Class 373 Eurostar withdrawals

[TimboM]

Out of interest, could you tell if the interior fixtures and fittings (seats etc.) were still in place?

My son said that it looked as like the tables and seats were missing. I took a video from the overgrown trackside but the low light levels, combined with tinted windows, makes it difficult to say. My son took some photos so I will have a look at those. Edit: I have looked at a short video he took and it appears to still have the seats in place. Apparently he was looking at a buffet car and saw the chrome poles and little else!

I saw it reported elsewhere that the latest doomed set was taken straight from (passenger) service at St Pancras - so backs up what you saw on close inspection of the photos that all interior fixtures and fittings were in place.

Brings a whole new meaning to the announcement: "we've arrived at St Pancras where this train terminates..."

 

[MCR247]

I saw it reported elsewhere that the latest doomed set was taken straight from (passenger) service at St Pancras - so backs up what you saw on close inspection of the photos that all interior fixtures and fittings were in place.

Brings a whole new meaning to the announcement: "we've arrived at St Pancras where this train terminates..."

Really, I thought it came from Temple Mills although I've seen nothing to confirm it either way

 

[TimboM]

Really, I thought it came from Temple Mills although I've seen nothing to confirm it either way

It was a passing comment I saw somewhere, so not 100% verified, however the drag on Friday night was from St Pancras International to Kingsbury... 6X73

 

[ChilternTurbo]

Really, I thought it came from Temple Mills although I've seen nothing to confirm it either way

Yes, it definitely travelled into St. Pancras from Temple Mills (looking at Real Time Trains) before it's final journey to the Midlands. Presumably taking a train straight from revenue earning service, straight to the scrapyard without any sort of decommissioning would be unlikely? I'm thinking that the toilet retention tanks would need emptying, catering supplies offloading and any salvageable equipment would be removed. I could be wrong though...

 

[TimboM]

Yes, it definitely travelled into St. Pancras from Temple Mills (looking at Real Time Trains) before it's final journey to the Midlands. Presumably taking a train straight from revenue earning service, straight to the scrapyard without any sort of decommissioning would be unlikely? I'm thinking that the toilet retention tanks would need emptying, catering supplies offloading and any salvageable equipment would be removed. I could be wrong though...

I suspect you're correct for the reasons stated. Would be interesting to know how "warm" the seats were, though - i.e. when it last worked a passenger service.

 

[najaB]

Yes, it definitely travelled into St. Pancras from Temple Mills (looking at Real Time Trains) before it's final journey to the Midlands.

I can't see that movement on RTT - I see an unactivated Q path into platform 5 but can't see the actual movement. Which one is it if you don't mind?

 

[ChilternTurbo]

My son said that it looked as like the tables and seats were missing. I took a video from the overgrown trackside but the low light levels, combined with tinted windows, makes it difficult to say. My son took some photos so I will have a look at those. Edit: I have looked at a short video he took and it appears to still have the seats in place. Apparently he was looking at a buffet car and saw the chrome poles and little else!

Thanks for that. The buffet cars with the high level windows look rather empty, at least from the outside... I was annoyed not to make it to either St. Pancras or Kingsbury due to work. Hopefully next time!

 

[ChilternTurbo]

I can't see that movement on RTT - I see an unactivated Q path into platform 5 but can't see the actual movement. Which one is it if you don't mind?

I was going by this which movement which another poster pointed out: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J14457/2017/09/22/advanced

 

[TimboM]

I was going by this which movement which another poster pointed out: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J14457/2017/09/22/advanced

That path wasn't Activated on Fri (22nd) pm though... nor can I see any other (Activated/run) paths heading into P5 at St Pancras on Friday. That's not to say it didn't run, though - things don't always show up on the systems of course.

The plot thickens... (maybe!)

 

[ChilternTurbo]

That path wasn't Activated on Fri (22nd) pm though... nor can I see any other (Activated/run) paths heading into P5 at St Pancras on Friday. That's not to say it didn't run, though - things don't always show up on the systems of course.

The plot thickens... (maybe!)

Interesting… Well, the set looked pretty clean in comparison to some of the sets that have made the journey to Kingsbury. Certainly more so compared to one which was stored on the Fawkham Junction link for a few months which picked up some graffiti damage.

 

[Crossover]

I was going by this which movement which another poster pointed out: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J14457/2017/09/22/advanced

That would be me - when I posted it, it was the day before so it wouldn't have been activated then

However, the prior working using platform 5 was the 1934 to Brussels
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/L12267/2017/09/22/advanced

 

[capital12]

A list from the beginning of August shows 3231/3232 withdrawn and stored at Temple Mills awaiting disposal - if that's any help?!

 

[59CosG95]

A list from the beginning of August shows 3231/3232 withdrawn and stored at Temple Mills awaiting disposal - if that's any help?!

That gives an indication as to why it was gutted prior to scrap... did you get the list from Today's Railways Issue 190? They also stated in there that each train is stood down at Temple Mills at least two weeks before scrap, in order to take out any equipment on the inside that might be of use/removable there on site. Further component recovery's obviously done by Eurostar staff at Kingsbury.

 

[capital12]

Was an email from ModernEMU Yahoo group detailing the status of units, which said data had come from WNXX!

 

[davewolves]

Just popped in to read there are many people asking why the Eurostars are not getting a life-extending rebuild.

Yes, parts could have been upgraded or rebuilt, but the problem is they have not been cared for and there are massive issues with corrosion.

The problems are due to those lovely british summers (i.e Biblical rainstorms) into a tunnel then out through Calais and towards Paris and probable hot sunshine all while being driven hard.

I guess it's like a car crash: keep what is repairable in service and given upgrades but those beyond economic repair are heading to Kingsbury.

 

[Mordac]

Get your cameras ready: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R03284/2017/11/24/advanced

 

[BestWestern]

Sorry if this has (almost certainly!) been covered, but are the eight(?) retained 373s receiving any sort of electrical or traction kit upgrade, or merely an overhaul?

 

[DanNCL]

Is there any way of finding out which set will be next to go for scrap, or is it just a matter of waiting to see what set is at St Pancras tomorrow night?

 

[Class319&373]

Its 3103 & 3104

 

[Mag_seven]

Its 3103 & 3104

I'm looking at it right now! 3104 is at the buffer stop end of platform 5 at St Pancras!

 

[ChilternTurbo]

Looks like a slightly early arrival of 09.05 at Kingsbury - was anybody there?

Incidentally, I had 3103 and 3104 pull in next to me when I was at the Searcy Bar earlier this year. I have to say that this unit was sporting pretty tired bodywork and I thought a one way trip to EMR wouldn't be far off...

 

[Kite159]

When I went past earlier this afternoon, looked like half had already disappared into the depths of Kingsbury with the other half outside with the 66. Poor 373

 

[urpert]

Looks like a slightly early arrival of 09.05 at Kingsbury - was anybody there?

Incidentally, I had 3103 and 3104 pull in next to me when I was at the Searcy Bar earlier this year. I have to say that this unit was sporting pretty tired bodywork and I thought a one way trip to EMR wouldn't be far off...

Most of the unrefurbished ones are in a pretty shocking state. You can see daylight through the holes in some of the power cars.

I spotted a few of the remaining PSE TGVs at Le Landy on Friday and they definitely seem in better shape despite being 10-15 years older. I suppose their first years were spent in a less rust-inducing environment...

 

[ChilternTurbo]

Good video (not mine) of 3103/04 arriving at St. Pancras under their own power for the last time before heading for scrap…

My earlier question about whether any stripping of interior fixtures and fittings are removed at Temple Mills seems to be answered in the video.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Are there more 374s working to Paris and Brussels than 373s now then?

 

[DanNCL]

Are there more 374s working to Paris and Brussels than 373s now then?

There's definitely more 374s working to Paris than 373s (iirc the only 373 operated services to Paris are the ones that call at Ashford), though I'm not sure about Brussels services

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

There's definitely more 374s working to Paris than 373s (iirc the only 373 operated services to Paris are the ones that call at Ashford), though I'm not sure about Brussels services

Cool thanks but when is this Ashford thing going to be fixed? We’re discussing here how the 373s are being withdrawn - yet the replacements can’t stop there!

Does anyone know what route the remaining 8 will work?

Oh, and when are 373s going to be replaced from Marseille/Disney/B.S.M. duties by 374s? Not seen a 374 on any other duty other than Nord, Brussels and Amsterdam tests.

 

[AlexNL]

The Ashford issue will be resolved once the KVB signalling system is installed in Ashford International station and on the HS1 spurs. I've read something about that being planned for the first half year of 2018 but I am not sure how concrete that is.

 

[DanNCL]

Cool thanks but when is this Ashford thing going to be fixed? We’re discussing here how the 373s are being withdrawn - yet the replacements can’t stop there!

Does anyone know what route the remaining 8 will work?

Oh, and when are 373s going to be replaced from Marseille/Disney/B.S.M. duties by 374s? Not seen a 374 on any other duty other than Nord, Brussels and Amsterdam tests.

I don't think there are any plans to replace the 373s on Disney/South of France routes, so I'd imagine that they are the routes that 373s will be primarily used on.

The reason that 374s don't currently stop at Ashford is because they aren't fitted with AWS/TPWS. This issue will be resolved when a different signalling system is installed.

The Ashford issue will be resolved once the KVB signalling system is installed in Ashford International station and on the HS1 spurs. I've read something about that being planned for the first half year of 2018 but I am not sure how concrete that is.

Isn't the plan to install ERTMS at Ashford, not KVB?

 

[AlexNL]

Isn't the plan to install ERTMS at Ashford, not KVB?

The original plan was to install ERTMS, but this has been shot down on complexity grounds.