Class 387

[jimm]

All this suggests that the 387s' use on Paddington - Hayes & Harlington services are temporary, and that they will eventually be used on electrified routes to Reading, Oxford & Newbury.

Er, yes.

The Hayes & Harlington peak shuttle service starting next month is purely a short-term measure to help out overloaded Turbo stopping services at suburban stations in West London by making use of the existing electrified section of the GWML and the train paths in and out of Paddington currently taken by Greenford branch trains that will instead turn round at West Ealing.

Once the wiring to Maidenhead is ready at some point in the first half of next year, the 387s are expected to start operating there, a process that will continue as the electrified area expands, with services to Reading and Didcot expected to start in December 2017, Newbury by December 2018 and Oxford in mid-2019.

 

[317 forever]

Er, yes.

The Hayes & Harlington peak shuttle service starting next month is purely a short-term measure to help out overloaded Turbo stopping services at suburban stations in West London by making use of the existing electrified section of the GWML and the train paths in and out of Paddington currently taken by Greenford branch trains that will instead turn round at West Ealing.

Once the wiring to Maidenhead is ready at some point in the first half of next year, the 387s are expected to start operating there, a process that will continue as the electrified area expands, with services to Reading and Didcot expected to start in December 2017, Newbury by December 2018 and Oxford in mid-2019.

I hadn't seen such clear proposals before. Thank you for filling me in. Now it will be easy to manage without a Saturday journey to Hayes for now!

 

[starlightEXPRESS]

Greenford branch trains... will instead turn round at West Ealing.

Is the new platform at West Ealing finished and ready? If so, does anyone know of any photos online?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is the new platform at West Ealing finished and ready? If so, does anyone know of any photos online?

A month ago it was useable but not finished, I think it had already been used during that disruption following the Turbo derailment at Paddington. There was still work going on to extend the existing P4, and fit the canopies.

AIUI there is also significant work on the other side of the new bay track which is the start of the new station buildings, footbridge and main entrance which is being done as Crossrail 'access for all' improvements.

 

[swt_passenger]

I hadn't seen such clear proposals before. Thank you for filling me in. Now it will be easy to manage without a Saturday journey to Hayes for now!

It was in the GW Direct award stakeholder brief. Service ceases in May 2018, in line with Crossrail staged introduction. Can't find a copy to link to online, so here's an image of the page.

(The Oxford EMU stuff can obviously be disregarded for now.)

 

[superkev]

Er, yes.

The Hayes & Harlington peak shuttle service starting next month is purely a short-term measure to help out overloaded Turbo stopping services at suburban stations in West London by making use of the existing electrified section of the GWML and the train paths in and out of Paddington currently taken by Greenford branch trains that will instead turn round at West Ealing.

Once the wiring to Maidenhead is ready at some point in the first half of next year, the 387s are expected to start operating there, a process that will continue as the electrified area expands, with services to Reading and Didcot expected to start in December 2017, Newbury by December 2018 and Oxford in mid-2019.

How many, if any, dmus will be released for move west by the Hayes and Harlington service.
K

 

[swt_passenger]

How many, if any, dmus will be released for move west by the Hayes and Harlington service.
K

None initially, because it will be a peak only service. But if it were all day, then the the West Ealing to Greenford leg would still need to be DMU operated, so only one unit would be released.

The open question is might they also change the frequency of the remaining Greenford shuttles to use the two units but at 4 tph?

 

[cjmillsnun]

a challenge for photogs: try to get a picture of (blue) HST next to a Turbo that you can later exactly replicate with a 387 and 80x.

Bonus points if you can find an old photo from before the HSTs at roughly the same angle

Weren't all HSTs in Swallow by the time Turbos were introduced? or do you mean FGW blue?

 

[D365]

The open question is might they also change the frequency of the remaining Greenford shuttles to use the two units but at 4 tph?

I thought that doubling of the service frequency has been expected as 'compensation' for cutting back the shuttles.

 

[Class377/5]

For those wishing to catch a 387 out on test on the GN, here's the testing diagrams...

HE650
3C90 07+51 Hornsey Depot to Cambridge via Kings Cross
3C91 10+18 Cambridge to Kings Cross
3C92 12+12 Kings Cross to Hornsey

HE651
3R94 10+26 Hornsey Depot to Letchworth AD Line via Kings Cross
3R95 13+16 Letchworth AD Line to Kings Cross
3V96 13+59 Kings Cross to Welwyn Garden City
3E97 14+50 Welwyn Garden City to Hornsey Depot

Usual warning apply.

 

[petersi]

Strange that they are not going to kings Lynne

 

[Class377/5]

Strange that they are not going to kings Lynne

They are training trips. Drivers already know the road, they need to learnt the traction so long runs really don't matter. In fact switching ends is important so they get used to setting up the cab.

 

[class387]

Will these enter service on peak-time Welwyns as well? Seems logical so that one can't clog up the fasts if they fail.

 

[swt_passenger]

I thought that doubling of the service frequency has been expected as 'compensation' for cutting back the shuttles.

I heard that, but I searched a few weeks ago and could find proposals, but no explicit confirmation anywhere.

 

[Clarence Yard]

There was a TfL proposal to go 15 minutes but it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. Current plans for Dec 2018 are for a half hourly service worked by one 2 car Turbo.

 

[swt_passenger]

There was a TfL proposal to go 15 minutes but it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. Current plans for Dec 2018 are for a half hourly service worked by one 2 car Turbo.

Thanks for confirming what I thought was the realistic outcome. Probably a case of "if Tfl pay for it, we'll run it"?

 

[childwallblues]

387120 was noted in Kings Cross P10 yesterday.

 

[physics34]

387120 was noted in Kings Cross P10 yesterday.

Have they still got Thameslink logos affixed?

 

[Class377/5]

Have they still got Thameslink logos affixed?

387120 did have on Monday was it was out.

Side note, 387110/119 transferred last night to Hornsey from Bedford.

 

[swt_passenger]

Derby to Bletchley path running tonight:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R01947/2016/08/17/advanced

Another 387/1 (or two) for GWR maybe?

Reported elsewhere to be 387134 only.

 

[Harbornite]

Just seen this clip from our very own Leo Martin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYHqvQEi21I


I didn't know about this particular working so I was surprised when it came up on my youtube feed!

 

[Class 170101]

That video has been doing the rounds for a while.

 

[RobShipway]

That video has been doing the rounds for a while.

As has the videos below where the class 387/1's for GWR are doing test runs from Bletchley into Brighton:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS2CJFspG8E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZZNVhHis7I

 

[philjo]

When the 387s start running on GN, will there be enough additional units initially to allow more 12 coach services on some of the Cambridge fasts? Or does that have to wait until the 700s are running on GN as well ?

Some of the 8-coach trains are getting very full - especially the the Kings Lynn ones. e.g. the 16:44 from Kings Cross - usually need to be on board at least 10 minutes before if you want a seat.
The 08:15 Cambridge to Kings Cross rarely has seats on it when boarding at Letchworth so that could do with being 12 coaches as well. The previous fasts from Cambridge (06:45 and 07:15, & i think the 07:45?) are now 12 coaches. The 08:15 is not helped by the previous service on the branch being 4 only coaches - 07:55 from Cambridge is the only 4 coach service in the morning peak - normally full and standing at Letchworth /Hitchin so hopefully a 365 released from Kings Lynn services by the 387s will help to strengthen that service in the short term?

 

[hwl]

When the 387s start running on GN, will there be enough additional units initially to allow more 12 coach services on some of the Cambridge fasts? Or does that have to wait until the 700s are running on GN as well ?

Some of the 8-coach trains are getting very full - especially the the Kings Lynn ones. e.g. the 16:44 from Kings Cross - usually need to be on board at least 10 minutes before if you want a seat.
The 08:15 Cambridge to Kings Cross rarely has seats on it when boarding at Letchworth so that could do with being 12 coaches as well. The previous fasts from Cambridge (06:45 and 07:15, & i think the 07:45?) are now 12 coaches. The 08:15 is not helped by the previous service on the branch being 4 only coaches - 07:55 from Cambridge is the only 4 coach service in the morning peak - normally full and standing at Letchworth /Hitchin so hopefully a 365 released from Kings Lynn services by the 387s will help to strengthen that service in the short term?

I suspect that they will want to start getting the 317s/321s off lease relatively quickly so they don't end up with a rolling stock zoo on GN.

 

[D365]

I suspect that they will want to start getting the 317s/321s off lease relatively quickly so they don't end up with a rolling stock zoo on GN.

The intention was always to get them off-lease by the end of this year, but there are 29 387/1s to replace 25 Class 317/321, not to mention that the reliability is supposed to be much improved.

 

[swt_passenger]

That video has been doing the rounds for a while.

LeoMartin posted it here himself the day he took it. Post #3564

 

[Skimble19]

I suspect that they will want to start getting the 317s/321s off lease relatively quickly so they don't end up with a rolling stock zoo on GN.

I believe the 321s will be going first, followed by the 317s.

 

[class387]

I believe the 321s will be going first, followed by the 317s.

Why? New homes, something to do with the condition of them or another reason?

 

[Ianno87]

When the 387s start running on GN, will there be enough additional units initially to allow more 12 coach services on some of the Cambridge fasts? Or does that have to wait until the 700s are running on GN as well ?

Some of the 8-coach trains are getting very full - especially the the Kings Lynn ones. e.g. the 16:44 from Kings Cross - usually need to be on board at least 10 minutes before if you want a seat.
The 08:15 Cambridge to Kings Cross rarely has seats on it when boarding at Letchworth so that could do with being 12 coaches as well. The previous fasts from Cambridge (06:45 and 07:15, & i think the 07:45?) are now 12 coaches. The 08:15 is not helped by the previous service on the branch being 4 only coaches - 07:55 from Cambridge is the only 4 coach service in the morning peak - normally full and standing at Letchworth /Hitchin so hopefully a 365 released from Kings Lynn services by the 387s will help to strengthen that service in the short term?

Yes, the 0645, 0715 and 0745 ex-Cambridge are all 12-car already, as is the 0920 formed off a peak bounceback (it is busy as it is the first off peak train from Cambridge)

The 0755 is restricted to 4-car as it calls at Foxton, Shepreth and Meldreth (as it does on its inward working to Cambridge as well).

The 0815 should be *relatively* easy to 12-car - you just lenghen its 'fast' portion from Lynn to 8-car. Will help in encouraging a few more people at Ely and Downham Market away from the very busy 'slow' portion that arives Cambridge first.

The 1644 off King's Cross I agree is rammed every day and would be my first candidate for 12-car-ing if a spare unit came free. Would however create some interesting jiggery pokery when it gets to Cambridge as I think the dropped portion heads back to London as a 4-car stopping at the village stations, and only 4-cars can go through to Lynn, so 4-cars would have to get lost somewhere else.