Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress

[Failed Unit]

Out of interest have any table less examples worked on the GN side yet ? I get the impression that side is more likely to see tables though that might be due to the higher numbered units utilised there

Not sure if any that have gone through the core are tableless, but the I have only seen a few of the higher number sets on great northern. all with the seat back tables.

I understand the daigrams increase on Monday, but again I understand they will be the latest deliveries.

 

[jon0844]

Out of interest have any table less examples worked on the GN side yet ? I get the impression that side is more likely to see tables though that might be due to the higher numbered units utilised there

All appear to have seat back tables, but I have seen a couple without the Wi-Fi.

 

[APUK002]

Out of interest have any table less examples worked on the GN side yet ? I get the impression that side is more likely to see tables though that might be due to the higher numbered units utilised there

GN have the newer units as there delivered to hornsey as of a while ago(used to go to three bridges)

 

[APUK002]

Not sure if any that have gone through the core are tableless, but the I have only seen a few of the higher number sets on great northern. all with the seat back tables.

I understand the daigrams increase on Monday, but again I understand they will be the latest deliveries.

Diagrams increase on 19th?

 

[jon0844]

I have checked and there are some services without tables and Wi-Fi. It seems these have it: 700047 to 700060 and 700124 to 700155 (the Wi-Fi at least).

 

[AM9]

GN have the newer units as there delivered to hornsey as of a while ago(used to go to three bridges)

Give it three months with the new timetable and they will be distributed across all TL routes, after all an 8-car class 700 is an 8-car class 700.

 

[JonathanH]

The units are now getting swapped between the GN and the rest of the operations as a result of the preview services. This evening I saw 700139, which had only previously worked on the GN, working a Brighton to Bedford service. There have been reports of 700026 on GN workings today.

 

[urpert]

GN have the newer units as there delivered to hornsey as of a while ago(used to go to three bridges)

Sounds about right. I haven’t yet had tables or WiFi on the Sevenoaks side.

 

[MML]

Any idea when the retrofit of tables and Wifi will be complete ?
At the moment it's pot luck whether the train arriving has it or not. Not much use for planning work on the go.

 

[Failed Unit]

Diagrams increase on 19th?

I am a week out they increase on 26th so services such as 0703 WgC - London get downgraded to 700s.

 

[jon0844]

I am a week out they increase on 26th so services such as 0703 WgC - London get downgraded to 700s.

And a platform change so it should hopefully always go out on time.

 

[Skimble19]

Any idea when the retrofit of tables and Wifi will be complete ?
At the moment it's pot luck whether the train arriving has it or not. Not much use for planning work on the go.

I don't believe it's actually started yet.. could be wrong though.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Are they going to do anything about the ironing boards, will these be made more comfortable like new cushioning?

 

[MML]

There are 2 improvements which could be made to the standard class seating. One slightly better seat padding and the movement of the seats 1 inch further away from the window, to give better clearance of the ground level vents.
Some have suggested fire regulations prevent great comfort but they obviously don't apply to aircraft which have to meet similar standards to prevent the spread of fire, nor to first class which appears adequate.
Standard seats on an early unit were already starting to look worn so maybe a refresh will be needed soon anyway.

As for the noises, there are 2.
The perfectly described tennis ball bounce in the rear coach and a louder cupboard banging noise in the area of the pantograph and cupboard with the electrics.

 

[hassaanhc]

Sounds about right. I haven’t yet had tables or WiFi on the Sevenoaks side.

Currently have 700049 on a Sutton service which has tables, so probably should end up on a Sevenoaks service at some point.
As for the "tennis ball sound", it is also heard in the intermediate motor coaches

 

[samuelmorris]

Has anyone captured this on video? I'm honestly not sure I know what this noise is, I've traveled on 700s often enough and usually travel in power cars so I'm surprised I haven't noticed it...

 

[MML]

I'll try and record it without infringing peoples privacy if I can. The "tennis ball bouncing" sound is quite muffled to be honest.
It's the loud cupboard banging noise which is quite worrying and disturbing. A similar noise occurs when they drop the pantograph at Farringdon but that's while the unit is stationary. The loud bagging is happening while running at speed on the fast lines.
It can be heard in the seating area immediately beneath the pantograph, in the area where the interior roof is lower and where an electrical cabinet appears to reside.
Just as well I'm not recording it now, you'd be listing to 2 young ladies discussing the application of make-up in great detail and the need to go for a wee.

 

[swt_passenger]

...It can be heard in the seating area immediately beneath the pantograph, in the area where the interior roof is lower and where an electrical cabinet appears to reside.

Are you referring to the main circuit breaker opening when going through AC neutral sections? Just like on any other AC EMU?

 

[samuelmorris]

That one's probably VCB being triggered at a neutral section I would have thought - common to all overhead AC stock

 

[Skimpot flyer]

You know what I reckon? A fitter is going to see this one day, open the driving car roof panels to investigate, and a tennis ball is going to drop out.

Well, if it does, ask Martina Navratilova to do the commentary. She's less expensive than John McEnroe!

 

[MML]

So perhaps it is the norm, but I can't remember hearing such a loud bang on the 317, 319, 379 or 387 units.

Well the 700s do operate via Wimbledon so maybe a few rogue balls have made their way into the roof.

 

[westcoaster]

So perhaps it is the norm, but I can't remember hearing such a loud bang on the 317, 319, 379 or 387 units.

Well the 700s do operate via Wimbledon so maybe a few rogue balls have made their way into the roof.

The loud sound is the VCB vacum circuit breaker opening and closing while going through a neutral section, also happens at farringdon when you change into dc, and city when you change into ac. The 377's and 387's were very loud( the coil spring slamming the breaker shut.

The tennis ball sound i think is a outlet pressure valve, in the air con system. As the units are airtight, if we open the cab door we get a rush of air and a high pitched whistleing sound.

 

[FlippyFF]

Sounds about right. I haven’t yet had tables or WiFi on the Sevenoaks side.

700047 just leaving City Thameslink on the 17:31 to Sevenoaks with seat back tables and wifi stickers on the doors.

Simon

 

[ChiefPlanner]

700047 just leaving City Thameslink on the 17:31 to Sevenoaks with seat back tables and wifi stickers on the doors.

Simon

Great - all we need now is better padding and moving the standard seats a bit away from the wall. Or even better - complete reseating......

 

[bramling]

Great - all we need now is better padding and moving the standard seats a bit away from the wall. Or even better - complete reseating......

Change the standard class interior to something like the first class, but with 365-style half tables, and it wouldn't be too bad. I'd also add some dividing swing doors at the vehicle joins to reduce the amount of noise carrying too. Then put in some really enhanced first-class at each end but not quite as much, especially on the 8-car versions -- things like carpets and reading lights.

Oh, and never offer any kind of job ever again to the people who specified and signed off the original interior.

 

[387star]

700046-060 and 700125-155 have tables

 

[JonathanH]

700046-060 and 700125-155 have tables

700047-060 and 700125-700155

 

[MML]

Westcoaster thanks for the explanation.

Could you elaborate on what the neutral sections are and why they exist ? In my ignorance I just imagined one long line of powered overhead cable with power fed in along the route.

 

[bionic]

It's basically to stop them having to turn the whole lot off due to an isolated incident. If the juice trips out or has to be turned off at City Thameslink you don't want it going off at Bedford too.

The neutral sections on the MML are at Grahame Park (between Silkstream junction and Mill Hill), Borehamwood (north of), Sandridge (north of St Albans), and Sundon (south of Harrington). If you stand at the North end of the platforms at St Pancras you can see a neutral section sign just inside the Canal tunnels. Obviously the section needs to be broken up somewhere between Finsbury Park and St Pancras but it will be interesting if a 12 car ever has to stop with its back few coaches in the platform there (passcom, egress etc).

 

[Domh245]

It's basically to stop them having to turn the whole lot off due to an isolated incident. If the juice trips out or has to be turned off at City Thameslink you don't want it going off at Bedford too.

It also acts to help keep feeder sections separate. The OLE is fed from points 10s of miles apart, and those feeder stations will themselves be coming off different bits of the national grid where the AC waveforms may not be exactly in phase