Class 345 progress

[JonathanH]

Perhaps, although a 387 would be fine there, so I doubt that it's a real issue.

Yes, but 387s don't have a door in the middle of the carriage. I can't quite remember but isn't in the middle door of coach 9 that doesn't open on one of the platforms at Paddington?

 

[JN114]

Yes, but 387s don't have a door in the middle of the carriage. I can't quite remember but isn't in the middle door of coach 9 that doesn't open on one of the platforms at Paddington?

The 345 I was on a couple of days ago, car 7 from buffer stops at Paddington platform 12 the centre doors would not open; nor any coaches further west.

Having seen the gulf between the train and the platform edge at the centre door, it’s an eminently sensible stance to be taking.

 

[swt_passenger]

The 345 I was on a couple of days ago, car 7 from buffer stops at Paddington platform 12 the centre doors would not open; nor any coaches further west.

Having seen the gulf between the train and the platform edge at the centre door, it’s an eminently sensible stance to be taking.

And of course it’s only a temporary solution until the trains all use the low level route.

 

[paulravuslante]

The 345 I was on a couple of days ago, car 7 from buffer stops at Paddington platform 12 the centre doors would not open; nor any coaches further west.

Having seen the gulf between the train and the platform edge at the centre door, it’s an eminently sensible stance to be taking.

Yes it’s something like coaches 4 to 9 from the buffers that have the centre doors locked out at Paddington from memory.

 

[Horizon22]

Yes it’s something like coaches 4 to 9 from the buffers that have the centre doors locked out at Paddington from memory.

Yes that sounds about right.

 

[ijmad]

And of course it’s only a temporary solution until the trains all use the low level route.

Will some provision be kept so the 345s can be diverted to the high level station during times of engineering or disruption? Or is the reversing capacity of the sidings and Paddington low level considered sufficient?

 

[matt_world2004]

Will some provision be kept so the 345s can be diverted to the high level station during times of engineering or disruption? Or is the reversing capacity of the sidings and Paddington low level considered sufficient?

I believe CR driver's will retain route knowledge to go into Paddington high level . How regularly they will use this once crossrail is fully opened remains to be seen.

 

[swt_passenger]

Will some provision be kept so the 345s can be diverted to the high level station during times of engineering or disruption? Or is the reversing capacity of the sidings and Paddington low level considered sufficient?

I would expect so. What there won’t be is a timetabled equivalent of the peak workings into Liverpool St on the other side.

 

[wagnaga]

I would expect so. What there won’t be is a timetabled equivalent of the peak workings into Liverpool St on the other side.

How do drivers retain working knowledge in these scenarios?

 

[swt_passenger]

How do drivers retain working knowledge in these scenarios?

Might be by using empty stock moves at start or end of the day.

 

[rebmcr]

How do drivers retain working knowledge in these scenarios?

Might be by using empty stock moves at start or end of the day.

Also possible by sharing a handful of semi-fast diagrams between MTR and GWR, in this case it would not be possible to share only the crew (like Northern with TPE and Scotrail) because that would require the MTR drivers to sign non-345 traction.

 

[JonathanH]

Is the Crossrail core going to have a planned closure, like the one that applies to the Thameslink core on Sunday mornings?

 

[stuu]

Isn't the Thameslink shutdown because the service runs 24 hours a day during the week? Crossrail won't be afaik

 

[Horizon22]

Will some provision be kept so the 345s can be diverted to the high level station during times of engineering or disruption? Or is the reversing capacity of the sidings and Paddington low level considered sufficient?

Don't think anything is currently planned in peak. If GWR were running 100% of their Dec '19 timetable it would be rather tight (including 1 platform Heathrow Express working)

Disruption wise as everything is going much further West, it would have to be fairly major as the turnaround times would be huge - maybe they could alternate inward and outward. But for planned engineering that may well be feasible.

 

[Aictos]

I travel though Abbey Wood once a week and today I saw a number of trains advertising Paddington as the destination.

Indeed today was the first time I've actually seen trains use the Crossrail platforms at Abbey Wood.

One thing I did noticed and I think this may be a first is the side CIS displays show both Destination and Headcode.

 

[SolomonSouth]

I travel though Abbey Wood once a week and today I saw a number of trains advertising Paddington as the destination.

Indeed today was the first time I've actually seen trains use the Crossrail platforms at Abbey Wood.

One thing I did noticed and I think this may be a first is the side CIS displays show both Destination and Headcode.

Seems like it is making progress then

 

[rebmcr]

One thing I did noticed and I think this may be a first is the side CIS displays show both Destination and Headcode.

I would happily bet money that the headcode is to help with trial running operations, and is planned to be turned off before passenger service.

 

[paulravuslante]

I would happily bet money that the headcode is to help with trial running operations, and is planned to be turned off before passenger service.

Headcodes are already shown on 345s in service on the east / west routes.

 

[Aictos]

Headcodes are already shown on 345s in service on the east / west routes.

I wouldn't know, my travels don't involve routes from either Liverpool Street or Paddington.

 

[matt_world2004]

I would happily bet money that the headcode is to help with trial running operations, and is planned to be turned off before passenger service.

They are shown in service on the side panels already it's to help with booked assistance records

 

[rebmcr]

Headcodes are already shown on 345s in service on the east / west routes.

Many thanks for not taking the bet!

 

[Defiance149]

Or maybe it hasn't been lengthened at all given a locomotive is on the way for a transit move to Ilford later.

I believe the lengthening has stopped for now, not aware of any cars coming south since those for 345010.

 

[JonathanH]

I believe the lengthening has stopped for now, not aware of any cars coming south since those for 345010.

Yes, the fact that 345006 looked like it was about to be towed back to Ilford indicated that it had not been lengthened.

I note that depot line 1 at Old Oak Depot remains shut after last week's derailment with everything entering via the northernmost line or the washer bypass route.

It looks like there is a path in for a drag to Ilford tomorrow (which presumably is 345006).

EDIT: no signs of the path being used

 

[Horizon22]

Headcodes are already shown on 345s in service on the east / west routes.

Yes but they regularly show "8xxx" in the West which seems to be something of an anomaly.

I travel though Abbey Wood once a week and today I saw a number of trains advertising Paddington as the destination.

Indeed today was the first time I've actually seen trains use the Crossrail platforms at Abbey Wood.

One thing I did noticed and I think this may be a first is the side CIS displays show both Destination and Headcode.

Can see them on the approach to Paddington in Westbourne Park sidings too showing Abbey Wood.

 

[SolomonSouth]

Yes, the fact that 345006 looked like it was about to be towed back to Ilford indicated that it had not been lengthened.

I note that depot line 1 at Old Oak Depot remains shut after last week's derailment with everything entering via the northernmost line or the washer bypass route.

It looks like there is a path in for a drag to Ilford tomorrow (which presumably is 345006).

So how many 345s are still to be lengthened? Or are they all done now?

 

[paulravuslante]

Yes but they regularly show "8xxx" in the West which seems to be something of an anomaly.


Can see them on the approach to Paddington in Westbourne Park sidings too showing Abbey Wood.

The 8xxx are dummy codes where the correct headcode hasn’t been input into the system or doesn’t show the correct stopping pattern / destination for the service.
Most of them are in but returning from T4 back to PAD always seems to be the one that doesn’t work properly these days.

At WBP I believe you should be able to see that but the train takes a 3Uxx ECS headcode so i’m not 100% sure.

 

[Horizon22]

The 8xxx are dummy codes where the correct headcode hasn’t been input into the system or doesn’t show the correct stopping pattern / destination for the service.
Most of them are in but returning from T4 back to PAD always seems to be the one that doesn’t work properly these days.

At WBP I believe you should be able to see that but the train takes a 3Uxx ECS headcode so i’m not 100% sure.

The Hayes shuttles also used to have them, but I've not given them much of a browse since they swapped the Heathrow / Hayes departures times over.

 

[paulravuslante]

The Hayes shuttles also used to have them, but I've not given them much of a browse since they swapped the Heathrow / Hayes departures times over.

Yes, any train can use them but only when necessary which is becoming a rarity now fortunately.

 

[TFN]

Yes but they regularly show "8xxx" in the West which seems to be something of an anomaly.

I've noticed that when they come in empty from T4 they show "8Axx" but as soon as the doors close at Heathrow Central, it changes to "9Txx".

I'm not sure if it's the driver that does the change.

 

[paulravuslante]

I've noticed that when they come in empty from T4 they show "8Axx" but as soon as the doors close at Heathrow Central, it changes to "9Txx".

I'm not sure if it's the driver that does the change.

The driver can set it up to do that when setting up the cab for an ECS trip followed by a passenger service.
Alternatively it can be changed by the driver manually when necessary.

However there was a glitch in new software which meant the trains wouldn’t recognise where they were and defaulted to locking out doors automatically when using the preemptive headcode. As trains reversed at T4 this meant only the middle 3 carriage’s doors would be unlocked.

This may have been fixed if you have witnessed the headcode change straight after doors being released. I haven’t been brave enough to try it out again.