PHILIPE
Veteran Member
thanks for the info - got a link...?
No, apart from the same group as the previous report. I cannot reproduce somebody else's pictures.
thanks for the info - got a link...?
I like the class 769 to be on the Ebbw Vale services
They won't be. They will be on Rhymney services where 4 carriages are required. The whole purpose of their transfer is to provide capacity where Ebbw Vale, apart from peak times. would be overkill
Would I be correct in thinking that Ebbw Vale trains are crewed by a different depot/link to Valley Lines so there won't be anyone who signs both route and traction (barring any who may have transferred)?
Hopefully the 769s will be used all day rather than just doing peak morning and evening runs and then sitting in Canton all day.
I don't know if the 769s are cleared to Penarth or Barry. The curves around Grangetown and Barry to Barry Island are pretty tight if the 769s have problems on curves.I'm guessing they will do if TFW are getting 9 units. For peak times only they'd probably only need 5 (4 in service and a spare).
Are they cleared to run through to Penarth or will there be issues? Also, later in the night some Rhymney valley services go down to Barry Island so would they be run by 769's or 150s?
People will have to forgive my ignorance here. I have looked carefully at and compared the specifications for class 150's and 319/769's. The wheelbase lengths on both types are identical, the carriages on the 319/769 's are slightly shorter than those of the 150's. So why should the 769's have problems on curves which 150's have been navigating for decades? I would be genuinely pleased if someone can enlighten me as to other factors which might influence the 769's ability to negotiate curves (couplings for example?). In terms of general clearance issues, we have heard that exhaust stacks on the 769's were a problem and required modification, but the 769 carriages are about 20 cm less in height and only 4 mm wider than those of a 150. Can such a small width difference be critical at some locations? Any enlightenment would be genuinely welcome.I don't know if the 769s are cleared to Penarth or Barry. The curves around Grangetown and Barry to Barry Island are pretty tight if the 769s have problems on curves.
If the 769s can't work to Penarth, then Penarth trains could work to Treherbert instead with Bargoed and Rhymney trains terminating at Central, but that would mess up timetables.
People will have to forgive my ignorance here. I have looked carefully at and compared the specifications for class 150's and 319/769's. The wheelbase lengths on both types are identical, the carriages on the 319/769 's are slightly shorter than those of the 150's. So why should the 769's have problems on curves which 150's have been navigating for decades? I would be genuinely pleased if someone can enlighten me as to other factors which might influence the 769's ability to negotiate curves (couplings for example?). In terms of general clearance issues, we have heard that exhaust stacks on the 769's were a problem and required modification, but the 769 carriages are about 20 cm less in height and only 4 mm wider than those of a 150. Can such a small width difference be critical at some locations? Any enlightenment would be genuinely welcome.
If the 769s don't make it to Barry or Bridgend via the VoG, it's more likely to be because initially only Rhymney crews will be trained on them. That might change in future, but bare in mind that the 769s will only be around for 3 - 4 years and the immediate priority is to get them out on the Rhymney line to release 150s for PRM mods and pairs of Pacers to cover elsewhere, and from January, 769s will be taking over the Rhymney 37+Mk2 runs.People will have to forgive my ignorance here. I have looked carefully at and compared the specifications for class 150's and 319/769's. The wheelbase lengths on both types are identical, the carriages on the 319/769 's are slightly shorter than those of the 150's. So why should the 769's have problems on curves which 150's have been navigating for decades? I would be genuinely pleased if someone can enlighten me as to other factors which might influence the 769's ability to negotiate curves (couplings for example?). In terms of general clearance issues, we have heard that exhaust stacks on the 769's were a problem and required modification, but the 769 carriages are about 20 cm less in height and only 4 mm wider than those of a 150. Can such a small width difference be critical at some locations? Any enlightenment would be genuinely welcome.
Any likelihood some will replace the ones on the Measteg to Cheltenham spa runs?.
Already inquired about that it was mooted but I think they confined to the Rhymney services.Any likelihood some will replace the ones on the Measteg to Cheltenham spa runs?.
Any likelihood some will replace the ones on the Measteg to Cheltenham spa runs?.
If the 769s don't make it to Barry or Bridgend via the VoG, it's more likely to be because initially only Rhymney crews will be trained on them. That might change in future, but bare in mind that the 769s will only be around for 3 - 4 years and the immediate priority is to get them out on the Rhymney line to release 150s for PRM mods and pairs of Pacers to cover elsewhere, and from January, 769s will be taking over the Rhymney 37+Mk2 runs.
Class 170's cascaded from Greater Anglia will be running those services from late October iirc.
It's been said many times before that ATW and TfW did not order 769s for electric working, they were ordered for extra capacity as DMUs where needed most in the south which is on the Valleys, specifically the Rhymney line, as said many times alreadyOnce electrification to Cardiff is complete, couldn't they use them on the Maesteg - Cheltenham service and get some electric working out of them?
They could only run electrically for a short portion of the journey i.e. Cardiff - Severn tunnel Junction, so the costs including staff training and maintaining the pantographs are probably not justified. In capacity terms, Cardiff-Newport-Chepstow are already also connected to Cheltenham and Gloucester by regular Cross-Country 170's to Birmingham/Nottingham so using 4-car 769's on TFW trains on this route would be overkill, as has already been said more than once. Already, just at peak times an additional 153 can be added to a 2-car set for extra capacity.Once electrification to Cardiff is complete, couldn't they use them on the Maesteg - Cheltenham service and get some electric working out of them?
TfW have been shunting 769s around Canton under their own power in the last few weeksAs far as i know, not one Class 769 has run under it's own power on Network Rail metals. In duel mode as Northern will (want to) use them they can perhaps stay out all day, mainly on electric but diesel when required.
TfW are to use 769s just to cover for other diesel units on the routes mentioned. Will the fuel tanks be big enough and do we think the Gen sets will be reliable enough to work the Rhymney and Valley lines?
I know, time will tell and once out testing/crew training (hopefully), we will all know a little bit more, but they need to get off the shed first.
Why September before training starts ? If the current issues are only minor why several more months before training even starts?
Serious question, don't they need to accumulate fault free mileage first?