Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
What will the rail replacement bus journey time, end to end be, compared to the train journey time?
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Class 230 units training/introduction on the Borderlands line: updates
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It's been going on for months, TFW are training up drivers for a September start for the 230 units. Training can't be done at night due to signalboxes being closed and planned engineering works. Also Birkenhead North depot is very busy in the evenings with the merseyrail stock. So doing this makes Sence as they are quiet services.
Zontar
Member
What's going on with the 230s?
Last I saw was one set on fire a couple of weeks ago and they haven't been seen since!!
Last I saw was one set on fire a couple of weeks ago and they haven't been seen since!!
Just been past Birkenhead North depot, there's one 230 stabled outside and another inside the shed. First time I've seen one inside before.
Zontar
Member
They aren't out running in tests and training then. I'd heard they were going to be in public use by autumn at the latest.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
But they haven't been running in recent days which is the point the OP was making
craigybagel
Established Member
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TfW were struggling for staff to cover their passenger services over the weekend, never mind releasing some for training purposes.
The plan is in service at September and full half hourly in December
Without realising it, you've answered your own question. No movements due to ongoing checks since the fire.
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
That posting may have been missed by some thread contributors.
Zontar
Member
I suppose my question was more aimed at how serious was the fire?
What was the damage and is this going to delay them coming into service?
What was the damage and is this going to delay them coming into service?
Zontar
Member
Good update, thanks for this, glad nothing too serious.
Neen Sollars
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Thanks for the report.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
There were some movements today between depots (Chester-Birkenhead North and return).
Realtime Trains - 5T01 0742 Chester to Birkenhead North E.M.U.D
Realtime Trains - 5T04 1009 Birkenhead North E.M.U.D to Chester
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These are 153 route learning at Birkenhead Depot.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
One would hope 153s were not going to figure on the route in the future.
It feels like we are going back a decade or two.
(Edit: Just realised this might be a way to continue the training programme in the absence of class 230 units).
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The
One would hope 153s were not going to figure on the route in the future.
It feels like we are going back a decade or two.
All Chester drivers need to learn Birkenhead North depot it takes usually 2 days before they start the 230 training, as the 230's are based there and the use of a single 153 whilst training is the most efficient use of resources.
The plan is 230 introduction in September if things go to plan..........
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Just as a matter of interest, were the Class 153 units intended for routes with loadings similar to those on the Borderlands Line?
153's were intended for rural line such as the borderlands line, ATW used them on the route but they lost time so much they eventually after years of unreliable services got replaced by 150's on the route.
The line has quite severe gradients that they struggled with & 153's have slow doors, there's 15 stops in each direction. The services got so unreliable the patronage dropped dramatically, most days at least 1 service would turn around at Dee marsh due to so much lost time.
This is big one concern I have with the 230's how reliable they are, the customers need a reliable service. The 150's are great on the route, since they got introduced patronage has risen.
Unsurprisingly way longer. I walked the Wirral Way from Hooton to Neston on 1 June, and checked times. The bus replacement for the missing train arrived at Wrexham after the train an hour later!
If you mean when they are originally created from 155s, then they were intended for lightly used branch lines to replace bubble cars in the West Country and other first generation DMUs elsewhere such as the Barton-upon-Humber branch.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
The Chester 153s were previously with BRNW/NWT/FNW and found themselves on all sorts of services including the Chester-Crewe shuttle.
ATW/TfW's refurbished 150s are much superior, even if the legroom is no better.
2 days is hilarious. It’s less than 90 seconds of route learning in each direction. And the depot is very simple. Complete waste of resources.
Trying to get on there is the problem the shunters won't let you on half the time. It can take 2 days to get on.....
Imagine if there was some way of communicating with them to check if they can come on before they leave chester! You don’t even need to be there for any longer than 15 minutes. I’m sure they can work something out.
A few years ago I was on a bus replacement from Bidston to Wrexham which reached Shotton at about the same time that it should have been at Wrexham- I worked out that the train an hour later would catch it up somewhere around Penyffordd.
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