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

[MML]

Have new seats been installed ?
The seats in place when 319s were operating the Thameslink services were some of the worst I have experienced.
Lots of cushioning but they were so low your knees ended up higher than your waist. And legroom with those sitting opposite became personal.
If the existing seats have been recovered, then I can imagine they will be less pleasant to travel on than the Turbostars they replace. More upright seats help improve posture and legroom.

 

[JN114]

They use the same seats they had as 319/4s, albeit re-trimmed in GWR colours

 

[fgwrich]

Have new seats been installed ?
The seats in place when 319s were operating the Thameslink services were some of the worst I have experienced.
Lots of cushioning but they were so low your knees ended up higher than your waist. And legroom with those sitting opposite became personal.
If the existing seats have been recovered, then I can imagine they will be less pleasant to travel on than the Turbostars they replace. More upright seats help improve posture and legroom.

Exactly the same Ashbourne seats as the current Turbos.

 

[JonathanH]

Exactly the same Ashbourne seats as the current Turbos.

No. Turbos (and Networkers) are fitted with a different design of seat which was developed after the Ashbourne and featured a fully moulded seat pan to which seat squabs are attached. The Ashbourne is essentially a metal frame with separate seat squabs and a moulded back panel.

NSE moved away from the Ashbourne seat after fitting it to the 319, 321 and 456 fleets but there really isn't much point in GWR replacing it in the 769s as they must be in plentiful supply.

 

[Meerkat]

Couldn’t they give them a more inspiring livery? The plain green seems to work on the 80*s but on the local units it’s very dull, especially in poor light when it looks almost black.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Couldn’t they give them a more inspiring livery? The plain green seems to work on the 80*s but on the local units it’s very dull, especially in poor light when it looks almost black.

I am assuming they will get GWR embellishments before going into public service. Something like the 150/2s in the West is what I am thinking.
Maybe yes, maybe no, but it would be nice to see them working reliably first before blinging them up. The TfW batch don't seem too prolific just yet.

 

[MML]

Couldn’t they give them a more inspiring livery? The plain green seems to work on the 80*s but on the local units it’s very dull, especially in poor light when it looks almost black.

I agree. I suspect the narrow sheet line and GWR logos are still to be applied. But a silver wrap along the entire length of the window line would brighten them up a little.

I notice the roofs are painted white, so obviously someone has realised dark colours absorb heat. No wonder they become so hot and stuffy in the Summer sun.

 

[samuelmorris]

Yeah I'm pretty sure 165s don't use Ashbourne seats. 319s, however, definitely did.

 

[MML]

Yeah I'm pretty sure 165s don't use Ashbourne seats. 319s, however, definitely did.

Well the Ashbourne seat has plenty of cushioning and there is plenty of space between the seat backs to store a suitcase. Should be useful for the Gatwick run.

But personally I find them uncomfortable with the seat too close to the floor.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Maidenhead to Didcot/Swindon is the route on which the diesel/AC FFR (Fault Free Running) is likely to take place with the DC FFR on the SWML with either Basingstoke-Eastleigh or Basingstoke-Woking being the sections discussed with NR.

All lines on which passenger use is contemplated will have full test runs for station validation purposes. But first there has to be engineering staff training before anything moves off depot, either for testing, validation runs or driver training.

Exactly. The people in the orange overalls need to know where to insert fuel and water, how to change brake pads etc, before they even go off shed. Then the people in the seat at the front need to know how to drive em, after a bit of classroom and static training.

Is 769943 the only one delivered so far?

 

[JN114]

Is 769943 the only one delivered so far?

That’s the first and only one so far, yes

 

[northernbelle]

Yeah I'm pretty sure 165s don't use Ashbourne seats. 319s, however, definitely did.

You're right on both counts - the Turbo and wider 'Networker' family had their own seat design rather than those supplied by Ashbourne.

 

[Wyrleybart]

That’s the first and only one so far, yes

Thanks. Another eighteen to be delivered and commissioned then

 

[Bob Price]

Video from GWR of the units here with internal views.

https://twitter.com/GWRHelp/status/1296421240543027200?s=09

 

[Melancholia]

Using footage of a 387s pantograph, as it's yet to be moved under its own power

 

[RichT54]

Using footage of a 387s pantograph, as it's yet to be moved under its own power

Plus its pantograph (or the third rail equipment apparently) will not be of any use on the North Downs Line.

 

[reddragon]

Plus its pantograph (or the third rail equipment apparently) will not be of any use on the North Downs Line.

Why?

Reading to Wokingham?, Ash to Guildford?, Redhill to Gatwick? all are DC And depot to P15 too

 

[Domh245]

The use of "tri-mode" to describe them really irks me. They're Bi-mode Dual Voltage!

 

[RichT54]

Why?

Reading to Wokingham?, Ash to Guildford?, Redhill to Gatwick? all are DC And depot to P15 too

I asked the question earlier in this thread, the answer I received was that the third rail supply would be too limited to support the extra usage, plus they can't change over on the move.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Power supply situation still being investigated -looking ok for at least one section.

 

[RichT54]

Power supply situation still being investigated -looking ok for at least one section.

That's sounds promising, I hope a solution can be found for the other sections as well.

 

[JN114]

Power supply situation still being investigated -looking ok for at least one section.

Oh that is positive news.

 

[Melancholia]

Plus its pantograph (or the third rail equipment apparently) will not be of any use on the North Downs Line.

Pantographs will be used frequently on other bits of track, including to/from and within Reading TCD.

 

[rebmcr]

Video from GWR of the units here with internal views.

https://twitter.com/GWRHelp/status/1296421240543027200?s=09

They're trying very hard not to say they're refurbs!

The use of "tri-mode" to describe them really irks me. They're Bi-mode Dual Voltage!

Indeed.

 

[Meerkat]

The use of "tri-mode" to describe them really irks me. They're Bi-mode Dual Voltage!

Three modes - pan up, shoes down, and diesels on.

 

[pdeaves]

Three modes - pan up, shoes down, and diesels on.

No, two modes. 319s are not 'bi mode', they are dual voltage electric (one mode). Thus, adding a diesel engine makes a dual voltage bi-mode.

(Thanks Domh245, I've been fighting on my own to now!)

 

[aleggatta]

Porterbrook have decided to brand them as tri more trains, by that nature it is a valid description of the product even if there is room for pedantry on the technicalities of the operating modes of the train. Where is the problem?

 

[Domh245]

Porterbrook have decided to brand them as tri more trains, by that nature it is a valid description of the product even if there is room for pedantry on the technicalities of the operating modes of the train. Where is the problem?

Because like pdeaves points out, if they are now tri-modes, then they were bi-modes as they left the factory, which is clearly nonsense and contradicts Porterbrook's marketing that they're being turned into bi-modes in the basic 769 form!

 

[JN114]

No, two modes. 319s are not 'bi mode', they are dual voltage electric (one mode). Thus, adding a diesel engine makes a dual voltage bi-mode.

(Thanks Domh245, I've been fighting on my own to now!)

You've not been alone, there's a fairly sizeable albeit silent cohort who have seen through the marketing drivel.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

I noticed the Twitter announcement about the 769's - I noticed the orange on the rails. I had another look and to me it looks like they're wrapped up in some sort of sponge and that I guess they'll be grey / silver.