Could further uses have been found for the 365s?

[A0wen]

Pie in the sky, now that they're as good as all scrapped.

Absolutely - I was just trying to clarify the point which had been made originally that implied the 365s had just had their 3rd rail equipment removed randomly - that wasn't the case as it wasn't needed for GN services and when it became clear the fleet was unlikely to be going anywhere else a decision would have been taken to dispose of the equipment as (correctly) the assumption was they would see out their days on the GN and not need 3rd rail equipment.

 

[Southern Dvr]

That’s not quite how I interpreted the situation with the 365s. I believe a few years ago they had some modifications done and it was during that time that their DC equipment was removed and then was disposed of. Some years later when the axe was hanging over them it was realised that they could only work on A.C electrified lines. I think the equipment was disposed of because it could no longer work with whatever the modifications were that were carried out some years ago. The fact they could no longer work on the DC Lines simply sealed their fate, but they were stored for some time in the hope that A.C work may become available for them and had Covid not come along who knows if there would have been or not?

 

[ashkeba]

365s. ... I think the equipment was disposed of because it could no longer work with whatever the modifications were that were carried out some years ago.

Past posts ob this site suggested most of the DC wiring kit was disposed of to save space in some move or work, but an example was kept along with the wiring diagrams in case 365s ever needed to work DC again, even only one as a test for developments. Then that example and diagrams was lost and recreating them would be uneconomic.

I hope the 379s owner takes bette care of them. Scraping two Cambridge fleets early would be tragic.

 

[Energy]

That’s not quite how I interpreted the situation with the 365s. I believe a few years ago they had some modifications done and it was during that time that their DC equipment was removed and then was disposed of. Some years later when the axe was hanging over them it was realised that they could only work on A.C electrified lines. I think the equipment was disposed of because it could no longer work with whatever the modifications were that were carried out some years ago. The fact they could no longer work on the DC Lines simply sealed their fate, but they were stored for some time in the hope that A.C work may become available for them and had Covid not come along who knows if there would have been or not?

Here are some posts which might clarify the 365s

Government takes ownership of Class 365 fleet

No this was a fairly unique contract just pre-privatisation with terms that doesn't apply to most other stock contracts (i.e. that purchased by ROSCOs for TOCs). The only other contracts with similar porvisions are IET 800/801, Thameslink 700, all new build London Overground EMUs (378s/710s) and...

www.railforums.co.uk

Class 365s: Debranding and withdrawal has started

This is why Great Western Railway should never have gone back on plans to use them because now there is going to be a lot of perfectly good EMU's in storage!

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Southern Dvr]

I gather the Class 379s will not be moving too far away their current patch. Just a little further west.

 

[A0wen]

I hope the 379s owner takes bette care of them. Scraping two Cambridge fleets early would be tragic.

The 379s are far more standard - the 365s weren't, so it's far less likely. And other GN stock which was more standard did last a much more "normal" length of time - 313s did over 40 years, the 312s did about 30 but were withdrawn due to slam door withdrawl, the 317s are now 30-40 years so nearing end of life.

I'd expect the Electrostars and the Desiros for that matter to have a life more in line with "normal" EMUs so 30-40 years.

 

[whoosh]

Some years ago, around Hitchin I think, engineering works took place and it was decided that rather than have rail replacement buses, trains would run instead but coast with pantographs lowered for the short section required, and it would all be a lot less hassle for the passengers.
An excellent idea.

Until a 365 came along. On a 365, when you dropped the pantograph the unit went into DC mode, and they happened to have an AWS receiver for DC mode as well as a seperate one for AC mode. The unit went into DC mode and did the self-test for the DC AWS receiver, but because it hadn't been maintained (why would it need to be on the AC Great Northern line?) the Driver was unable to cancel it despite jabbing the button increasingly frantically as the seconds ticked by, and the train came to a juddering halt right in the dead section.
It took an age to get everyone evacuated off - the unit couldn't be rescued unless the wires were switched back on, and it ruined the service for the day.

365s were never allowed to Coast with pantographs lowered ever again.

Anyway, (lack of) maintenance or removal of, DC equipment was a bigger problem for them being sent back to 3rd rail land than you might think. The shoes were the least of the problems.