Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[jaig]

What end is first class declassified on Sutton to Luton via Mitcham Junction services?

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[jon0844]

It's the back of the train.

Edit: just realised some of the trains have no first class at all!

 

[westcoaster]

What end is first class declassified on Sutton to Luton via Mitcham Junction services?

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Iirc both ends, but if it comes or goes to Bedford the front one is still 1st class.

 

[Failed Unit]

What end is first class declassified on Sutton to Luton via Mitcham Junction services?

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Surely the whole train? Loop services are advertised standard class only.

 

[Peter Sarf]

As the main exit is at the front at East Croydon, then, yes, most people alighting there try to get to the front - often oblivious to the presence of first class as well; as long they are at the front to save single-figure seconds, then nothing else matters!

Depends on the time of day but being first through the barriers at East Croydon can improve ones chances of getting a bus, tram or especially a taxi. Not to mention a connection although the new bridge is usually near enough - even to the short trains.

Also people love Croydon so much that they, like lemmings, are unbelievably eager to get into it .

 

[Bald Rick]

Surely the whole train? Loop services are advertised standard class only.

There's a handful in the morning and one or two in the evening that have first class advertised. However, IIRC there are no first class fares available for stations on the Wimbledon loop, so it would be a particularly grippy RPI who enforced it.

 

[Bald Rick]

Good example of why these trains are so good this morning.

0832 fast ex St Albans cancelled*, next train (0843) is an 8 car 700. Just about everyone got on. With the 377s and 319s that would have left 2-300 people behind. Mind you, I counted over 80people standing in my coach.

* I suspect the previous cancellation was due to a problem with a 700. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking. But that's not the point.

 

[tsr]

Good example of why these trains are so good this morning.

0832 fast ex St Albans cancelled*, next train (0843) is an 8 car 700. Just about everyone got on. With the 377s and 319s that would have left 2-300 people behind. Mind you, I counted over 80people standing in my coach.

* I suspect the previous cancellation was due to a problem with a 700. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking. But that's not the point.

They can certainly be good for service recovery, even if I am getting a bit fed up of the log showing various time-consuming faults on them almost every day!

I have only once seen a 700 struggling with excess passengers. I believe it was one of the 8 coach variants which turned up at the very highest point of the evening peak at East Croydon, on a day where the wires were having problems north of London (IIRC). Any train would struggle with that.

It's not to say that a 377 can't cope with a lot of people, but cramming everyone in can take just those few extra minutes per journey, which can ruin the peak if it's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[theblackwatch]

It has been posted on se-gen today that the number of 8 car diagrams rises to 15 tomorrow; no mention of 12 cars so I assume those are unchanged.

Anyone know if some more sets have entered service as a result of the extra diagrams? I know 700020/31 appeared earlier this month, but I've not seen any others mentioned since.

 

[Abpj17]

Good example of why these trains are so good this morning.

0832 fast ex St Albans cancelled*, next train (0843) is an 8 car 700. Just about everyone got on. With the 377s and 319s that would have left 2-300 people behind. Mind you, I counted over 80people standing in my coach.

* I suspect the previous cancellation was due to a problem with a 700. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking. But that's not the point.

cancellations weren't great this evening - leaving blackfriars around 5. A lowly 4 car service was leaving loads of people behind - the 8/12 services either side were cancelled (reason wasn't clear at the time)

 

[muddythefish]

The 700s are smooth and fast but the ambience in them is horrible. Give me one of the original 365s any day - best trains IMHO on the whole network

 

[AM9]

... Give me one of the original 365s any day - best trains IMHO on the whole network

Fantastic ambience, you might have to wait a while during problems as they are all too full to board. Give me a service that I can board when the first train arrives rather than have the frustration of watching them depart filled to the gunwhales.

 

[Hadders]

Fantastic ambience, you might have to wait a while during problems as they are all too full to board. Give me a service that I can board when the first train arrives rather than have the frustration of watching them depart filled to the gunwhales.

Should we build trains with sufficient ambience for normal services or ones that are specified to deal with disruption on the relatively few occasions it occurs.

 

[bramling]

Fantastic ambience, you might have to wait a while during problems as they are all too full to board. Give me a service that I can board when the first train arrives rather than have the frustration of watching them depart filled to the gunwhales.

Yes let's have an inferior ambience for every single journey just for the couple of occasions every year disruption means the train turns up too full to board. In the 20 years I've been using the 365s since they entered service I can't actually ever recall being unable to board a 365 on GN. I've only seen it happen very rarely, basically during extreme disruption, or very occasionally on a 4-car service going north from Finsbury Park after an Arsenal match.

 

[JonathanH]

Anyone know if some more sets have entered service as a result of the extra diagrams? I know 700020/31 appeared earlier this month, but I've not seen any others mentioned since.

700039 has been in service for at least a week

 

[absolutelymilk]

Yes let's have an inferior ambience for every single journey just for the couple of occasions every year disruption means the train turns up too full to board. In the 20 years I've been using the 365s since they entered service I can't actually ever recall being unable to board a 365 on GN. I've only seen it happen very rarely, basically during extreme disruption, or very occasionally on a 4-car service going north from Finsbury Park after an Arsenal match.

The bigger issue is the time taken for people to cram into the 365s as opposed to the 700s.

 

[AM9]

Yes let's have an inferior ambience for every single journey just for the couple of occasions every year disruption means the train turns up too full to board. In the 20 years I've been using the 365s since they entered service I can't actually ever recall being unable to board a 365 on GN. I've only seen it happen very rarely, basically during extreme disruption, or very occasionally on a 4-car service going north from Finsbury Park after an Arsenal match.

According to many of your posts on this very thread, massive disruption.will be the norm when running through the core starts so maybe DfT have planned ahead.

 

[asylumxl]

Should we build trains with sufficient ambience for normal services or ones that are specified to deal with disruption on the relatively few occasions it occurs.

Wait. Are we thinking of the same Thameslink route?

If someone sneezes the wrong way the service goes to **** for God's sake.

 

[GodAtum]

As the main exit is at the front at East Croydon, then, yes, most people alighting there try to get to the front - often oblivious to the presence of first class as well; as long they are at the front to save single-figure seconds, then nothing else matters!

I find the opposite happens at Victoria. Most people get on at the back as that is nearest the station entrance and cannt be bothered to walk too teh way to the front.

 

[Deepgreen]

I find the opposite happens at Victoria. Most people get on at the back as that is nearest the station entrance and cannt be bothered to walk too teh way to the front.

That may be the case for those who arrive close to departure time, who tend to board by the first door they come to. I find most of those move forward once aboard.

 

[Peter Sarf]

That may be the case for those who arrive close to departure time, who tend to board by the first door they come to. I find most of those move forward once aboard.

I have travelled with someone down the Northern Line changing at Euston onto the Victoria line. They insist on waiting right near the end of the platform even though I say I can see there is space further along the platform. We eventually get on a train after one or two trains leave us behind. Some people just will not consider an alternative even if you are personally suggesting something - so I doubt if some passengers will ever change their habits.

After all if many commuters really thought about it they might refuse to commute at all !.

 

[theblackwatch]

700039 has been in service for at least a week

Thanks. I'm down in London at the weekend, so that's another one to look out for a scratch in for haulage!

 

[hassaanhc]

I have travelled with someone down the Northern Line changing at Euston onto the Victoria line. They insist on waiting right near the end of the platform even though I say I can see there is space further along the platform. We eventually get on a train after one or two trains leave us behind. Some people just will not consider an alternative even if you are personally suggesting something - so I doubt if some passengers will ever change their habits.

After all if many commuters really thought about it they might refuse to commute at all !.

Happens on many of routes. A lot of passengers using the services between Southall and either Ealing Broadway or Hayes & Harlington just refuse to use more than the country end 2 coaches, which are closest to the exits and other platforms at all the stations. Those two coaches are always very busy while the others are more comfortable, and on 99% of occasions leads to the booked dwell time being exceeded. The existing stairs and building at Southall is narrow, so I can understand people wanting to get out quickly in order to get buses (bus usage is high to/from Southall as there is no car park). However, if you're sitting and therefore not already near the doors, you'd probably be off the train faster from the 3rd or even 4th coach! Almost all peak services at Southall are a minimum of 5 coaches, with SDO7 in use for the Class 387s. The new building and footbridge for Crossrail, with significantly more capacity, can't come quickly enough.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Latest "on the way" report is 700 045 seen in France...

 

[spark001uk]

Did several runs yesterday with no major issues for a change! The first 2 or 3 runs were 377s though, didn't realise there were still that many doing the BML, maybe I was just unlucky.
I even saw an 8-377/1, both units in full Southern livery (inc Southern logos) on a Brighton - London Bridge TL working.

 

[AM9]

Did several runs yesterday with no major issues for a change! The first 2 or 3 runs were 377s though, didn't realise there were still that many doing the BML, maybe I was just unlucky.
I even saw an 8-377/1, both units in full Southern livery (inc Southern logos) on a Brighton - London Bridge TL working.

Did St Albans to Farringdon and back yesterday in the peak hours. Surprised that both the Bedford-Brighton and Brighton(I think)-Bedford trains were both 700/0s. There seems to be less 12-car workings now that there are plenty of 8-car sets available.
Wasn't surprised that there weren't any problems with the doors, displays, toilets or anything else that seems to jinx so many other posters here. I've only ever seen one issue on these trains which was on the first day of through-core operation last year, i.e the doors took about 1 minute to open at City Thameslink.

 

[physics34]

Did St Albans to Farringdon and back yesterday in the peak hours. Surprised that both the Bedford-Brighton and Brighton(I think)-Bedford trains were both 700/0s. There seems to be less 12-car workings now that there are plenty of 8-car sets available.
Wasn't surprised that there weren't any problems with the doors, displays, toilets or anything else that seems to jinx so many other posters here. I've only ever seen one issue on these trains which was on the first day of through-core operation last year, i.e the doors took about 1 minute to open at City Thameslink.

i think 12 car unit deliveries has stopped for a while and its just 8 cars for now. others will know more of course..

 

[Peter Sarf]

Delivery schedule :-

1 - 11x 12 cars
2 - 6x 8 cars
3 - 4x 12 cars
4 - 40x 8 cars
5 - 30x 12 cars
6 - 12x 8 cars
7 - 10x 12 cars
8 - 2x 8 cars

Taken from "Class377/5"'s post from August 2015 but I seem to recall it has not changed.
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2255615&postcount=1349
We are currently towards the end of step 4 (8-car units) aiui. So next is a whole wedge of 12-car 700s.

 

[physics34]

Delivery schedule :-

1 - 11x 12 cars
2 - 6x 8 cars
3 - 4x 12 cars
4 - 40x 8 cars
5 - 30x 12 cars
6 - 12x 8 cars
7 - 10x 12 cars
8 - 2x 8 cars

Taken from "Class377/5"'s post from August 2015 but I seem to recall it has not changed.
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2255615&postcount=1349
We are currently towards the end of step 4 (8-car units) aiui. So next is a whole wedge of 12-car 700s.

hope they are putting tables into the ones currently being built now.....oh...of course not.

 

[Deepgreen]

Looks like another 700 failure - traction equipment failure on 2W47, Bedford to Three Bridges - now running ECS.