Class 345 progress

[samuelmorris]

After two or possibly three days with the booked 345, 2W31 is back to 315 operation today. Just when I thought progress was being made :P

 

[railfanatic]

Couple of issues that show up because of the new stopping patterns – it's not immediately obvious what stations a service will call at. As far as I remember, the next station isn't announced until after the train departs the current station, which can cause problems now that alternate services are skipping e.g. Forest Gate, Maryland, Manor Park etc. in the evenings.

I have taken this feedback on-board and proposed it to the stakeholders, although bear in mind RfL have the final say in what is announced...

 

[railfanatic]

It's very loud and unnecessarily repetitive. After leaving every station you don't need another "This is the train to Shenfield" when the same statement was made just moments before when the train was in the station.

This is needed for compliance to PRM-TSI I'm afraid.

On the visual display, why is every station shown with the circle interchange symbol? Romford, Stratford etc obviously should but the likes of Maryland, Ilford etc should not appear as an interchange.

That is just a generic circle for all stations.

 

[matt_world2004]

Very unlikely that 7 car trains will ever run in passenger service in the core. The 9 car platform screen doors would have to be controllable for length of train, and this would be an unnecessary point of failure. AIUI the Jubilee Line was not allowed to have variable train lengths when they were extended for this reason.

I believe it is possible to lock some jubilee PEDs in either an open or closed position this is used in engineering works.

 

[samuelmorris]

That may well be true but it wouldn't be an acceptable solution for having a mixed fleet of 7 or 9 car-units, they'd all have to be reduced length to justify doing that.

 

[railfanatic]

Sure. It's good that someone is asking really!
- audio skip problems have improved but remain unresolved, are still very noticeable on some units, e.g. 009

The fix is being rolled out as we speak.

- As others have said, the brevity should probably be toned down a little. I also think that telling people that trains on the Shenfield route go 'via Stratford' is redundant and adds confusion to those less familiar with the area. 'Oh, is there a different way?'

Feedback taken on-board

- Interchanges should be announced as the train approaches a station, not when departing the one previous (esp. important between Liverpool St and Stratford where 6 minutes pass between that information and the train arriving there)

Proposed to stakeholders.

- TfL status info is presumably coming soon? Surprised it still isn't on there yet

Should be rolled out in the next two months.

- If the station names on the upcoming station 'map' are big enough text to read, the destination and next stop would probably fit on screen at the same time? Saves waiting too long for the info to roll round once more stuff is added to the rotation

The big text is needed for compliance to PRM-TSI I'm afraid - currently 33.5mm high.

- People just don't 'get' the dotted line concept for the calling pattern. It's a nice idea and makes sense to me, but from hearing other passengers' comments, including other people I know, it confuses them - nowhere on the train is the full calling pattern provided unless a driver manually makes an announcement stating the amendment. There is no way to obtain that information without looking at the screen on the platform or looking it up online, which doesn't really work for irregular travellers. I really think a means by which the whole calling pattern gets displayed needs to be brought in to replace this, perhaps a line that scrolls across or something, instead of the dotted line.

Not up to me I'm afraid

Plus, if feedback goes anywhere, the door sounders are still horrendous :P

I'm only a lowly PIS Engineer...

 

[samuelmorris]

That's understandable and helpful, thanks. It does look as if you could fit four lines of text on those displays even with 33.5mm character height. Perhaps not. It's not the end of the world really, but two lines of plain black text do look like a very wasteful use of a full colour display!

I look forward to seeing what the 345 implementation of a TfL info screen looks like Here's hoping it's actually kept up to date unlike on the 700s (oh, and if the information isn't available, to hide the page, rather than have 8-day old information still showing up!)

 

[Non Multi]

That's understandable and helpful, thanks. It does look as if you could fit four lines of text on those displays even with 33.5mm character height. Perhaps not. It's not the end of the world really, but two lines of plain black text do look like a very wasteful use of a full colour display!

In this instance, less is more.

 

[railfanatic]

That's understandable and helpful, thanks. It does look as if you could fit four lines of text on those displays even with 33.5mm character height. Perhaps not. It's not the end of the world really, but two lines of plain black text do look like a very wasteful use of a full colour display!

I look forward to seeing what the 345 implementation of a TfL info screen looks like Here's hoping it's actually kept up to date unlike on the 700s (oh, and if the information isn't available, to hide the page, rather than have 8-day old information still showing up!)

I've put in logic wherein if I don't receive new information from the wayside for 300 seconds, the page will be hidden

The height of the screen is around 130mm; 4 lines will make the screen look way to busy!

 

[samuelmorris]

Just slightly too small then, that's annoying but I suppose it couldn't be any larger or people would strike their heads on it.

Good to hear sense is being applied where it wasn't for the 700s

 

[FlippyFF]

<snip>

I look forward to seeing what the 345 implementation of a TfL info screen looks like Here's hoping it's actually kept up to date unlike on the 700s (oh, and if the information isn't available, to hide the page, rather than have 8-day old information still showing up!)

To be fair to the 700s, not that I'm a fan, but the TfL status page has been getting better. Riding one the other day I noted the time stamp on the TfL status page as we arrived at Farringdon and again as we approached St Pancras and it updated between the two stops. Generally it seems more up to date but there is still the odd hiccup.

Simon

 

[samuelmorris]

Not sure about this morning as due to the delays I came in slightly earlier where I don't know the diagrams but 2W50 is a 315 substitution this evening.

On a hopefully unrelated note, the entire Eastern platform area of Liverpool Street absolutely reeks of electrical burning. Not sure what that's about!

 

[jon0844]

To be fair to the 700s, not that I'm a fan, but the TfL status page has been getting better. Riding one the other day I noted the time stamp on the TfL status page as we arrived at Farringdon and again as we approached St Pancras and it updated between the two stops. Generally it seems more up to date but there is still the odd hiccup.

On the GN software they've removed the time/date in the corner (it now just says 'Powered by TfL Open Data')!

There's also now the date/time and a constant showing of what coach you're in, along with a graphical 'see it, say it, sorted' poster instead of plain text as on the TL 700s.

 

[class387]

On the GN software they've removed the time/date in the corner (it now just says 'Powered by TfL Open Data')!

There's also now the date/time and a constant showing of what coach you're in, along with a graphical 'see it, say it, sorted' poster instead of plain text as on the TL 700s.

I do like the clock, something that I thought was missing on the 700s, but do not see the point of the 'coach x of 8' diagram, given that it is shown on the toilet and loading displays anyway.

 

[samuelmorris]

I do like the clock, something that I thought was missing on the 700s, but do not see the point of the 'coach x of 8' diagram, given that it is shown on the toilet and loading displays anyway.

Probably because that isn't shown between short station gaps. Isn't this the wrong thread for that though?

 

[700007]

I've put in logic wherein if I don't receive new information from the wayside for 300 seconds, the page will be hidden

The height of the screen is around 130mm; 4 lines will make the screen look way to busy!

Hey, that's great to hear. Thanks for the info!

Do you also work on the 315s? Is it possible to fix the Maryland, Manor Park issue so that it works?

 

[jon0844]

I do like the clock, something that I thought was missing on the 700s, but do not see the point of the 'coach x of 8' diagram, given that it is shown on the toilet and loading displays anyway.

SDO will be in use with as many as 4 cars locked out.

 

[railfanatic]

Hey, that's great to hear. Thanks for the info!

Do you also work on the 315s? Is it possible to fix the Maryland, Manor Park issue so that it works?

I don't I'm afraid, I only work on the Class 345, 710, 720, 701...

 

[700007]

I don't I'm afraid, I only work on the Class 345, 710, 720, 701...

Ah you work for Bombardier?

That is really cool. How do you determine what text goes on each screen and what audio goes where? Obviously there is many ways to convey the same message.

 

[rebmcr]

How do you determine what text goes on each screen and what audio goes where? Obviously there is many ways to convey the same message.

Strictly dictated by TfL.

 

[Domh245]

Reported elsewhere that 345021 ran under it's own power through between Abbey Wood and Connaught Tunnel in the early hours of the morning. It should make it as far as Stepney Green Junction as well during the week

 

[samuelmorris]

Exciting stuff - do we know how that compares to the originally scheduled date for that to be achieved?

 

[stratford]

Question: Does the 345 have a single gangway door on one of the carriages. There is a button that can be seen here: https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/elizabeth-train-launch-07.jpg where the gangway is narrower then usual. Any reason for this?

 

[samuelmorris]

Yeah I believe that's the divider between the two halves of the unit?

 

[Domh245]

Question: Does the 345 have a single gangway door on one of the carriages. There is a button that can be seen here: https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/elizabeth-train-launch-07.jpg where the gangway is narrower then usual. Any reason for this?

I think that acts as a fire door, or at least a way to close off sections of the train that might be filling with smoke.

 

[theageofthetra]

Reported elsewhere that 345021 ran under it's own power through between Abbey Wood and Connaught Tunnel in the early hours of the morning. It should make it as far as Stepney Green Junction as well during the week

It was berthed at Abbey Wood earlier. I hope they stick it in a tunnel before the local 'artists' graffiti it.

 

[Trailfinder]

Another 345 delivered this afternoon/evening from Old Dalby to Hayes And Harlington Loop. According to Realtime Trains going to carry out test runs between Paddington and Reading, then stabling at Maidenhead. I assume all this is weather dependent.

 

[D365]

Might be a good time for some climate testing!

 

[samuelmorris]

First example of a 345 with the wrong PIS code entered this evening. Suppose you can kind of forgive it under the circumstances, but unhelpful given tempers are already frayed. Driver has made no announcement to correct the fact that the train is stating it runs fast from Stratford to Ilford.
On opening the doors at each intermediate station it wasn't programmed for it announced Stratford again. I suppose this is one occasion when extreme brevity in the announcements pays off - very little incorrect information as there's very little information to begin with. Slightly unimpressed that the situation has occurred though!

 

[matt_world2004]

According to rtt all the 345 core tunnel testing is happening overnight, is there any reason why this is not happening during socialable hours given the tracks are completely segregated and the tunnel is not in public use,