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

[JN114]

An involuntary visit (and stable until it can be rescued) for the 769 on test in the Loco siding at Redhill today which appears to have failed at Redhill today on its return trip from Gatwick.
View attachment 110860
[Screenshot from Open Train Times signalling diagram shows '4CAR' in Redhill Loco Sidings]

769936, blown traction motor / traction package.

Techs attending from Reading to attempt revival first; otherwise will be rescue job.

 

[spark001uk]

769936, blown traction motor / traction package.

Techs attending from Reading to attempt revival first; otherwise will be rescue job.

Would you happen to know if it was on diesel or 3rd rail at the time of failure?

 

[warwickshire]

769936, blown traction motor / traction package.

Techs attending from Reading to attempt revival first; otherwise will be rescue job.

Will this need to return to wolverton or can it be done at reading or eastleigh?

 

[DownFast]

Would you happen to know if it was on diesel or 3rd rail at the time of failure?

DC (3rd rail). Failed on 3V71 on the way back from Gatwick to Reading. Same unit as failed at Guildford, sounds like a similar failure mode too.

Will this need to return to wolverton or can it be done at reading or eastleigh?

Most likely Reading. The facilities being used at Eastleigh for the ASDO installation aren't set up for things like replacing traction motors.

 

[AM9]

DC (3rd rail). Failed on 3V71 on the way back from Gatwick to Reading. Same unit as failed at Guildford, sounds like a similar failure mode too.


Most likely Reading. The facilities being used at Eastleigh for the ASDO installation aren't set up for things like replacing traction motors.

So really it's effectively a 319 failure mode.

 

[DownFast]

So really it's effectively a 319 failure mode.

Yes. A known 319 weak spot too.

 

[3973EXL]

STP 04/03 1038 Wolverton - Reading Caped - Loco arrived RT but returned light to Derby at 1110
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K06182/2022-03-04/detailed

VSTP 02/03 5Z90 1207 Redhill LHS - Reading - LHS dep 1205 Reading Depot Ent E 1317 769936
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:18380/2022-03-02/detailed

 

[Joel_1902]

STP 04/03 1038 Wolverton - Reading
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K06182/2022-03-04/detailed

VSTP 02/03 5Z90 1207 Redhill LHS - Reading - LHS dep 1205 Reading Depot Ent E 1317 769936
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:18380/2022-03-02/detailed

Cannot understand what might be on the move from Wolverton-Reading? Afaik only 769944 isn’t at Reading and that’s still at Burton?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

769936, blown traction motor / traction package.

Techs attending from Reading to attempt revival first; otherwise will be rescue job.

No doubt will add even further delay to getting these units into service

 

[DownFast]

Cannot understand what might be on the move from Wolverton-Reading? Afaik only 769944 isn’t at Reading and that’s still at Burton?

It's 769947.

 

[3973EXL]

STP 04/03 0934 Long Marston - Eastleigh Works - 5Q11 135 late start/passed Oxford 125 late/Southcote J 106 late 769943 769930
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03037/2022-03-04/detailed

STP 04/03 1253 Eastleigh Works - Long Marston - pass Eastleigh 82 late/Reading West J 66 late/Wolvercote J 35 late.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03038/2022-03-04/detailed

 

[DelW]

No doubt will add even further delay to getting these units into service

I'm not sure why it would, if it was a traction motor failure as stated - the traction motors are class 319 originals, and it's not unknown for 30+ year old DC motors to fail from time to time.

 

[JN114]

I can’t see it having any impact on entry into service whatsoever - there still isn’t a single Mainline driver trained on them at this stage; just a very small number of driver managers. Depot drivers and I believe Guards are being trained at present; as I understand there is still no training agreement for Mainline drivers.

Meanwhile 769936 will likely be repaired within a day or so.

 

[Recessio]

Oh so it's keeping the original DC traction equipment, didnt upgrade to AC traction motors like SWT's Class 455s did?

 

[AM9]

Oh so it's keeping the original DC traction equipment, didnt upgrade to AC traction motors like SWT's Class 455s did?

No. Their replacements (class 700s) were planned before the 455 mod programme was started.

 

[tomuk]

Being stored in damp sidings and dragged about from works to works isn't good for the heath of DC traction motors. It's best to keep them run in.

 

[3973EXL]

STP 07/03 1107 Eastleigh Works - Long Marston via Reading Traincare Depot Caped
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K04647/2022-03-07/detailed

 

[Wyrleybart]

Being stored in damp sidings and dragged about from works to works isn't good for the heath of DC traction motors. It's best to keep them run in.

As GWR maintenance at Laira are learning when XC HSTs sit around for a week at a time without use.

 

[tomuk]

As GWR maintenance at Laira are learning when XC HSTs sit around for a week at a time without use.

Indeed where have the 319s been hanging about? Long Marston, Wolverton, Loughborough, Castle Donnington for quite a long time.

 

[Andypandy1968]

A friend at GWR has said 769s are having problems on the gradients of the NDL and that's just the empty test runs. Little confidence at GWR that a train full of passengers and suitcases just won't make it. Slim to zero chance of the 769s entering service on this route apparently.

 

[JonathanH]

A friend at GWR has said 769s are having problems on the gradients of the NDL and that's just the empty test runs. Little confidence at GWR that a train full of passengers and suitcases just won't make it. Slim to zero chance of the 769s entering service on this route apparently.

If they don't enter service on the North Downs Line, it would somewhat blow the point of having them at all. Firstly, 10 3-car 165s would need to be retained at Reading (assuming the current timetable remained in place and wasn't cut back) and there wouldn't be anywhere to use half the 769 fleet.

 

[The exile]

If they don't enter service on the North Downs Line, it would somewhat blow the point of having them at all. Firstly, 10 3-car 165s would need to be retained at Reading (assuming the current timetable remained in place and wasn't cut back) and there wouldn't be anywhere to use half the 769 fleet.

Would they provide a temporary answer to "can't Bedwyn at least keep a shuttle to Reading?" question being posed elsewhere. Back to the (very?) old pattern of Newbury "Network Expresses" and Reading - Bedwyn stoppers and thus actually exploiting the AC capability. Obviously that wouldn't free up nearly enough turbos, but it's a start.

 

[Andypandy1968]

Would they provide a temporary answer to "can't Bedwyn at least keep a shuttle to Reading?" question being posed elsewhere. Back to the (very?) old pattern of Newbury "Network Expresses" and Reading - Bedwyn stoppers and thus actually exploiting the AC capability. Obviously that wouldn't free up nearly enough turbos, but it's a start.

Sounds like a plan, why didn't GWR think of that

If they don't enter service on the North Downs Line, it would somewhat blow the point of having them at all. Firstly, 10 3-car 165s would need to be retained at Reading (assuming the current timetable remained in place and wasn't cut back) and there wouldn't be anywhere to use half the 769 fleet.

Exactly, apparently another (unnamed) TOC has shown an interest in them, goodness knows why. Sounds like they are someone high up in GWR vanity project?!

 

[JonathanH]

Sounds like they are someone high up in GWR vanity project?!

DfT project

 

[Andypandy1968]

DfT project

Apparently you can get pretty good odds in some GWR messrooms of them ever turning a wheel in service

 

[The exile]

Sounds like a plan, why didn't GWR think of that

No doubt there are several reasons…

 

[Fincra5]

Apparently you can get pretty good odds in some GWR messrooms of them ever turning a wheel in service

700s would have never made it in service if the Messroom was correct!

 

[RPI]

Apparently you can get pretty good odds in some GWR messrooms of them ever turning a wheel in service

These are the same messrooms (that I frequent) that also had odds of Virgin "taking us over", IET'S never coming, 143's being kept for another 10 years and so on

 

[warwickshire]

STP 04/03 1038 Wolverton - Reading
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K06182/2022-03-04/detailed

VSTP 02/03 5Z90 1207 Redhill LHS - Reading - LHS dep 1205 Reading Depot Ent E 1317 769936
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:18380/2022-03-02/detailed

Live from long buckby 1038 wolverton to reading cancelled engine returning to derby as 097s 1110 wolverton centre sidings to derby rtc by 37884 Cerberus the grim reaper on tour

 

[73128]

STP 04/03 0934 Long Marston - Eastleigh Works - 5Q11 135 late start/passed Oxford 125 late/Southcote J 106 late 769943 769930
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03037/2022-03-04/detailed

STP 04/03 1253 Eastleigh Works - Long Marston - pass Eastleigh 82 late/Reading West J 66 late/Wolvercote J 35 late.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03038/2022-03-04/detailed

769939 & 769932 heading north (under own power).

Would they provide a temporary answer to "can't Bedwyn at least keep a shuttle to Reading?" question being posed elsewhere. Back to the (very?) old pattern of Newbury "Network Expresses" and Reading - Bedwyn stoppers and thus actually exploiting the AC capability. Obviously that wouldn't free up nearly enough turbos, but it's a start.

particularly as Bedwyn (other than a few peak hour trains) is going to be served by a dmu shuttle to Newbury from May - and not IETs to London, the DfT having decided to use those elsewhere. Bedwyn Trains passenger group circulated this recently.