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Class 730 LNR & WMR Delivery/test Updates

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Silverlinky

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5Q40/41, the first 110mph staff training runs taking place next Thursday and Friday.
 

AJDesiro

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SCDR_WMR

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Great to hear, this gives me hope that we may actually see them enter service in the summer.

I assume this means that at least one unit has now been accepted?
I think several have, Crewe crew have been using one for several weeks and will use it for driver training shortly so must be at least 1 down south as well
 

Silverlinky

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Great to hear, this gives me hope that we may actually see them enter service in the summer.

I assume this means that at least one unit has now been accepted?
Possibly as early as June.

As SCDR says, a number have now been modified and accepted. Route proving, clearance, stop board measuring etc has been going on behind the scenes and there is a "meet the train" event planned for mid-May, normally a sign that they are not too far off coming into service.

Trent Valley Euston to Crewe will see the first passenger services.
 

AJDesiro

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Possibly as early as June.

As SCDR says, a number have now been modified and accepted. Route proving, clearance, stop board measuring etc has been going on behind the scenes and there is a "meet the train" event planned for mid-May, normally a sign that they are not too far off coming into service.

Trent Valley Euston to Crewe will see the first passenger services.
Glad to hear.
 

SCDR_WMR

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Just to add that proving has been completed up to Liverpool but currently a stand-off between H&S reps and the company so will not be on the BHM-LIV route for some time unfortunately.

Several issues, the most difficult one to get past is not being able to work from a cab during football/events trains at Winsford due to platform length not being sufficient. Will see where we go on that point.
 

DavidGrain

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Several issues, the most difficult one to get past is not being able to work from a cab during football/events trains at Winsford due to platform length not being sufficient. Will see where we go on that point.
Interesting. That is a point I don't think I would have thought of. The 730/0s on the Cross City Line in Birmingham require the guard to work from the front cab of the second unit at University and possibly other stations.
 

SCDR_WMR

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Interesting. That is a point I don't think I would have thought of. The 730/0s on the Cross City Line in Birmingham require the guard to work from the front cab of the second unit at University and possibly other stations.
I don't think the company thought of the issue, most guards will be happy working from inside the train but that route is often so overcrowded that getting into the train from a cab is nigh on impossible.

Other than the 3 car 172, i can't think of any traction that is longer than platforms in a single set (172 at The Lakes)
 

Silverlinky

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Will they run in 10 car formations from Euston - Crewe (2 730s)?
Yes, that's the plan and alongside that is the plan to run 12 car 350's between London and Birmingham New Street using the surplus units no longer needed on the Trent.

Lets not forget that the plan for the 730's was at least DCO if not DOO instead of the conventional working the units have needed retrofitting for.
 

james_the_xv

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Yes, that's the plan and alongside that is the plan to run 12 car 350's between London and Birmingham New Street using the surplus units no longer needed on the Trent.
Aren't the platforms between Northampton and New Street too long short for for 12 cars unless they're going to use SDO? Last I heard they were going to attach/detach at Northampton to work 12 cars Euston-Northampton and 8 Northampton - New Street?

(Rugby, Coventry, and International are probably fine, but the intermediate stops won't be)
 
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SCDR_WMR

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Aren't the platforms between Northampton and New Street too long for for 12 cars unless they're going to use SDO? Last I heard they were going to attach/detach at Northampton to work 12 cars Euston-Northampton and 8 Northampton - New Street?

(Rugby, Coventry, and International are probably fine, but the intermediate stops won't be)
I presume you mean platforms being too short notice long.

For any that don't fully accommodate 12 coaches, I'm sure they will get UDS authorised down to 8. 350s don't use SDO unfortunately.

Not sure on platform lengths but some seem somewhat longer than the 8 coach units.
 

james_the_xv

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I presume you mean platforms being too short notice long.

For any that don't fully accommodate 12 coaches, I'm sure they will get UDS authorised down to 8. 350s don't use SDO unfortunately.

Not sure on platform lengths but some seem somewhat longer than the 8 coach units.
Yes, shorter is indeed what I meant :D

8 car 350s are circa 160m long - A quick glance at NESA tells:

Long Buckby - 179m Down / 181m Up
Canley - 168m
Tile Hill - 162m
Berkswell - 173m
Hampton-in-Arden - 181m Down / 185m up.

Is UDS automatic or a manual selection each time? If the SC does have to manually select every time it's going to kill the little time they do spend in the Saloon being visible on the Cov Corridor, the extra capacity would be a bonus though.
 

778

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Aren't the platforms between Northampton and New Street too long short for for 12 cars unless they're going to use SDO? Last I heard they were going to attach/detach at Northampton to work 12 cars Euston-Northampton and 8 Northampton - New Street?

(Rugby, Coventry, and International are probably fine, but the intermediate stops won't be)
I don't think there is much point in 12 cars only working as far as Northampton. The London - Birmingham servces only start to get really busy at Coventry. Attatching/Detaching at Northampton would just slow down journey times as well.

Is there any reason why the 730s cannot do London - Birmingham services?
 

Liverpool 507

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Yes, that's the plan and alongside that is the plan to run 12 car 350's between London and Birmingham New Street using the surplus units no longer needed on the Trent.

Lets not forget that the plan for the 730's was at least DCO if not DOO instead of the conventional working the units have needed retrofitting for.
Are all Trent Valley CRE-EUS 730s going to run as 10 car sets? Assuming local southern WCML services will be booked as 10 car 730s too?

Once they eventually run on LIV-BHM services, will they alternate every 30 mins with 4 (or 8 car - wishful thinking) 350s?
 

SCDR_WMR

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Yes, shorter is indeed what I meant :D

8 car 350s are circa 160m long - A quick glance at NESA tells:

Long Buckby - 179m Down / 181m Up
Canley - 168m
Tile Hill - 162m
Berkswell - 173m
Hampton-in-Arden - 181m Down / 185m up.

Is UDS automatic or a manual selection each time? If the SC does have to manually select every time it's going to kill the little time they do spend in the Saloon being visible on the Cov Corridor, the extra capacity would be a bonus though.
It's manually operated from cab 5, so you won't be seeing guards inside the train for that while section. Especially at the start as they get used to operating the UDS. But the uptick in capacity will be very handy.

Are all Trent Valley CRE-EUS 730s going to run as 10 car sets? Assuming local southern WCML services will be booked as 10 car 730s too?

Once they eventually run on LIV-BHM services, will they alternate every 30 mins with 4 (or 8 car - wishful thinking) 350s?
I don't think that's been mentioned yet, but unlikely to be all double sets. Given a 5 car 730 is around a 6 car 350, some services would cope well with a single set, especially given how much more roomy they are.

For Liverpool, I think alternating would make sense once the SDO issue and others are resolved.
I would expect the semi fast to be a single 730 and the stopper to be either a single or double 350 to start with.
 

TonyColeman2

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350’s are also getting ASDO equipment fitted but is not yet in operation, so manual uds activation by the conductor until further notice
 

SCDR_WMR

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350’s are also getting ASDO equipment fitted but is not yet in operation, so manual uds activation by the conductor until further notice
The company very clearly stated that ASDO was being installed on behalf of the ROSCO and not themselves and they had no interest in using it.
 

AJDesiro

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The company very clearly stated that ASDO was being installed on behalf of the ROSCO and not themselves and they had no interest in using it.
I remember reading about that in the business plan commitments document. It's unfortunate that they have no interest in using it, UDS is one of the biggest floors of the 350s.

7 cars fit in the platforms at Smethwick GB, with 9 metres to spare on the shortest platform, but having to ensure you're in the front 4 coaches is a bit of a pain. It's a similar story at Penkridge where you'd be able to just about fit 5 cars on platform 2.
 

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