I'm surprised too although I suppose with less services on rhe Valleys on Sundays there would be a few spare at Canton.Surprised with it being a Sunday they couldn't find anything else to have replaced it instead of a 150!
Maintenance plans, diagram computer, need 197s to go to Maesteg etc...Surprised with it being a Sunday they couldn't find anything else to have replaced it instead of a 150!
They're pretty balanced now compared to what they were, there was a time where most of them were all bunched up but its quite well spread through the cycle. Some were pulled for exams early when availability allowed to balance it better.Is there a way to even out the exams? It seems a pattern is developing where we have 2 or so weeks of excellent availability, and then the exam cycle comes round and we have two less good weeks with everything waiting for slots at Crewe.
No problem!Anyway thank you SD for the info
I think the past 150 pages of this topic gives you the answer to that.Are we ever going to get to a stage where all the Mk4 services are guaranteed to be running including the required exams taking place as & when?
Once this round of exams and lengthening are done it should catch up, without stacks of spares though nothing can be totally guaranteed of anything.Are we ever going to get to a stage where all the Mk4 services are guaranteed to be running including the required exams taking place as & when?
Surely, all the sets are doing more or less the same mileage? Can’t they just be spaced out for the exams - even if it means doing some early?Once this round of exams and lengthening are done it should catch up, without stacks of spares though nothing can be totally guaranteed of anything.
Exams have set amounts of operating days, hours or miles for all sets, they can't just be done as and when unless do them all early.
It's done on days for the Mk4 sets so it's easily scheduled and is exactly what's happened where some have been pulled early to balance, to be most efficient on a 7 set/28 day cycle its simple to have a set come due every 4 days which is the ideal. Unfortunately, with the lengthening and exams it's knocked it out of sync with how long they've takenSurely, all the sets are doing more or less the same mileage? Can’t they just be spaced out for the exams - even if it means doing some early?
The way things are going, it really is looking to be a bad decision to use the 67’s & the Mk4’s. Don't get me wrong, I really wished the best of luck for TfW in trying to introduce an Inter City style train on this route - which it deserves.
Should be 67013+HD06Afternoon
Can anyone help with the allocation for 1W96 this evening please?
Dave
Indeed. Where you see pairs of 197s coupled together (other than the LTP diagrams where this was already booked) it's not because TfW suddenly have enough availablity to put more capacity on, it's because the only way to keep the service going is to couple knackered units together. Three car units seem more likely than not to be running on two engines out of three.197 introduction is hardly any better with far more faults and substituting than the Mk4 fleet now.
Exactly! And they seem to be getting worse not better.Indeed. Where you see pairs of 197s coupled together (other than the LTP diagrams where this was already booked) it's not because TfW suddenly have enough availablity to put more capacity on, it's because the only way to keep the service going is to couple knackered units together. Three car units seem more likely than not to be running on two engines out of three.
That's some of the planned for 8th set. Believe once the 5 car project is complete attention will turn to getting those coaches assessed/reinstated.What’s going to be happening with the four coaches that have been at Barton Hill (Bristol) for about 6 months (IIRC) now?
I think by guaranteed we mean a MK4 can be expected to run the booked services over 95% of the time. Nothing can be guaranteed 100%.I think the past 150 pages of this topic gives you the answer to that.
Nothing is guaranteed on the railway, especially a historically unreliable fleet.
Yeah I think by that assessment, with enough locos, there shouldn’t be a reason with 7 (potentially 8) sets covering 5 diagrams that it cousins become pretty reliable for the diagrams to get get covered fully.I think by guaranteed we mean a MK4 can be expected to run the booked services over 95% of the time. Nothing can be guaranteed 100%.
For example, before the massive issues with the 175s they ran almost all of their booked workings on the Marches/North Wales with very occasional subbing by a 158 or 150. If we can get to the level where very rarely one is covered by a unit we will have good progress.
This would be great. I know a lot of work has been going on to get them to a suitable stage of reliability and I truly hope it pays off. The First Class TFW offers on these is excellent, it's just a shame the stock reliability lets it down. People will soon start to avoid it if there's regular inconsistencies with it. But if truly reliable I can see it being a great success.Yeah I think by that assessment, with enough locos, there shouldn’t be a reason with 7 (potentially 8) sets covering 5 diagrams that it cousins become pretty reliable for the diagrams to get get covered fully.
Only time will tell I suppose.
It would be great to have the 8th set in service to be another backup incase the sets are on exam, certainly need it!That's some of the planned for 8th set. Believe once the 5 car project is complete attention will turn to getting those coaches assessed/reinstated.
Last I heard its not planned as a back up, it's to get a 6th diagram although not sure what that would be.It would be great to have the 8th set in service to be another backup incase the sets are on exam, certainly need it!
Totally agree. We’ve seen a serious improvement since their introduction so I’m hopeful that we will see further improvements.This would be great. I know a lot of work has been going on to get them to a suitable stage of reliability and I truly hope it pays off. The First Class TFW offers on these is excellent, it's just a shame the stock reliability lets it down. People will soon start to avoid it if there's regular inconsistencies with it. But if truly reliable I can see it being a great success.
Must say, I personally think that would be fantastic. That would free up yet another 2 197’s.Last I heard its not planned as a back up, it's to get a 6th diagram although not sure what that would be.
If the politicians are involved, you would expect the old 3 daily Holyhead service to come back. And to be fair operationally it would be the simplest option.Last I heard its not planned as a back up, it's to get a 6th diagram although not sure what that would be.
Id rather more Swansea services.If the politicians are involved, you would expect the old 3 daily Holyhead service to come back. And to be fair operationally it would be the simplest option.
June timetable change id heard. At least that's when its aimed to run the 5th diagram. Whether it actually happens by then is anyone's guess.When will the early Swansea to Manchester service ever return to full MK4 operation (since it's booked 197 on weekdays)? If anyone knows at all that is. Also a 6th diagram would likely be Holyhead or replacing another Cardiff to Manchester with a MK4.
It would seem the simplest and also puts a bit more capacity into some trains which struggle with 2 cars and also gives the Holyhead crews some extra work on Mk4s which they've been lacking since the Day time Coast work went.If the politicians are involved, you would expect the old 3 daily Holyhead service to come back. And to be fair operationally it would be the simplest option.
As far as im aware its planned to start when the 7th set is available so effectively once the B exam rotation and 5 car finishes. That would put it in the same time roughly as the Timetable but may not align exactly.June timetable change id heard. At least that's when its aimed to run the 5th diagram. Whether it actually happens by then is ananyone
Much as. I'd like to have that back, stripping the request stops from 1W93's schedule stopped the schoolkids getting home. The way that 1W91/1V96 were timetabled was disruptive, I've noticed far fewer delays since they were moved back to the standard pattern paths.If the politicians are involved, you would expect the old 3 daily Holyhead service to come back. And to be fair operationally it would be the simplest option.
On the move at 08.30 from Shrewsbury.Seems to be a problem with 1V91 at Shrewsbury, stood at a signal on platform 7.