Class 230 units training/introduction on the Borderlands line: updates

[Bob Price]

Looks like the run to Bidston and Birkenhead didn't happen this morning.

 

[hobbm013]

Looks like the run to Bidston and Birkenhead didn't happen this morning.

Patching issues at Birkenhead apparently. Should run later in the week

 

[8H]

There are paths in real time trains now for tomorrow for three return trips to Wrexham Central from Bidston, 1st one off Birkenhead North depot, presumably intended for the 230, but sadly it isn’t on the Wirral yet, Can’t see any any entry for it getting there yet although I may well have missed it. Good to see it was intended to get it straight into action though.

 

[PHILIPE]

There are paths in real time trains now for tomorrow for three return trips to Wrexham Central from Bidston, 1st one off Birkenhead North depot, presumably intended for the 230, but sadly it isn’t on the Wirral yet, Can’t see any any entry for it getting there yet although I may well have missed it. Good to see it was intended to get it straight into action though.

They will only be on the Borderline lines and Birkenhead North Depot

 

[8H]

They will only be on the Borderline lines and Birkenhead North Depot

Yes Philipe I knew they are for WRX BID only, but that lines runs through the Wirral of course which is why I was wondering when the unit will get to Birkenhead North to begin trials.

 

[PHILIPE]

Yes Philipe I knew they are for WRX BID only, but that lines runs through the Wirral of course which is why I was wondering when the unit will get to Birkenhead North to begin trials.

It was scheduled to run from Wrexham to Birkenhead yesterday but it appears the move didn't run. It is booked to come off Birkenhead North tomorrow for trials so at the moment not quite sure where it is.

 

[Liverpool 507]

It was scheduled to run from Wrexham to Birkenhead yesterday but it appears the move didn't run. It is booked to come off Birkenhead North tomorrow for trials so at the moment not quite sure where it is.

Still in the old Wrexham & Shropshire bay platforms at Wrexham General.

 

[8H]

Still in the old Wrexham & Shropshire bay platforms at Wrexham General.

Righto! So whenever it does get to Birkenhead it looks from Realtimetrains that it will be out and about!

 

[DavidGrain]

They will not be in action until the crew training is finished. If tomorrow's runs are crew training I would have expected them to be shown as ECS runs with an AW shown as the TOC. They are still shown as ZZ workings which to my mind means that they have not yet been accepted by TfW. I would have expected that the gauge clearance is still to be done as they have not previously been run on the Bidston Line. When the Rugeley line was electrified a couple of years ago sometime was spent checking the gauge clearance of both the 323s and the 350s as they were new stock to the line.

 

[Bob Price]

Possibly having runs and possible demo to TfW drivers and other staff?

 

[PHILIPE]

Have learned from another Forum that paperwork issues have precluded access to Birkenhead Depot.

 

[M28361M]

Train on the move between Wrexham and Bidston this morning with an obfuscated freight headcode. Is this the 230?

Realtime Trains - 513H 0901 Wrexham Central to Bidston

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains - 515H 1002 Bidston to Wrexham General

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Train on the move between Wrexham and Bidston this morning with an obfuscated freight headcode. Is this the 230?

Realtime Trains - 513H 0901 Wrexham Central to Bidston

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains - 515H 1002 Bidston to Wrexham General

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Yes it is. Photo of it at Hawarden Bridge on a certain railway Facebook page

 

[Bob Price]

Yes it is. Photo of it at Hawarden Bridge on a certain railway Facebook page

Care to elaborate? Which one?

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Care to elaborate? Which one?

Railways of North Wales group

 

[6Gtraincrew]

 

[arfortune]

They will not be in action until the crew training is finished. If tomorrow's runs are crew training I would have expected them to be shown as ECS runs with an AW shown as the TOC. They are still shown as ZZ workings which to my mind means that they have not yet been accepted by TfW. I would have expected that the gauge clearance is still to be done as they have not previously been run on the Bidston Line. When the Rugeley line was electrified a couple of years ago sometime was spent checking the gauge clearance of both the 323s and the 350s as they were new stock to the line.

You're right - this is all still Vivarail testing, so nothing to do with TfW yet. Crew training is still to take place.

 

[M28361M]

A short clip (not by me) of it arriving and departing Bidston:

The final journey of the day (1502 Wrexham Central-Birkenhead) seems to have finished at Wrexham General. RTT showing testing paths in tomorrow as well.

 

[anthony263]

These units do have very good acceleration

 

[D365]

These units do have very good acceleration

Not surprising - battery power

 

[K.o.R]

These seem a lot more robust than the Marston Vale units. I wonder if they'll use lessons learned from these and update those units for better reliability?

 

[Bob Price]

A lot of the testbed work on the batteries were done on 002 so they had a good platform to start with. They will also have learned from the Maston Vale units as well.

 

[grumpyoldman01]

EN 15227 was been made mandatory by the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) decisions in 2008 - the 2008/232/CE for high-speed railways and 2008/57/EC for conventional rail, long before the concept of the Class 230 was worked up. While ongoing projects were allowed to be completed all new procurements since then had to include the requirement so Vivarail had to design the front of the train to meet the requirements of this standard.

Anything else you may have heard about crash tests is wibble.

I was surprised to read this.

Going from memory, wasn't part of the idea behind re-purposing 'D' Stock to avoid compliances such as this by relying upon 'grandfather rights' wherever possible? This stock ran on BR/Network Rail tracks to reach Wimbledon, and presumably therefore met whatever standards were in place when designed back in the late 1970s, so does - in simple terms - sealing up an end door make compliance with a TSI introduced after the trains were originally built necessary?

It's interesting to see that trains built specifically for the route are being introduced - again!; BR did that by building some class 108 power twins back in 1959. They had fantastic acceleration and hill climbing capabilities, and it will be interesting to see how a 230 compares

 

[6Gtraincrew]

According to rtt, 006 is heading to Chester today. Must be going for fuel. Due into Chester at 9:35 if it runs.

 

[Bob Price]

Lots of back and forth from Honeyborne and Evesham today on RTT. Wondering if this is some running for 007 or if 008 is having a shakedown.

 

[hobbm013]

According to rtt, 006 is heading to Chester today. Must be going for fuel. Due into Chester at 9:35 if it runs.

It has indeed ran

Realtime Trains - 594J 0755 Birkenhead North E.M.U.D to Chester D.M.U.D.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Terrible photo, but here it is sat outside Alstom

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Going from memory, wasn't part of the idea behind re-purposing 'D' Stock to avoid compliances such as this by relying upon 'grandfather rights' wherever possible? This stock ran on BR/Network Rail tracks to reach Wimbledon, and presumably therefore met whatever standards were in place when designed back in the late 1970s, so does - in simple terms - sealing up an end door make compliance with a TSI introduced after the trains were originally built necessary?

Going from memory, the idea was to make use of trains that were available at scrap prices and in good condition for their age. There weren't lots of mainline EMUs surplus when Vivarail started the project, so they accepted the extra hurdle of modifying the D stock for mainline use.

Vivarail reinforced the cab as well as sealing the cab end door, and this was presumably enough to meet TSI requirements for the low speeds that the D-Train is intended to run at.

 

[Camden]

It's interesting to see that trains built specifically for the route are being introduced - again!; BR did that by building some class 108 power twins back in 1959. They had fantastic acceleration and hill climbing capabilities, and it will be interesting to see how a 230 compares

The motors had only recently been replaced, and was one of the factors involved in using these for repurposing. They're using the same motors, just a different power source, so given the nature of the routes these used to ply, regularly climbing and descending, I'd hope they'd be ideal for hills.

Little disappointed that the noise from the generator seems to be quite loud, but I think they've been made to look very smart indeed. Looking forward to seeing them in use one day.

 

[43096]

The motors had only recently been replaced, and was one of the factors involved in using these for repurposing. They're using the same motors, just a different power source, so given the nature of the routes these used to ply, regularly climbing and descending, I'd hope they'd be ideal for hills.

Little disappointed that the noise from the generator seems to be quite loud, but I think they've been made to look very smart indeed. Looking forward to seeing them in use one day.

As I understand it the 230s are getting new AC traction motors from TSA.