Southern Dvr
Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2010
- Messages
- 881
The only way to improve the ride quality down there is with air suspension stock.
Good to see the progress and the livery looks great apart from the unsightly red rectangles - any idea what they are?An interesting video has emerged of the first unit moving under battery power at Long Marston, which should allow some (presumably low-speed) testing before they reach the Island:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/372798640807853/
Unlike Vivarail's other fleets the alcove for the whistle still hasn't been plated over...
I believe they’re the emergency release handles for the doors, I assume they have to contrast with the main colour.Good to see the progress and the livery looks great apart from the unsightly red rectangles - any idea what they are?
Good to see the progress and the livery looks great apart from the unsightly red rectangles - any idea what they are?
Pairs I think, there’s two per vehicle?Emergency door egress handles I think. From memory, the D78 had a single butterfly cock per vehicle that'd release one door - that system looks like it'll allow all doors to be release
Pairs I think, there’s two per vehicle?
I would have thought they would be testing out potential gauging issues rather than running a mainline service.lets face it, with covid/lockdown happening it would be an ideal time to close the line and get some of these niggles sorted out prior to the reboot of new trackworks+rolling stock.It's been posted on another forum that Island Line will run hourly from 20th November to 23rd December to allow for fault free running and driver training, so the first 484 should be imminent. The line is also closed on the 5th and 6th of December for 'maintenance'.
I would have thought they would be testing out potential gauging issues rather than running a mainline service.
Why are the doors different colours? One of the dark blue doors is the disabled access door, but the other isn't. Are they different colours because half the carriage is light blue, and half the carriage is dark blue and you need a contrast? It would have made more sense if only the disabled access door was a different colour.An interesting video has emerged of the first unit moving under battery power at Long Marston, which should allow some (presumably low-speed) testing before they reach the Island:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/355569249197459/permalink/372798640807853/
Unlike Vivarail's other fleets the alcove for the whistle still hasn't been plated over...
With the planned closure of the whole line from Jan to March next year, does this mean the plan is to complete the bulk of unit testing in the remainder of this year? Obviously the new track / infrastructure clearances can't be checked until they're done, but in respect to the rolling stock itself.
How many units so they need to start the service? Assuming they are tested on the mainland then they should be able to enter service very quickly. We know one is complete, it just depends on how the others are coming on.
I think it’s already been confirmed somewhere that the first two or three are to get tested on the Island?How many units so they need to start the service? Assuming they are tested on the mainland then they should be able to enter service very quickly. We know one is complete, it just depends on how the others are coming on.
I believe it's the use of ex London Underground stock which has become the unique thing about the island.They do look smart. Would have liked something a bit more unique to the Island but better for being 2 car and not having vast swathes of pale blue/white like the rest of their fleet
To Portsmouth. To see a train. On a lorry. On a ferry. Could be fun. First time they’ve done this since....1989. I’ll drive there, but board on foot, and use drone pics. I think that’s all transport bases covered in one day.
It may be the first time Island Line (and predecessors) has taken passenger stock to the island since 1989, but it's certainly not the first time rolling stock has been ferried over, since the steam line has moved various steam and diesel locomotives to and fro, plus there have been moves of on-track plant as well.To Portsmouth. To see a train. On a lorry. On a ferry. Could be fun. First time they’ve done this since....1989. I’ll drive there, but board on foot, and use drone pics. I think that’s all transport bases covered in one day.
When I read the tweet, I took "they" to refer to island line.