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

[Moderating team]

A number of posts that were not constructively discussing the Class 230 units have had to be deleted. From now on can we ensure all posts here discuss the issue at hand.

 

[6Gtraincrew]

The swap has happened again today at Bidston at 1330 so only doing half a day a unit. No cancellations yet just a bit of late running. Let’s see if any come out over the weekend ?

Well, the plans for the week ahead show one in service tomorrow and Sunday.

 

[L401CJF]

The swap has happened again today at Bidston at 1330 so only doing half a day a unit. No cancellations yet just a bit of late running. Let’s see if any come out over the weekend ?

Hopefully the half a day swop improves reliability, even if it is a bit of a faff in comparison to keeping 1 unit out all day. With a bit of luck it means they can at least run the service. Heres hoping its just temporary and a proper solution is found for the next season.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Perhaps the wrong sort of pollen?

I suspect you're closer to the mark than you might think.

My feeling is it's not pollen as such, but those fluffy floaty seed heads that get everywhere at this time of year. It wouldn't take very long for those to build up and block things completely, but someone who doesn't know much about pollen and seeds might simply state it to be pollen just because the weather forecast includes pollen levels.

Do any pictures exist of these filter blockages on the 230s?

 

[anthony263]

I suspect you're closer to the mark than you might think.

My feeling is it's not pollen as such, but those fluffy floaty seed heads that get everywhere at this time of year. It wouldn't take very long for those to build up and block things completely, but someone who doesn't know much about pollen and seeds might simply state it to be pollen just because the weather forecast includes pollen levels.

Do any pictures exist of these filter blockages on the 230s?

I know the seeds your on about horrible things. Some engines can be very sensitive to any blockages even if not completely blocked will put engine into limp mode.

 

[Djgr]

Well it's running today, as I have just alighted at Heswall (aka Hills)

(Rail strike having no impact on the "paradise peninsula" !)

 

[317 forever]

How does the day to day frequency stand? The end goal, of course, was reported to be 2x 230 and 2x 197 on the line, though I'm not quite as naive as to expect 2tph any time soon.

If or when this happens, will the 197s and 230s alternate - or will it be both 197s followed by both 230s?

I would prefer them to alternate.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

If or when this happens, will the 197s and 230s alternate - or will it be both 197s followed by both 230s?

I would prefer them to alternate.

I would've thought fast 197s "followed" by slow 230s, since that works better for each's specifications.

 

[L401CJF]

I'm told it will be 230s on the all stops with 197s on the semi fasts in between.

230008 survived the evening, picking up a delay of 15+ minutes on the last trip to Bidston. Not the 230s fault this time though, listed as due to an ambulance required at Cefn-Y-Bedd.

 

[Zontar]

An in improvement from the current chaos, make no mistake.

But I envisage:

230s causing delays, making everything else late.

230s failing, and then to compensate, the "fasts" becoming "stoppers"

Hopefully I'm proved wrong, this line needs some stability.

 

[CaergwrleKen]

Good to see the 230 out today first time on a Sunday, unfortunately it’s only made it to Wrexham and failed on first journey

 

[Zontar]

Good to see the 230 out today first time on a Sunday, unfortunately it’s only made it to Wrexham and failed on first journey

Has it been swapped for another 230?

 

[CaergwrleKen]

Has it been swapped for another 230?

Doesn’t look like it because all the rest of its journeys are now showing cancelled

 

[Zontar]

Doesn’t look like it because all the rest of its journeys are now showing cancelled

Is there another 230 out today? I was hoping to get over

 

[CaergwrleKen]

Is there another 230 out today? I was hoping to get over

The other service train is a 150 unsure of any training units on Sunday

 

[Dan G]

Momday - Tuesday - Wednesday with no posts to this thread, so I assume 230s ran faultlessly all three days? @CaergwrleKen you're usually the first with the bad news?

 

[L401CJF]

Momday - Tuesday - Wednesday with no posts to this thread, so I assume 230s ran faultlessly all three days? @CaergwrleKen you're usually the first with the bad news?

According to RTT.. (quick scan so may have missed some bits)

Monday ran with 230009 AM, 007 PM, delays up to 15mins but appear to have completed service.

Tuesday seemed to be fine until 1334 WXC-BID which was 230008 swapped for 230009 at Wrexham Gen involving a delay presumably swapping passengers to other platforms, eventually reaching about 25 mins late.

Wed started with 230008, delays of around 15 mins again, a short termination at General and no unit number logged for the afternoon journeys.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

According to RTT.. (quick scan so may have missed some bits)

Monday ran with 230009 AM, 007 PM, delays up to 15mins but appear to have completed service.

Tuesday seemed to be fine until 1334 WXC-BID which was 230008 swapped for 230009 at Wrexham Gen involving a delay presumably swapping passengers to other platforms, eventually reaching about 25 mins late.

Wed started with 230008, delays of around 15 mins again, a short termination at General and no unit number logged for the afternoon journeys.

Do they ever run on time? Always seem to be late or get cancelled.

 

[Dan G]

Thank you. Sounds like the midday unit swap to clean out the pollen is working .

 

[CaergwrleKen]

The service has been fairly steady with the usual few delays here and there and odd journeys into Central cancelled but the point is they cannot see a day out and certain morning and evening journeys are being bus replaced due to the way the 230 maintenance works. Still not completed a weekend either yet.

 

[Zontar]

The service has been fairly steady with the usual few delays here and there and odd journeys into Central cancelled but the point is they cannot see a day out and certain morning and evening journeys are being bus replaced due to the way the 230 maintenance works. Still not completed a weekend either yet.

Ones just failed ive been told

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Ones just failed ive been told

Looks like it's broken down and been rushed into a siding/the depot upon arrival

 

[tjlrailblue]

hi everyone

what diagrams does the tfw 230 operate mon to friday?

cheers


tim

 

[L401CJF]

hi everyone

what diagrams does the tfw 230 operate mon to friday?

cheers


tim

It seems to keep switching over on a weekly basis at the moment.

 

[tjlrailblue]

ok thanks

i will see what turns up then!

cheers


tim

 

[Zontar]

Have the 230s started to behave themselves? Not heard any failures on here for a few days. Hopefully this is the start of a some stability for users

 

[anthony263]

Have the 230s started to behave themselves? Not heard any failures on here for a few days. Hopefully this is the start of a some stability for users

Don't jinxed it

 

[L401CJF]

Don't jinxed it

Seemed to be alright yesterday (Sunday), not been keeping track to be honest! The silence on this thread is either they're behaving and nothing to report, or they're failing so much people can't be bothered to say it again!

 

[CaergwrleKen]

I have got a bit fed up of reporting on the failures and delays. TfW don’t look like doing anything else soon so it will just carry on. The unit has a swap at Bidston now at 1230 so it’s halved the chance of failure, not good though for their image only being able to complete half a diagram. Plus as i mentioned before some trains don’t run now early morning or late night because of their maintenance at Birkenhead.

Today it’s been late all day but apparently this was due to the crew being late this morning coming from Chester. Since the swap it has steadily lost time again now almost 20 mins late.

I’ll have a bet now and say there will never be a reliable 2 trains per hour timetable with 230s.

 

[Dan G]

So within the bounds of how TfW are employing them, the 230s are working fine.