Class 387

[fgwrich]

My god, that voice is absolutely hideous. Very disjointed and without proper emphasis on the correct words.

Also, Julie Berry's coach number announcement seems to be cut, as she says "coach number x of 8" instead of "This is coach number x of 8"

It actually sounds surprisingly better than the present GWR announcements - with the 387s announcing "This is the GWR service to xxx. The next station is xxx" than the far long winded "Welcome Abord this Great Western Railway Service to Reading We will be calling at xxx"

My reckoning is that it's down to the way the Bombardier PA system is set up - allowing these type of announcements, than what seems to be the long winded and often garbled stuff the Train FX seems to churn out.

Julie Berrys chopped off announcement does seem odd though! It reminds me a little of the Croydon Trams with 2 voices for their announcements. I can only presume Julie Berry is a stock standard for those trains.

 

[J-2739]

Is that not just because they're on AC power versus the DC areas most Electrostars work? I'd have thought their acceleration characteristics should be the same as the 387/1s north of St Pancras.

The acceleration is better on AC, but to me, it seems like the Electostars with GWR, pull out quicker the ones GTR has, even on AC. Different driver training methods maybe? (there must be a correct term for this)

 

[phoenixcronin]

The acceleration is better on AC, but to me, it seems like the Electostars with GWR, pull out quicker the ones GTR has, even on AC. Different driver training methods maybe? (there must be a correct term for this)

Don't all drivers just take full power when accelerating, assuming the speed limit allows it? Or maybe I'm just talking total bollocks

 

[samuelmorris]

It actually sounds surprisingly better than the present GWR announcements - with the 387s announcing "This is the GWR service to xxx. The next station is xxx" than the far long winded "Welcome Abord this Great Western Railway Service to Reading We will be calling at xxx"

My reckoning is that it's down to the way the Bombardier PA system is set up - allowing these type of announcements, than what seems to be the long winded and often garbled stuff the Train FX seems to churn out.

Julie Berrys chopped off announcement does seem odd though! It reminds me a little of the Croydon Trams with 2 voices for their announcements. I can only presume Julie Berry is a stock standard for those trains.

I assume it's because they're using old stock recordings for the rest of the announcements. If not, the use of two separate voices is bizarre. I know they do it on TfL with the S-stock having a different voice for the 'please mind the gap' announcement, to perhaps draw attention to it (indeed having changed the voice twice since the stock's introduction only 6 years ago!) but I don't see the purpose in doing it intentionally with coach numbers. It sounds if anything even more disjointed on Overground 378s, as the interstation distances are so close that the announcements don't have a chance to finish - especially since the 'this station has a short platform' message is played twice. It's not uncommon for the PIS on 378s to be talking non-stop for the entirety of the journey through the old East London line core section without more than 5-10 seconds' let up because of this.

As far as cutting off the 'this is' before the coach number, at least it still makes sense. To this day the DLR still says 'Light? please move towards the centre of the train' rather than 'to alight', but then that whole system is rather shoddy, in stark contrast to the DLR itself.

 

[AM9]

The acceleration is better on AC, but to me, it seems like the Electostars with GWR, pull out quicker the ones GTR has, even on AC. Different driver training methods maybe? (there must be a correct term for this)

That depends on what you are comparing. The GWML is substantially flat to Reading, unlike the MML between St Pancras and Bedford.

 

[phoenixcronin]

I assume it's because they're using old stock recordings for the rest of the announcements. If not, the use of two separate voices is bizarre. I know they do it on TfL with the S-stock having a different voice for the 'please mind the gap' announcement, to perhaps draw attention to it (indeed having changed the voice twice since the stock's introduction only 6 years ago!) but I don't see the purpose in doing it intentionally with coach numbers. It sounds if anything even more disjointed on Overground 378s, as the interstation distances are so close that the announcements don't have a chance to finish - especially since the 'this station has a short platform' message is played twice. It's not uncommon for the PIS on 378s to be talking non-stop for the entirety of the journey through the old East London line core section without more than 5-10 seconds' let up because of this.

As far as cutting off the 'this is' before the coach number, at least it still makes sense. To this day the DLR still says 'Light? please move towards the centre of the train' rather than 'to alight', but then that whole system is rather shoddy, in stark contrast to the DLR itself.

The Overground 378s have pretty terrible announcements as well, with a very monotone and boring voice, as well as the non-stop talking you mentioned, which is very annoying. Not to mention their DMI screens, which are all out of sync with eachother, with some of them blank/off all the time. Very dodgy!

 

[AlexNL]

Don't all drivers just take full power when accelerating, assuming the speed limit allows it? Or maybe I'm just talking total bollocks

I don't think drivers do that in passenger service, as the initial shock would be seen as uncomfortable by passengers. Start off with a bit of power and gradually increase it to full power is seen as a more comfortable way of driving a train, and it only saves some seconds.


I don't know how drivers like to treat ECS though

 

[samuelmorris]

The Overground 378s have pretty terrible announcements as well, with a very monotone and boring voice, as well as the non-stop talking you mentioned, which is very annoying. Not to mention their DMI screens, which are all out of sync with eachother, with some of them blank/off all the time. Very dodgy!

I don't actually mind the monotone voice so much, it's not good or bad, it just suffices. On GWR the intonation actually sounds wrong, almost sarcastic? The recording on the 378s is also clear, which I wouldn't say is true for the GWR 387s either. I mean, I can still hear and understand it, but probably less so with lots of other ambient noise.

 

[Fincra5]

I don't think drivers do that in passenger service, as the initial shock would be seen as uncomfortable by passengers. Start off with a bit of power and gradually increase it to full power is seen as a more comfortable way of driving a train, and it only saves some seconds.


I don't know how drivers like to treat ECS though

Depends on the Unit i'd imagine... modern trains seem to regulate the actual output via a computer as opposed to just throwing it all out there like older EMUs

 

[Kneedown]

I don't think drivers do that in passenger service, as the initial shock would be seen as uncomfortable by passengers. Start off with a bit of power and gradually increase it to full power is seen as a more comfortable way of driving a train, and it only saves some seconds.


I don't know how drivers like to treat ECS though

Same as passenger. Progressive acceleration is good practice whether on passenger, ecs or freight.
If it came to light on an OTDR that a Driver was opening right up to the max from a stand, said Driver would certainly be having a discussion about it with a DM.

 

[jon0844]

My god, that voice is absolutely hideous. Very disjointed and without proper emphasis on the correct words.

Also, Julie Berry's coach number announcement seems to be cut, as she says "coach number x of 8" instead of "This is coach number x of 8"

Sounds like she was trying not to laugh when doing the recordings? Sounds very poor.

 

[urpert]

I assume it's because they're using old stock recordings for the rest of the announcements. If not, the use of two separate voices is bizarre. I know they do it on TfL with the S-stock having a different voice for the 'please mind the gap' announcement, to perhaps draw attention to it (indeed having changed the voice twice since the stock's introduction only 6 years ago!) but I don't see the purpose in doing it intentionally with coach numbers. It sounds if anything even more disjointed on Overground 378s, as the interstation distances are so close that the announcements don't have a chance to finish - especially since the 'this station has a short platform' message is played twice. It's not uncommon for the PIS on 378s to be talking non-stop for the entirety of the journey through the old East London line core section without more than 5-10 seconds' let up because of this.

As far as cutting off the 'this is' before the coach number, at least it still makes sense. To this day the DLR still says 'Light? please move towards the centre of the train' rather than 'to alight', but then that whole system is rather shoddy, in stark contrast to the DLR itself.

The DLR system also says "Iss train is for Lewisham".

 

[phoenixcronin]

The DLR system also says "Iss train is for Lewisham".

"At... Cutty Sark thefirsttwosetsandlaststwosetsof doors will not open"

 

[samuelmorris]

While we're on that tangent, it took me a couple of times to understand what 'The next stop is Island Gardens at Cutty Sark' meant, before I realised it was a new sentence...

 

[The Growl]

Always thought they look especially stupid with blue lights, and taking away the bonded glazing seemed like a retro step. Other than than it just another boring leccystar, with an even more boring set of liveries. C2C, GTR, GX. Only GWR impresses me.

 

[phoenixcronin]

Always thought they look especially stupid with blue lights, and taking away the bonded glazing seemed like a retro step. Other than than it just another boring leccystar, with an even more boring set of liveries. C2C, GTR, GX. Only GWR impresses me.

I actually prefer the newer rounded windows, seems more modern to me. Although I'm not sure what to call them, if it were a bus I would say "gasket glazing" but I'm not sure if that's the proper name

 

[The Growl]

I actually prefer the newer rounded windows, seems more modern to me. Although I'm not sure what to call them, if it were a bus I would say "gasket glazing" but I'm not sure if that's the proper name

I'm not sure if they're gasket as I've no knowledge of any actual black seals anywhere.

 

[asylumxl]

I'm not sure if they're gasket as I've no knowledge of any actual black seals anywhere.

I too preferred the ribbon glazing used in the 377s etc. The sill could be used as a relatively comfortable arm rest.

 

[The Growl]

The sill could be used as a relatively comfortable arm rest.

It seems a little too high for that, and not too padded.

 

[J-2739]

It seems a little too high for that, and not too padded.

Still, it's better than no armrest.

 

[387star]

Have the five (soon to be six) 387/2s that have moved over from tl to gx gained gx branding yet and have they ehtered service with gx? If so how many more weeks of 442s on gx uduties do we have?

Soon just the southern eight - four as spares- for peak time btn to london bridge and eastbourne to london bridge

I guess they will need to retain conductors for those duties

 

[Class377/5]

387202/206 have been branded and currently sat at Tilgate Sidings. They will attach to a 3rd unit today and head to Hove to enter service on Monday morning. I haven't decided what train yet.

287223 is at Lovers for the day and come midnight magically turns into a GatEx unit. 223 will head to Stewarts Lane Monday, picking 387222 up on route.

387201/203 are at Stewarts Lane already being converted.

 

[D365]

I haven't decided what train yet.

387223 is at Lovers for the day and come midnight magically turns into a GatEx unit.

Are you some kind of fleet wizard?

 

[swt_passenger]

Soon just the southern eight - four as spares- for peak time btn to london bridge and eastbourne to london bridge

I thought it was going to be 6 to support 4 in service. 50% utilisation would be a waste of money.

 

[Nippy]

387136 is being or has been delivered to North Pole Depot this evening.

 

[physics34]

Always thought they look especially stupid with blue lights, and taking away the bonded glazing seemed like a retro step. Other than than it just another boring leccystar, with an even more boring set of liveries. C2C, GTR, GX. Only GWR impresses me.

As far as iam aware it takes 24 hours for the special "glue" to dry when the ribbon glazing has to be replaced if smashed by vandalism etc etc... whereas the normal glazing is just a case of taking a pane out and replacing it within a few minutes.

I assume the ribbon glazing was originally bought in to give the units a "modern" look.

 

[Class377/5]

Are you some kind of fleet wizard?

No, just tonight's decider, and this is what is happening

387202/206 will have their first day in traffic with GatEx on Monday 12th September working the following

5A55 05+40 Hove Yard to Brighton via Preston Park
1A05 06.30 Brighton to Victoria
1A12 08.00 Victoria to Brighton
1A25 09.18 Brighton to Victoria
1A32 10.30 Victoria to Brighton
5A32 11+38 Brighton to Lovers Walk

Units may be swapped over after this but the remaining part of the diagram is

5A03 16+34 Lovers Walk to Brighton
1A03 17.20 Brighton to Victoria
1A08 18.44 Victoria to Brighton
1A17 20.20 Brighton to Victoria
1A20 21.30 Victoria to Brighton
1A27 22.55 Brighton to Victoria
5T57 00+07 Victoria to Stewarts Lane

387221 will be north, 206 middle and 202 south end

 

[387star]

Now we are roughly 100% 387s on Gatwick express how are they being received by Brighton commuters and airport travellers?

Is the frosted sliding door to first a fire/safety door or just there to segregate the first class?

 

[Bletchleyite]

As far as iam aware it takes 24 hours for the special "glue" to dry when the ribbon glazing has to be replaced if smashed by vandalism etc etc... whereas the normal glazing is just a case of taking a pane out and replacing it within a few minutes.



I assume the ribbon glazing was originally bought in to give the units a "modern" look.

It was, but in reality it's a 1990s look.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[phoenixcronin]

Now we are roughly 100% 387s on Gatwick express how are they being received by Brighton commuters and airport travellers?

Is the frosted sliding door to first a fire/safety door or just there to segregate the first class?

One would hope that there would be more of substantial "first class" to segregate, as there really isn't any difference other than the antimacassars. Hopefully they'll get upgraded with a proper first class in due course