Hi Doug/all
Twice in the past week I have seen the Ormskirk train arriving on platform 2 at Liverpool Central having reversed in the siding, displaying NOT IN SERVICE on the front display. Maybe just teething problems that will be sorted out in the near future.
It seems to that to get the PIS to display Ormskirk on the front when it comes from the reverse siding, the train manager/driver has to add in a new station before Liverpool Central on the system. I've seen this quite often now on the in-carriage displays, where there is a "Liverpool Central.", then "Liverpool Central", then "Moorfields" etc as normal. Note the . at the end of Central on the first station.
Pretty sure this might be head-code related. If I understand it right the shunt is a different code to the actual service so that’s why it displays that. As soon as it switches to Ormskirk code it comes on
I noticed a 777 arrive at Liverpool Central earlier on (displaying Liverpool Central on the destination displays) - due to late running the booked shunt was cancelled and the unit turned straight back in service to Ormskirk. I noticed the displays change from Liverpool Central to Ormskirk whilst the driver and guard were both chatting half way down the train on the platform before changing ends. I thought this was a bit odd as nobody was in a cab to set it up!
I feel like we have hit a crossroads with the rollout to be honest. On the Northern side they seem to be bedding in well now and becoming more reliable. Indeed as a commuter on the Southport line there have been a few more faults with the 507/508s in recent weeks as well. This in addition to 3 cars in peak becoming a more regular occurrence.I noticed a 777 arrive at Liverpool Central earlier on (displaying Liverpool Central on the destination displays) - due to late running the booked shunt was cancelled and the unit turned straight back in service to Ormskirk. I noticed the displays change from Liverpool Central to Ormskirk whilst the driver and guard were both chatting half way down the train on the platform before changing ends. I thought this was a bit odd as nobody was in a cab to set it up!
Wirral Line observations today, noted 2x777 in the bays at Rock Ferry presumably acting as spares. 777010 on Ellesmere Port, 777002 on Chesters (didn't see any others but could well have been another) plus 1 on West Kirby and 1 on New Brighton. By late afternoon they all seemed to have disappeared with the exception of the 777 on Ellesmere Ports which was still knocking around late tonight.
As I mentioned before the 777 on 2N17 New Brighton was terminated at Hamilton Square toward Liverpool before being ran empty back to Birkenhead depot as 5N17. I didnt notice if it got replaced with another 777 or not. I did notice a 5WXX headcode appear on Traksy mid afternoon around 1345 at Birkenhead depot which appeared to be the 777 off West Kirbys heading back to base but no more details on that and unable to confirm.
Had a chat with a member of platform staff earlier ( I won't mention where ) who said they are a nightmare. Unfortunatley I cannot repeat his exact words on here as I doubt the mods would be impressed! I also overheard a guard on the Wirral chatting to some travelling staff about the 777s who also didn't have a good word to say about them. I'm quite friendly with a few traincrew at various Mersey depots and the general feeling is that theyre just not very good, "dreading having to turf everybody off because you know its coming". I am personally quite surprised as I thought being Stadler they would be a hell of a lot better.
What does concern me is that the ongoing issues with them still dont appear to have been resolved yet they're rolling them out regardless. If one packs up somewhere inconvenient such as the loop or link sections, then it knackers everything else up. The PIS still has a mind of its own either displaying the wrong direction or Not in service, the doors are a constant pain in the backside (apparently the current main issue for failure), passengers are being turfed off left right and center.
As a side note 2 of my family members (non enthusiast) have now both sampled them on the Wirral Line. My mother says she really doesn't like them - style over substance, not enough seats, feel very cramped, and very uncomfortable. My uncle says he likes the general feel of them, that they "feel like a European train", however the seats are awful.
I understand the 507/8 cannot go on forever, but the people of Merseyside have been hyped up for years on these brilliant new trains, designed for them specifically, and they arn't delivering. I get new stock has teething issues - I work brand new CAFs which have been far from perfect too - but with those there was a pause before accepting more while some issues were investigated and ironed out. With the 777s it seems to be a case of we know there are problems but roll them out anyway. However don't you dare complain as its first world problems and Steve Rotherham will be very upset!!
I am just a bit concerned that we are moving away from the reliable turn up and go network to a "best check twitter (X?) and see if its gone belly up first" sort of network. I have been a regular user for my whole life, never checked before leaving the house, I just go to the station knowing I wont be waiting more than 15 mins from a train. Heading toward a thing of the past by the look of it.. fingers crossed they get their act together and sort it out.
Note - this isn't a dig at the people behind the scenes trying to sort things out, but there was so much promise and so far a fair bit of disappointment.
But that would be done on the platform. The 5Oxx moves are Central 1 > RS > Central 2, covering the whole manoeuvre. They then change to 2Oxx on the platform. But this would mean coming into the station displaying “Not in service”, so it definitely feels like they’re fudging it.
If a unit is simply changing ends in the platform then the pis will just switch automatically from Liverpool Central to Ormskirk or Kirkby.
Post my BMI?!!! Are you serious?
Well at least one passenger / customer is happy with Merseyrail then!
You do post some funny things but telling people to post their BMI has to be my favourite
I agree that larger people might be better padded and thus be fine with the seat, but I’m bony and underweight, skinny as a pole, and I find things like Fainsa Sophias perfectly comfortable.Im making a point. It bugs me when people come on here and say how they are fine with a seat. Well just because they are fine, doesn't mean everyone will be fine. By all accounts the seats in question are abysmally designed for taller or less well padded people. A short overweight person may well get on fine with the seat, but that doesn't make the seating fine.You do post some funny things but telling people to post their BMI has to be my favourite
All I can say is at least from Chester to Liverpool there is an alternative TFW service! I don't think I'd chance merseyrail now that the 50x are largely removed from the Wirral line trains.
It's more expensive and slower, so not for everyone.
Its quicker if the merseyrail train breaks down! (Thats my point - there's a fair chance by using the merseyrail ill end up stranded, at least the TFw is more likely not to break down!)
I'm guessing you are 5"8 or shorter? This to me is a massive issue, that anyone of above average height, so we are not talking giants, just anyone above the average seem to be having issues with the shape of the seat. Whilst merseyrail are bending over backwards to accommodate everyone with a disabilty (and rightly so) yet they seem to be happy to discriminate against the significant proportion of society who are taller than the average height.
Yes. I was on that service. Driver announced "Sorry. The CCTV is not working, and I am unable to open the doors". He eventually went to the back cab, presumably to reboot the computer (he apparently tried but failed to do that from the front cab), and 777010 was restored to working order, but being almost 30 minutes late, the train was terminated in a bay platform at Rock Ferry. (777011 was parked in the other bay. )
