Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[samuelmorris]

Pretty sure I've been on a couple where the TfL feed has been several days out of date.

 

[jon0844]

Pretty sure I've been on a couple where the TfL feed has been several days out of date.

Wow, that's bad. I've seen around 30 minutes, which is pretty useless. In fact, it's worse because it is potentially giving misleading information, and stopping someone from making their own checks.

It's a great idea, and the screens have great potential, but so far it's like the TfL bit has just been set up because it looks good and mimics the concept train - but nobody really developed the software further.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yesterday they were showing "good service" for the District Line.


Despite half of the District being down all weekend for a planned closure due to the engineering works at Earl's Court...

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Does the TfL feed rely on a fitter plugging in a laptop and uploading the data or can it pick up the feed from wifi and/or radio (GSM-R data feed perhaps)?

 

[jon0844]

I assume there's 4G connectivity and perhaps also Wi-Fi for resilience, given many stations now have this.

For other things, such as advertising and potentially video that can be shown on the smaller of the two screens, that might be downloaded - although a good 4G connection should easily be able to transfer relatively small video clips (a modern H265 video wouldn't be that big at all).

 

[387star]

Wonder hoe many 700s have old versus new logos and when this work will be completed

Still seeing lots with the old logos...

Perhaps a farewell tour for the 700s with old logos?! Like C2C did when they ditched the blue trains!

 

[urpert]

I noticed as I passed Three Bridges on Saturday that the depot still has the old logo (as did all of the shiny new deliveries parked outside)...

 

[Nic Robinson]

Perhaps a farewell tour for the 700s with old logos?! Like C2C did when they ditched the blue trains!

Hoping that's a joke!

 

[Nic Robinson]

I travel on the 700s about 4 times a week and something I've noticed is a lot of windows have been vandalised (specifically in the first class ends where I try to sit). Basically the culprit has created swirly patterns by scratching, presumably with a diamond etc, the window interiors.

Anyone else noticed this?

 

[jon0844]

I've seen etching in first class, but there's a film on the glass I assume and it should be quick and easy to fix.

 

[asylumxl]

I travel on the 700s about 4 times a week and something I've noticed is a lot of windows have been vandalised (specifically in the first class ends where I try to sit). Basically the culprit has created swirly patterns by scratching, presumably with a diamond etc, the window interiors.

Anyone else noticed this?

Usually they use markers filled with acid that etches windows.

 

[richa2002]

I travel on the 700s about 4 times a week and something I've noticed is a lot of windows have been vandalised (specifically in the first class ends where I try to sit). Basically the culprit has created swirly patterns by scratching, presumably with a diamond etc, the window interiors.

Anyone else noticed this?

Also noticed this recently.

 

[387star]

Saw a 700 with the white diagonal stripes part removed is this response to a graffiti attack ?

 

[ijmad]

How do I find out which routes/times the 700s are operating tomorrow? I need to bathe in some of that sweet sweet air conditioning on the way to work.

Realtime Trains shows trains I suspect as being 700s as just "Electric multiple unit", e.g. this one.

Any more detailed info available?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

How do I find out which routes/times the 700s are operating tomorrow? I need to bathe in some of that sweet sweet air conditioning on the way to work.

Realtime Trains shows trains I suspect as being 700s as just "Electric multiple unit", e.g. this one.

Any more detailed info available?

Most Bedford - Brighton/Three Bridges services are in the hands of 700s with a small number of diagrams still using 377's.You won't have to wait long for one

I'm guessing at least half the Sutton loop services are 700 operated during weekdays along with 2 or 3 Sevenoaks diagrams.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

700 116 is reportedly on the way overnight...

 

[387star]

At least one coach always seems to have defective air con always surprised the passengers in it sit there on a half empty train

 

[jon0844]

At least one coach always seems to have defective air con always surprised the passengers in it sit there on a half empty train

People don't seem to realise that HVAC issues are often going to be per coach.

 

[AM9]

At least one coach always seems to have defective air con always surprised the passengers in it sit there on a half empty train

Given that there are regular complaints here about a/c on trains being set too hot or too cold, along with the reluctance of some passengers to lift themselves from a seat, then maybe the situation is not so bad. All they need to do is modify the PIS to display the relative temperatures of each car.

 

[ijmad]

Given that there are regular complaints here about a/c on trains being set too hot or too cold, along with the reluctance of some passengers to lift themselves from a seat, then maybe the situation is not so bad. All they need to do is modify the PIS to display the relative temperatures of each car.

Combine that with the loading measurement - you could dial up the heat in overly packed coaches to make the passengers spread out!

 

[theageofthetra]

At least one coach always seems to have defective air con always surprised the passengers in it sit there on a half empty train

On a brand new train?- that is ridiculous.

 

[jon0844]

Combine that with the loading measurement - you could dial up the heat in overly packed coaches to make the passengers spread out!

So that's why the 700s show green to red on a coach by coach basis. It's actually the temperature!

 

[AM9]

On a brand new train?- that is ridiculous.

It would be if that was a fact. I have never travelled in a class 700 with defective a/c, so treat the complaint as hyperbole.

 

[ComUtoR]

It would be if that was a fact. I have never travelled in a class 700 with defective a/c, so treat the complaint as hyperbole.

Your hyperbole is worst to be honest.

You constantly dismiss other complaints as some kind of bias or haters. YOU may have travelled on one with perfect air con every time and zero faults but THEY may have travelled on one with faulty air con every time and faults each time.

Almost every single day I go north I hear about a failure of some kind on a 700. We are now at a tipping point that for sure but they are still breaking for some very stupid things that shouldn't happen. The last one I got given by my TOC was about a setup issue which, by their own admission hasn't been trained on or even known that it was possible. These trains look to have many software issues that are causing the faults. I do get the impression that they were rolled out knowing that the software can be updated so it was treated as unimportant as they can update it.

The last fault I heard from another Driver was a couple of days ago where they got halfway through their trip and the 4QC went tits up. But that is just hyperbole and never happened. Never happened, these are not the droids your looking for.

@ageofthetain. They are hit and miss. Personally I haven't had any faults or had any problems with air con, other than being told never to change the temperature. But then again, I'm up the pointy end.

 

[theageofthetra]

Your hyperbole is worst to be honest.

You constantly dismiss other complaints as some kind of bias or haters. YOU may have travelled on one with perfect air con every time and zero faults but THEY may have travelled on one with faulty air con every time and faults each time.

Almost every single day I go north I hear about a failure of some kind on a 700. We are now at a tipping point that for sure but they are still breaking for some very stupid things that shouldn't happen. The last one I got given by my TOC was about a setup issue which, by their own admission hasn't been trained on or even known that it was possible. These trains look to have many software issues that are causing the faults. I do get the impression that they were rolled out knowing that the software can be updated so it was treated as unimportant as they can update it.

The last fault I heard from another Driver was a couple of days ago where they got halfway through their trip and the 4QC went tits up. But that is just hyperbole and never happened. Never happened, these are not the droids your looking for.

@ageofthetain. They are hit and miss. Personally I haven't had any faults or had any problems with air con, other than being told never to change the temperature. But then again, I'm up the pointy end.

It does seem that in the UK rail industry still have the 'good' old British Leyland attitude of using the customer as quality control.

 

[bramling]

It would be if that was a fact. I have never travelled in a class 700 with defective a/c, so treat the complaint as hyperbole.

So every time you travel on a 700 you walk through the whole length of the train to see if the air conditioning is defective?

In two decades I've never been on a 365 which has failed, does that mean they never do?

 

[Deepgreen]

It would be if that was a fact. I have never travelled in a class 700 with defective a/c, so treat the complaint as hyperbole.

Interesting - should we now treat your reports as our only source of "fact", then? That would make such matters far easier than garnering views from other sources.

 

[jon0844]

It does seem that in the UK rail industry still have the 'good' old British Leyland attitude of using the customer as quality control.

That's how everything seems to work these days. If it runs software, you can patch it and do an update later.

Computers, mobile phones, cars and probably even safety critical things on planes.

And you have the same logic applied to journalism. Write a story that's factually wrong and you can just edit it in a few seconds... no need to properly fact check as you needed to do when solely working in print.

 

[spark001uk]

Surprised nobody's said it yet, but wouldn't the open design of the unit make it difficult for one coach to become noticeably 'hot' if it's a/c failed? Surely the surrounding coaches would more or less support it?

 

[bengley]

Surprised nobody's said it yet, but wouldn't the open design of the unit make it difficult for one coach to become noticeably 'hot' if it's a/c failed? Surely the surrounding coaches would more or less support it?

If the air conditioning fails in one coach the coaches either side are supposed to supply the coach which has failed using preconditioned air.

I have no idea whether it's effective or not because like Comutor I'm always at the pointy end.