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Southern Class 387 vs LO Class 378

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Lozzy0603

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I expect there is a simple answer to this one:

At Scrubs Lane on the West London Line the LO Class 387s do a supply change from 25kVA overhead power to 750v DC 3rd rail power (and the reverse). This is now done as a rolling change, ie the train does not stop.

Is there a technical reason why the Southern Class 378s couldn't do the same rolling power change? They currently stop for it seems like a minute or two.
I wonder if the Class 377s, also used on the line, are maybe a bit older in hardware so couldn't make the rolling change. I would have thought the 387s and 378s have a lot more in common.

Thanks!
 
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swt_passenger

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I've been on a southbound 377/2 that did a moving change some years ago now. I don't think it's a case of they can't, just that they don't need to, because there is a suitable dwell time for it built into the SN timetable.

I think you have the class numbers mixed up in your text, it is LO that run 378s.
 

jopsuk

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You have your numbers wrong. The LO fleet are class 378 Capitalstars. The Southern units are Class 387
 

physics34

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It's Southern policy for trains to stop whilst doing the change over. It takes away the driver's concentration from the road ahead.
 

NSE

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Afaik, the 387's only run Thameslink services. The Milton Keynes services that switch over power supply there are tun by either 377/2 or 377/7. Though the later are virtually identical to 387's I grant you
 

Chrisgr31

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It's Southern policy for trains to stop whilst doing the change over. It takes away the driver's concentration from the road ahead.

And operating the doors doesn't?

Guess they would say operating doors is one job, you look at the way ahead after ensuring the doors are clear.
 

phoenixcronin

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The Class numbers given in the OP are highly confusing. LOROL i.e. Overground only run Class 378s

Southern run dual-voltage 377s (377/2 and 377/7) on the West London Line

Southern do not have/run any 387s
 

87015

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The Class numbers given in the OP are highly confusing. LOROL i.e. Overground only run Class 378s
Really, "highly confusing" :roll: it's perfectly obvious what is meant. Southern did try changing on the move but there were a few pantograph/end of OLE/unit issues... The 387 test runs have also had more than their fare what if them, causing chaos in the process.
 

Starmill

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Another one of those things that's safe if your uniform is one colour but unsafe if it's another? Great.
 

43096

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The Class numbers given in the OP are highly confusing. LOROL i.e. Overground only run Class 378s



Southern run dual-voltage 377s (377/2 and 377/7) on the West London Line



Southern do not have/run any 387s

If you want to be accurate, Southern is a brand of GTR, as are Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express. GTR (which is the legal franchise holder) does run 387s. If you're thinking of "old Southern", well GatEx was part of that franchise and use 387s.
 

Bald Rick

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Different company policy, ultimately driven by the different views of different Operational Safety Managers in the respective companies. Frustrating.
 

swt_passenger

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Different company policy, ultimately driven by the different views of different Operational Safety Managers in the respective companies. Frustrating.

Hypothetically, who would win the argument if on a busy railway, and with the technology existing, NR reckoned the service could only be timetabled or pathed by insisting on dynamic changeovers?
 

Bald Rick

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Hypothetically, who would win the argument if on a busy railway, and with the technology existing, NR reckoned the service could only be timetabled or pathed by insisting on dynamic changeovers?

It would be a Network Change, so it's anyone's guess.

The best way to resolve it would to be to do a very detailed risk assessment.

In my view the risk of leaving the pantograph up causing a train to be (potentially) disabled is much lower than the risk of an incorrect door release when stopped for the changeover. Both have happened.

Actually, the best solution is a technical one, ie auto changeover.
 

MrB

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And operating the doors doesn't?

Guess they would say operating doors is one job, you look at the way ahead after ensuring the doors are clear.

We've got a thread for DOO already and it's not this one.

You have your numbers wrong. The LO fleet are class 378 Capitalstars. The Southern units are Class 387

Maybe the OP is talking about Southern as the whole TSGN franchise?
 

Domh245

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Maybe the OP is talking about Southern as the whole TSGN franchise?

In the context of power mode changes on the West London Line, it can only be Southern as in the one with green trains, operating 377/7s (and 2/s) instead of 387s, although as mentioned the 377/7s and the 387s are very similar internally
 
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