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Post by anthony262 on Aug 23, 2024 14:03:04 GMT
The laest issue of green signals podcast on YouTube has a bit on the island line which is worth watching
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Post by anthony262 on Aug 25, 2024 11:46:07 GMT
The Two D stock carriages down at Barry Island are in the process of being scrapped. The bogies however are being retained
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Post by Chris L on Aug 25, 2024 16:35:48 GMT
001 is back in public service.
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Post by alpinejohn on Aug 25, 2024 17:05:44 GMT
I guess you mean Class 484 001 (on the island Line - as I don't think the GWR 230001 is signed off yet for passenger service.
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Post by Chris L on Aug 26, 2024 4:57:53 GMT
I guess you mean Class 484 001 (on the island Line - as I don't think the GWR 230001 is signed off yet for passenger service. I do mean that. |
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Post by alpinejohn on Aug 26, 2024 19:52:41 GMT
Elsewhere - Transport For Wales Class 230 006 the 3 car diesel/battery hybrid unit returned to operate a test run from Birkenhead depot: www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:02642/2024-08-26/detailed#allox_id=0Th unit had been chosen as the test bed for new batteries/control kit and a few other tweeks which TFW hope will finally get these units reliably completing a full day diagram rather than operating half day diagrams which the other TFW 230s have been operating recently. Doubtless a lot more testing will be needed before it carries any fare paying passengers, but it would be great if TFW have finally worked out what they need to do to get these units working well. |
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Post by anthony262 on Aug 28, 2024 0:01:34 GMT
Elsewhere - Transport For Wales Class 230 006 the 3 car diesel/battery hybrid unit returned to operate a test run from Birkenhead depot: www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:02642/2024-08-26/detailed#allox_id=0Th unit had been chosen as the test bed for new batteries/control kit and a few other tweeks which TFW hope will finally get these units reliably completing a full day diagram rather than operating half day diagrams which the other TFW 230s have been operating recently. Doubtless a lot more testing will be needed before it carries any fare paying passengers, but it would be great if TFW have finally worked out what they need to do to get these units working well. More hybrid class 230s were proposed by TFW for the planned Swansea metro well the Pontardulais to Swansea service via the Swansea District Line. If this lot of modifications on 230006 works it can't come soon.enough especially as the two class 197s could use woth being used elsewhere |
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Post by spsmiler on Aug 28, 2024 14:07:59 GMT
If the modifications work then I will have confidence to travel to Merseyside to travel to travel to South Wales on these Class 230 trains.
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Post by alpinejohn on Aug 28, 2024 18:10:43 GMT
I would not be in too much rush.
I doubt TFW will commit to upgrade their 4 other class 230 diesel/battery hybrids until 230006 has succesfully worked for many months (if not an entire year) to ensure they have finally resolved the main problem with these unit - pollen clogging the radiators causing both diesels and batterys to overheat. Which is why the units are currently only operating for half a day(diagram) before being swapped for another unit to allow maintenance teams to clear the radiators.
If they have also managed to improve the regenerative braking system(was it ever turned on?), it may also help reduce brake system wear which may have contributed to high rates of wheel wear on the Island Line units.
As for other TFW routes seeing Class 230 services that is probably way in the future (if ever).
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Post by spsmiler on Aug 30, 2024 21:19:13 GMT
I am quite happy to wait until a timetable change after the fleet has been updated.
Possibly by then the tram-trains will be running in Cardiff
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Post by anthony262 on Aug 30, 2024 22:13:12 GMT
I am quite happy to wait until a timetable change after the fleet has been updated. Possibly by then the tram-trains will be running in Cardiff Class 756s supposed to start entering public service end of September. Class e98s not expecting to be entering service until atleast June 2025 |
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Post by spsmiler on Sept 1, 2024 21:14:24 GMT
The 756's are similar to trains already in East Anglia. which I have travelled on.
The 398's are the tram-trains and they were supposed to be in service later this year ... we shall see (as the saying goes). I am still yet to buy my travel tickets - no hurry!
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Post by anthony262 on Oct 18, 2024 19:04:51 GMT
TFW have put 230006 out into service this morning on the Wrexham to Bidston line after all the modifications it's had. Seemed to perform very well only suffering delays due to being stuck behind a late running class 197 dmu.
It was swapped at 1320 for 230010 as is normal at the moment however Tfw are planning to get it out to do a full day's running on the line to see how it really performs
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Post by alpinejohn on Oct 21, 2024 20:08:04 GMT
RealTime Trains has another round of test runs listed this week with their Class 230 battery unit booked between Greenford and West Ealing.
However given the recent radio silence from GWR about the testing programme, it rather suggests they are still not fully confident to consider using the battery unit in passenger traffic. I suspect the release of the diesel unit currently operating service would be a welcome development for their maintenence people.
Shame the longer this silence goes on, the more likely it seems the decision has already been made and the trial will be deemed a failure and quietly shut down.
I guess that just like the APT, the next Class 230 development will be finding a museum willing to discretely hide away the GWR class 230 - at least until the media loses interest. Personally it would be great to see it donated to Didcot Railway Museum where they might have even have a stretch of track long enough to make use of the Class 230 and the fast charging kit.
Doubtless in a few years time we will end up buying Italian made "Ricarica Veloce" battery trains for use on our minor non-electrified routes .. just like we ended up buying Fiat made Pendolinos having thrown in the towel with the APTs.
Hey ho.
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Post by revupminster on Oct 23, 2024 6:10:22 GMT
If GWR do consider the 230 a failure as they did with the 769s then they have wasted a lot of money again. It may also scupper SWR's idea of using a battery train using static charging points in stations and passing loops to get a battery train to Exeter.
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Post by anthony262 on Oct 23, 2024 8:59:02 GMT
One of the recent green signals episodes had a feature on it and frommthe looks of it the trial is actually going very well with the unit performing better than expected
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