class 450/444

[387star]

Saw a class 444 joined to a 450 today in passenger service is this at all unusual?

 

[Oracle]

Saw one yesterday evening at Totton on a stopper for Bournemouth or Poole with a 444 + 450. It seems to happen all the time though I am sure that others have commnetd on here that a faullt in one unit can be replicated in the other.

I have now seen 1 x 444, 2 x 444, 1 x 450 + 1 x 444, 1 x 444, 2 x 444 and 3 x 444! I wonder if anyone has ever tried to couple a 444 with 2 x 450s (as ECS)!

 

[387star]

where do the majority of passenegrs head lol they should stick them more often on the portsmouth line nice combo of livery!

was lucky enough to see the named 444s coupled today with naomi house followed by destination weymouth

I also find it interesting how the 450 and 444 turns vary through Havant because in the early evening all you see are 450s for some reason

As an aside those 3+2 seats on 377s really are uncomfortable and worse than the 450s wouldn't ppl agree?

 

[Oracle]

450s have run down to Weymouth..that must be fun to/from Waterloo. I have been down to Poole on one and that was not exactly marvellous but beggars can't be choosers!

 

[thefab444]

I wonder if anyone has ever tried to couple a 444 with 2 x 450s (as ECS)!

Yes, this happened during testing.

 

[Oracle]

Do the disparate units have coupling/uncoupling proiblems in practice? Years ago two 1973 Stock double-ender units intended for the Aldwych shuttle were experimentally coupled together at Northfields Depot. Rumour has it that the chaps needed a crowbar to seperate the two!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Saw a class 444 joined to a 450 today in passenger service is this at all unusual?

Some are diagrammed thus.

 

[O L Leigh]

Years ago two 1973 Stock double-ender units intended for the Aldwych shuttle were experimentally coupled together at Northfields Depot. Rumour has it that the chaps needed a crowbar to seperate the two!

Could be worse.

I'm given to believe that fun was had with the two batches of Cl465 Networker units. The first time that a BREL/ABB unit (Cl465/0) was coupled to a GEC/Alsthom (Met-Camm) unit (Cl465/2) the driver put his key in and tried to drive the train away only to find that one unit was trying to go one way while the other unit was trying to go the other way. The units were quickly modified so that they could work in multiple without disagreeing.

O L Leigh

 

[TomJ93]

No different from LM regularly joining 350/1s and 350/2s really. I've even been on /1-/2-/1 before.

 

[paul1609]

where do the majority of passenegrs head lol they should stick them more often on the portsmouth line nice combo of livery!

was lucky enough to see the named 444s coupled today with naomi house followed by destination weymouth

I also find it interesting how the 450 and 444 turns vary through Havant because in the early evening all you see are 450s for some reason

As an aside those 3+2 seats on 377s really are uncomfortable and worse than the 450s wouldn't ppl agree?

The use of Combos on the Portsmouth line seems to be avoided now. If the 450s at the London end it means at the shorter stations only the 450s doors open because the 444 is hanging out the back of the platform at stations like Fratton. Trapped passengers tend to panic and operate the emergency door release. There also seems to be a problem getting the doors to open in the 444 after the selective door opening has been in use. Ive seen a combo sit for 20 mins at Havant as staff attempted to rescue a wheelchair user in the 444.

Im not sure how selective unit door operating was ever deemed to be safe tbh.

 

[Oracle]

Stupid question but is a 444+450+450 too long for the network (in service)?

 

[Matt Taylor]

I would have thought so, it would fit in Bournemouth's platforms but not anywhere else I think. I see a hybrid set usually once or twice a week in the Portsmouth area.

http://matthew-taylor.fotopic.net/p57147623.html

 

[RobShipway]

I thought platforms at Christchurch, Brockenhurst, Southampton, Southampton Parkway and Eastleigh where designed for 14 coach trains?

 

[nowananorack]

Eastleigh can take 10 coaches (2 x 444) or 12 coaches (3 x 450) on all three platforms except on platform 3 northbound bound due to the positioning of a signal and a set of points close to the north end of the platform. ok southbound.
Southampton Parkway is the same on both of it's platforms.

 

[thefab444]

I thought platforms at Christchurch, Brockenhurst, Southampton, Southampton Parkway and Eastleigh where designed for 14 coach trains?

Christchurch can't even take 10 coaches. The others are 10 x 23 / 12 x 20 max, except as mentioned above; Eastleigh p3 northbound, and Brockenhurst p1 southbound IIRC.

 

[Oracle]

Ashurst can only take accept four or five cars of course, same with Totton, and Beaulieu Road is generally guard's door only. Isn;t there also a problem with one of Clapham Junction's platforms (the canted one)?