Yes and no. That 70 miles was achieved with 7 or 8 stops (various reversals at Honeybourne, Evesham, and Moreton-in-Marsh) plus the relatively stiff climb from Honeybourne to Moreton-in-Marsh (twice). Having said that, I don't know what the installed battery capacity (kWh) of the 777 is. It may be quite a lot less than the 230 has got packed underneath it. But I think what is clear from the 230's run on Wednesday is that it has plenty of installed capacity to deal with 'typical' branch line conditions, and won't be requiring of an excessive number of on-route charging points.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
GWR Class 230 Information, Movements & Discussion.
- Thread starter FGW_DID
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Brissle Girl
Established Member
- Joined
- 17 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 2,692
Thank you @Woods.
It would be great to see battery operated trains on the west Country branches and I’d add the Severn Beach line to those too. Is it your understanding that battery operated units would accelerate faster than current diesel operated stock?
That could be very beneficial on services with either a tight turn around (st Ives) or numerous stops (Severn Beach), although I’m mindful that if the technology was rolled out on the store of ex District Line stock then the slow door operation could negate some of any benefit of being fleeter of foot.
It would be great to see battery operated trains on the west Country branches and I’d add the Severn Beach line to those too. Is it your understanding that battery operated units would accelerate faster than current diesel operated stock?
That could be very beneficial on services with either a tight turn around (st Ives) or numerous stops (Severn Beach), although I’m mindful that if the technology was rolled out on the store of ex District Line stock then the slow door operation could negate some of any benefit of being fleeter of foot.
That's a fantastic performance!
Do we know were there “Thunderbird” arrangements in place ready, or is there now sufficient confidence in the train that it’s deemed safe to send it out without such contingencies (I appreciate they’d have had all day to rescue it had anything gone awry!).
There is a Rail Adventure Class 20 stabled at Long Marston for such eventualities, and a drawhook to Wedgelock coupling adaptor carried on the train.
Another 70 miles was clocked up today. It's not going out on Monday 12th February any more, due to some finishing work to do on the inside, but it will be back out on the Cotswold Line again Wednesday 14th, and then the run down to Reading on Friday 16th. Thereafter it will stay at Reading for a few weeks before heading to West Ealing to begin the final integration testing between train and Fast Charge system (which is now installed, just not yet commissioned).
Yes that would be nice. It has much better acceleration than a diesel unit yes (not unexpectedly, quite like an Underground train!).
Whoever edited that thought they had a masterpiece!
There’s also a branch not a million miles away from where the testing will take place that seems a pretty obvious candidate. (Windsor)
TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
If you pair them up.
RacsoMoquette
Member
On the 4th February 2024, I was onboard a GWR Class 800 passing Reading TMD were I saw the Ex Marston Vale liveried LNWR Class 230s (003,004,005) just parked outside the depot. Unfortunately 230004 has suffered a moderate graffiti attack! This makes me wonder why GWR seems not to park the units away from the sight of vandals or undercover? As surely if the trial is successful they would relish the idea of three existing 230s to convert to battery FastCharge technology! At least in somewhat good condition!
Anyway it is of great relief that progress is steadily underway regarding the continuation of Vivarails pioneering Fast Charge concept, and I hope to see the unit in service on the West Ealing-Greenford shuttle shortly. Who knows maybe in a few months the ex LNWR 230s may be converted akin.
Anyway it is of great relief that progress is steadily underway regarding the continuation of Vivarails pioneering Fast Charge concept, and I hope to see the unit in service on the West Ealing-Greenford shuttle shortly. Who knows maybe in a few months the ex LNWR 230s may be converted akin.
Thanks for that. I don't think it will be a few months
but the long-term intent would be to convert those WMT units into Fast Charge battery units, but all subject to DfT approval, which hasn't been forthcoming yet.
Chris125
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Nov 2009
- Messages
- 3,076
Whoever edited that thought they had a masterpiece!
Looks like the centre car has a snazzy battery charge graphic, which changes when viewed from different angles - can't recall seeing that on a train before?
TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
While I'd never condone vandalism, their current LNR livery is hardly likely going to be needed again.
Not many options on where to park them. Space at Reading is valuable and there isn’t really anywhere better. Reading is probably one of the safest depots to stable the, given North Pole and Stoke Gifford are Hitachi.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Not noticed that in previous videos, but that is clever graphic (or is it an artefact of the frame rate in the filming?)
Wyrleybart
Established Member
I had spotted that too on the youtube video, and wondered if it was a frame rate playback thing. The graphic doesn't appear to be anything more than vinyl. but is clever
norbitonflyer
Established Member
I think it's done by "lenticular printing". There are a series of ridges or lens shapes, with different images interlaced on the left- and right-facing slopes, so that the image changes with the viewing angle.
Here's another one, rather clearer. (Right at the end)
Last edited:
Can confirm; it's a cool vinyl graphic thing
Southern Dvr
Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2010
- Messages
- 878
Does anyone actually think this is going to go ahead? It seems quite likely to me that this will go the same way as 769s and virtually everything else, it will get pulled and they’ll end up going for scrap and the money will have been wasted.
I hope to be proved wrong.
I hope to be proved wrong.
THe difference between this and the 769s (and indeed the other 230s - as opposed to the 484s) is that for the operators they were a "quick fix solution" to rolling-stock availability problems. Those problems were then overtaken by events (COVID, government cuts and other units becoming available as it became clear that like most quick fixes, they were anything but). This, however, is the testbed for a new technology which may (or may not) provide a green solution to emissions on parts of the network. There is thus a) more incentive to persevere and b) money available from different pots.
Southern Dvr
Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2010
- Messages
- 878
And that’s encouraging to read.
With the government being so anti-rail it seems to me that these units will need to demonstrate their use before the election or else that incentive to persevere will just witter away.
D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 11,498
Regardless of whether or not GWR was planning to vinyl the units - it’s time and effort wasted.
Friday 16th Feb 24, 5Q23 10:25 Long Marston - Reading TCD 12:40 [Provisional timings]Friday's path to Reading not showing in RTT yet, although there's another shuttle along the Cotswold Line showing for Friday. Anyone know what's happening - or do I just need to be patient
Thanks for the confirmation - I'm not seeing this in RTT yet.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
That's about 70 miles, which is close to the maximum it has dione on one charge. Is it running under its own power or being dragged?
Under its own power - that's partly what the runs last week were about, to see if it has the range to get to Reading, which it does.
Path for Friday's move to Reading: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K00487/2024-02-16/detailed
Last edited:
5Q23 (Long Marston - Reading Traincare Depot) now activated according to RTT.
I'm on my way to
Moreton-in-Marsh for a bit of very long awaited (8 years!) red-penning.
I'm on my way to
Moreton-in-Marsh for a bit of very long awaited (8 years!) red-penning.
Mission accomplished!
Mission accomplished!
Last edited:
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Let's hope the charging facility at Reading works, as presumably until 230001 gets there it can't be tested in real life. And if it doesn't work, the unit will be stranded.
Bob Price
Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2019
- Messages
- 1,037
And Mr Tim Dunn is on board tweeting about it. More here: https://twitter.com/MrTimDunn/status/1758447007469895732?t=wflpmQj9E2QJLkCPwKebgg&s=19
Peter Sarf
Established Member
I think its a non-fast charging facility at Reading depot (so overnight I guess) and a Fast charge facility at the platform at West Ealing.