Merseyrail Class 777 introduction updates

[Bob Price]

Three just passed the Crewe webcams,
HSTs - barrier - 2 x 777 - barriers - 1 x 777 - barrier - HSTs. Only just fitted into Crewe platform 6.

My mistake, no HSTs on the rear. Just the two on the front.

 

[N Scorah]

He does not do Merseyrail diagrams / allocations with the exception of No 507001.

In the meantime:

Updated List since movements of 777037, 039 and 041 to Long Marston via WOJN MSC Sidings today:
Kirkdale C.S. = 001 to 028 inclusive, 030, 031, 032, 034, 036, 049, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150 and 152.
WOJn MSC Sidings = None.
Long Marston = 029, 037, 039, 041, 043 and 045.

Are all the units listed at Kirkdale actually there, or just allocated?

 

[Terry Williams]

He does not do Merseyrail diagrams / allocations with the exception of No 507001.

In the meantime:

Updated List since movements of 777037, 039 and 041 to Long Marston via WOJN MSC Sidings today:
Kirkdale C.S. = 001 to 028 inclusive, 030, 031, 032, 034, 036, 049, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150 and 152.
WOJn MSC Sidings = None.
Long Marston = 029, 037, 039, 041, 043 and 045.

Oh yes part time spotter does.
Try looking again!

 

[Peter Sarf]

He does not do Merseyrail diagrams / allocations with the exception of No 507001.

In the meantime:

Updated List since movements of 777037, 039 and 041 to Long Marston via WOJN MSC Sidings today:
Kirkdale C.S. = 001 to 028 inclusive, 030, 031, 032, 034, 036, 049, 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, 150 and 152.
WOJn MSC Sidings = None.
Long Marston = 029, 037, 039, 041, 043 and 045.

I actually went and checked as I doubted myself and behold the 777s are on Part Time Spotter. TBF I think he might have just started doing them.

Are all the units listed at Kirkdale actually there, or just allocated?

Plenty of the 777s at Kirkdale will be in service - or at least they start the day that way !.

 

[8A Rail]

Are all the units listed at Kirkdale actually there, or just allocated?

For want of a better description 'allocated'. I am certainly not going to list where each individual Class 777 is currently stabled in Merseyside, you are welcome to do that if you wish.

(It may surprise you and others, I have no interest in the Class 777's, so certainly not doing this list for my benefit )

Oh yes part time spotter does.
Try looking again!

Clearly only just started to do them, however why? The diagrams for the Class 507 are more interesting and relevant as they are on borrowed time and that be the reason for taking an interest in the present MR scene. Class 777's will be around for a long time to come.

 

[60159]

For want of a better description 'allocated'. I am certainly not going to list where each individual Class 777 is currently stabled in Merseyside, you are welcome to do that if you wish.

(It may surprise you and others, I have no interest in the Class 777's, so certainly not doing this list for my benefit )


Clearly only just started to do them, however why? The diagrams for the Class 507 are more interesting and relevant as they are on borrowed time and that be the reason for taking an interest in the present MR scene. Class 777's will be around for a long time to come.

Well , I’m delighted. Been a good week with Greater Anglia on RTT.

 

[childwallblues]

Are all the units listed at Kirkdale actually there, or just allocated?

They are all based at Kirkdale. Odd ones may be stored at Southport but can be found all over the system.

 

[trainophile]

16:57 from Southport cancelled today, and 17:12 (777 028) departed 7 minutes late, holding up the inbound 6-coach 507 set in the process, that I was on, which arrived 8 late.

Don't know what the cause was but at that time of day it's not good news.

 

[prod_pep]

777013 is a little lost this morning, seen leaving Sandhills just now on the 06.19 Ormskirk - Liverpool Central displaying 'West Kirby'.

 

[warwickshire]

My mistake, no HSTs on the rear. Just the two on the front.

Units reported to be 777039, 777039, 777041, on Old live rail record website to Long Marston, does anyone know why they are going to Long Marston, storage rather than Warrington?.
Batteries fitted for those of the fleet that are?.
Will anymore end up there??
Thank you.

 

[trainophile]

Lucky again today, on the 507 001 10:57 from Southport. So much better than the 777s, more space for seated people with coats on, and the spacer between the window and the adjacent seat is great for putting a carrier bag on. I do miss that on the new stock.

The other day on a very packed 777 a bloke next to me had his elbow in my ribs the entire time, while playing on his phone.

Alright, was it one of us filming the 001 at Bootle New Strand just now?

 

[GRONK08]

In case anyone is interested the Chesters today were: 777006, 007, 014, 017, 018 & 024. Generally they seemed to run without any issues although I was on 777018 coming back from Hamilton Square at 14.16 (12 late) but it went non stop from Birkenhead Central to Hooton and so finished up just 2 late at Chester. Not sure how regular an occurrence that is but despite being a fan of the 507's I must admit the ride from Birkenhead Central to Hooton at speed was very smooth & quiet. If they could just iron out the reliability issues, they would be decent train in my personal opinion. I may feel different if I had to use them everyday of course!

 

[Bevan Price]

In case anyone is interested the Chesters today were: 777006, 007, 014, 017, 018 & 024. Generally they seemed to run without any issues although I was on 777018 coming back from Hamilton Square at 14.16 (12 late) but it went non stop from Birkenhead Central to Hooton and so finished up just 2 late at Chester. Not sure how regular an occurrence that is but despite being a fan of the 507's I must admit the ride from Birkenhead Central to Hooton at speed was very smooth & quiet. If they could just iron out the reliability issues, they would be decent train in my personal opinion. I may feel different if I had to use them everyday of course!

You just missed some earlier problems. The 11:15 Chester - Liverpool - Chester (777.006) had problems at James Street, and according to RTT, returned to Green Lane (but probably Rock Ferry). The next circuit, 12:45 ex-Chester was cancelled. The following 13:01 ex-Chester (777.024) departed late and ran non-stop from Chester to Birkenhead Central. I was on board, and contrary to what RTT shows, it did not stop at Bromborough or Rock Ferry. Your train (777.018) would have been the 13:15 ex-Chester, which I passed running a bit late on its way into Chester.

 

[childwallblues]

Lucky again today, on the 507 001 10:57 from Southport. So much better than the 777s, more space for seated people with coats on, and the spacer between the window and the adjacent seat is great for putting a carrier bag on. I do miss that on the new stock.

The other day on a very packed 777 a bloke next to me had his elbow in my ribs the entire time, while playing on his phone.

Alright, was it one of us filming the 001 at Bootle New Strand just now?

If he was in your seat space you should have told him. We were lucky with the 507/508. With the 777s you get as much space as any other Metro new build but you do get airline seats which I prefer.

 

[GRONK08]

You just missed some earlier problems. The 11:15 Chester - Liverpool - Chester (777.006) had problems at James Street, and according to RTT, returned to Green Lane (but probably Rock Ferry). The next circuit, 12:45 ex-Chester was cancelled. The following 13:01 ex-Chester (777.024) departed late and ran non-stop from Chester to Birkenhead Central. I was on board, and contrary to what RTT shows, it did not stop at Bromborough or Rock Ferry. Your train (777.018) would have been the 13:15 ex-Chester, which I passed running a bit late on its way into Chester.

Fair enough. I was going by the trains that I travelled on. By the sounds of it, I was lucky. I hope they get their act together soon as the general public deserve better. Whilst travelling on a surprisingly clean 507030 from New Brighton to Hamilton Square I did hear a woman say to her companion "At least it's one of these trains. The new ones have doors that keep breaking down". Just one of many issues it seems, based on what is reported on here.

 

[trainophile]

If he was in your seat space you should have told him. We were lucky with the 507/508. With the 777s you get as much space as any other Metro new build but you do get airline seats which I prefer.

He was in the window seat, I was in the aisle seat as I had a suitcase beside me and nowhere else to put it (there's a distinct shortage of overhead racks in the new trains too). He was a big bloke and didn't really have anywhere to spread to other than my bit of space. I still think the seats are not suitable for present day larger people. It's okay if you're travelling with someone you know, but being squashed up to a stranger isn't much fun.

 

[karlbbb]

I still think the seats are not suitable for present day larger people. It's okay if you're travelling with someone you know, but being squashed up to a stranger isn't much fun.

This is more just a sad indictment on the unhealthy size of people these days, rather than it being due to seat size.



We've only just made it past 7am today and Merseyrail have tweeted about replacement buses being ordered for the Headbolt Lane line.

 

[Pacef8]

Surely the bus company must be employing staff full time by now.

 

[Spekejunction]

Looking at Merseyrail‘s X feed there are failures all over the system this morning ..
What a fiasco !

 

[karlbbb]

There's still only one out of three units running on the Headbolt Line, almost 4 hours after the initial failure/ordering of replacement busses. How are things that bad that only 1 unit can run?

 

[DJH1971]

Surely the bus company must be employing staff full time by now.

And need to change it's name to Merseyrail-replacement Bus!

 

[Bikeman78]

There's still only one out of three units running on the Headbolt Line, almost 4 hours after the initial failure/ordering of replacement busses. How are things that bad that only 1 unit can run?

More to the point, why still only three diagrams? When was the last time Kirkby had a quarter hourly service? Not a great advert for battery technology is it?

EDIT: I was pondering going to Headbolt Lane this afternoon but I see the missing train each hour is the one that would connect in and out of the hourly Northern train. You couldn't make it up. So I'm off to Southport on a 769 instead.

 

[Vinnym]

We've only just made it past 7am today and Merseyrail have tweeted about replacement buses being ordered for the Headbolt Lane line.

I was in Fazackerley Station at 07.55 picking up a Metro and the Arrivals/ Departure screen was saying on time for all services on the screen, obviously untrue. Went shopping in nearby Lidl and when I passed the station at approx 08.25 a train must have just arrived from Liverpool Central, huge crowd coming out of the station. Mostly hospital staff heading to Aintree Hospital. A lot of them probably late for duty. Not really good enough, it’s about time this mess was sorted out.

 

[Spekejunction]

I was in Fazackerley Station at 07.55 picking up a Metro and the Arrivals/ Departure screen was saying on time for all services on the screen, obviously untrue. Went shopping in nearby Lidl and when I passed the station at approx 08.25 a train must have just arrived from Liverpool Central, huge crowd coming out of the station. Mostly hospital staff heading to Aintree Hospital. A lot of them probably late for duty. Not really good enough, it’s about time this mess was sorted out.

100% agree..my granddaughter was fortunate this morning her train did run …pure luck..

 

[The_Train]

And need to change it's name to Merseyrail-replacement Bus!

They should have ordered a new fleet of buses and just not bothered with the trains

 

[Sam 76]

They should have ordered a new fleet of buses and just not bothered with the trains

I digress but if you think this rollout isn’t smooth you should see the mayors new buses

 

[baldyman26]

Bit of a common theme here, the Mayor and disastrous transport schemes.

 

[childwallblues]

More to the point, why still only three diagrams? When was the last time Kirkby had a quarter hourly service? Not a great advert for battery technology is it?

EDIT: I was pondering going to Headbolt Lane this afternoon but I see the missing train each hour is the one that would connect in and out of the hourly Northern train. You couldn't make it up. So I'm off to Southport on a 769 instead.

The hourly Northern service if on time actually connects into the xx41 from Headbolt Lane to Livepool Central.

 

[Bikeman78]

The hourly Northern service if on time actually connects into the xx41 from Headbolt Lane to Livepool Central.

I wouldn't risk that. It doesn't appear on journey planners. I don't know how many people used to change from one train to the other but it must be close to zero now.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Does anybody know what is happening with the Ellesmere Port services? RTT shows for today, tomorrow and Wednesday a RRB to Hooton shadowing the rail service. Is the 777 situation so bad Merseyrail anticipate not having enough available units to operate all services and Ellesmere Port is a potential sacrifice?