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New trains for Southend Pier.

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Airline Man

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https://www.southendstandard.co.uk/news/18159743.southend-pier-trains-designs-revealed/

Key features of the new trains will include:
  • Increased capacity (from 180 to 244)
  • Increased wheelchair capacity (minimum of six spaces per train with every carriage being wheelchair accessible)
  • Battery electric
  • Potential panoramic roof on one or more passenger cars
  • Speakers and display monitors
  • On board Wi-Fi
  • USB charging points
  • GPS triggered audio announcements
  • On board CCTV
  • Hearing loop system and braille driver alert
Free wifi and USB charging points for a 1.3 mile journey!
 
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hexagon789

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https://www.southendstandard.co.uk/news/18159743.southend-pier-trains-designs-revealed/

Key features of the new trains will include:

  • Increased capacity (from 180 to 244)
  • Increased wheelchair capacity (minimum of six spaces per train with every carriage being wheelchair accessible)
  • Battery electric
  • Potential panoramic roof on one or more passenger cars
  • Speakers and display monitors
  • On board Wi-Fi
  • USB charging points
  • GPS triggered audio announcements
  • On board CCTV
  • Hearing loop system and braille driver alert
Free wifi and USB charging points for a 1.3 mile journey!

I think the first design is the nicest, the last one is a bit of a munter.

No mention of what happens to the present stock, scrap presumably?
 

Peter Mugridge

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I think the first design is the nicest, the last one is a bit of a munter.

Agree, first one is the better looking one - and I like the second colour scheme on it best. ( 4B ).

You're right about the third one - it looks like it's had a front end collision with something.

Were there at least two other designs? These two designs shown are labelled as 4 ( with three colour schemes ) and 3; that implies there must have been a 1 and a 2 if not a 5 or higher.
 

306024

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I think the first design is the nicest, the last one is a bit of a munter.

No mention of what happens to the present stock, scrap presumably?

Munter. Had to look that up. :s

Quite a bit of money has been spent on the Southend Pier experience. New trains is the icing on the cake. The council seem to have realised in recent years they were sitting on a tourist attraction that wasn’t realising its potential.
 

big all

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Agree, first one is the better looking one - and I like the second colour scheme on it best. ( 4B ).

You're right about the third one - it looks like it's had a front end collision with something.

Were there at least two other designs? These two designs shown are labelled as 4 ( with three colour schemes ) and 3; that implies there must have been a 1 and a 2 if not a 5 or higher.
Agree, first one is the better looking one - and I like the second colour scheme on it best. ( 4B ).

You're right about the third one - it looks like it's had a front end collision with something.

Were there at least two other designs? These two designs shown are labelled as 4 ( with three colour schemes ) and 3; that implies there must have been a 1 and a 2 if not a 5 or higher.
could the last one 3b have been thrown in as a retro 40-50s style bus rather than ultra modern ??
 

bramling

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https://www.southendstandard.co.uk/news/18159743.southend-pier-trains-designs-revealed/

Key features of the new trains will include:

  • Increased capacity (from 180 to 244)
  • Increased wheelchair capacity (minimum of six spaces per train with every carriage being wheelchair accessible)
  • Battery electric
  • Potential panoramic roof on one or more passenger cars
  • Speakers and display monitors
  • On board Wi-Fi
  • USB charging points
  • GPS triggered audio announcements
  • On board CCTV
  • Hearing loop system and braille driver alert
Free wifi and USB charging points for a 1.3 mile journey!

Is this an April fool? Seriously, just a bit overkill for what it is.

Will have to go for a ride before the old trains are replaced, went on these as a child and haven’t been back for many many years. Been at least one fire in the intervening years!
 

Meerkat

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Do we really need all of that for the Southend pier line? Really?
Screens and audio will be PRM??
Wi-fi means people ca more quickly upload selfies, helping advertise the experience!
 

Meerkat

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I had never heard of Severn Lamb - would seem to be a British engineering success we should hear more about!
 

jon0844

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Will there be a meal served in first class?

I suppose you may as well as include USB charging ports, even though the chances of them being used are slim for such a short journey. But Wi-Fi? What's the point when you get excellent phone reception on the pier (for obvious reasons) and anyone that needs data for their busy social life will have data.
 

hexagon789

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Agree, first one is the better looking one - and I like the second colour scheme on it best. ( 4B ).

You're right about the third one - it looks like it's had a front end collision with something.

Were there at least two other designs? These two designs shown are labelled as 4 ( with three colour schemes ) and 3; that implies there must have been a 1 and a 2 if not a 5 or higher.

There appears to be some designs missing
 

hexagon789

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Munter. Had to look that up. :s

Something not very pleasant to look at; not pretty; ugly.

Quite a bit of money has been spent on the Southend Pier experience. New trains is the icing on the cake. The council seem to have realised in recent years they were sitting on a tourist attraction that wasn’t realising its potential.

The current trains look quite modern, but if they can afford to spend money on new trains of greater capacity, the line must be doing well and new stock is no bad thing.
 

AM9

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These are what I remember as a child:
https://www.theengineer.co.uk/pier-electric-train-southend/

April 1949: a peerless landmark
By Jason Ford 24th April 2019 12:40 pm
If a town can be defined by a single landmark then the jewel in Southend’s crown must surely be its record-breaking pier.

piertrain4web.jpg

The design 3C looks not that dissimilar, especially as it is green and cream.
 

hexagon789

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PeterC

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I still prefer the 1949 trains. There is a car preserved (or was last year) in a gift shop in Old Leigh. I usually go in for a little nostalgia when I am bird watching at Leigh.
 

AndrewE

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Is anybody else a bit worried that they are providing Braille alerts for the drivers?
I have heard of equal opprtunities, but isn't this going a bit far?
 

Peter Mugridge

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306024

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Is anybody else a bit worried that they are providing Braille alerts for the drivers?
I have heard of equal opprtunities, but isn't this going a bit far?

That did amuse me too.

One of the attractions of walking Southend Pier (and back if keen) is to get away from modern life and all its wi-fi associated media. Just that it seems some can’t live five minutes without it these days.

I still prefer the 1949 trains. There is a car preserved (or was last year) in a gift shop in Old Leigh. I usually go in for a little nostalgia when I am bird watching at Leigh.

Still there.
 

philthetube

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I would love to hear comments from any Braille user if braille on labels is any use, I see a big issue in finding the notice/button in the first place.
 

duffield

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Had my first ever ride on the Southend pier trains yesterday. The diesel locos certainly seemed a bit high on the pollution scale (good fun though). Shame there's no pub at the end of the pier, I might have stayed longer. :E

I really can't see why the 10 minute ride would need WiFi or charging sockets in future though.

The return journey was fun - shut in carriage with baby screaming its lungs out and having its (very smelly) nappy changed. And no, I'm not really complaining, I actually felt very sorry for the parents trying to change the nappy under difficult circumstances, I think one of them said something like "Why did he have to do it *now*!" :E

It was a beautiful day for January, and I had a great walk from Southend to Leigh-on-Sea, much of it next to the mainline railway, with a stunning sunset and the tide coming in. Strongly recommended to those who like seaside, sunsets and railways.
 
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Mag_seven

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These are what I remember as a child:
https://www.theengineer.co.uk/pier-electric-train-southend/

April 1949: a peerless landmark
By Jason Ford 24th April 2019 12:40 pm
If a town can be defined by a single landmark then the jewel in Southend’s crown must surely be its record-breaking pier.

piertrain4web.jpg

The design 3C looks not that dissimilar, especially as it is green and cream.

The lighting on the front reminds me of the front of a "heritage" Blackpool tram e.g. a balloon.
 

Mikey C

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Had my first ever ride on the Southend pier trains yesterday. The diesel locos certainly seemed a bit high on the pollution scale (good fun though). Shame there's no pub at the end of the pier, I might have stayed longer. :E

I really can't see why the 10 minute ride would need WiFi or charging sockets in future though.

The return journey was fun - shut in carriage with baby screaming its lungs out and having its (very smelly) nappy changed. And no, I'm not really complaining, I actually felt very sorry for the parents trying to change the nappy under difficult circumstances, I think one of them said something like "Why did he have to do it *now*!" :E

It was a beautiful day for January, and I had a great walk from Southend to Leigh-on-Sea, much of it next to the mainline railway, with a stunning sunset and the tide coming in. Strongly recommended to those who like seaside, sunsets and railways.

Leigh-on-sea is a nice place to finish the walk, with its pubs and shellfish stalls!

Interesting that the railway has gone from 3rd rail to diesel and now to battery power. Nice to get rid of the diesels, though air pollution isn't really an issue that far out to sea...
 

AndrewE

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Leigh-on-sea is a nice place to finish the walk, with its pubs and shellfish stalls!

Interesting that the railway has gone from 3rd rail to diesel and now to battery power. Nice to get rid of the diesels, though air pollution isn't really an issue that far out to sea...
... or downwind of London!
 

AM9

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Leigh-on-sea is a nice place to finish the walk, with its pubs and shellfish stalls!

Interesting that the railway has gone from 3rd rail to diesel and now to battery power. Nice to get rid of the diesels, though air pollution isn't really an issue that far out to sea...
... but CO2 affects the whole planet.
 
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