GWR Class 769 information. (Units no longer with GWR - Off Lease March 23)

[berneyarms]

So I take it the class 769 conversion line is complete at the Wabtec (Brush) site at Loughborough and presumably the 768/326 work for ROG will be undertaken at Wabtec Doncaster.

Isn't 769 426 for TfW still at Loughborough?

 

[FGW_DID]

Isn't 769 426 for TfW still at Loughborough?

No idea, maybe ask on the TFW 769 thread:

Transport for Wales 769's

That "someone" would be the people at Porterbrook who in 2016 thought it would be easy to sling diesel engines into the empty space underneath the 319s and extend the life of their assetts (and so get more £££££ from them), the civil servants at the DfT who bought the 769 idea from Porterbrook's...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[berneyarms]

That was a reply to the other poster’s question - not aimed at you!

 

[Mollman]

Hearing from multiple sources that the 769s have failed their fault free running and the project has been put back at least 12 months .....

What your sources might mean is that the target for completing fault free running on x number of units has not been met, thus the timetable change they were meant to be part of is being put back by a year.

 

[Deepgreen]

No surprise to hear of yet another major delay, but the supposed refurbishment of Turbos from this autumn/winter may thus lead to some cancellations. What a saga. One wouldn't think a very successful electro-diesel design was introduced in the 1960s!

 

[JonathanH]

A blessing in disguise if the introduction is deferred a few more months as it wouldn't have been good to introduce them in leaf fall season or the winter months, given the issues the relevant lines already suffer from in the autumn and winter.

 

[Deepgreen]

A blessing in disguise if the introduction is deferred a few more months as it wouldn't have been good to introduce them in leaf fall season or the winter months, given the issues the relevant lines already suffer from in the autumn and winter.

On that basis, will they be withdrawn each autumn? The issues won't go away. In any case, they had been planned for introduction in December, pretty much after the leaf fall season.

 

[JonathanH]

On that basis, will they be withdrawn each autumn? The issues won't go away. In any case, they had been planned for introduction in December, pretty much after the leaf fall season.

No, of course not, but it would be better for any train fleet if its first autumn or winter is after it has had some period of operation in more benign conditions.

 

[PHILIPE]

A blessing in disguise if the introduction is deferred a few more months as it wouldn't have been good to introduce them in leaf fall season or the winter months, given the issues the relevant lines already suffer from in the autumn and winter.

It will also delay the cascade of 165s going West

 

[fgwrich]

It will also delay the cascade of 165s going West

That's no surprise. The original proposals really did see GWR placing all it's eggs into one basket, and everything cascaded since has not gone without an issue or delay - it's no wonder reliability is poor with the West Fleet when it's worked so hard!

 

[Deepgreen]

No, of course not, but it would be better for any train fleet if its first autumn or winter is after it has had some period of operation in more benign conditions.

I don't think it makes any difference - 'bedding in' during summer doesn't change a train's leaf fall performance, etc. In any case, as I said, they would have come in after leaf fall this year but now it looks like it'll be at the same time the following year.

 

[JonathanH]

I don't think it makes any difference - 'bedding in' during summer doesn't change a train's leaf fall performance, etc. In any case, as I said, they would have come in after leaf fall this year but now it looks like it'll be at the same time the following year.

No, it won't change the leaf fall performance when that time comes, but it might mean that delays in the bedding in period are more closely aligned to the train's own issues rather than external factors.

If we are to take 'twelve months late' as suggesting that they now won't be in use until September 2022, two years after the direct award timetable, and introduced over the period between then and May 2023 then I guess yes, they could be introduced during the leaf fall period. Is that really what '800 driver' is suggesting. If so, it seems rather pessimistic from where they are at present.

 

[Deepgreen]

No, it won't change the leaf fall performance when that time comes, but it might mean that delays in the bedding in period are more closely aligned to the train's own issues rather than external factors.

If we are to take 'twelve months late' as suggesting that they now won't be in use until September 2022, two years after the direct award timetable, and introduced over the period between then and May 2023 then I guess yes, they could be introduced during the leaf fall period. Is that really what '800 driver' is suggesting. If so, it seems rather pessimistic from where they are at present.

I took it to mean that their Dec 2021 introduction would go back 12 months to Dec 2022. I don't think it's possible to be too pessimistic about the progress of these units!

 

[FenMan]

It'll be a race against time between the introduction of GWR's 769s into service and Network Rail fixing the issue at the Redhill siding so the 2234 Reading - Gatwick is restored to the North Downs timetable.

 

[JonathanH]

I took it to mean that their Dec 2021 introduction would go back 12 months to Dec 2022. I don't think it's possible to be too pessimistic about the progress of these units!

I imagine that is the wrong conclusion. What circumstances could lead to it taking fourteen months from the current point of progress to their first entry into passenger service?

(It might conceivably be December 2022 by the time the last one enters service but the first seems somewhat pessimistic.)

 

[Deepgreen]

I imagine that is the wrong conclusion. What circumstances could lead to it taking fourteen months from the current point of progress to their first entry into passenger service?

(It might conceivably be December 2022 by the time the last one enters service but the first seems somewhat pessimistic.)

As I said, I find it hard to be too pessimistic about the 769s' progress! I imagine, too, that they would be introduced en bloc rather than one at a time so a new timetable wouldn't consist of a mixture of Turbos and 769s.

 

[JonathanH]

I imagine, too, that they would be introduced en bloc rather than one at a time so a new timetable wouldn't consist of a mixture of Turbos and 769s.

That is nigh on impossible to do - there isn't the siding space for that to be practical and the 165s appear to be required elsewhere. The timetable is already set up around 769 operation.

 

[Goldfish62]

I imagine that is the wrong conclusion. What circumstances could lead to it taking fourteen months from the current point of progress to their first entry into passenger service?

(It might conceivably be December 2022 by the time the last one enters service but the first seems somewhat pessimistic.)

I'm sure everyone would have said that about the 701s. They first arrived for testing in June 2020 with anticipated service entry later in the year. As of today none have passed fault-free testing and they are apparently requiring numerous modifications on top of the ones that already been done. After missing several service entry dates SWR have now given given up making any predictions.

 

[DownFast]

I imagine, too, that they would be introduced en bloc rather than one at a time so a new timetable wouldn't consist of a mixture of Turbos and 769s.

No, the latest plan is for one unit diagram per day to begin with, with a single return trip Reading to Gatwick in passenger service, followed by ECS for driver training for the remainder of the diagram. Two units are being pencilled in for this first diagram, 769930 and 769946.

Further diagrams will be introduced as and when units are available and drivers competent.

 

[swt_passenger]

The timetable is already set up around 769 operation.

Isn’t that why they show as “trailing load 769 tonnes” in RTT?

I’m sure there were long discussions about the timetable being rewritten in 2020;
it’s probably in the other thread about the 3 tph North Downs service…

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

No, the latest plan is for one unit diagram per day to begin with, with a single return trip Reading to Gatwick in passenger service, followed by ECS for driver training for the remainder of the diagram. Two units are being pencilled in for this first diagram, 769930 and 769946.

Further diagrams will be introduced as and when units are available and drivers competent.

Starting when, sorry?
Thanks

 

[DownFast]

Starting when, sorry?
Thanks

No confirmed date as yet.

 

[Class360/1]

Hi please may someone confirm what 769 is currently at Reading?

 

[3973EXL]

STP Q 29/10 not used

Realtime Trains - FRGT 1034 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Reading Traincare Depot

STP Q 03/11 not used

Realtime Trains - FRGT 1034 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Reading Traincare Depot

STP Q 05/11

Realtime Trains - FRGT 1034 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Reading Traincare Depot

 

[typetwos]

57312+90019 with 799201 (x 319001?) 5Q10 00:27 CREWE to MOSSND DY 03/11/21

 

[Covshire1]

57312+90019 with 799201 (x 319001?) 5Q10 00:27 CREWE to MOSSND DY 03/11/21

ex-319382

 

[fgwrich]

Not destined for GWR though! I believe that is the Porterbrook Hydrogen unit.

 

[warwickshire]

57312+90019 with 799201 (x 319001?) 5Q10 00:27 CREWE to MOSSND DY 03/11/21

Was this the one that moved up late evening on Tuesday 02 November 2021. From long marston to crewe please.

 

[73128]

Today‘s runs were undertaken by 769959 which, at the end got punted off to Oxford Sidings vice Reading TCD.

and retuned east this morning to Maidenhead as:

Realtime Trains - 3Z40 0944 Oxford Up Carriage Sdgs to Maidenhead

before retreating west to Reading. It was then meant to make more return trips to Maidenhead but hasn't, before going west this afternoon as:

Realtime Trains - 3Z47 1411 Reading to Oxford Up Carriage Sdgs

 

[3973EXL]

5Q74 dep 1048

Realtime Trains - 510P 1034 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Reading Traincare Depot