Yes they all have them. There's plans to change it to Elinor at some point when a general PIS update happens.I had my first ride on a 701 just now, which was 701037. I think it had the old Celia announcements.
Yeah it has been mentioned, most recent discussion on the last page. Although the information so far says it's not going to be all day, and instead will do 2U09, 2U16, 2U19, 2U26, 2U29, 2U36 and then return to the depot where a 450 will replace it.Don’t know if this has already been mentioned but SWR plan to run another 701 diagram all day (incl. peaks) from next Monday
Out of interest what do you mean by this? If "power" means acceleration, yes these trains have excellent accelerationDespite what must be considerable power,
Luckily this is due for an upgrade at some point. They're using announcements from older stock, which also seem to have some sort of robotic intervention as they sound different to the originals. They're quite tiring.The PA was too soft and inaudible.
Likely this will change when all the trains are in service and the timetables can be upgraded which will also allow the trains to use their full acceleration (without catching up to the slower trains ahead)There seems no improvement in the dwell time at stations or the time to release doors after stopping (which I thought was meant to be a key reason for the huge expenditure).
Really? The train this morning took 62 minutes for Waterloo to Windsor. In contrast, in 1958 the equivalent half hourly service took 50 minutes - and that was with dilapidated pre-war 2-BIL units, plus dividing at Staines for Weybridge, which portion left there first!Out of interest what do you mean by this? If "power" means acceleration, yes these trains have excellent acceleration
it's important to remember how much of an improvement these are from the older stock like the 455.
Plug sockets, usb ports, toilets, walk through carriages, 10 cars over 8, much more standing room, much larger PIS, a lot more seats, mini tables at group seats, wider doors, much quieter, etc.I'll give you the air conditioning. Otherwise I see no improvement over a 455 (which I did this trip last time on).
Dwell times are a lot longer than they used to be back then. Slam door trains allowed people to get off even before the train had stopped moving, as you can see in old film, and as such the deboarding/boarding process was a lot quicker. Not to mention the lack of safety protocols during dispatch compared to today.Really? The train this morning took 62 minutes for Waterloo to Windsor. In contrast, in 1958 the equivalent half hourly service took 50 minutes - and that was with dilapidated pre-war 2-BIL units, plus dividing at Staines for Weybridge, which portion left there first!
I still remember the changes that (we) had to make when the likes of SUB's and EPB's departed. The vast majority of station stops were timed as a 'tick' stop, shown in the working timetables eg 11.02, which equated to 20 second stops. With the arrival of newer stock and door release/control taken over by the guard, it soon became apparent that schedules, peak time in particular, as had previously existed could not be kept, and so certain busier stations (as was) were adjusted to include 'a' stops (one minute). IIRC the first such stations on the Main Sub of the SW to be so adjusted were Wimbledon, Clapham Junction and Vauxhall. Not sure if Earlsfield was included initially, may have been?Dwell times are a lot longer than they used to be back then. Slam door trains allowed people to get off even before the train had stopped moving
Until they scrapped the 456s we already had ten cars.10 cars over 8,
Dwell times are a lot longer than they used to be back then. Slam door trains allowed people to get off even before the train had stopped moving, as you can see in old film, and as such the deboarding/boarding process was a lot quicker. Not to mention the lack of safety protocols during dispatch compared to today.
The DLR certainly manages 20 second stops, with two separate cycles for closing, firstly all except the conductor's door, and then that one. London Underground can do the same at lesser stations late at night, such as the top end of the Northern Line.I still remember the changes that (we) had to make when the likes of SUB's and EPB's departed. The vast majority of station stops were timed as a 'tick' stop, shown in the working timetables eg 11.02, which equated to 20 second stops. With the arrival of newer stock and door release/control taken over by the guard, it soon became apparent that schedules, peak time in particular, as had previously existed could not be kept
Or just run with doors open. London ITV news yesterday...The DLR certainly manages 20 second stops
Toilets.I'll give you the air conditioning. Otherwise I see no improvement over a 455 (which I did this trip last time on).
They can have some clapped out Networkers out of storage instead, lol. Why should Southeastern always be the loser?They only have 2 units, the rest are with Southeastern now. How long before SWR start asking for some of them back the way things are going?
I agree.They can have some clapped out Networkers out of storage instead, lol. Why should Southeastern always be the loser?
They can also run with the PSA closing all doors simultaneously from the "cab" and using the platform mirrors to double-check the PTI.The DLR certainly manages 20 second stops, with two separate cycles for closing, firstly all except the conductor's [sic] door, and then that one. London Underground can do the same at lesser stations late at night, such as the top end of the Northern Line.
.......and so it has. RTT showimng 2U16 arriving at Waterloo as I type, operated by 701043Yeah it has been mentioned, most recent discussion on the last page. Although the information so far says it's not going to be all day, and instead will do 2U09, 2U16, 2U19, 2U26, 2U29, 2U36 and then return to the depot where a 450 will replace it.
Presumably it doesn't run all day because it has to utilise the small number of senior train crew that were trained up for the soft launch........and so it has. RTT showimng 2U16 arriving at Waterloo as I type, operated by 701043
True, but it shows that ASLEF have agreed to it working a proper diagram, so things may be finally moving in the right directionPresumably it doesn't run all day because it has to utilise the small number of senior train crew that were trained up for the soft launch.
Here's hoping!True, but it shows that ASLEF have agreed to it working a proper diagram, so things may be finally moving in the right direction
Plug sockets, usb ports, toilets, walk through carriages, 10 cars over 8, much more standing room, much larger PIS, a lot more seats, mini tables at group seats, wider doors, much quieter, etc.
2-Bils had toilets....Toilets.
So for almost 40 years the 455 has been a downgrade.2-Bils had toilets....
Clearly so !So for almost 40 years the 455 has been a downgrade.
Yes! Such were the complaints in the first few years of their introduction that BR/NSE stated that they would investigate fitting toilets. Nothing happened of course. Instead the 456s were built, with toilets, but sadly they couldn't withstand the punishment meted out by the clientele of south London.So for almost 40 years the 455 has been a downgrade.
455s were not initially used on services that had previously had toilets. They replaced 4EPBs and 4SUBs.So for almost 40 years the 455 has been a downgrade.
BEPs and CEPs as well!Reading had BILs, HALs, CORS, CIGs, VEPs and latterly 458s and 450s. Until very recently they also had 1st class.
I forgot 707 as well!BEPs and CEPs as well!
There has been more than average variety on Reading services over the years.
This is, surely, exactly the point - fitting toilets on London suburban stock in the 1980s would have resulted in nothing but endless expenditure putting right the inevitable vandalism, which would have been absolutely rife. I very much imagine that they’d have spent significant periods of time locked out of use, and they wouldn’t have been remotely pleasant to use even when they were available.Yes! Such were the complaints in the first few years of their introduction that BR/NSE stated that they would investigate fitting toilets. Nothing happened of course. Instead the 456s were built, with toilets, but sadly they couldn't withstand the punishment meted out by the clientele of south London.
I would, was it not for the fact that the pretty much contemporary 317s were fitted with toilets, be inclined to agree.This is, surely, exactly the point - fitting toilets on London suburban stock in the 1980s would have resulted in nothing but endless expenditure putting right the inevitable vandalism, which would have been absolutely rife. I very much imagine that they’d have spent significant periods of time locked out of use, and they wouldn’t have been remotely pleasant to use even when they were available.
Things are very different now with internal CCTV and a much greater focus on staffing (DOO excepted), although of course even now train toilets are still hammered by the graffiti yobs, but back then with precious few security measures it would have made sense not to fit them on suburban stock. Back in the 80s & 90s the upper decks of London buses routinely suffered enormous vandalism issues, I recall when CCTV was rolled out as a revolutionary and somewhat extreme measure to combat it!