TPE Mark 5A coaching stock progress

[E_Reeves]

Not going to lie, the new 68 TPE livery looks awful without yellow front ends.

 

[Lockwood]

Reavers*

Autocorrect is my greatest enema.

 

[D6975]

However lots of them work as Sci fi series/films space ships. Perhaps they should be a spaceship class LOL

Perhaps they are:

No fewer than 10 of the names already allocated/fitted are of starfleet vessels from the various Star Trek incarnations.
Achilles
Avenger
Defiant
Endeavour
Enterprise
Fearless
Hornet
Intrepid
Nautilus
Valiant

 

[Monty]

Perhaps they are:

No fewer than 10 of the names already allocated/fitted are of starfleet vessels from the various Star Trek incarnations.
Achilles
Avenger
Defiant
Endeavour
Enterprise
Fearless
Hornet
Intrepid
Nautilus
Valiant

All but Defiant have been used by the Royal Navy to name warships, though Defiance has been used as a warship and shore establishment name.

 

[DarloRich]

All but Defiant have been used by the Royal Navy to name warships, though Defiance has been used as a warship and shore establishment name.

not all of the fleet - see above

 

[sprinterguy]

Not going to lie, the new 68 TPE livery looks awful without yellow front ends.

I think it looks quite striking and refreshingly different. The livery overall sits very well on the locomotive. Although I question the need to do it "just because" rather than retain the yellow panel as a secondary safety feature.

 

[D6975]

Just realised that the FC coach next to the loco doesn't have doors for public use at the loco end. This means that 90% of this coach can hang off the end of a platform without the need for SDO. Lengthening to 6 coaches is therefore more of a signal positioning issue rather than one of platform length.

 

[Chester1]

Just realised that the FC coach next to the loco doesn't have doors for public use at the loco end. This means that 90% of this coach can hang off the end of a platform without the need for SDO. Lengthening to 6 coaches is therefore more of a signal positioning issue rather than one of platform length.

Don't forget though that adding another unit will increase journey times and this will not be allowed by the DfT. If or when TP is electrified they could swap with the 802s and be hauled by a more powerful electric loco. However there a simpler capacity increases if any are required for instance ordering more 802s and doubling them up stopping only at Lime Street, Victoria, Leeds, York and Newcastle. Alternatively lengthen platforms to allow the skip stop service to use 2 x 185s or split Liverpool to Norwich and transfer half to TPE then use 2 x 185s between Liverpool and Nottingham.

Chester le street, Seamer, Warrington Ctl, Liverpool Sth ParkWay are all 5 car, Yarm is 3 car. All other stations can accomodate 6. Pushing for 7 will require a lot more platform extensions or ASDO -which these trains will be capable of - Dewsbury, Thirsk, St Helens Jn, Newton Le W, malton, Garforth and birchwood would all need extending.

Liverpool South Parkway, Warrington Central and Birchwood will be irrelevant to TPE when the Scarborough services transfers to the Chat Moss route in May.

 

[Iskra]

All but Defiant have been used by the Royal Navy to name warships, though Defiance has been used as a warship and shore establishment name.

Defiant was a type of RAF fighter in WWII, to continue the military theme.

I agree with those saying the TPE livery looks awful on the 68.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think it looks good, though as soon as one ends up the wrong way round it'll look odd. Probably better in a solid colour.

 

[highspeed990]

I'm very happy about these new coaches. I'm gaining a bit of a reputation around here as I'm always on about how I don't like older stock replaced, but these will be nice quiet modern carriages, I thought the era of loco hauled stock was coming to an end.

 

[MCR247]

I'm very happy about these new coaches. I'm gaining a bit of a reputation around here as I'm always on about how I don't like older stock replaced, but these will be nice quiet modern carriages, I thought the era of loco hauled stock was coming to an end.

I'm sure they will be nice, but what about that metal shell sat in Spain made you so certain? And modern? Isn't that almost a given for new trains? (except maybe 700s )

 

[highspeed990]

I'm sure they will be nice, but what about that metal shell sat in Spain made you so certain? And modern? Isn't that almost a given for new trains? (except maybe 700s )

Ah yes I even started my own thread ranting about the 700s. I meant that I thought no new coaches would be produced, but they are, so a new coach is much better than a new multiple unit such as the class 800.

 

[sprinterguy]

I think it looks good, though as soon as one ends up the wrong way round it'll look odd. Probably better in a solid colour.

From the main image that's been released, it looks like the livery is echoed at the opposite end, just to a lesser extent to accommodate the bodyside radiator grille. So it shouldn't look too incongruous whichever way round the loco is.

I thought the era of loco hauled stock was coming to an end.

By and large, I think that it still is, but we do seem to be enjoying something of an indian summer with regards to loco hauled stock old and new. TPE have ordered loco hauled stock because CAF had an easily adaptable design, in the form of the existing Caledonian Sleeper order, that could be fairly quickly introduced to service where other manufacturers didn't have the capacity to turn out new stock comparatively rapidly.

Both the new build Caledonian Sleeper order and the TPE push-pull stock have come as something of a pleasant surprise though, so I guess we can only wait and see if there will be any follow up orders.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think it's possible we will - DMUs are harder to build within emissions regulations than they were, so chucking all the mucky gubbins in another vehicle at the end makes things a bit easier, while electrification has been heavily constrained. We may well see German style multi-engined locomotives (i.e. all the drive bits from a 3-car DMU in one box with 3 coaches hung on the end). And there is of course the outlier in the form of the Stadler FLIRT, which is basically a loco push-pull with a very small multi-engined loco within the formation.

EMUs are different (the gubbins isn't mucky, is simpler and you barely know it's there), and as such I would not expect to see any electric-hauled LHCS built new. The Southern got EMUs right years ago and everyone has followed.

 

[Geeves]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/122957096@N08/37698722065/in/photostream/. Just browsing and noticed the comment. 68 shipped out of Portbury. I guess this is in relation to the up coming testing. Hurrah!

Edit also found this too

https://www.flickr.com/photos/114594256@N07/24714243848/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37190-dalzell/37889431444/

 

[tgrb]

I'm sure this is a stooopid question but why didn't it go under its own power??

 

[driver9000]

68021 has been seen on a low loader being put on a ship bound for Spain.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

68021 has been seen on a low loader being put on a ship bound for Spain.

Czechia surely rather than Spain? It won't be much use in Spain other than for static testing due to being standard gauge...

 

[driver9000]

Czechia surely rather than Spain? It won't be much use in Spain other than for static testing due to being standard gauge...

One for Spain and one for Velim apparently.

 

[class387]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/122957096@N08/37698722065/in/photostream/. Just browsing and noticed the comment. 68 shipped out of Portbury. I guess this is in relation to the up coming testing. Hurrah!

Edit also found this too

https://www.flickr.com/photos/114594256@N07/24714243848/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37190-dalzell/37889431444/

Is there a destination display on that?

 

[superalbs]

Is there a destination display on that?

Where are you looking at?

 

[BMIFlyer]

Is there a destination display on that?

The destination display is at the bottom of the windscreen similar to those on a voyager. There's a track facing cctv camera next to it.

 

[Bornin1980s]

I'm sure this is a stooopid question but why didn't it go under its own power??

Maybe it's not approved for running on that line. Could be the absence of yellow ends.

 

[D365]

Maybe it's not approved for running on that line. Could be the absence of yellow ends.

Have you got any evidence to suggest that the livery alteration precludes it from running on certain routes?

 

[sprinterguy]

I'm sure this is a stooopid question but why didn't it go under its own power??

Nothing but speculation, but it could be down to the availability or route knowledge of DRS crews (I don't know whether their drivers sign the Portbury branch, though usually assume that they're fairly "go anywhere"), or alternatively the loco may have needed to be drained of fuel for transit by ship.

 

[Domh245]

Have you got any evidence to suggest that the livery alteration precludes it from running on certain routes?

From what I remember, the use of non yellow front ends requires a risk assesment to be done for whatever was used in it's place. I expect that said risk assesment would be tied in to the safety case which is one way in which the livery change could preclude it being operated

 

[driver9000]

Have you got any evidence to suggest that the livery alteration precludes it from running on certain routes?

The 68, 397 and 802 fleets are noted in the current Weekly Operating Notices as either running or will be running without yellow ends but this applies only to LNW, LNE and Scottish regions. It's most likely the loco was hauled to save issues with paperwork and it running outside the regions specified in the notices.

 

[blackfive460]

Czechia surely rather than Spain? It won't be much use in Spain other than for static testing due to being standard gauge...

There are some details about this in Railway Gazette;

TPE and CAF are reportedly considering testing the push-pull trainsets on 1 435 mm gauge sections of the Spanish high speed network.

See http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/uk-railway-news-round-up-39.html.

 

[sprinterguy]

There are some details about this in Railway Gazette;

See http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/uk-railway-news-round-up-39.html.

Which seems to be slightly at odds with what has been reported today in greater detail by Rail Technology Magazine (my bold):
http://www.railtechnologymagazine.c...d-class-68s-sent-to-spain-for-initial-testing

First TPE modified Class 68s sent to Spain for initial testing

The first TransPennine Express (TPE) Class 68 modified locomotive has been shipped to Northern Spain.

The stock is part of a fleet of new trains consisting of CAF’s Mk5A carriages pulled by the modified TPE locomotives.

In May this year, Robin Davis, head of new fleet at TPE, confirmed to RTM that work on the first 14 Class 68s would be being completed in Crewe.

After being united with the Mk5As in Spain, the plan is to ship the completed units to the Czech Republic for dynamic testing.

They will eventually be introduced through Summer until the end of 2018 on TPE services between Liverpool, Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, York, Scarborough and Middlesbrough.

Following today’s announcement, Davis commented: “We are happy that the first of our modified Class 68 locomotives is now en-route to Northern Spain.

“Upon arrival, it will begin testing with the first of our Mk 5A coaches ahead of introduction which begins in autumn 2018. We are committed to delivering more seats as soon as possible to customers across the North.”

The main development on the new carriages is increased seating, with Davis saying the 291-seaters would provide more of everything, from toilets and tables to luggage and leg space.

An interview with Davis on the progress of TPE’s new rolling stock fleet will also appear in Dec/Jan edition of RTM, hitting desks from 12 January 2018.

Though I suppose there's nothing stopping them doing both.