Vivarail's 'D Train' - 'D' stock reborn

www.iwbususers.btck.co.uk/RecentMinutes

Scroll down a bit, some info on the rail "upgrade". I'm on my Fire tablet, not that easy to copy and paste chunks, maybe someone else could?

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Nick

Do they currently use tripcocks, I assume they must use something.

Given that partial line closures are needed for the IoW upgrade work, I strongly suspect that testing will be done on the mainline. I think most new third rail stock mileage accumulation is done on the Brighton main line as there are paths available there overnight.

Thanks for the confirmation.

ETCS is surely the way to go, no ?

Thanks Nick - That tender does confirm many earlier observations with regards to modifications and upgrades required to permit the switch to class 484 operations.

However currently the line remains heavily loss making, and now we hear there is a £1.0 million shortfall for the project. So what is likely to get deferred/abandoned?

I feel sure that behind the scenes someone will undoubtedly be reviewing the whole project to strip out “would be nice” expenditure to leave just the minimum necessary to get the new rolling stock into operation. Hence I can see the old Class 483 units being left to rust away on a siding somewhere on the Island for a protracted period rather than incur off-island disposal costs.

Also whilst providing easy level access to Island Line rolling stock is a great ambition I wonder if the plaform height modifications may be minimised or dumped altogether meaning the existing wheelchair loading ramp solution will simply be retained. A short platform hump solution looks likely to be a far cheaper option than raising platforms or indeed lowering track heights along the entire platform.

Looking to the future – does anyone know if VivaRail also purchased the D78 trailer cars or did they end up at Booths?

The reason I ask is that a few years from now I can see rapid growth in rail travel once nations (most) around the globe finally agree we really need to significantly reduce air travel. Indeed I wonder how long it will be before that family holiday in Las Vegas or Spain will become so prohibitively expensive that a fortnight on the Isle of Wight may become the affordable family favourite and the Class 484 capacity will be stretched to the limits.

Obviously in the short term with just 5 x 2 car Class 484 sets currently on order, to handle peak periods they will occasionally need to double up units to effectively operate them as a mix of 2 and 4 car sets.

But will that be enough? Would it be sensible to at least secure from VivaRail options to store/produce in due course 3 minimally modified trailer cars. To keep costs down these could be basically as they left LU service in terms of both internal and external appearance – with any modifications limited to PRM updates and ensuring any additional cab to cab cabling is installed to allow them to be inserted into three of the two car units.

As the recent Central Line timetable hassle has demonstrated, joining/splitting units means extra work and extra potential for things to go wrong. If the depot has a choice of 2 and 3 car units on tap they can presumably better match projected demand with capacity, and minimise unnecessary route mileage and servicing costs. But this would only work if they can get their hands on some D78 trailer cars before they end up as tin cans.

VivaRail did take some trailer cars:
D Stock withdrawals

all those marked: *17xxx etc.

they didn't take the UNDM 8xxx cars

I wonder if the Isle Of Wight Steam Railway might mind the Island Line running over their tracks?

Those ideas have been discussed at length by IWSR and the main line operators and have been discarded as not feasible. there is nowhere for the railway to go in Newpoert, and there's the small probme of the Wooton slip to contend with as well as the station that is being rebuilt there by the IWSR.

Re train stops, I've not seen any in all the years I've been using the island's railways.

I understand from other sources the £1m shortfall is being made up from other sources, that is to enable the works to be undertaken at Brading.

It seems the depth puts this into Network Rail's responsibility under the terms of the lease so it's not exactly clear how this will be solved, but it's perhaps a little easier for NR to find some extra cash than SWR at the moment...

As for leaving the 483s here, there isn't really space nor would it save much when they can use the same arrangements bringing the 484s over.



5 units looks pretty generous to be honest, it's hard to see how two 4-car sets could prove insufficient - history suggests extra units or vehicles just end up shoved in a siding, robbed for spares, and quickly deteriorate.

I see Peter Tandy has recently uploaded photos of the first Class 230 out and about in Transport for Wales livery and it really looks impressive.

www.petertandy.co.uk/230006(2)_5Qxx_Hny_100420

Looking down the side of the train it looks like the furthest coach is missing a door - so I assume that is where they have installed the accessible toilet module. There were rumours that it was holding up delivery after the planned manufacturer went bust. Let's hope they have learnt from the LNWR sets and have figured out how to ensure the diesel engines do not overheat and shut down at the first sign of warm weather.

It is an island and there is a limited amount of visitor accommodation.

My first family holidays were always a sunny Whit week with a steam ride from Ryde Pierhead to Sandown and a short walk up the hill to a guest house.

The towns used to have many guest houses but a lot are now private houses or care homes.

The Island is a wonderful place with a very relaxed lifestyle. Planning controls are unlikely to be relaxed to allow big hotels so future growth in demand is likely to be limited.

TfW Transport for Wales 230.006 showing end-car windows removed from cars.

I wonder if there is any serious thought about this (I doubt it) and if so if any stock has been reserved for it.

I think that's just slow speed - it seemed to be pretty quiet when running at a higher speed. I'm pretty certain that the delay in appearing was more down to a change in the seat specification (and getting subsequent tests done) more than the toilet provider going down the pan!