Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

[childwallblues]

Has 777140 been in passenger service yet?

 

[prod_pep]

So for a Chester to Liverpool run on 50x stock, I could be on for a long wait. Or do the 50x tend to work a particular service on that route or is it more or less random day to day?

From what I've seen, the 507/8s usually do the same services. Although five of seven 777s to Chester are now booked, the most I've seen out is four; certainly Tuesday reportedly had three 507s on the Chester line.

Last Thursday, the 16.15, 16.30 and 18.30 Liverpool Central - Chester services were all 507/8s.

 

[The_Train]

Has 777140 been in passenger service yet?

Not according to my records. Been out on test runs but not in pax service

 

[childwallblues]

Not according to my records. Been out on test runs but not in pax service

Strange that it was the first battery unit to arrive but seems to have vanished.
Thank you for the update.

 

[irish_rail]

From what I've seen, the 507/8s usually do the same services. Although five of seven 777s to Chester are now booked, the most I've seen out is four; certainly Tuesday reportedly had three 507s on the Chester line.

Last Thursday, the 16.15, 16.30 and 18.30 Liverpool Central - Chester services were all 507/8s.

Thanks for that.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Do we have an expected date for introduction on Southports please?

 

[karlbbb]

Do we have an expected date for introduction on Southports please?

Sometime next year.

 

[childwallblues]

Have the Eurovision Song Contest contravision decals been removed from 777013? I am sure that it was that unit outside Birkenhead North depot when I passed this afternoon in normal fleet livery.

 

[L401CJF]

Have the Eurovision Song Contest contravision decals been removed from 777013? I am sure that it was that unit outside Birkenhead North depot when I passed this afternoon in normal fleet livery.

I believe you're correct, past it there myself before

 

[childwallblues]

I believe you're correct, past it there myself before

Other units appear to be losing the small stickers on the sides too.

 

[Northerngirl]

Looks like Kirkby line is finally reopening but all the Headbolt lane services are cancelled for the evening, any idea what happened to suspend the whole /1 fleet

 

[karlbbb]

Shame to see that there’s been no attempt to run a battery service this morning with the power out. Does the same supply for third rail also do switching or is switching on the same power supplies as signalling?

 

[Techniquest]

777150 appeared to be working all fine and good on test runs yesterday afternoon, saw it on the reversal siding at Sandhills as I passed on 507016 (1526 from Moorfields to Southport) then had it fly by northwards as I returned on the 1654 from Southport.

I think I saw @8A Rail posting about it recently, but how are deliveries going? Yesterday was all-PEP on the West Kirby and New Brighton lines when I was on them, although I also noted 3 777s on Chesters and 1 on Ellesmere Ports. Ormskirk's now fully 777 by the looks of it, and did I read correctly that New Brighton's due to go over to 777 next?

 

[mcnw35282]

According to national rail enquiries, there was an issue with the power supply. Disruption to the service is expected until midday.

 

[Skie]

Shame to see that there’s been no attempt to run a battery service this morning with the power out.?

Not allowed for safety reasons. Imagine if a battery unit was decelerating and pumped the regenerative juice back into the supposedly deenergised 3rd rail whilst people were working on the fault.

Batteries can’t always accept a regenerative load, especially when cold, so it’s always a risk.

 

[Soyyo]

There seems to be a fundamental problem affecting the battery trains. It usually show up in the evening but can happen any time. There are often lengthy delays at Fazakerley for some reason. Then trains are cancelled for a variety of reasons, and today there is no service. I really hope they can get to the bottom of it, as if you live on this line it is rapidly becoming really unreliable.

Looking at the last week on RTT:-

21st, evening, 4 round trips from Central cancelled, the first one on the outbound journey cancelled at Fazakerley, "Due to a problem with the train".

22nd, 2105 and 2135 departures from Central lost 13 and 19 minutes respectively at Fazakerley, then a round trip cancelled "Due to a problem with the train".

23rd, 0705 cancelled from Central "Due to Problem with onboard safety system", then 2335 ex Central lost 11 mins at Fazakerley.

24th, 0541 and 0741 ex Headbolt Lane cancelled, Onboard safety system. Then 2005 ex Central cancelled at Fazakerly "problem with the train", following train at 2035 lost 21 mins in a combination between Rice Lane and Fazakerly. Then the
2305 ex Central, already running late, lost another 12 at Fazakerley.

25th, 0611 from Headbolt and 0635 return trip cancelled "Onboard safety equipment" then 0711 fro HBL also cancelled "due to a problem with the traction equipment"

26th, almost got away with it till the 2355 ex Central lost 48 minutes at Fazakerley and eventually made Headbolt Lane at 0104.

Then yesterday, seems to have started with the 1935 ex Liverpool Central being cancelled between Fazakerley and Headbolt Lane due to a problem with the traction equipment.

They're now saying it is "power supply issues" but the history seems more inclined to a problem wih the trains. Why do so many lose a lot of time at Fazakerely, and why are there such a lot of problems in the evening? Are the batteries flat already??!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not allowed for safety reasons. Imagine if a battery unit was decelerating and pumped the regenerative juice back into the supposedly deenergised 3rd rail whilst people were working on the fault.

Do the shoes not lift in battery mode?

Batteries can’t always accept a regenerative load, especially when cold, so it’s always a risk.

If the batteries and resistor packs can't take regen, it would presumably revert to friction braking.

 

[Elecman]

Not allowed for safety reasons. Imagine if a battery unit was decelerating and pumped the regenerative juice back into the supposedly deenergised 3rd rail whilst people were working on the fault.

Batteries can’t always accept a regenerative load, especially when cold, so it’s always a risk.

I would hope that they would have shorting straps either side of where they were working or the Negative earthing switches activated and locked on

 

[karlbbb]

There seems to be a fundamental problem affecting the battery trains. It usually show up in the evening but can happen any time. There are often lengthy delays at Fazakerley for some reason. Then trains are cancelled for a variety of reasons, and today there is no service. I really hope they can get to the bottom of it, as if you live on this line it is rapidly becoming really unreliable.

Looking at the last week on RTT:-

21st, evening, 4 round trips from Central cancelled, the first one on the outbound journey cancelled at Fazakerley, "Due to a problem with the train".

22nd, 2105 and 2135 departures from Central lost 13 and 19 minutes respectively at Fazakerley, then a round trip cancelled "Due to a problem with the train".

23rd, 0705 cancelled from Central "Due to Problem with onboard safety system", then 2335 ex Central lost 11 mins at Fazakerley.

24th, 0541 and 0741 ex Headbolt Lane cancelled, Onboard safety system. Then 2005 ex Central cancelled at Fazakerly "problem with the train", following train at 2035 lost 21 mins in a combination between Rice Lane and Fazakerly. Then the
2305 ex Central, already running late, lost another 12 at Fazakerley.

25th, 0611 from Headbolt and 0635 return trip cancelled "Onboard safety equipment" then 0711 fro HBL also cancelled "due to a problem with the traction equipment"

26th, almost got away with it till the 2355 ex Central lost 48 minutes at Fazakerley and eventually made Headbolt Lane at 0104.

Then yesterday, seems to have started with the 1935 ex Liverpool Central being cancelled between Fazakerley and Headbolt Lane due to a problem with the traction equipment.

They're now saying it is "power supply issues" but the history seems more inclined to a problem wih the trains. Why do so many lose a lot of time at Fazakerely, and why are there such a lot of problems in the evening? Are the batteries flat already??!!

The power supply issues were a separate issue yesterday morning. It affected the Ormskirk line for nearly two hours as well.

 

[73001]

The power supply issues were a separate issue yesterday morning. It affected the Ormskirk line for nearly two hours as well.

I understand what people are saying about the battery units but, as a matter of interest, if the power fails without warning on any line, is it possible / allowed to use the depot batteries to get to a station to allow people to get off?? Do they have that much power?

 

[Northerngirl]

I understand what people are saying about the battery units but, as a matter of interest, if the power fails without warning on any line, is it possible / allowed to use the depot batteries to get to a station to allow people to get off?? Do they have that much power?

I'm not sure if it would really be needed, from my experience whenever the power goes, the 507/8 can quiet easily roll to the next stop, although I don't see any reason the battery couldn't be used, I've seen the 230s use battery only to get to the station before

 

[Ribbleman]

The Programme Director told me that in most cases the shunt battery would be sufficient to power a 777 to the next station in the event of the traction supply failing, but it was unlikely that a train under the Mersey would be able to climb up the 1 in 27 to Hamilton Square or James Street.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Programme Director told me that in most cases the shunt battery would be sufficient to power a 777 to the next station in the event of the traction supply failing, but it was unlikely that a train under the Mersey would be able to climb up the 1 in 27 to Hamilton Square or James Street.

Oops! That seems a flaw if you can't get a train out of the most awkward place on the network to have to evacuate one!

 

[43096]

Oops! That seems a flaw if you can't get a train out of the most awkward place on the network to have to evacuate one!

Hardly an “oops”. The 507 and 508 fleets don’t have that capability.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Oops! That seems a flaw if you can't get a train out of the most awkward place on the network to have to evacuate one!

Better than a 507 or 508 I guess ?.

Don't think the batteries on the 777/0s were meant for anything more than moving round a depot so allowing Mersey Rail to dispense with the dangerous third rail. Of course the 777/1s have a proper traction battery.

 

[karlbbb]

More disruption this morning on the Headbolt line. Only one train running out of two. How are there still so many issues?

 

[Pacef8]

• 0735 Liverpool Central to Headbolt Lane has been cancelled.
• 0811 Headbolt Lane to Liverpool Central has been cancelled.
• 0835 Liverpool Central to Headbolt Lane has been cancelled.
• 0911 Headbolt Lane to Liverpool Central has been cancelled.
• Paging Steve Rotherham

 

[Vinnym]

• 0735 Liverpool Central to Headbolt Lane has been cancelled.
• 0811 Headbolt Lane to Liverpool Central has been cancelled.
• 0835 Liverpool Central to Headbolt Lane has been cancelled.
• 0911 Headbolt Lane to Liverpool Central has been cancelled.
• Paging Steve Rotherham

Merseyrail website saying minor disruption on Kirkby Line. How can it be minor with 50% reduction on an already reduced service.

 

[Vespa]

Noticed that today at Central station, as of 11am nothing has changed, still only hourly 50% reduced service with replacement bus duplicating the missing service.

 

[TheSel]

Noticed that today at Central station, as of 11am nothing has changed, still only hourly 50% reduced service with replacement bus duplicating the missing service.

Not entirely true. They're running every 30 mins as far as Kirkby. They've found a 507/8 to cover Liverpool Central to Kirkby to partially cover one of the 777 diagrams. Therefore, the 50% reduction only affects one station, for which a Rail Replacement Bus has been procured. 'Minor' disruption sounds about right.