Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

[Northerngirl]

It's happened before. There's a vid on YouTube of two coupled, though one was powered down and the other being used as a "rescue". Not quite the same as 8-car running, unfortunately.

That's a shame, thought we might be getting somewhere, but it's good to know they can be used for rescue. On a side note, I wonder if we'll ever see a 16 car movement or if one 77 has enough power to move 2 dead ones

 

[507021]

Their introduction being delayed isn't "shameful". What's shameful is the 777s are still regularly failing in service, despite an extensive period of testing before the first units entered traffic the best part of a year ago.

 

[Pacef8]

Maybe they should publish the week by week stadler engineering report .

 

[Skie]

That's a shame, thought we might be getting somewhere, but it's good to know they can be used for rescue. On a side note, I wonder if we'll ever see a 16 car movement or if one 77 has enough power to move 2 dead ones

It’s not solely about power (but can be in some locations), but about braking. If the dead unit has brakes isolated or other related fault, then the dragging unit needs to have sufficient brake force to stop itself and the coupled unit.

No use rescuing a train if you then can’t stop!

 

[L401CJF]

That's a shame, thought we might be getting somewhere, but it's good to know they can be used for rescue. On a side note, I wonder if we'll ever see a 16 car movement or if one 77 has enough power to move 2 dead ones

Well it was a bit hit and miss whether it would work as a rescue today as the internal email I was shown said both units were running different software versions and may not actually work..

 

[Sam 76]

Well it was a bit hit and miss whether it would work as a rescue today as the internal email I was shown said both units were running different software versions and may not actually work..

That’s quite surprising to me they are all on different software versions. I assume when there’s an update it takes time to fully roll it out ?

 

[Pacef8]

That update was over 6 months ago though !

 

[Peter Sarf]

It's not like they haven't had bags of extra time what with service entry being so shamefully delayed too.

The optimist in me would hope that they are concentrating on getting them to work on their own before getting all advanced and running full length trains !.

 

[karlbbb]

The optimist in me would hope that they are concentrating on getting them to work on their own before getting all advanced and running full length trains !.

The flip side of this is that some of the issues (the steps and doors) come from the trains being too busy - an 8-car formation would help with that massively.

 

[paddyb6]

Is there any progress regarding the 8 car operation?

 

[L+Y]

Here's a quick look at the works underway at Ormskirk station yesterday. For two days only, but this must be the first time since summer 1970 without a buffer midway along the old Down platform!

 

[Grumpy Git]

What work is being done?

 

[L401CJF]

What work is being done?

Moving the buffer stop further along to accommodate 8 cars I believe

 

[Ribbleman]

What work is being done?

Moving both sets of buffer stops a few yards towards Preston to make sufficient space for an 8-car 777 formation to be accommodated.

 

[barbette165]

Are they extending the third rail?

 

[Djgr]

Are they extending the third rail?

I think that would fall foul of the anti-3rd rail Taliban.

 

[karlbbb]

Are they extending the third rail?

If they're only having to move the buffer stops a few yards, there's very little need. There's enough pickup shoes along each 4-car unit that you'd always have on in contact anyway.

 

[ExRes]

A schedule has appeared on RTT for Tuesday 2258 6Q77 Walton Old Jct to Kirkdale CS, presumably a first step towards getting the units out of Wembley

 

[trainophile]

Does anyone know when the 777s will start running on the Southport line? I heard somewhere recently that it would be "quite soon" but haven't heard when exactly. Or is it still subject to platform work completion?

 

[Vespa]

Does anyone know when the 777s will start running on the Southport line? I heard somewhere recently that it would be "quite soon" but haven't heard when exactly. Or is it still subject to platform work completion?

No idea, I would imagine not long as I've heard that all 507 and 508 lease will be up in December and not expected to be extended into 2024, that could change depending on the Southport platform extension.

 

[L401CJF]

No idea, I would imagine not long as I've heard that all 507 and 508 lease will be up in December and not expected to be extended into 2024, that could change depending on the Southport platform extension.

Wirral guards have been told to expect 507s on West Kirby/New Brighton til April.. plenty not even 777 trained yet.

507s still subbing on some Chester diagrams most days too.

 

[jamesst]

Does anyone know when the 777s will start running on the Southport line? I heard somewhere recently that it would be "quite soon" but haven't heard when exactly. Or is it still subject to platform work completion?

Should be a couple of diagrams this side of Christmas with the rest in early to mid 2024

 

[8A Rail]

No idea, I would imagine not long as I've heard that all 507 and 508 lease will be up in December and not expected to be extended into 2024, that could change depending on the Southport platform extension.

Class 507's remain in traffic into 2024 and will be working on the Southport line until the fleet of Class 777's are in traffic. Remember there are still 12 Class 777's not been delivered to the UK and they do not include the three at Wembley and I think three at WOJn also. Add to that, the continued niggles / issues of the Class 777's currently in traffic. So taking all the Class 507 out of traffic would cause major operational issues I think. It is confirmed that the remaining Class 508's will be withdrawn by the end of year.

 

[lrailadventure]

No idea, I would imagine not long as I've heard that all 507 and 508 lease will be up in December and not expected to be extended into 2024, that could change depending on the Southport platform extension.

Only the 508s leases end this month (hence 2 being scrapped every 2 weeks for the past couple of months) as they're life-expired.

The 507s are on lease until middle of 2024 IIRC.

 

[urbophile]

Does that mean the 508s are older than the 507s? You'd expect the opposite from the numbering.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Does that mean the 508s are older than the 507s? You'd expect the opposite from the numbering.

I cannot remember but it could be that the 507s are old enough to have had major overhauls recently but that the same overhauls for 508s were due later and that these are now falling due.

 

[Thornaby 37]

Does that mean the 508s are older than the 507s? You'd expect the opposite from the numbering.

Don't forget that the 508s started life on the Southern Region, and only transferred to Merseyrail when the 455/7s came into service
The 507s were built between 1978 and 1980, and the 508s between 1979 and 1980, so any age difference is insignificant, given how long both classes have been in service

 

[prod_pep]

No, most of the 507s (001-030) were built in 1978-79 and are older than the 508s. The last three 507s (031-033) were built immediately after the 508s in 1980 as a follow-on order.

The 508s followed the 314s off the BREL York production line in 1979-80.

The 508s are not life expired; their lease simply expires in December and there is no desire to extend it. Some were only overhauled in late 2021 so could continue for several more years if needed.

 

[karlbbb]

The 777s do not appear to be having a good morning/day. Merseyrail have tweeted 4 times so far about service cancellations on the Ormskirk line, and going past Kirkdale this morning I saw a unit getting taken back in.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The 777s do not appear to be having a good morning/day. Merseyrail have tweeted 4 times so far about service cancellations on the Ormskirk line, and going past Kirkdale this morning I saw a unit getting taken back in.

So they're having a normal day then