Northern Class 195: Construction/Introduction Updates

[td97]

It will be interesting to review them when they have been in full operation for 12 months.

And to compare against classes 717, 710, 745, 802 and 801 which have all been very recently introduced

 

[superkev]

Those stats should concentrate the minds of whoever signed-off the order for the 195's. It will be interesting to review them when they have been in full operation for 12 months.

Interested also in Modern Railways was West Midlands extra trams, West Midlands class 196 are from Caf as well as them being close with getting Newcatle metro new stock order.
Suppose you get what you pay for.
Personal I'd only buy from Siemens of Hitachi who top the reliability stats.
K

 

[Grumpy Git]

In my line of work I get a few customers that say the gear I supply is good but too expensive.

I've also got quite a few who (after saying the above previously), ask me to come back and remove the pile of poo they brought that does not work and put in the stuff I quoted originally.

End result = good reliable kit but at 175%+ of the original quoted cost when you factor in the scrap they brought first, (and several years hassle with duff equipment in the meantime).

 

[507021]

Interested also in Modern Railways was West Midlands extra trams, West Midlands class 196 are from Caf as well as them being close with getting Newcatle metro new stock order.
Suppose you get what you pay for.
Personal I'd only buy from Siemens of Hitachi who top the reliability stats.
K

Hitachi and Siemens don't make DMUs though. Stadler bi-modes were an option I suppose (despite most of Northern's network being unelectrified), but I'd imagine we'd have ended up with less new trains if they were selected.

The reason CAF was chosen to build the new trains for Northern is because they offered a DMU and EMU based on the same platform.

 

[ivzem]

Stadler bi-modes were an option I suppose (despite most of Northern's network being unelectrified), but I'd imagine we'd have ended up with less new trains if they were selected.

And less capacity on the diesel sets, given the platform space the generator coach takes up.

 

[thejuggler]

Not a good week following introduction. Caldervale line services are a lottery again today.

 

[Karl]

Apologies from the other side of the Pennines, but could somebody tell me which lines are the Airedale and Caldervale lines please? I get confused.

 

[Whisky Papa]

Apologies from the other side of the Pennines, but could somebody tell me which lines are the Airedale and Caldervale lines please? I get confused.

Airedale is the route through Keighley, Caldervale is through Hebden Bridge, and for good measure, Wharfedale is the line to Ilkley.

"Caldervale" is something of an artificial term, in my view, being only ever used by Metro (West Yorkshire PTE originally, now West Yorkshire Combined Authority) in reference to this route. The local authority is Calderdale, but most locals would refer to the area (and its rail line) as the Calder Valley.

 

[SteveM70]

Airedale is the route through Keighley, Caldervale is through Hebden Bridge, and for good measure, Wharfedale is the line to Ilkley.

"Caldervale" is something of an artificial term, in my view, being only ever used by Metro (West Yorkshire PTE originally, now West Yorkshire Combined Authority) in reference to this route. The local authority is Calderdale, but most locals would refer to the area (and its rail line) as the Calder Valley.

I’ve always presumed it was a portmanteau of Calder Valley and Vale of York as it first seemed to be used for the trains through to York

 

[Spartacus]

I’ve always presumed it was a portmanteau of Calder Valley and Vale of York as it first seemed to be used for the trains through to York

Trouble with Calder Valley is that for a good part of their route they’re not in it, clear on the West side, but even on the East the Calder turns off down through Brighouse, Mirfield and Wakefield, whereas they trains go through Halifax, Bradford and Leeds.

 

[Flyingsprinter]

I’m on a 195 in the front carriage just behind the driver, can anyone help me with where the bins are? Are they any? Can’t find them!

 

[geoffk]

I’m on a 195 in the front carriage just behind the driver, can anyone help me with where the bins are? Are they any? Can’t find them!

Litter bins are hard to find as they are low down near the floor. I think there are two per carriage. They're very small and won't be able to cope with many drink cans, bottles etc.

 

[Flyingsprinter]

Litter bins are hard to find as they are low down near the floor. I think there are two per carriage. They're very small and won't be able to cope with many drink cans, bottles etc.

Are they in the vestibule? They are lots of bottles and plastic food packaging on tables which is down to the lack of or difficulty to find bins. Also the speakers are loud, they need to turn the volume down, the point of the info screens is for the hard of hearing so why shout! Would give you a headache on a long service with frequent stops.

 

[Flyingsprinter]

Also it’s probably already been discussed but what does muffled voices and very loud tings coming over the speakers mean? These new trains are giving me a migraine! Only been on for 15 minutes, wouldn’t want to be on one for very long at this rate.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Also it’s probably already been discussed but what does muffled voices and very loud tings coming over the speakers mean? These new trains are giving me a migraine! Only been on for 15 minutes, wouldn’t want to be on one for very long at this rate.

Sounds like the driver's PA is on and he doesn't realise it is.

 

[Karl]

Airedale is the route through Keighley, Caldervale is through Hebden Bridge, and for good measure, Wharfedale is the line to Ilkley.

"Caldervale" is something of an artificial term, in my view, being only ever used by Metro (West Yorkshire PTE originally, now West Yorkshire Combined Authority) in reference to this route. The local authority is Calderdale, but most locals would refer to the area (and its rail line) as the Calder Valley.

Thanks @Whisky Papa. I love the Capybara by the way!

 

[superkev]

I find the slow, monotonous female voice (that is also across other Northern units such as the 319) irritating and patronising. The Geordie and the Yorkshire blokes are all right.

Was talking to a conductor today on way home as we were coming into the station. Sounded stressed out and said he "detested" these new trains. Too clever for their own good. Imagine there are a few nervous people at CAF right now with their hands full of teething problems.

Not just the trains me thinks. Its a huge step up for staff familiar with 20plus year old machines and 0have to learn there new computerised steeds.
I'm sure they will come good eventually.
I remember a tale from steam days when drivers of the then new dmus where told to keep the rev counter in the yellow band and some became totally fixated on it resulting in a few minor accidents. Big change from a steam loco. All came good eventually.
K

 

[thejuggler]

I caught the service which disappeared this morning. Chester Leeds which arrived at Man Vic almost on time and left an hour late, I was on it at Pudsey.

In Leeds the driver was swapping over and appeared to be saying to the new driver that the left hand side driver's cab door kept opening and wouldn't lock closed.

 

[driver_m]

2 cars are starting to arrive in numbers at Edge Hill now. 003 012 and 013 are here of the ones I could see outside. (Also 108 here too)

 

[superkev]

2 cars are starting to arrive in numbers at Edge Hill now. 003 012 and 013 are here of the ones I could see outside. (Also 108 here too)

Are all the 3 cars now delivered?

 

[jonesy3001]

Are all the 3 cars now delivered?

Just the 3 extra's left to be delivered 195131-133 in the 3 cars

 

[Andrew Holland]

195 issues continue, I was waiting for the 0929 VT service to Euston at Wigan NW yesterday morning. 195120 on the 0923 service inbound from Barrow turns up a few minutes late and instead of getting on its way quickly sits there for a few minutes before the inevitable PA announcement that is has a technical fault and can't move. Eventually by 0950 everyone has long since been taken off and the train reverses out of platform 4 again, the actual fault I was told by the dispatcher on the platform was that the windscreen wiper would not work and despite calling CAF engineers the driver couldn't get it to work. The staff dared not tell anyone else waiting on the platform for the 0929 service this nor anyone on the 195 either for that matter as already a few people were starting to "kick off" about why the train just can't move out of the way. Amusing how when staff explain to passengers "there's a technical fault" passengers seem all too keen to come back with "well, it's a new train, it looks ok to me, just move it!" rather too quickly, as though everyone is suddenly an expert on everything and actual experts don't matter anymore.. sign of the times I guess...

Of course, the VT service was late and we got into London nearly 40 minutes behind schedule, was nothing to compared to the farce that ensued in the evening though when I got 1930 VT service via (then terminating at) Preston back to Wigan, or at least tried to... finally got back to Wigan at 0115, having ended up changing at Crewe... a very fraught ride back with several moments of train manager telling us we were to be put off at Coventry or Birmingham and left to fend for ourselves (though we were "advised" BT police would be waiting for us, charming). Anyway, OT I know!

What is going on with these 195s though? How can wipers being breaking on brand new trains?

 

[Llama]

Re the wipers, I'd imagine there's going to need to be a modification, in the way of a new wiper motor design, very soon to sort this regular issue. Loads of them have gone caput.

Of all the things that are seemingly constructed from cheddar cheese on these trains the wiper motor, the passcomms and the cab doors are up at the top of the list.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

CAF don't seem to be enhancing their export reputation at present.

 

[Geeves]

Presumably CAF are not familiar with the weather in the NW as I'm guessing the same wiper motors fitted their Spanish equivalents don't get much use!

 

[Llama]

Judging by the effectiveness of the air conditioning, I would question that assumption too!

 

[js1000]

CAF don't seem to be enhancing their export reputation at present.

It is difficult to describe windscreen wipers breaking 3 months into service as "teething problems" or an isolated case of driver/guard being unfamiliar with controls etc. I'd say "not fit for purpose" would be more appropriate. It's a good job those orders from TfW and WMT were placed a year or so ago.

 

[ic31420]

I wonder where the failure lies in the wiper mech. Could be as simple as a dodgy batch from their suppliers of a type they've used for years.

Or wouldn't put it past our lot to have specified a type caf haven't used before.

Of course the failure could lie outside the wiper mech and be cable/hose/drive/software related

 

[deltic08]

I wonder where the failure lies in the wiper mech. Could be as simple as a dodgy batch from their suppliers of a type they've used for years.

Or wouldn't put it past our lot to have specified a type caf haven't used before.

Of course the failure could lie outside the wiper mech and be cable/hose/drive/software related

Is it the same on the 331s?

 

[Llama]

It's the motor mechanism.