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

[Domh245]

Not news, but I'm planning to add a D-Train Fleet Survey to my blog when time allows, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me the former London Underground carriage numbers for all of the 230s and 484s which have been converted so far, please?

Thanks in advance.

The District Dave forum's withdrawal list has some detail on which vehicles became which:

NR numbers (3000xx - 3002xx - 3001xx)

230001: 7058+17058+7511
230002: 7122+17091+7067

230003: 7069+7127
230004: 7100+7500
230005: 7066+7128

230006: 7098+17066+7510
230007: 7103+17063+7529
230008: 7120+17050+7065
230009: 7055+17084+7523
230010: 7090+17071+7017

IOW numbers (13x - 23x)
484001: 7086+7011
484002: 7068+7002 (order not clear)
484003: 7051+7083
484004: 7074+7111
484005: 7124+7093

 

[507021]

The District Dave forum's withdrawal list has some detail on which vehicles became which:

NR numbers (3000xx - 3002xx - 3001xx)

230001: 7058+17058+7511
230002: 7122+17091+7067

230003: 7069+7127
230004: 7100+7500
230005: 7066+7128

230006: 7098+17066+7510
230007: 7103+17063+7529
230008: 7120+17050+7065
230009: 7055+17084+7523
230010: 7090+17071+7017

IOW numbers (13x - 23x)
484001: 7086+7011
484002: 7068+7002 (order not clear)
484003: 7051+7083
484004: 7074+7111
484005: 7124+7093

That's very useful indeed, thanks very much.

 

[317 forever]

There's usually at least 1 230 parked up in Chester station sidings each day, they are very thirsty units & need fueling very often during the testing on the borderlands line.

230 008 was there yesterday & 230 007 is there now, they have to go onto Alstom for fueling, only 2 Chester instructors sign them so they have to move the units.

Driver training is planned to start around July is the present plan but things are changing often regarding these units.

July? I admit I have such a bad feeling about being able to locate one even in September that I may not other going to the Wirral that soon.

 

[DavidGrain]

That has put paid to my plan to take a party to ride on the line before the clocks go back this autumn.

 

[Rail Blues]

There's usually at least 1 230 parked up in Chester station sidings each day, they are very thirsty units & need fueling very often during the testing on the borderlands line.

230 008 was there yesterday & 230 007 is there now, they have to go onto Alstom for fueling, only 2 Chester instructors sign them so they have to move the units.

Driver training is planned to start around July is the present plan but things are changing often regarding these units.

Thirsty? Really?

I thought the all diesel version of the 230 had better fuel economy than 2nd generation DMUs and the hybrid version must significantly improve on that. Happy to be corrected.

Smaller fuel tanks maybe?

 

[ls2270]

230010 due out on test runs 5Q23 to 5Q27 today from Long Marston to Stourbridge Jn etc

 

[6Gtraincrew]

007 + 008 are on route to Chester now.

 

[DavidGrain]

Had a trip out to Stourbridge Junction today and saw my first 'live' TfW class 230 (230010) on test.

 

[The Prisoner]

Was at the Balderton level crossing today in my car and the lights came down for one travelling from Wrexham towards Chester. Have to say in the flesh they are hugely underwhelming - side on at least. Was about 1515.

 

[ls2270]

230010 due out on test runs 5Q23 to 5Q27 today from Long Marston to Stourbridge Jn etc

And again today Wednesday 28th!

 

[Leyther]

153935 worked north past burton point towards on a chester to birkenhead north this afternoon at about 1430. 20 minutes after 150250!!

 

[PHILIPE]

153935 worked north past burton point towards on a chester to birkenhead north this afternoon at about 1430. 20 minutes after 150250!!

They are used for Route Learning from Bidston in and out of Birkenhead North Depot. 150250 was on Wrexham to Bidston runs.

 

[ls2270]

230010 out on test on the 5Q23 to 5Q27 pathways from/to Long Marston again today.

230010 out on test on the 5Q23 to 5Q27 pathways from/to Long Marston again today.

And again today if anyone’s interested!

 

[Bob Price]

Just seen it go past the Kidderminster camera. Without jinxing it, this one seems to be running well.

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Just seen it go past the Kidderminster camera. Without jinxing it, this one seems to be running well.

I wonder if it sounds any different with the different genset?

 

[sw1ller]

I wonder if it sounds any different with the different genset?

Have we talked about different gensets on this thread? If not, how are they different? More power, less fuel? Is it different from 006-009?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Have we talked about different gensets on this thread? If not, how are they different? More power, less fuel? Is it different from 006-009?

I guess they mean the CAT set instead of the Ford set the Marston Vale ones have?

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Have we talked about different gensets on this thread? If not, how are they different? More power, less fuel? Is it different from 006-009?

Well, I've been told that 010 has a different more fuel efficient genset that is being tested on it.

 

[Bob Price]

If it's true that 010 has a more efficient genset then swapping them out will be easy. They are designed to be done using a forklift apparently.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Have we talked about different gensets on this thread? If not, how are they different? More power, less fuel? Is it different from 006-009?

From what I have read 230003-005 are diesel electric transmissions with gensets providing controlled power to the traction motors.

230006-010 have diesel powered alternators pumping their output into battery packs located in the centre car. The traction kit draws battery power to power the traction motors, and retardation using the traction motors puts power back into the battery packs. Theoretically, provided the batteries have a good charge then the diesel engines theoretically do not need to run all of the time, but even when they do run I guess they would run at a constant RPM, making fuel usage easier to plan for.

Have seen reports of small fuel tanks requiring frequent refuellings, and wonder whether the gensets are not yet optimised per their design for the route, or whether the designers calculators were on the blink !!! (joke).

 

[TheSel]

According to Real Time Trains (and I have heard an unattributable rumour from a generally-reliable source that backs this up), from Monday 17 May, trains 2F62 and 2J63 (the 1234 Wrexham General - Bidston and the 1334 return) are removed on Mondays to Fridays.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, their paths are taken by:

5T11
1148 Chester - Bidston (reverse at Wrexham, Croes Newydd Fork 'box) - departing Wrexham for Bidston at 1216, arriving Bidston 1314

and
5T12
1319 Bidston - Wrexham General (1415) (then reverse at Wrexham Croes Newydd Fork 'box, to stable in the bay at Wrexham General 1438)

... for crew training purposes. Although pathed as Class 15x DMUs, it is likely these will be for class 230 training purposes.

Presumably road transport will be substituted for 2F62 and 2J63?

 

[paddyb6]

Presumably road transport will be substituted for 2F62 and 2J63?

Correct.

 

[wobman]

The 230's are grounded again, no more training etc due to a major electrical problem that needs fixing.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Any news on what the "major electrical problem" is?

 

[craigybagel]

Any news on what the "major electrical problem" is?

Not publicly no.

 

[wobman]

Any news on what the "major electrical problem" is?

It's being fixed, like all faults it just takes time & as a result delays the training again.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's being fixed, like all faults it just takes time & as a result delays the training again.

What worried me was the use of the word "major".

 

[wobman]

What worried me was the use of the word "major".

Something must be major to take all the units out of service until its fixed, the definition of major being important/significant or serious.

It must be serious to ground the fleet.

 

[CapitalStar378]

So that's all the 230s out and all the Island Line 484s out with software issues. Not a good look for VivaRail is it?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am sure that Mr Shooter will have a totally plausible explanation. I would not be surprised if he mentions yet another mode of traction in its development stages as a "cunning plan" to divert minds away from this problem...