Class 221 engine cut-out whilst moving.

[Mordac]

I had this on a 2 x 153 on a Birmingham to Herford service. The front 153 was in effect a loco for the rear 153. Eventually restarted at next station.

153s are asthmatic enough without having to drag another one, can't imagine how slow that must have been

 

[greatvoyager]

As are Avanti 221s and EMR 222s, they were all downrated at a similar time I believe, but it's TPE 185s I have no idea on. Would possibly save some fuel but maybe Eco Mode works better for them than engine downrating?

Didn’t 222s have an eco mode of sorts?

 

[hexagon789]

Didn’t 222s have an eco mode of sorts?

185s certainly do, if 222s do I haven't heard of it though

 

[greatvoyager]

185s certainly do, if 222s do I haven't heard of it though

I thought it’s why 222006 was named “The Carbon Cutter”

 

[hexagon789]

I thought it’s why 222006 was named “The Carbon Cutter”

Maybe, but I've never heard of Meridians having an 'Eco Mode', only that the engines were downrated to 700hp in-line with Voyagers. Not saying they don't, but it would be the first I've come across it at least.

 

[Hairy Bear]

No they don't have an eco mode. The joke of a nameplate refers to the time they made a very expensive change to the train management system so we can put the train into a mode at station layovers that shuts down 5 out of 7 engines on 7cars and just 1 running on 4 and 5's.
They also introduced a mode for ecs moves and a brilliant one for the cleaners so they can see what there doing but without any form of heating or a/c...nice.

 

[greatvoyager]

Maybe, but I've never heard of Meridians having an 'Eco Mode', only that the engines were downrated to 700hp in-line with Voyagers. Not saying they don't, but it would be the first I've come across it at least.

No they don't have an eco mode. The joke of a nameplate refers to the time they made a very expensive change to the train management system so we can put the train into a mode at station layovers that shuts down 5 out of 7 engines on 7cars and just 1 running on 4 and 5's.
They also introduced a mode for ecs moves and a brilliant one for the cleaners so they can see what there doing but without any form of heating or a/c...nice.

Thank you for confirming.

 

[py_megapixel]

I remember some old materials about the class 180s (which I believe use the same or similar engines to the 221s and also have one under each car). These materials were aimed at traincrews and I believe they gave the advice that if the engine on a particular car wasn't running after starting the engines from the cab, they could try to start it using a manual procedure (involving pushing buttons in cupboards with specific numbers; all went over my head a bit really as obviously I'm not a trained driver!), but only "if time was available".

The implication being, of course, that if the service was running late it was considered better to just run with an engine out than spend time attempting to start it. This seems counter-intuitive as you'd presumably want as much power as possible to make up as much time as possible, but presumably they thought it was powerful enough even on only 4 of 5 engines.

 

[hexagon789]

I remember some old materials about the class 180s (which I believe use the same or similar engines to the 221s and also have one under each car). These materials were aimed at traincrews and I believe they gave the advice that if the engine on a particular car wasn't running after starting the engines from the cab, they could try to start it using a manual procedure (involving pushing buttons in cupboards with specific numbers; all went over my head a bit really as obviously I'm not a trained driver!), but only "if time was available".

The implication being, of course, that if the service was running late it was considered better to just run with an engine out than spend time attempting to start it. This seems counter-intuitive as you'd presumably want as much power as possible to make up as much time as possible, but presumably they thought it was powerful enough even on only 4 of 5 engines.

Or they thought it would likely go 'pop' regardless?

 

[Bletchleyite]

No they don't have an eco mode. The joke of a nameplate refers to the time they made a very expensive change to the train management system so we can put the train into a mode at station layovers that shuts down 5 out of 7 engines on 7cars and just 1 running on 4 and 5's.

To be fair if you've ever stood at New St while a 10-car Voyager set sits idling away for half an hour, filling the station with thick fug you can almost chew let alone taste, that sounds a pretty useful feature.

 

[hexagon789]

No they don't have an eco mode. The joke of a nameplate refers to the time they made a very expensive change to the train management system so we can put the train into a mode at station layovers that shuts down 5 out of 7 engines on 7cars and just 1 running on 4 and 5's.
They also introduced a mode for ecs moves and a brilliant one for the cleaners so they can see what there doing but without any form of heating or a/c...nice.

Well it would reduce station emissions and are cleaners used to always working in pre-heated trains? Surely a lot of their work will be in 'cold' trains?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think the only thing more overpowered is a 185

Though unlike Voyagers it wastes some power heating up transmission oil

 

[greatvoyager]

To be fair if you've ever stood at New St while a 10-car Voyager set sits idling away for half an hour, filling the station with thick fug you can almost chew let alone taste, that sounds a pretty useful feature.

It will be fascinating to see the savings and improvement of the planned battery trial works.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It will be fascinating to see the savings and improvement of the planned battery trial works.

Regen (rather than just chucking the dynamic brake output into what are basically just electric heaters on the roof) might make quite a difference.

 

[hexagon789]

Though unlike Voyagers it wastes some power heating up transmission oil

True but the 100mph vs 125mph 'gearing' must count for something. In the two 'direct drive' stages and with that much power a 185 should be quite good in the upper speed ranges. The sheer amount of torque at lower speeds I would also expect to account for a decent starting acceleration.

Eco Mode would be a different story.

 

[greatvoyager]

Regen (rather than just chucking the dynamic brake output into what are basically just electric heaters on the roof) might make quite a difference.

It sounds like a much better situation.