Class 345 progress

[cactustwirly]

Looking at iris tiger along the GW line and Railcam for Slough today, it does appear that a large number of the western-side workings are being covered by 9-car units now.

By my reckoning the timetable requires five units of which four are showing as 9-car and one as 7-car today.

While the resolution on the railcam feed isn't perfect for taking numbers, it does seem to be possible if trains are caught at the side of the frame. Accordingly, I have just seen:
345060 working 9P48 1052 Reading to London Paddington
345053 working 9R48 1043 London Paddington to Reading

I'll have to see if I can catch the others. 345060 not reported in service previously (but reports of course have been lacking).

That's what I've observed, some of my cycle routes take me along the GWML for a few stretches, seen mostly 9 car 345s, but I have seen at least one 7 car.

 

[JonathanH]

Right, full list for today from Railcam observations at Slough

345060 working 9P48 1052 Reading to London Paddington (9-car)
345010 working 9P52 1122 Reading to London Paddington (7-car)
345053 working 9R48 1043 London Paddington to Reading (9-car)
345027 working 9R52 1113 London Paddington to Reading (9-car)
345054 working 9R56 1143 London Paddington to Reading (9-car)

 

[kevin_roche]

Looking at iris tiger along the GW line and Railcam for Slough today, it does appear that a large number of the western-side workings are being covered by 9-car units now.

On the TfL website, the monthly report for March 2020 from Mark Wild to the London Assembly Transport Committee has been published. It says:

The first full-length trains began operating in passenger service to Hayes & Harlington on 9 March, with the full-length trains to Reading introduced at the end of March. The first fulllength train to Heathrow is expected to commence during April.

Its good to see that the problems with the software are being solved and the full-length units going into service.

 

[Peter Sarf]

On the TfL website, the monthly report for March 2020 from Mark Wild to the London Assembly Transport Committee has been published. It says:



Its good to see that the problems with the software are being solved and the full-length units going into service.

Your right. It should hail the the extensive roll out of Aventras everywhere soon I hope. Now all we need are the passengers ......

 

[Beemax]

If you've finally got the trains running ok, the last thing you want to do is ruin things by adding passengers.

 

[JonathanH]

345058 is a further 9-car unit in service today on 9P24 0752 Reading to London Paddington

 

[Roast Veg]

If you've finally got the trains running ok, the last thing you want to do is ruin things by adding passengers.

Oh if only I could favourite a reply.

 

[mic505]

Is the emergency timetable running 2tph Paddington-Reading and 2tph Paddington-Heathrow only? If so, are the 345's in traffic to Heathrow or is it still 360's?

 

[JN114]

Is the emergency timetable running 2tph Paddington-Reading and 2tph Paddington-Heathrow only? If so, are the 345's in traffic to Heathrow or is it still 360's?

Still 360s - while the 345s can now run on the Heathrow branch for testing and driver training under ETCS, the systems still haven’t been signed off for use on passenger trains yet.

 

[goldenarrow]

Is the emergency timetable running 2tph Paddington-Reading and 2tph Paddington-Heathrow only?

Yes, just those two half hourly TfL Rail services augmented by an hourly GWR stopping service. Heathrow services take up Acton Mainline in place of the withdrawn Hayes & Harlington workings.

 

[matt_world2004]

Yes, just those two half hourly TfL Rail services augmented by an hourly GWR stopping service. Heathrow services take up Acton Mainline in place of the withdrawn Hayes & Harlington workings.

Acton main line was recorded on the DVA for the class 360s when the class 360s used to stop at Acton main line before during similar withdrawals they didn't speak the station.

 

[JonathanH]

345021 in service today as a 9-car on 9P60 1222 Reading to London Paddington.

345063 restored to a 9-car as well also out today in service today having operated as a 7-car from the end of December.

 

[59CosG95]

https://flic.kr/p/2iYT2pc 345023 was moved down to Old Oak from Worksop on May 6th.

 

[vanillasplash]

Rode on a 9 car 345 in full Elizabeth line livery from Reading - Maidenhead yesterday.. really thought they'd at least Tfl rail the bugger

 

[JonathanH]

Rode on a 9 car 345 in full Elizabeth line livery from Reading - Maidenhead yesterday.. really thought they'd at least Tfl rail the bugger

All of the 345s are in Elizabeth Line livery with, I think, 'TfL Rail' in the roundels. Were you expecting it to be in the same colour scheme as the 315s until such time as the through route opens?

 

[JonathanH]

The operations on the west side of London to Reading seem to have settled down to a 9-car service using 345021/27/28/37/53/54/58/60/63/64 although occasionally a 7-car appears. It will be interesting to see whether an uplift to the timetable on 18 May sees a few extra 9-cars in use or whether it will be a mix of 7- and 9-car units.

345030/34/35/43/61 appear to be the main group of 9-car units in use on the daily training / testing runs out to Reading.

There are also units working test / training runs to Heathrow from Paddington.

RTT indicates that the 'Heathrow Connect' operation will be run from Old Oak Depot from 18 May which is clearly the long term plan but I assume that there will be 'short term plan' changes to that to continue 360s until 345s are approved for passenger operation to the Airport.

 

[matt_world2004]

All of the 345s are in Elizabeth Line livery with, I think, 'TfL Rail' in the roundels. Were you expecting it to be in the same colour scheme as the 315s until such time as the through route opens?

Some of the 7-9 car converts are running with Elizabeth line roundels on the additional carriages only.

 

[Non Multi]

I look forward to trying out the full length sets when I'm allowed to use trains again, although I'll have to get used to selective door opening at my 2 local stations. Social distancing on the 7 car 345s was normal well before Covid-19 came along, as the 345s are unsurprisingly lightly loaded off peak between Slough and Reading.

 

[matt_world2004]

[QUOTE="JonathanH, post: 4571411, member: 10471]
RTT indicates that the 'Heathrow Connect' operation will be run from Old Oak Depot from 18 May which is clearly the long term plan but I assume that there will be 'short term plan' changes to that to continue 360s until 345s are approved for passenger operation to the Airport.
[/QUOTE]
Class 345s will run to Heathrow from the 17th May hanwell station will get an uplift to 4tph same with Acton main line.Thos may change with the closure of terminal 4 causing a loss in capacity.

 

[Energy]

[QUOTE="JonathanH, post: 4571411, member: 10471]
RTT indicates that the 'Heathrow Connect' operation will be run from Old Oak Depot from 18 May which is clearly the long term plan but I assume that there will be 'short term plan' changes to that to continue 360s until 345s are approved for passenger operation to the Airport.
[//QUOTE]
Class 345s will run to Heathrow from the 17th May hanwell station will get an uplift to 4tph same with Acton main line.Thos may change with the closure of terminal 4 causing a loss in capacity.

Please change [QUOTE="JonathanH, post: 4571411, member: 10471] to be [QUOTE="JonathanH, post: 4571411, member: 10471"] (without the bold) so it shows as a quote. (I've stuck an extra slash on one of the [/QUOTE] things so it shows correctly in this message and doesn't end the quote early.)

 

[JonathanH]

Class 345s will run to Heathrow from the 17th May hanwell station will get an uplift to 4tph same with Acton main line.Thos may change with the closure of terminal 4 causing a loss in capacity.

Ah, yes, RTT indicates a 4tph TfL Rail service to Terminal 4 at the moment from 17 May but I note what you indicate about the Terminal 4 closure

Is Heathrow restricted to 9-car class 345 operation or will there be 7-car and 9-car mixed on Reading and Heathrow services?

 

[paulravuslante]

Ah, yes, RTT indicates a 4tph TfL Rail service to Terminal 4 at the moment from 17 May but I note what you indicate about the Terminal 4 closure

Is Heathrow restricted to 9-car class 345 operation or will there be 7-car and 9-car mixed on Reading and Heathrow services?

Only 9 cars to Heathrow because 7 cars do not have ETCS fitted.

 

[JN114]

Only 9 cars to Heathrow because 7 cars do not have ETCS fitted.

To be pedantic, they don’t have ETCS enabled - the hardware is built into the train, just not turned on in software.

 

[paulravuslante]

To be pedantic, they don’t have ETCS enabled - the hardware is built into the train, just not turned on in software.

Well I’ve been trained incorrectly it seems then....

 

[Nippy]

They were built with ETCS fitted weren't they?

 

[popeter45]

They were built with ETCS fitted weren't they?

yes but the Stopgap software used by the 7 Car Units doesnt have ETCS enabled on them

 

[rebmcr]

Well I’ve been trained incorrectly it seems then....

To be fair, from a training point of view "not fitted" and "not connected to the software" are identical.

It only becomes relevant when discussing how quickly a depot could get the fleet converted.

 

[33021]

Early 7 cars did not have ETCS fitted, later conversions from 9 cars did have equipment but isolated.

 

[fat_boy_pete]

The ORR have authorized ETCS level 2 operation on class 345 to Heathrow see https://twitter.com/railandroad/status/1259872259407261700?s=19

 

[itfcfan]

The ORR have authorized ETCS level 2 operation on class 345 to Heathrow see https://twitter.com/railandroad/status/1259872259407261700?s=19

Good news!

With the current emergency timetable, there is a 2tph TFL Rail service between Paddington and Heathrow at the moment (the Hayes & Harlington terminators aren't running). So no 7/9car class 345 are running in passenger service on this stretch and instead only class 360 (5 car) are running.
You can see an example of the weekday service here:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...-05-15/1200?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=XR

From Monday, the timetable is shown increasing to 4tph TFL Rail between Paddington and Heathrow:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...-05-18/1200?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=XR

As I understand it, this level of service is impossible with class 360, so (if the data is correct?) then it seems class 345 will start in passenger service then. Having 4tph of 9 carriages (36 carriages per hour) instead of 2tph of 5 carriages (10 carriages per hour) should certainly help with social distancing for the people continuing to use this service for work.

Does anyone know if the data above is correct? Will 4tph of class 345 to Heathrow start next week?