London Overground 378

[vitesse]

From what I heard chatting to someone who's been involved in the testing, we're gonna have the same thing with those as the 313's, takes a few seconds after taking power before anything happens, they were doing stop board positioning and apparently they had real difficulty moving it just a short distance.

 

[Pumbaa]

Welcome to the forums Dazz! Always nice to have someone else "in the know" onboard!

 

[Dazz285]

Thanks

 

[SouthEastern-465]

im not being rude pumbaa,or im not jelous or annoyed or anything,
dont mean this in an affensive way,but what do you mean by IN THE KNOW,do you mean,knowing alot about whats going on,or meaning that he knows better than all of us and his better than all of us? i really dont mean this in an affensive way,and sorry if you take it affensive,but please can you anser because this happend on the last site i was on and it was an administrator and he favoured another member and let him get away with everything,sorry if this affended you,

 

[MCR247]

I think he meant, who have actual info, apposed to rumours as such

 

[Danielo]

Especially as every 378 will have cameras in very car.

Well, cameras don't seem to stop vandalism on London Buses. I fear the 378s will not last long.

 

[Tom B]

Pack in the sillyness - by "in the know" I think it is universally acknowledged that someone has some form of knowledge on a subject which may not be known to all - NOT that they are somehow better.

 

[mackenzie_blu]

Well, cameras don't seem to stop vandalism on London Buses. I fear the 378s will not last long.

I meant more the BTP can use the footage to have an idea who actually damages the trains and take them to court with a better chance of success.

Seems the move for tonight has been cancelled as the 66 hasn't got to Derby. Seems the 378 are going to have an even worse delivery time than the 377/5 and that saying something.

Well to this side Dazz

 

[vitesse]

I notice that there is a new "378 stop" mark on the down DC platform at Stonebridge Park, it is some distance short of the existing DOO mirror.

As far as I can tell all the stations on the NLL & WLL have them now, along with at certain locations a sign underneath saying "check signal aspect" which is at places where you have to stop right on top of the signal to fit on the platform properly.

 

[Dazz285]

The D.C. has been completed but a few tweaks are needed. The NLL should have been completed but the last time I was out that way there were still a few missing...
Kentish Town West on the Down is worrying... very close to the signal.. I supose that as soon as the platform is lenghtened then stop board will be adjusted.

 

[313103]

Kentish Town West on the Down is worrying... very close to the signal.. I supose that as soon as the platform is lenghtened then stop board will be adjusted.

The signal will be moved westerly 140 yds Dazza, although not sure whenthat will be done and welcome to the forum, seems you like to follow me around rather then the other way, if you get my drift.

 

[vitesse]

Kentish Town West is just the same as it was really, the old board is even closer

 

[Dazz285]

378015 is now at Willesden Tmd.. Tucked up in the shed..

 

[Danielo]

378 007 has been outside the TMD at Willesden for a few days now.

 

[djw1981]

In theory, if their was a sub-class of 378s which only worked the TFL-owned East London Line from Dalston Junction to New Cross and didn't cross on to Network Rail tracks, could it have an all-over red cab, rather than a yellow one? (Obviously this wouldn't happen but in theory.)

AIUI no, because the train will be maintained by NR eventually, and meets the Rail Safety Group standards, not the LUL safety standards, and was built to mainline rail standards.

 

[313103]

The three class 378s have been grounded due to wheelset problems. This also means that training the traincrew has also been suspended.

 

[Danielo]

Did these problems surface during the numerous miles of testing?

 

[313103]

Did these problems surface during the numerous miles of testing?

Not sure, but the problem first came to light on the latest FCC class 377s (which from what i can gather have been withdrawn from service). So it could have come from them rather then the testing on the 378s. As the 378s have the same wheel sets i think Bombardier took the precaution of grounding the 378s whilst extensive examinations are carried out.
I am not at work today so cant gather further info, but when i am back i will update the situation.

 

[Dazz285]

Spoke to a tech last night and all that needs doing on the 378's is a simple gasket replacement.. Things should be back to normal by Monday. Also a path has been booked for 017 to come down from Derby on Monday as well, fingers crossed.

 

[mackenzie_blu]

FCC have said this so looks like a different issue with the 378s from the 377/5

We stood down the 6 377/5 units last Friday due to a problem with the earth return brushes which was found on unit 377 502 on routine maintenance. We then examined 377 505 and found a similar problem. We therefore stopped the fleet for examination and rectification. There are 14 sets of return brushes on class 377/5 and not more than 30% have been found defective on any unit. However we do not want these to deteriorate further and the situation to go unchecked so the manufacturer, Bombardier, have been working on a solution. This solution has started to be introduced today and we expect to have trains back in service at the rate of two per day.


This was added to a different question -

As a precaution, we have had to stand down from service all 6 of our new and recently-delivered Class 377/5 Electrostars after discovering an issue with the power transmission system during a routine inspection. This relates to earth return brushes at the axle ends.

We welcome the manufacturer's commitment to fix the fault and will return the trains to service as soon as possible - hopefully starting Thursday and completing Monday.

If it is a seperate issue then this is the 3rd fault with the current generation Electrostar.

 

[slick]

Spoke to a tech last night and all that needs doing on the 378's is a simple gasket replacement.. Things should be back to normal by Monday. Also a path has been booked for 017 to come down from Derby on Monday as well, fingers crossed.

Many of those euston shots i dispatched

 

[Danielo]

005 was outside the Willesden TMD this morning. 007 used to be outside, but seems to have moved.

 

[Dazz285]

Spoke to a tech last night and all that needs doing on the 378's is a simple gasket replacement.. Things should be back to normal by Monday. Also a path has been booked for 017 to come down from Derby on Monday as well, fingers crossed.

378017 never arrived..
378015 started it's mileage accumulation last night, 3 trips from Euston to Bletchley and back. Fingers crossed this will continue all week depaerting Willesden about 22.30/22.50.

 

[mackenzie_blu]

Least the 378 get a rather nice picture in new edition of Rail with an August debut. Tho they do get the 377/5 a bit mixed up.

 

[paul1609]

I believe that the issue with the 378 and 377/5 is the same in that these use 130mm bearings rather than the 120mm bearings used in other electrostars. The reduced clearance is causing earth return problems with the earth brushes. The solution is to insert an insulating washer.

 

[mackenzie_blu]

I believe that the issue with the 378 and 377/5 is the same in that these use 130mm bearings rather than the 120mm bearings used in other electrostars. The reduced clearance is causing earth return problems with the earth brushes. The solution is to insert an insulating washer.

I can only speak for the 377/5 but yes thats what the problem was. Worrying the figure for the failure of these was 30% when they removed them from service. High for a new fleet of trains. Especially when some of them weren't working on 505 a week after coming into service.

 

[Dazz285]

Same problem on the 378's, so it was explained to me last night.

 

[anthony263]

I have been told that the problems have been fixed on 2 of the class 378's and these will now be out on training duties. Is the plan to introduce some of them into service in july now happening or has it been put back to august?

 

[Dazz285]

All 3 378 units have been fixed and 15 is running it's mileage accumalation to Bletchley and back & units 5 & 7 are being used for instructor training etc. Haven't heard of a set date for them coming into service as of yet but I did read somewhere that August was mentioned.

 

[Edvid]

Following the confirmation of ELLX Phase 2b, TfL have ordered another 3 4-car Capitalstars. They don't say which sub-class.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/Item04-Commissioners-Report-June-2009.pdf