anthony263
Established Member
That is the plan yes. They struggling to get the daily requirement of 197s elsewhere so freeing up the two off this line will be a great help.
So far the modifications have proven to work.pretty well
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Transport for Wales Class 230
- Thread starter CaergwrleKen
- Start date
So far the modifications have proven to work.pretty well
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R
RailUK Forums
Looks like it's booked as of today for 2 all day 230s.
The diagrams for May Timetable are currently for 3 all day 230s and no 197s. There's time for short term diagrams to be added but it does (finally) appear to be getting closer.
Philip Roberts
Member
Great spot! Good to see this happening. I hope they have a good day!
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Well spotted.
So do I.
I think that there is a lot of improvements there BUT I will wait and see what a hot summers day and lots of pollen (etc) does to them.
paddyb6
Member
- Joined
- 21 May 2018
- Messages
- 242
Appears as if both 230008 and 230009 have completed their duties successfully today, great to see progress, long may it continue.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Progress, thanks for reporting.
Philip Roberts
Member
230008 and 230010 today
Zontar
Member
Day 2, consistent and predictably, they've failed.
paddyb6
Member
- Joined
- 21 May 2018
- Messages
- 242
Both still out, some delays earlier, but they're both still out.
Zontar
Member
Delays caused by them.not working!
Matched by the 197 on the route as well - it's hardly covered itself in glory this evening. Unless of course the delays are nothing to do with the rolling stock at all - but that would spoil a good story....
FrontSideBus
Member
The other week I went up and down the line a few times and I actually quite like the units tbh. I like riding in them more than the new 777's anyway! They have better seats for starters.
There was an axle counter failure at Dee Marsh ongoing all afternoon/evening from the 13:21 from Bidston causing the majority of delays.....
anthony263
Established Member
Lately some of the delays and issues have not been the fault of the 230s but rather the class 197s or infrastructure issues.
Because of their past problems people quite quick to blamethwm
Because of their past problems people quite quick to blamethwm
And this morning there have been trespass problems...
Peter Sarf
Established Member
+
+
So NOT the 230s at fault then
.Probably caused by a 230, I dunno maybe people flocking onto the track to kiss one
.
Philip Roberts
Member
Very high pollen forecast today 
WirralLine
Member
Specifically it was the wild grass pollens they were suffering with so its only a problem for the few weeks when they're in season.
Last summer I worked a 230 on a day when grass pollen was at its worst, I remember looking out the back cab window at line speed on the Bidston to Hawarden Bridge section of the line and seeing a huge plume of "smoke" behind us. I was concerned, until it suddenly stopped, then carried on a bit later on. I realised it was actually the train blowing huge clouds of pollen off the long wild grass at the side of the line, it's not present for the whole length just certain stretches. I've never seen anything like it at all.
Bearing in mind the 230s had sealed windows then and no opening cab windows, by the time I got to Shotton on the return from Bidston - as a hayfever sufferer, I was in absolute agony with bright red swollen eyes and sneezing to the point I abandoned ticket duties and focused on station duties hoping to get back home as quickly as possible!
I can understand why small radiators would become blocked, the amount of pollen being blown off was insane. For the pollen season last year the 230s did ok because they had learnt from the previous year and came up with some solutions to clean them.
Last summer I worked a 230 on a day when grass pollen was at its worst, I remember looking out the back cab window at line speed on the Bidston to Hawarden Bridge section of the line and seeing a huge plume of "smoke" behind us. I was concerned, until it suddenly stopped, then carried on a bit later on. I realised it was actually the train blowing huge clouds of pollen off the long wild grass at the side of the line, it's not present for the whole length just certain stretches. I've never seen anything like it at all.
Bearing in mind the 230s had sealed windows then and no opening cab windows, by the time I got to Shotton on the return from Bidston - as a hayfever sufferer, I was in absolute agony with bright red swollen eyes and sneezing to the point I abandoned ticket duties and focused on station duties hoping to get back home as quickly as possible!
I can understand why small radiators would become blocked, the amount of pollen being blown off was insane. For the pollen season last year the 230s did ok because they had learnt from the previous year and came up with some solutions to clean them.
Invincible
Member
Could TfW get some lineside grass cutting done in advance to reduce the amount of pollen that get in the radiator filters
WirralLine
Member
This would be the down to Network Rail rather than TfW, presumably something that could be arranged, but particularly across the Neston- Dee Marsh area there's so much pollen in the air due to the general area. However having it right in the cess brushing up against the trains is probably the main problem. Until very recently trees were a big problem down this line, growing out so trains were constantly hitting them all day, it's all been cleared back now but doubt they've touched the grass.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Crickey, an avoidable problem then.
Another example of the problem of letting lineside vegetation get out of hand.
Chris125
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Nov 2009
- Messages
- 3,158
No obvious pollen issues today? Just a bridge bash unfortunately.
Zontar
Member
15:58 Wrexham Central - Bidston
17:06 Bidston - Wrexham Central
18:17 Wrexham Central - Bidston
19:32 Bidston - Wrexham Central
All cancelled yesterday. 230 failed and unable to be replaced
17:06 Bidston - Wrexham Central
18:17 Wrexham Central - Bidston
19:32 Bidston - Wrexham Central
All cancelled yesterday. 230 failed and unable to be replaced
WirralLine
Member
I believe 230006 with an engine problem. 230007 also had issues (i think the day before) where it was dumping all it's air and had to limp back to Birkenhead.
Overall they seem to be behaving recently. I'm seeing a lot more log entries for 197s misbehaving lately.
Zontar
Member
Can you provide some failures and cancellations of 197s please?
WirralLine
Member
From last few days we have AWS failure x2, Engine fault, Fire alarm fault, Door fault, Hot axle box warning fault. Not all resulting in cancellations, some just hefty delays and unit swops.
Invincible
Member
Checking realtime trains website 230008, 23009 and 197049 worked all today.
Guess 230006 and 230007 will be fixed soon?
Guess 230010 is still working OK?
WirralLine
Member
010 not been out since 23rd April, but it did complete that day in full and on time so doesn't appear to be anything wrong with it. Maybe in for an exam or some mods etc. Not sure
Zontar
Member
All on the bidston line? The 197s have their demons too
And another 230 failure today. Hot weather is killing them
And another 230 failure today. Hot weather is killing them
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WirralLine
Member
No, network wide. I just used them as an example because they have faults all the time too, which also result in delay/cancellation/swops. Of course it's to be expected, there are more of them, and less reported on here probably because they impact is less noted as they can be swapped out at various locations other than just Birkenhead North in the case of the 230s. Or of course substituted with other classes such as 158s.
Today's failure was a passcom fault apparently on 008 and not related to the weather.
009 was swapped out earlier though due to some sort of genset fault. 007 stepped up in its place.
I'm not sure if they're still all running different mods or whether they're all to the same spec now either.
Edit, looks like 008 is set to come back out on 2J86 from Bidston at 1706.
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