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Porterbrook Cl.769 'Flex' trains from 319s, initially for Northern

edwin_m

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21 Apr 2013
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Nottingham
Passed Hindley 5 mins late, most of it lost between Southport and Parbold.
Made up all the loss during the longer run from Kearsley to Salford Crescent under the wires.
Presuming that loss was due to train performance rather than signal checks or some other factor, routinely 5min late at Lostock Jn doesn't bode too well for a timetable that needs trains to hit their paths on the busy section through Bolton, where any knock-on delays will probably propagate into Castlefield.
 
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scrapy

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15 Dec 2008
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Current plan is all the Southport - Alderley Edge and just one diagram on Southport - Staly.
All subject to change a) under the shifting sands of the May timetable train plan (minus some new trains) and b) driver acceptance
The cab air conditioning issue (and non acceptance of the current driver's seat) seems to be no closer to being resolved. Today's test run should have happened last week but ASLEF refused to let any of its drivers be involved so had to be postponed to when a manager was available to drive it.
Passed Hindley 5 mins late, most of it lost between Southport and Parbold.
Made up all the loss during the longer run from Kearsley to Salford Crescent under the wires.
I wouldn't read to much into that, station dwell times would have been different to a normal passenger service as it's likely measurements would have taken place and possibly tests with the wheelchair ramps. There would of course of been no passengers to slow things down.
 

Mollman

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Are they planning any more test runs and driver training or are they still solving the seat and AC problems with ASLEF?
Seen one both yesterday and today running on diesel mode on WCML near Preston - too far away to see number.
 

DannyMich2018

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19 Dec 2018
Messages
732
The last training run was the other week and driven by a ROG driver.

Still no news on the cabs unfortunately.
Wonder if they will enter service this month, this year or ever!? Weren't they supposed to originally enter service in May 2018 three years ago? Seems ages ago since some were at the GCR Loughborough testing (Autumn 2018). How much testing do just 8 trains need? Going to Southport for a few days via Wigan in September so fingers crossed...
 

Jamesrob637

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Wonder if they will enter service this month, this year or ever!? Weren't they supposed to originally enter service in May 2018 three years ago? Seems ages ago since some were at the GCR Loughborough testing (Autumn 2018). How much testing do just 8 trains need? Going to Southport for a few days via Wigan in September so fingers crossed...

Expect lots of 2-car services and complaints on Twitter if they're not in service Monday week. Just 3 of these can free up half a dozen diesels for strengthening elsewhere!
 
Last edited:

Peter Sarf

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12 Oct 2010
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Croydon
Wonder if they will enter service this month, this year or ever!? Weren't they supposed to originally enter service in May 2018 three years ago? Seems ages ago since some were at the GCR Loughborough testing (Autumn 2018). How much testing do just 8 trains need? Going to Southport for a few days via Wigan in September so fingers crossed...
The 8 trains/units will need exactly the same amount of type testing as 800 units. I would hope we are beyond type testing so would then assume it is just acceptance testing of each unit. But maybe not. And, after all, the 800s have just encountered a problem of type - Aluminium vs welding !.
 

M60lad

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31 May 2011
Messages
852
Not to sure if it helps matters or not but on my way home last night I was actually quite surprised to see one of these units stabled up at Newton Heath Depot stabled up next to the new shed for the 195s so perfectly visable from St Mary's Road next to the petrol station.

I did think then what was it doing there but if considering their needed for service shortly I thought that there's no reason why it shouldn't be stabled at Newton Heath as virtually every other type of diesel unit gets stabled there.
 

AMD

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6 Dec 2017
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603
It'll probably be at Newton Heath for training, as once up and running one will end up at NH each night.
 

Big George

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Is anyone able to please tell me what is the procedure on 319/769s when disposing the unit, are the tail lights left on and remain lit?

How long before an LED tail light would drain the battery?
 

The_Train

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2 Jun 2018
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Latest list to the best of my knowledge:

NumberEx No.LiveryTOCDepot/LocationCurrent State
769002319002TfWTfWCardiff CantonIn Service
769003319003TfWTfWCardiff CantonIn Service
769006319006TfWTfWCardiff CantonIn Service
769007319007TfWTfWCardiff CantonIn Service
769008319008TfWTfWCardiff CantonIn Service
769421319421TfWTfWCardiff CantonUndergoing testing
769424319424NorthernNorthernAllertonUndergoing testing
769426319426Ex TL White & Blue DoorsTfWLoughborough WorksUndergoing conversion
769431319431NorthernNorthernAllertonConverted - awaiting testing
769434319434NorthernNorthernAllertonUndergoing testing
769442319442NorthernNorthernAllertonUndergoing testing
769445319445Ex TL White & Blue DoorsTfWCardiff CantonUndergoing testing
769448319448NorthernNorthernAllertonUndergoing testing
769450319450NorthernNorthernAllertonUndergoing testing
769452319452TfWTfWCardiff CantonIn Service
769456319456NorthernNorthernNorth WestUndergoing testing
769458319458NorthernNorthernCrewe Arriva TraincareUndergoing testing
769501319009Orion Dark & Light BlueROGLoughborough WorksUndergoing conversion
769502319010Orion Dark & Light BlueROGEastleigh WorksConversion to 769 complete - internal work ongoing
769503ROGConversion work yet to start
769504ROGConversion work yet to start
769505ROGConversion work yet to start
769506ROGConversion work yet to start
769507ROGConversion work yet to start
769508ROGConversion work yet to start
769509ROGConversion work yet to start
769510ROGConversion work yet to start
769922319422Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRWolverton WorksConversion work yet to start
769923319423GWR GreenGWRWolverton WorksConversion work yet to start
769925319425GWR GreenGWRNemesis Rail, BurtonConversion complete - stored, awaiting testing
769927319427Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRLoughborough WorksUndergoing conversion
769928319428GWR GreenGWRNemesis Rail, BurtonConverted - awaiting testing
769930319430GWR GreenGWRReading TraincareUndergoing acceptance exam
769932319432Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRLong MarstonConversion work yet to start
769935319435Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRLong MarstonConversion work yet to start
769936319436GWR GreenGWRLong MarstonConverted - awaiting testing
769937319437GWR GreenGWRWolverton WorksConverted - awaiting testing
769938319438Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRNemesis Rail, BurtonConverted - awaiting testing
769939319439Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRWolverton WorksConversion work yet to start
769940319440Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRWolverton WorksUndergoing conversion
769943319443GWR GreenGWRReading TraincareUndergoing testing
769944319444Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRDerby RTCConverted - now stored
769946319446GWR GreenGWRReading TraincareUndergoing testing
769947319447Ex TL White & Blue DoorsGWRWolverton WorksConversion work yet to start
769949319449GWR GreenGWRNemesis Rail, BurtonConversion complete - stored, awaiting testing
769959319459GWR GreenGWRNemesis Rail, BurtonConversion complete - stored, awaiting testing

Rows in bold are ones that have changed since I last posted :D
 

adrock1976

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What's it called? It's called Cumbernauld
Regarding the ten ROG 319s/769s, 319009 and 010 have been converted so far, but it seems very odd to have the last three digits as 501 and 502 respectively. The GWR ones seems to have kept the last two digits, with the preceding one changing to a 9 (the mighty Great Western Railway keeping with tradition by doing things their own way?).

Would it have been easier to have kept the existing last three digits? It seems renumbering for renumbering's sake, and one of the many reasons as how the country has ended up in the terrible state it is in nowadays.
 

Senna1210

Member
Joined
30 May 2019
Messages
93
769503ROGConversion work yet to start
769504ROGConversion work yet to start
769505ROGConversion work yet to start
769506ROGConversion work yet to start
769507ROGConversion work yet to start
769508ROGConversion work yet to start
769509ROGConversion work yet to start
769510ROGConversion work yet to start

Think its safe to say that these can be taken off the list
 

Mollman

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21 Sep 2016
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1,210
769503ROGConversion work yet to start
769504ROGConversion work yet to start
769505ROGConversion work yet to start
769506ROGConversion work yet to start
769507ROGConversion work yet to start
769508ROGConversion work yet to start
769509ROGConversion work yet to start
769510ROGConversion work yet to start

Think its safe to say that these can be taken off the list
Why? Have I missed some news about ROG?
 

The_Train

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2 Jun 2018
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4,313
769503ROGConversion work yet to start
769504ROGConversion work yet to start
769505ROGConversion work yet to start
769506ROGConversion work yet to start
769507ROGConversion work yet to start
769508ROGConversion work yet to start
769509ROGConversion work yet to start
769510ROGConversion work yet to start

Think its safe to say that these can be taken off the list

Why? Have I missed some news about ROG?
If you have, I have as well???
 

Brissle Girl

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17 Jul 2018
Messages
2,477
769503ROGConversion work yet to start
769504ROGConversion work yet to start
769505ROGConversion work yet to start
769506ROGConversion work yet to start
769507ROGConversion work yet to start
769508ROGConversion work yet to start
769509ROGConversion work yet to start
769510ROGConversion work yet to start

Think its safe to say that these can be taken off the list
That's rather cryptic, so it would be helpful to readers if you could elaborate what has changed.
 

Senna1210

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30 May 2019
Messages
93
With Brush at loughbrough shutting its doors very soon and only 1 unit left to do for rogs think its safe to say the other units will not be converted
 

Wyrleybart

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South Staffordshire
With Brush at loughbrough shutting its doors very soon and only 1 unit left to do for rogs think its safe to say the other units will not be converted

Really ? I thought Wabtec's class 769 work at Loughborough was to continue until the end of the current order. That is unless the line has been shipped to another works - maybe Doncaster ? Or unless ROG are having the work done on Leicester depot. That would be a good rumour wouidn't it !!!
 

43096

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23 Nov 2015
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With Brush at loughbrough shutting its doors very soon and only 1 unit left to do for rogs think its safe to say the other units will not be converted
Rubbish. Wabtec could do the work elsewhere (e.g. Doncaster).
 

Senna1210

Member
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30 May 2019
Messages
93
Really ? I thought Wabtec's class 769 work at Loughborough was to continue until the end of the current order. That is unless the line has been shipped to another works - maybe Doncaster ? Or unless ROG are having the work done on Leicester depot. That would be a good rumour wouidn't
Thats the thing there are only 2 rogs units to convert of which the last one is on site as we speak

They could be converted elsewhere but the order would have to be placed for more units from rogs
 

py_megapixel

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Northern England
I think I read that introduction on Northern is planned from the May TT change, is that still the case? If so are they starting from Sun 16th or Mon 17th?
 

AMD

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6 Dec 2017
Messages
603
I think I read that introduction on Northern is planned from the May TT change, is that still the case? If so are they starting from Sun 16th or Mon 17th?
Still up in the air, the company has a meeting with ASLEF about this tomorrow (Wed), so have to wait and see what comes out of it.........
 

geoffk

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4 Aug 2010
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Still up in the air, the company has a meeting with ASLEF about this tomorrow (Wed), so have to wait and see what comes out of it.........
What problem does ASLEF have with the driver's seat? Isn't a 769 seat the same as a 319 seat? TfW managed to get its 769s into service in November. I know they are diesel only but I thought that the bi-mode conversion was the most problematic in terms of testing. Fewer drivers to train and only on one route?
 

AM9

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13 May 2014
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St Albans
What problem does ASLEF have with the driver's seat? Isn't a 769 seat the same as a 319 seat? TfW managed to get its 769s into service in November. I know they are diesel only but I thought that the bi-mode conversion was the most problematic in terms of testing. Fewer drivers to train and only on one route?
The union are claiming that the trains are 'new' so should have a/c. It's just opportunism.
 

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