Class 345 progress

[Lockwood]

Another on 2W53. You're not on the same train I am are you?

Wivenswold: I also gate when documentaries do that, drives me nuts. I was only thinking about it the other day as well!

It's because there's a tight schedule to filming a documentary so they add all the padding in voiceovers.
If they have to redo an interview, it could push the schedule back and cost thousands.
If the effects department don't perform to spec, it could push the schedule......

 

[wipers]

The TfL board minutes for 30 January meeting are available and have a good update on the Elizabeth Line more broadly but also the 345 introduction. Interesting paragraph below;

TfL Rail (pre-Elizabeth line) services between Liverpool Street and Shenfield continue to operate with generally high reliability. There has been a recent dip in performance compared to earlier in the year as the new Class 345 trains are introduced alongside the existing services and Network Rail rebuilds the points and sidings at Gidea Park in readiness for full Elizabeth line services. In Period 10 (11 December 2017 to 6 January 2018) the Public Performance Measure (PPM) was 91.2 per cent and the Moving Annual Average (MAA) 94.1 per cent remains the fourth highest nationwide.

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/board-20180130-item10-elizabeth-line.pdf

 

[Alfie1014]

TfL Rail (pre-Elizabeth line) services between Liverpool Street and Shenfield continue to operate with generally high reliability. There has been a recent dip in performance compared to earlier in the year as the new Class 345 trains are introduced alongside the existing services and Network Rail rebuilds the points and sidings at Gidea Park in readiness for full Elizabeth line services. In Period 10 (11 December 2017 to 6 January 2018) the Public Performance Measure (PPM) was 91.2 per cent and the Moving Annual Average (MAA) 94.1 per cent remains the fourth highest nationwide.

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/board-20180130-item10-elizabeth-line.pdf

I think it would be more surprising if it wasn’t performing ‘so well’; after all it is the simplist operation on the network (straight up and down), currently has shed loads of management effort due to the emergence of Crossrail and not withstanding the disruption due to the on-going work is benefiting from enhanced infrastructure, (new turn backs at Chadwell Heath and Brentwood, extra platform and remodelling at Shenfield etc...)

What potentially is more worrying are reports on the London Reconnections website of serious problems with the power supply at the eastern end. It states that three attempts since last November to liven up the supply have failed, the first resulting in an explosion. https://www.londonreconnections.com/2017/crossrail-finishing-job

If this isn’t resolved ASAP there will be prescious little for Her Maj to open in December.

The reports about the power supply problems are towards the end of the article in the comments section. I’m sorry I appear to be unable to cut and paste an extract from the comments section on my current device.

 

[samuelmorris]

I saw the remarks about that and yes they are rather concerning, considering this is the self contained part of Crossrail that isn't subject to any of the mayhem of upgrading legacy infrastructure I was hoping for a smoother introduction. Here's hoping they get it sorted by the time the driver training runs are to begin. That's meant to be June isn't it?

 

[Bigbru]

I saw the remarks about that and yes they are rather concerning, considering this is the self contained part of Crossrail that isn't subject to any of the mayhem of upgrading legacy infrastructure I was hoping for a smoother introduction. Here's hoping they get it sorted by the time the driver training runs are to begin. That's meant to be June isn't it?

I believe training should have already begun

 

[samuelmorris]

In the core under ATO though? That's what I was referring to

 

[Bigbru]

system testing and gauging was due to start last Nov I believe

 

[Ronnie268]

I'm pretty sure the driver training won't have begun, given they haven't managed to energise the tunnels yet.

 

[Class313:)]

havent they?

 

[theking]

Apparently only energised yesterday for the first time and no testing till end of February

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42921305

 

[Class313:)]

did anything explode

 

[simple simon]

If they want a 'good PR' exercise but for technical reasons can't open the planned route later this year they could do a lot worse than open Whitechapel - Abbey Wood as a starter which allows them to say that passenger services have commenced.

This will get trains to Canary Wharf ( a source of funding!) and to the Excel exhibition centre.

The Jubilee Line extension opened in small stages with a gap in the middle too!

Simon

 

[physics34]

Apparently only energised yesterday for the first time and no testing till end of February

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42921305

nice negative press from the BBC as usual

 

[lordbusiness]

Very little 345 activity yesterday at Shenfield. 345016 in the sidings but other than that all 315s

 

[swt_passenger]

What potentially is more worrying are reports on the London Reconnections website of serious problems with the power supply at the eastern end. It states that three attempts since last November to liven up the supply have failed, the first resulting in an explosion. https://www.londonreconnections.com/2017/crossrail-finishing-job

If this isn’t resolved ASAP there will be prescious little for Her Maj to open in December.

The reports about the power supply problems are towards the end of the article in the comments section. I’m sorry I appear to be unable to cut and paste an extract from the comments section on my current device.

The Crossrail power supply problems are also discussed in our own infrastructure sub-forum of course. Reported to be fixed now as well...

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/crossrail-construction.149332/page-2

 

[D365]

If they want a 'good PR' exercise but for technical reasons can't open the planned route later this year they could do a lot worse than open Whitechapel - Abbey Wood as a starter which allows them to say that passenger services have commenced.

The plan was always to start with Paddington-Abbey Wood this year.

 

[matt_world2004]

Very little 345 activity yesterday at Shenfield. 345016 in the sidings but other than that all 315s

I rode a 345 yesterday and two passed us in the evening peak so some were running.

 

[Malcolmffc]

The plan was always to start with Paddington-Abbey Wood this year.

There is no reversing facility at Whitechapel AFAIK.

 

[jimm]

nice negative press from the BBC as usual

Where in all that lot were they supposed to find many positives?

Reading between the lines of what was being said at the TfL board and by the mayor, it looks like there are some very serious doubts about sticking to the budget and opening on time, never mind that the 345s are still causing big headaches after six months in operation.

 

[Class313:)]

:roll. I am surprised they got this far quite frankly. Probably a record for post-BR projects. Anyone know why the BBC are so negative

 

[Wivenswold]

Easy stuff to report basically. BBC are on a constant economy drive when it comes to production so this is a nice little story for them, most of the info is on the internet, quick interview across town and then file it.

I'm not knocking the BBC though, it's a great thing that we have in general. Most of the nonsense about bias comes from "independent" media, most of which is owned by organisations in direct competition with the Beeb or are mouthpieces for Russia's hybrid war with the world and therefore are only out to destabilize this great country.

Sorry, back to Crossrail.

 

[Class465fan]

So have the fixed the electric wires or are they still trying to fix it?

 

[Class313:)]

they've fixed it and turned it on and nothing exploded (this time) So 345 training can proceed.

 

[gwr4090]

Very little 345 activity yesterday at Shenfield. 345016 in the sidings but other than that all 315s

Havn't the Class 345s been withdrawn from service because of door problems, or maybe that was a false alarm ?

 

[Domh245]

Havn't the Class 345s been withdrawn from service because of door problems, or maybe that was a false alarm ?

Seemed to be temporary, as they've been re-entering service since.

 

[iphone76]

They are slowly returning back to service after modifications have been made.

 

[rebmcr]

There is no reversing facility at Whitechapel AFAIK.

There is a facing crossover immediately to the west of the platforms at Whitechapel. The only other reversing facility in the central tunnelled section is a trailing crossover between Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon-Barbican.

 

[samuelmorris]

First time traveling on a 345 during the morning peak from Brentwood since the early test diagrams. Not sure if that's just a reshuffle or the result of more coming into service. Overheard quite a few complaints about the lack of seating but that's to be expected. Service was fully laden by Goodmayes and the lack of grabrails in between the transverse seats underneath the PIS displays led to some awkward exchanges!

Evening diagrams have been swapped round - 1812 LST-SNF is now 345, 1804 has returned to 315.

 

[700007]

I think there's only two in service at present from what I can see, no more than three and they tend to stay on peak-only duties for the most of it, leaving the 315s to do all the off-peak work for now.

 

[samuelmorris]

I haven't confirmed any more than 3 yet but there are at least that many, it seemed like this morning to be honest. Evening peak wise, 2W50, 2W56 and 2C72 all seem to be 345s at present. Morning-wise it's at least 2W16 and 2W31.