Construction progress: TPE 350/4

[Crossover]

Ah, the delights of Salford Although that does say it happened on Sunday :/

Hearing a loud bang, the driver stopped the three-carriage First TransPennine Express train

Unless it was the usual journalistic nonsense, it sounds like it may have been a 185, too

I had my first taste of TPE 350 today with 350407 on the 1805 off Preston towards Manchester. A few yards along the platform we ground to a halt. Twenty minutes later the train was terminated.
We overheard staff saying it was an door interlocking fault.
350405 took us to Manchester on the 1845 from Preston. The impressive thing was that, even though there was two trains' worth of people, it wasn't overcrowded. We headed for the front carriage and were the last on (at that carriage) and found seats.
407 departed Preston about 5 minutes before 405.

That could explain why it terminated then - maybe 405 had to go back to Ardwick or something, and thus couldn't deputise back to Edinburgh?

 

[fowler9]

Saw my first TPE 350's over the weekend. That livery is hideous in my own humble opinion. They look alright without the transfers.

 

[Nick Harling]

Saw my first TPE 350's over the weekend. That livery is hideous in my own humble opinion. They look alright without the transfers.

Saw two pairs of sets working today through Preston, both with mix'n'match liveries:

350404 + 350402 on 1S56
350403 + 350405 on 1M97

I must say that while the new TPE colours are bright, they are at least cheerful and eye catching. The 'Government Grey' is, I think, the most boring non-livery I've ever seen!

 

[fowler9]

Saw two pairs of sets working today through Preston, both with mix'n'match liveries:

350404 + 350402 on 1S56
350403 + 350405 on 1M97

I must say that while the new TPE colours are bright, they are at least cheerful and eye catching. The 'Government Grey' is, I think, the most boring non-livery I've ever seen!

Fair enough mate. It is all down to personal taste. I think it is way too fussy. In an age when many airlines are saving money by having mostly white colour schemes and are offering journies that are cheaper per mile I think perhaps the TOC's could do the same, and yes the airlines use these colour schemes to save weight and money. Can't moan too much about FTPE as I just went to Leeds and back from Liverpool first class for buttons this weekend.

 

[snail]

Saw my first TPE 350's over the weekend. That livery is hideous in my own humble opinion. They look alright without the transfers.

So did I. I think they look much better 'in the flesh' than in the photos. Once they are all done they will just become another train livery.

 

[Nym]

It still looks hideous, one did like the Siemens Grey look...

 

[ash39]

403 and 404 were out yesterday, so they must have started on Saturday diagrams now.

404 is now in the new TPE livery. 403 still grey. Photos below

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash_3939/13807447585/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ash_3939/13807232433/

Had a little ride on 403 from Lancaster to Preston. Seemed quiet and smooth, but then so it should be!

 

[All Line Rover]

Had a little ride on 403 from Lancaster to Preston. Seemed quiet and smooth, but then so it should be!

They are incredibly quiet trains. All of the noise comes from (some) passengers. The 350s need a Quiet Coach (or at least a quiet segment).

 

[BurtonM]

Has anybody else noticed that the two-tone grey is in fact the basis of London Midland's livery?!

 

[fowler9]

Has anybody else noticed that the two-tone grey is in fact the basis of London Midland's livery?!

I got on to that. Its a good plan, many suits come in similar colours. There is a reason people don't go to weddings wearing stuff that is covered in multi coloured lazer swirls, it looks daft and goes out of fashion before its got out of the factory.

 

[Nym]

Has anybody else noticed that the two-tone grey is in fact the basis of London Midland's livery?!

Yes.

We have.

 

[fowler9]

You have to have something mad like a Lamborghini to have it painted daft colours. Something dull like a Ford Focus or a 350 looks daft in anything more than sober grey. It looks like you have over egged the pudding otherwise.

 

[WatcherZero]

Grey isnt significant, base coat. Primer for cars is grey is too before the colour is applied.

 

[Nean]

I don't think I saw one in full livery before I left Manchester for Easter break... It'll be a nice thing to look forward to when I get back

 

[Crossover]

I also saw one of the pairs out on Sunday, I think it may have been 404/402, as the above poster saw - though I saw it at Piccadilly.

I must say, in the flesh, they do look good, and certainly colourful (as I remarked to another enthusiast who was out with the DSLR on p14) - I can't say I'm convinced on the yellow/black on the door edges, it seems slightly unnecessary.

 

[snail]

I got on to that. Its a good plan, many suits come in similar colours. There is a reason people don't go to weddings wearing stuff that is covered in multi coloured lazer swirls, it looks daft and goes out of fashion before its got out of the factory.

I've never seen a train at a wedding.

 

[fowler9]

I've never seen a train at a wedding.

I did at the weekend, it wasn't one of the guests though.

 

[Cletus]

Isn't the trailing end of a wedding dress called a train?

 

[table38]

I've never seen a train at a wedding.

Here's one

Also the drummer of the band Train did weddings during the band's 2012 tour

The Universal Life Church Monastery reports that Scott Underwood, drummer for the San Francisco based band Train, became legally ordained online on June 20, 2012 through their website and plans on performing wedding ceremonies and vow renewals during Train’s California 37 Tour.

</tenuous>

No, I really don't have anything better to do!

 

[plastictaffy]

Anyone else heard that ASLEF have blacked the new LM mark 3's?? Apparently, one of the new systems alerts the driver if he is about to SPAD, but that alarm can be heard in the passenger compartment, so ASLEF have refused to allow their members to operate them as of yet. Who would drive them on the test runs, if that is the case??
I believe that there were some DB Schenker men that trained on them for when Southern borrowed some - anyone confirm or deny all of this??

 

[samuelmorris]

When you say 'heard in the passenger compartment' - I assume it's just audible through the door, or does it actually come out the PA? If it's the former I hardly see what difference that makes as you can already hear the AWS through the door in a lot of EMUs...

 

[Manchester77]

Yeah and on quite a lot of northerns DMUs you can hear the buzzer and bell between the driver and guard from in the saloon

 

[plastictaffy]

You can indeed hear the AWS, and the DSD, too. However a lot of the punters may not realise what that is. Apparently, the TMS quite loudly says something like "Warning, you are about to pass a signal at danger". Passengers WILL know what that means!!!!
I'm assuming that yes, it can be heard through the doors. If it was a wiring fault that made it go through the PA system, you'd imagine that those very clever engineers in Germany would have corrected it.
"Zis vill not do, ve must correct it viz immediate effect, jah??"

 

[Bodie]

I got my first ride on a 350/4 last Friday and very nice it was too.

My only gripe was how long it took me to get one. Was in Manchester all day and only just got a ride.
403 and 405 were together on the 1800 Man Airport to Edinburgh.

Everything else was 185's, yet four of the class 401, 408, 409 and 410 were stabled at Preston. There at 1000 when I passed through on my way to Manchester and there at 1900 when I was heading home.

Why do TPE have four of their ten strong class stabled all day long?

 

[Manchester77]

Not all Scottish services run via Wigan yet so some still need to be 185 operated.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Why do TPE have four of their ten strong class stabled all day long?

At a guess it's for the training programme ready for the full service next month.
There are several daily ECS runs Preston-Carlisle.
I imagine it's also the best place on the route to keep a hot spare.

 

[driver9000]

You can indeed hear the AWS, and the DSD, too. However a lot of the punters may not realise what that is. Apparently, the TMS quite loudly says something like "Warning, you are about to pass a signal at danger". Passengers WILL know what that means!!!!
I'm assuming that yes, it can be heard through the doors. If it was a wiring fault that made it go through the PA system, you'd imagine that those very clever engineers in Germany would have corrected it.
"Zis vill not do, ve must correct it viz immediate effect, jah??"

It is the new TPWS2 unit. All it does is verbalise which system has stopped the train i.e. AWS, Overspeed or Trainstop. The unit also speaks on self test when the desk is energised and is no louder than normal conversation level. The 350/4 units also have this and have been operating without an issue as far as I know. The class 68 locomotive also has TPWS2.

 

[Aictos]

With regards to the Manchester Airport to Scotland services, how many of them will be Class 350/4 operated from May 2014? Will they all be EMUs or will it be a split 50/50 consisting of Class 350s/Class 185s?

 

[Manchester77]

It's expected that all services will be electric however on the busier Friday - Monday period there will be a 185 timed diagram which will allow a 350/4 to form an 8 car working. I think it's something like 9 diagrams for 10 units with 8 electric diagrams on the busy period I mentioned.

Either way from what I've read on here it's looking like 9 out with 1 spare. I'm not entirely sure how many electric diagrams there are but I think it's something like 8/9.

 

[Aictos]

I'm looking at travelling on a Tuesday in June between Manchester Piccadilly and Lancaster so guess it's likely to be a Class 350/4