LNER Azuma (Class 800/801)

[YorkshireBear]

Cheers! Personally I'm not willing, on the basis of that, to state with certainty either way as to their motivation! I bet it's a mixture of both to be honest. Splitting and joining does add risk regarding late running portions delaying other portions and blocking platforms. Plus the risk that the coupling might not work. With an organisation like LNER which has no institutional memory of auto-couplers or even portion working (since that's not been a thing since at least the early 90s on ICEC) I can see why they'd want to do it with as lower level of risk as possible.

I agree, it sounds more operational than technical to me from that quote but I wouldn't bet on it. They could easily be using operational to cover lack of confidence in the technical. I think GWR are planning some widespread use of coupling and uncoupling I believe so time will tell if the couplers are reliable.

 

[92002]

800104, 111 and 800 201 and 202, separated, were in York this afternoon. 104 and 111 were pristine as if they had just been delivered from Newton Aycliffe today but 201 and 202 were filthy.

All were on diesel.

However the 5Q4x series of tests from Newcastle to Edinburgh continue to be used in electric mode. An odd photograph appears on Railway Herald.

 

[BRX]

That's the world we live in unfortunately. Most people wouldn't give them a thought but the odd idiot would. No need for them cables to be so open like that. Lazy, cheap design!
Yes I know who ordered the original IEPs. That's why there's not much thought for passengers.

Overground 378s have a similar arrangement between some of the coaches. The 'ladder' has fewer rungs though.

 

[superkev]

Kings Cross, Sat 23 March 2019.

You can understand the concerns over these cables though and why wasn't it originally picked up with the design of the first GWR sets never mind these LNER sets which the government ordered?!

Maybe some sort of webbing, top to bottom will sort the problem out.

Should have been exterior plug doors as well, making them look more sleek and Intercity like.

View attachment 60823

Ignoring whether the cable issue is just nanny state or otherwise I cant understand why the ORR waited till the trains where built to reject them. Cant they read drawings, don't they see them under construction? It's a good job house designed are approved prior and during construction by the fire brigade and local authorities.
Re the sliding v plug I'm old enough to remember when after a particularly bad winter Network south east said the wouldnt order any more sliders due to ice blocking the tracks. Didn't I read somewhere recently the Gw iep depot has been using vaseline to stop door tracks freezing up.
K

 

[westv]

Seats not lining up with windows. Lazy design or some other reason?

 

[samuelmorris]

Overground 378s have a similar arrangement between some of the coaches. The 'ladder' has fewer rungs though.

I imagine that passes scrutiny because the gap between vehicles is too narrow for most adults to fit through and the 'rungs' don't stretch high up enough to be able to climb onto the vehicle roof, which I believe is what ORR take issue with.

 

[Jay S]

Ignoring whether the cable issue is just nanny state or otherwise I cant understand why the ORR waited till the trains where built to reject them. Cant they read drawings, don't they see them under construction? It's a good job house designed are approved prior and during construction by the fire brigade and local authorities.
Re the sliding v plug I'm old enough to remember when after a particularly bad winter Network south east said the wouldnt order any more sliders due to ice blocking the tracks. Didn't I read somewhere recently the Gw iep depot has been using vaseline to stop door tracks freezing up.
K

The incident an Manchester Victoria changed their perspective on things. They were well aware of the design before then.

 

[59CosG95]

Hmmm... I wonder what that could be ...

Confirmed elsewhere to be 800113 - possibly a press run.

 

[800001]

Confirmed elsewhere to be 800113 - possibly a press run.

staff rehearsal trains passengers are staff and family.

 

[SC43090]

Yesterday Wednesday 27th March 2019

Iv'e seen a picture from Yesterday showing a pair of Azumas one was a 9 car & other was 5 car load 14 the picture was somewhere on the joint line between Peterborough & Doncaster....... What was it on?????

SC 43090

 

[3973EXL]

Yesterday Wednesday 27th March 2019

Iv'e seen a picture from Yesterday showing a pair of Azumas one was a 9 car & other was 5 car load 14 the picture was somewhere on the joint line between Peterborough & Doncaster....... What was it on?????

SC 43090

Post #998 in this thread.

5X82 Eastleigh Acton 5X83 Doncaster
800110 & 801106

 

[Railperf]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PrYqHw8sLSqEioXL8

Overground 378s have a similar arrangement between some of the coaches. The 'ladder' has fewer rungs though.

View attachment 60849

Don't the Class 395's have some rubber mouldings fitted onto the end of each car to prevent someone squeezing into that gap and climbing the 'ladder'?

 

[EE Andy b1]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PrYqHw8sLSqEioXL8

Don't the Class 395's have some rubber mouldings fitted onto the end of each car to prevent someone squeezing into that gap and climbing the 'ladder'?

They do as shown in your photo but the gap on the IEPs is 2 - 3 times the size and just too accessible to the wrong person!

 

[westv]

I'm surprised they have shifted the standard class quiet coach from the end to the middle of the train.
As it is the only flow through is people getting to and leaving their seats. In the new arrangement the through flow will increase.

 

[SC43090]

Post #998 in this thread.

Thanks to all those who responded to my request

SC 43090

 

[BantamMenace]

So much for the "essential requirement" in the original specification about reliably coupling and uncoupling in a short and specified time !

They’ll couple reliably but if half the train is an hour late then the whole thing becomes an hour late. I didn’t read his comments as if mechanical reliability was his main concern.

 

[Jonny]

They’ll couple reliably but if half the train is an hour late then the whole thing becomes an hour late. I didn’t read his comments as if mechanical reliability was his main concern.

Can the first half be allowed to go forward separately?

 

[greyman42]

Can the first half be allowed to go forward separately?

It could cause pathing issues and it would require the driver of the second half to remain with the train when he might be due to drive another service, or find another driver.

 

[broadgage]

Can the first half be allowed to go forward separately?

Yes, but this presumes that two crews are available. Whilst of course both portions were crewed on arrival, one crew might be out of hours, or required for another duty and therefore not available to take both portions forward separately.
And of course it presumes availability of a second path.

 

[3973EXL]

5X40 Merchant Park Acton 5X41 Eastleigh
800202 & 801108

 

[59CosG95]

5X40 Merchant Park Acton 5X41 Eastleigh
800202 & 801108

Thanks very much @3973EXL, informative as always.

Apologies to all who've been waiting for an update on test workings today - I've been a tad busy lately!

 

[JonathanH]

5X40 Merchant Park Acton 5X41 Eastleigh
800202 & 801108

In this instance is the 800 effectively a tractor unit for the 801?

What sort of performance can a 10-800-801 combination achieve on diesel? Presumably 2/3 of a pair of 800s or am I missing something?

 

[3973EXL]

800202 returning to Donny Carr x Eastleigh
5X82/83

 

[YorkshireBear]

I assume the interference on electric north of York has stopped? Seen many units going north of York on electric today. Seems to be loads of test runs about.

 

[800001]

I assume the interference on electric north of York has stopped? Seen many units going north of York on electric today. Seems to be loads of test runs about.

They are testing the modifications to the signals.
All signals in the problem areas have been modified.
Colton - Northallerton has been tested, this weeks (and last weeks) are testing Northallerton - Newcastle.
2 x 801s are based at Merchant Park at the moment for these tests.

 

[geml90]

801101 at Darlington this morning.

There was also a liveried Azuma on the Hitachi test track this morning, but I couldn't spot the number.

 

[59CosG95]

801101 at Darlington this morning.

There was also a liveried Azuma on the Hitachi test track this morning, but I couldn't spot the number.

How many coaches did it have? It could have been 801103/105/107/109-112 or 800203-210 if it was 5-car.

 

[deltic08]

They’ll couple reliably but if half the train is an hour late then the whole thing becomes an hour late. I didn’t read his comments as if mechanical reliability was his main concern.

The portions are splitting at Leeds for Bradford on electric and Harrogate on diesel. Hardly likely to be an hour late for joining on a 20 minute journey from Bradford/Harrogate to Leeds.

 

[800001]

How many coaches did it have? It could have been 801103/105/107/109-112 or 800203-210 if it was 5-car.

It would be either 801109, 111 or 112. All outside this afternoon at the factory.

801103/105/107 will not come to Aycliffe as these are fully completed at Kasado and believes to be at Tees Dock.
800203 is inside the test shed at Aycliffe and is yet to appear outside.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Spent the day in York today, haven't for a while, and wow the rate of azumas going through station has shot up. Saw one about once every half hour during middle of day.