TPE Mark 5A coaching stock progress

[sjpowermac]

Certainly better than a "Victoria Vulture".
Newton Heath had a Witch on a broomstick!

OK back to Mk5a sets....

Does anybody know how long it is between exams on the Mk5a sets, and obviously different to the Class 68.

Just wondering why it's been 68027 and set TP09 all the time together? Thought other 68s would have been rotated and used by now.

Yes, moving on from ‘Stickergate’

According to a talk given by DRS Head of Fleet Management, the diagrams to be operated by the TPE locos don’t allow for the time it would take to do a ‘traditional’ C-Exam (which could take a couple of days). Instead the locos will have a ‘balanced cycle’, with work spread out over a number of smaller exams.

I have no inside knowledge, but at a guess, perhaps only some locos currently have all the relevant software mods. If there are any final tweaks then maybe the engineers are waiting until in-service experience helps them iron those out, before rolling out the software to the whole fleet.

Locos that have been on Nova 3 since the start of the summer have been 68025/26/27/29/30/31.

 

[sjpowermac]

No, I believe the plan originally was for locos to stay attached to sets except in the case of major overhauls. There won't be the frequent chopping and changing you would see on, for example, HSTs and 91/mk4 sets.

Yes, that was definitely mentioned earlier in the thread.

Also, 68027 is the 9th loco in the TPE series and it’s working with TP09. I wonder if that’s pure chance?

 

[EE Andy b1]

No, I believe the plan originally was for locos to stay attached to sets except in the case of major overhauls. There won't be the frequent chopping and changing you would see on, for example, HSTs and 91/mk4 sets.

That does make sense for a modern railway, although that was the idea with HSTs originally to keep them together in the same set. That didn't last too long though.

Yes, moving on from ‘Stickergate’

According to a talk given by DRS Head of Fleet Management, the diagrams to be operated by the TPE locos don’t allow for the time it would take to do a ‘traditional’ C-Exam (which could take a couple of days). Instead the locos will have a ‘balanced cycle’, with work spread out over a number of smaller exams.

I have no inside knowledge, but at a guess, perhaps only some locos currently have all the relevant software mods. If there are any final tweaks then maybe the engineers are waiting until in-service experience helps them iron those out, before rolling out the software to the whole fleet.

Locos that have been on Nova 3 since the start of the summer have been 68025/26/27/29/30/31.

Yep sounds all plausible to me. Makes sense to get 2 or 3 loco's and sets working correctly then update the rest of the fleet with any mods or updates as required.

There should be no problems at Longsight Traincare being able to maintain loco and train in a fixed formation.

 

[37057]

The locos are suppose to be on a balanced exam every 14 days unless somethings changed since I was last told that. No idea about the stock though.

 

[Spartacus]

68026 'Enterprise' and set TP11 out today, should work 1E23 0556 off Lime Street.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Looks to be 68026 and Set 11 today.

 

[Swedish Keith]

Morning All,
Whilst dropping my folks off at Scarborough station this morning was a little surprised to see Courageous and co on platform 1. Alas for my parents it was not their train but apparently being filmed for something-the DVT end at the old Parcel Depot was tightly wrapped in what looked like black bin liners! I shall attach a couple of photos in due course (not uploading to thread at momemt). Not the best as I was in rush as in middle of school run too!
Ps. Many thanks for all the posts which I've been following...I'm not a prolific contributor though(!)

 

[Swedish Keith]

....here they are. At first I thought they were wrapped up following another graffiti incident...

 

[sjpowermac]

....here they are. At first I thought they were wrapped up following another graffiti incident...

Thank you for sharing the pictures, how unusual the scene looks! That definitely looks like it’s been done for filming, be interesting to see the commercial

 

[pwormald]

Just after someone posted the very useful journey check link, it is not showing today's trains on there. No reports of 68026 in trouble so I assume someone decided to stop apologising for a bigger better train
https://www.journeycheck.com/tpexpress/

 

[sjpowermac]

Just after someone posted the very useful journey check link, it is not showing today's trains on there. No reports of 68026 in trouble so I assume someone decided to stop apologising for a bigger better train
https://www.journeycheck.com/tpexpress/

Maybe they were getting too many cranks

Indeed, looks like 68026 doing a very enterprising job today with an early arrival at Lime Street on 1F60
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y81035/2019/09/10/advanced

 

[The Northern Star]

Thank you for sharing the pictures, how unusual the scene looks! That definitely looks like it’s been done for filming, be interesting to see the commercial

It's there all week for filming for the Nova advert

 

[sjpowermac]

It's there all week for filming for the Nova advert

Thank you for that.

Are you one of the stars

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Indeed, looks like 68026 doing a very enterprising job today with an early arrival at Lime Street on 1F60
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y81035/2019/09/10/advanced

If you look at the schedule, there is a 2 minute engineering allowance down the hill into Lime St (aka "padding" ).
So with all the upgrade work finished it's not surprising some TPE services arrive a little early.
Generally, those TPE services seem to get a good path into Lime St, unlike the 319s which seem to get delayed around Edge Hill a lot.
Late running TPE services also tend to get past Wigan stoppers at Huyton/Roby which are held there.

 

[The Northern Star]

Next set to head up to Longtown for storage... In for tomorrow and Thursday

5M66: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K03313/2019/09/11/advanced

 

[neonison]

1E37 1256 Liverpool Lime Street to Scarborough today

A couple of observations:

There are no coat hooks in First Class (or in Standard), this appears to have been a design omission.

The Wi-Fi has not yet been enabled on Nova 3 yet.

 

[sjpowermac]

If you look at the schedule, there is a 2 minute engineering allowance down the hill into Lime St (aka "padding" ).
So with all the upgrade work finished it's not surprising some TPE services arrive a little early.
Generally, those TPE services seem to get a good path into Lime St, unlike the 319s which seem to get delayed around Edge Hill a lot.
Late running TPE services also tend to get past Wigan stoppers at Huyton/Roby which are held there.

Thanks for that, I wasn’t familiar with the local situation at Liverpool.

No doubt about the one minute late departure for 1F74 at York this evening

 

[Spartacus]

If you look at the schedule, there is a 2 minute engineering allowance down the hill into Lime St (aka "padding" ).

No, it's engineering allowance, required by the timetable planning rules to be taken between Huyton and Lime Street. 'Padding' is performance allowance.

 

[SHerr]

Thanks for that, I wasn’t familiar with the local situation at Liverpool.

No doubt about the one minute late departure for 1F74 at York this evening
View attachment 68384

I watched the service leave last night at the same time on the way to my train, platform 3 was packed as in your photo and it was fun watching how many people scattered when the driver opened her up just as the the loco passed the big crowd!

 

[sjpowermac]

I watched the service leave last night at the same time on the way to my train, platform 3 was packed as in your photo and it was fun watching how many people scattered when the driver opened her up just as the the loco passed the big crowd!

The Nova 3 certainly gets noticed

 

[EE Andy b1]

The Nova 3 certainly gets noticed

It's that CAT at the back (or front) that gets noticed.

 

[sjpowermac]

It's that CAT at the back (or front) that gets noticed.

Thankfully this one was without a sticker

 

[Bornin1980s]

It's that CAT at the back (or front) that gets noticed.

I'm not sure about that. It's the DT cab at the other end that really looks bizarre.

 

[Swedish Keith]

It's there all week for filming for the Nova advert

Thanks... my youngest lad guessed correctly then It did/does look very bizarre. Drove past the other side tonight

 

[Swedish Keith]

Thanks for that, I wasn’t familiar with the local situation at Liverpool.

No doubt about the one minute late departure for 1F74 at York this evening
View attachment 68384

Great photo that...

 

[sjpowermac]

Great photo that...

Thank you, much appreciated.

Did you see anything of the advert being filmed?

 

[Swedish Keith]

Thank you, much appreciated.

Did you see anything of the advert being filmed?

No not really...just a few folk milling about between the train and the car park end nearest the parcel depot. The whole of the DVT appears to be totally blacked out except for the driving end. I'll try and get some more/better pics tomorrow. This morning the 68's engine was ticking over.
Apologies if this is off topic...it is a bit isn't it? Or is it? Guess it's all part of the overall mk 5a progress
As an aside when I popped in to Scarborough station quickly this afternoon to pick up some tickets (about 17:15) there were a total of three 68's including the TV star-I wonder if that's a first (I know I know...definitely off topic...)

 

[Swedish Keith]

...a photo from the local paper...

 

[life210]

Does anyone know if there is a diagram running this friday?

 

[The Northern Star]

11/09: Nova 3 Diagram 0845

*The Nova 3 will not be in service today or tomorrow.