I can say I’d like to see them on the Borderlands line- they seem reliable, comfortable and have a decent mix of destiny styles (2+2 facing, airline with decent leg room and tube-style).
 

Bletchleyite

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Shortly before the lockdown I managed to get a ride on one of these from Bletchley-Bedford and return along what was part of the Varsity line (I happened to be in the area and thought “why not?”)

Having been on one now, I can say I’d like to see them on the Borderlands line- they seem reliable, comfortable and have a decent mix of destiny styles (2+2 facing, airline with decent leg room and tube-style).

On the Marston Vale "reliable" is not what I'd call them, sadly, but above the solebar they are nice enough. The main thing that seriously needs fixing is the slow doors.
 

37424

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Shortly before the lockdown I managed to get a ride on one of these from Bletchley-Bedford and return along what was part of the Varsity line (I happened to be in the area and thought “why not?”)

Having been on one now, I can say I’d like to see them on the Borderlands line- they seem reliable, comfortable and have a decent mix of destiny styles (2+2 facing, airline with decent leg room and tube-style).

Except having retained all the doors on the Borderland units means there is likely to be less seating per carriage than the WM units and i'm guessing the transverse seating will be somewhat limited.
 
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Brissle Girl

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Discussion about each of those aspects does not have to be mutually exclusive. As far as I’m aware, these are the first modern units operating in a diesel-battery hybrid mode. As yet, I’ve not had a chance to experience the Class 230 production units, so I’m very interested to hear how the TfW units fare.
I don’t disagree, but I find it hard to get excited about the paint job on a train which has singularly failed in its first use (or should that be first reuse?) to reach a remotely acceptable degree of reliability. Until it’s proved that it can achieve that then it’s lipstick on a pig as far as I’m concerned.
 

Tony2

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Sets 230002-005 must be an error?

Re former stock numbers:

Another list I've seen for 003-005 is as follows (in brackets) which doesn't tie up with the Excel list? Note that the Excel list shows three 7122 cars and three 7067 cars as former numbers.

230 003 300003 7122 (7069)
230 003 300103 7067 (7127)
230 004 300004 7122 (7100)
230 004 300104 7067 (7500)
230 005 300005 7122 (7066)
230 005 300105 7067 (7128)

It would be good to get a definitive list if one exists!
 
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Tony2

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hobbm013

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230006 seems to have gained yellow ends, photo of it on a test run in the Railways of North Wales Facebook group
 

DarloRich

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Shortly before the lockdown I managed to get a ride on one of these from Bletchley-Bedford and return along what was part of the Varsity line (I happened to be in the area and thought “why not?”)

Having been on one now, I can say I’d like to see them on the Borderlands line- they seem reliable, comfortable and have a decent mix of destiny styles (2+2 facing, airline with decent leg room and tube-style).

reliable? Right.

Our 230's are decent to be inside, unless it is hot when they are a like a sweatbox. Also not great to be inside when they have conked out. Again. Or when walking home. Again.

On the Marston Vale "reliable" is not what I'd call them, sadly, but above the solebar they are nice enough. The main thing that seriously needs fixing is the slow doors.

Ours haven't been in service for the best part of 2 months now so perhaps some of the issues have been fixed. Is that a flying pig?
 

37424

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nice, front end looks a little strange though
It looked better without the yellow, I think it would look better if they continued the yellow to the top of the windscreen, but its still an improvement on the noddy land look of the WM units.
 
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