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Class 345 progress

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iphone76

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RLU and FLU refer to Siemens units (Class 700/0 and 700/1), and I don't believe they're really used outside of that context.
The class 345 driver manual I have and various company communication we receive refer to RLU and FLUs. (Although car marker boards on platforms do refer to the train length in carriage numbers).

345 029 had a door fault at Liverpool Street yesterday afternoon leading to a service to Shenfield being cancelled. Luckily just before the evening peak so didn't cause too much trouble.
 
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43096

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Probably a result of all the manufacturer's engineers, who would normally be fault-fixing and improving, instead having to actually finish writing the software...
I suspect you’ll find the software is written by a completely separate group of people from the support engineers.
 

Energy

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I suspect you’ll find the software is written by a completely separate group of people from the support engineers.
It will either be outsourced to another company or written by a separate team of programmers, software for the trains is needed so much now that Bombardier could probably justify a team in house for it, if they couldn't it would be outsourced.
 
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samuelmorris

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The Modern Railways TIN data also uses FLU and RLU to refer to the 345s, but I don't know if that's used by any relevant parties, or just a term they've chosen to use in their publication.
 

kevin_roche

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The Modern Railways TIN data also uses FLU and RLU to refer to the 345s, but I don't know if that's used by any relevant parties, or just a term they've chosen to use in their publication.

The monthly reports by Jacobs to the London Assembly Transport committee also use that terminology. The following taken from page 12 of the report for period 1 of 2020/21.

At present,no dates have been set for increasing the service to 2, then 4 TPH. We expect this to be resolved once the performance of the FLU train is assessed and the impact of Covid-19 upon Heathrow Airport flight operations has eased.

As we stated in our last report, all RfL passenger operations on the GWML are now being operated by FLUs. Train performance has been poor, with an MTIN measurement of 1,215 miles for Period 111; in comparison, RLUs achieved 6,100 miles, which itself is poor. The target MTIN for FLUs achieve at present is 20,000 miles.
 

Peter Sarf

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The class 345 driver manual I have and various company communication we receive refer to RLU and FLUs. (Although car marker boards on platforms do refer to the train length in carriage numbers).

345 029 had a door fault at Liverpool Street yesterday afternoon leading to a service to Shenfield being cancelled. Luckily just before the evening peak so didn't cause too much trouble.

Of course, unlike the 700s, there will eventually be no need for the two references as the RLUs will cease to exist - eventually (fingers crossed).
 

JonathanH

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Operation of 9-car class 345 units to Heathrow seems to be getting more reliable of late with none of the 30 minute delays on ETCS transition seen in the early days although there have been some late departures from Terminal 5. Also, for most of this week, the Hayes shuttle services have been fulfilled in full although a few trips were lost on Tuesday with a 7-car unit completing the days service. Recent reliability of the services would appear to suggest that full Class 345 operation to Heathrow could now be contemplated.

I note that the the current 'VAR' schedules for the 360s to leave Old Oak Common EMU Depot have just been renewed for the week after next. A point hasn't yet been reached where the open data feeds show the combination of 5T01 / 5T03 coming from Old Oak Depot and all TfL Rail trains running to Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 which would be the telltale sign of planned 345 operation. So for the moment, still one Heathrow and two Hayes 9-car diagrams.


Following a passenger hit by a train incident involving a GWR 802 unit at Langley this morning, perturbation in the service has seen 9-car 345068 work to Reading, the first such operation since 11 June other than overnight test trips on two nights in July. The unit was switched from Hayes services to work 9R76 1413 London Paddington to Reading with the 7-car unit intended for that service working 9T77 1418 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington switching back after three trips to Reading were completed.
 
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matt_world2004

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I've heard that the plan is to run the Hayes shuttles in passenger service to terminal 4 from the 14th of September.The station will be open for limited hours and at other times they will continue to terminate at Hayes. I believe that the current 2tph to terminal 5 will remain going to terminal 5
 

ijmad

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I've heard that the plan is to run the Hayes shuttles in passenger service to terminal 4 from the 14th of September.The station will be open for limited hours and at other times they will continue to terminate at Hayes. I believe that the current 2tph to terminal 5 will remain going to terminal 5

HAA says Terminal 4 will not be reopening this year, so are they just going to move air to bed in the trains?
 

matt_world2004

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HAA says Terminal 4 will not be reopening this year, so are they just going to move air to bed in the trains?
I think it is also so that staff that work there can get into the terminal. The estimate is that it will get between 10-15 boarders and alighters per hour with more during shift changes.
 

ijmad

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I think it is also so that staff that work there can get into the terminal. The estimate is that it will get between 10-15 boarders and alighters per hour with more during shift changes.

Fair enough. I assumed there weren't that many staff working in T4 but I guess some people have to keep the lights on. Wonder if they'll let any old passengers make the journey to T4 or if there'll be an announcement it's for (airport) staff only. And if there'll be a way out if some random member of the public ends up there or they'll just have to sit on the train.
 

swt_passenger

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Fair enough. I assumed there weren't that many staff working in T4 but I guess some people have to keep the lights on. Wonder if they'll let any old passengers make the journey to T4 or if there'll be an announcement it's for (airport) staff only. And if there'll be a way out if some random member of the public ends up there or they'll just have to sit on the train.
Isn't there a lot of air cargo staff on the T4 side as well?
 

ijmad

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Isn't there a lot of air cargo staff on the T4 side as well?

Maybe?! The cargo terminal is beside T4 but it's not walkable. The 482 and 490 busses make a stop at the Cargo terminal but it takes about the same time as to T5. I guess that's what they've been doing for the last few months.

Anyway I suppose speculating about the public transport habits of Heathrow's cargo workers is slightly OT.

Just good to see the 345 making more progress towards the eventual Elizabeth Line timetable.
 

matt_world2004

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Maybe?! The cargo terminal is beside T4 but it's not walkable. The 482 and 490 busses make a stop at the Cargo terminal but it takes about the same time as to T5. I guess that's what they've been doing for the last few months.

Anyway I suppose speculating about the public transport habits of Heathrow's cargo workers is slightly OT.

Just good to see the 345 making more progress towards the eventual Elizabeth Line timetable.
I think the process of reinstating the service to terminal 4 is not to create new links as such, but to spread the loadings between the existing links. If someone is heading to the cargo centre they are not really going to care if the train is going to terminal 4 or 5 because they can get a bus either way from that terminus.

There are still major logistical ssues though, currently you have to sign in to access terminal 4 and the station is in the terminal building. If passengers are flowing through terminal 4 there is going to need to be additional staff in the terminal building to ensure passengers don't go wandering.

I think the stop at Heathrow central also allows hanwell to be served in the westbound direction on the Hayes shuttles.
 

Trailfinder

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There are 4 hotels at T4, accessed from the walkway off the eastern end of departures.
The lift from the hex station level opens at the entrance to the walkway
 

matt_world2004

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There are 4 hotels at T4, accessed from the walkway off the eastern end of departures.
The lift from the hex station level opens at the entrance to the walkway
Are those hotels open. We had someone working outside terminal 4 the other day and they had to sign in to use the toilet.
 

Ianno87

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Are those hotels open. We had someone working outside terminal 4 the other day and they had to sign in to use the toilet.

Even if open, demand is likely to be very low.

Some hotels are only easily accessible via the terminal (e.g. the Sofitel at Terminal 5)
 

43096

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Are those hotels open. We had someone working outside terminal 4 the other day and they had to sign in to use the toilet.
I stayed at the Premier Inn at T4 three weeks ago, so it is open. Was a pig to get to without a train service to T4.
 

supervc-10

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If they've been terminating them at Hayes then it will also mean more options to T2+3. Probably easier to run them to T4 than to try and turn the train around at Central, given the rest of the operation there.
 

Ianno87

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If they've been terminating them at Hayes then it will also mean more options to T2+3. Probably easier to run them to T4 than to try and turn the train around at Central, given the rest of the operation there.

I *believe* you can terminate on the T4 branch without running all the way to T4, you just shunt onto the start of the branch and change ends there.
 

JonathanH

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It appears that 345070 operated overnight trips to Reading last night in a series of STP paths. As usual the later ones ran somewhat early.

2125 Old Oak Depot to Hayes & Harlington Loop
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02360/2020-09-02/detailed
2250 Hayes & Harlington Loop to London Paddington
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02361/2020-09-02/detailed
2321 London Paddington to Reading
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02362/2020-09-02/detailed
0031 Reading to London Paddington
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02363/2020-09-03/detailed
0123 London Paddington to Reading (29 minutes non stop)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02364/2020-09-03/detailed
0221 Reading to London Paddington (actually at 0155)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02365/2020-09-03/detailed
0313 London Paddington to Reading (actually at 0235)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02366/2020-09-03/detailed
0435 Reading to London Paddington (actually at 0309)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02367/2020-09-03/detailed
0521 London Paddington to Old Oak Depot (actually at 0352)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02368/2020-09-03/detailed
 

kevin_roche

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The latest monthly report from Mark Wild to the London Assembly Transport Committee is now available online. http://content.tfl.gov.uk/alison-moore-montly-update-01-september-2020.pdf

It does not have much new information but these quotes might interest readers of this thread.

Following completion of the blockade in September, Crossrail will commence testing of the next evolution of the signalling software, TR2, helping to further build operational reliability. Once software testing completes later this year, Crossrail will then begin an enabling phase for Trial Running, known as Systems Integration Dynamic Testing, allowing testing in the tunnels to be undertaken with an increased number of trains. This will provide an opportunity to test how well the railway systems work in operational-like situations and will be undertaken as the extensive safety case to the Office of Rail and Road to commence Trial Running is finalised.

The completion of our PD+11 testing which was planned for the start of the blockade was not possible due to a fire alarm at the Romford Control Centre impacting the running of the trains. A small number of tests remain outstanding and these have been planned into the works post-blockade. The complex routeway integration scenario testing for Trial Running has increased from 71 per cent complete, as advised in my last update, to 74 per cent complete and we have the plans from the supply chain to complete the remaining testing.

TfL Rail continues to operate to a high level of reliability, with a Public Performance Measure above 96 per cent for the most recent period. Whilst customer numbers are currently around only 40 per cent of the equivalent day last year, a full schedule has been in operation since 4 July. As highlighted in our previous update, full-length Class 345 rolling stock have been operating between Paddington and Heathrow since 30 July.

Does anyone else think that the renaming of the version numbers from the format PD+11 to the format TR2 is suspicious?
 

Horizon22

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5Z61 - 5Z68 were operating between Paddington & Reading
It appears that 345070 operated overnight trips to Reading last night in a series of STP paths. As usual the later ones ran somewhat early.

2125 Old Oak Depot to Hayes & Harlington Loop
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02360/2020-09-02/detailed
2250 Hayes & Harlington Loop to London Paddington
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02361/2020-09-02/detailed
2321 London Paddington to Reading
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02362/2020-09-02/detailed
0031 Reading to London Paddington
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02363/2020-09-03/detailed
0123 London Paddington to Reading (29 minutes non stop)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02364/2020-09-03/detailed
0221 Reading to London Paddington (actually at 0155)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02365/2020-09-03/detailed
0313 London Paddington to Reading (actually at 0235)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02366/2020-09-03/detailed
0435 Reading to London Paddington (actually at 0309)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02367/2020-09-03/detailed
0521 London Paddington to Old Oak Depot (actually at 0352)
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K02368/2020-09-03/detailed

A test service with a number of Bombardier engineers on, but who knows what was being tested.

The latest monthly report from Mark Wild to the London Assembly Transport Committee is now available online. http://content.tfl.gov.uk/alison-moore-montly-update-01-september-2020.pdf

It does not have much new information but these quotes might interest readers of this thread.







Does anyone else think that the renaming of the version numbers from the format PD+11 to the format TR2 is suspicious?

I have heard indirectly that a whole host of test trains will start running through the core in March.
 
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