New S7 Underground stock

[simple simon]

I was out this weekend hoping to see the District Line S7 at Fulham Broadway whilst travelling to / from Parsons Green.

Alas, it stood me up / "no show".

 

[Dstock7080]

I was out this weekend hoping to see the District Line S7 at Fulham Broadway whilst travelling to / from Parsons Green.

Alas, it stood me up / "no show".

T753 is not yet able to run at weekends, Parsons Green sidings have not yet been commissioned for S7 running, a test run was made on Thursday and another will be made this Wednesday,

 

[Domh245]

What time will it be running on Wednesday, as I might be able to hear it from my school.

 

[superdrive1]

It's taken a while but edited (roughly!) footage of S7s on the Circle/District lines on their first week of operation (all taken 6th September 2013) has now hit Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbApXuCJtOU

Plan to go out again sometime soon and hunt down some more S7s, seeing as there are more of them going around it should be a bit easier this time! Try and get some C and D Stocks in while they're still about as well.

 

[jopsuk]

It's a pity the S stock hasn't been given a coloured route indicator panel (in addtion to the text). A big glowing pink, purple, yellow or green rectangle would provide instant information to those that aren't colour blind/otherwise blind.

 

[Dstock7080]

It's taken a while but edited (roughly!) footage of S7s on the Circle/District lines on their first week of operation (all taken 6th September 2013) has now hit Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbApXuCJtOU

Plan to go out again sometime soon and hunt down some more S7s, seeing as there are more of them going around it should be a bit easier this time! Try and get some C and D Stocks in while they're still about as well.

District T753 now extended to Plaistow M-F.

 

[superdrive1]

District T753 now extended to Plaistow M-F.

Excellent shall attempt to get out soon to catch that, apologies if this is a stupid question but is T753 still working to roughly the same times that it did when it was running to/from West Ham and the siding there?

 

[jon0844]

It's a pity the S stock hasn't been given a coloured route indicator panel (in addtion to the text). A big glowing pink, purple, yellow or green rectangle would provide instant information to those that aren't colour blind/otherwise blind.

Would have been real easy to do too. Once all the stock is the same, it will take even regulars a few seconds to check trains. Of course you might just use the platform signs and listen for the announcements - but some dynamic colour coding would have been great.

One day you might even chuck some colour eInk route maps inside so you can dynamically show the right info for the operated service. But, this isn't Japan and we seem to like to keep things very simple.

 

[tranzitjim]

Would have been real easy to do too. Once all the stock is the same, it will take even regulars a few seconds to check trains. Of course you might just use the platform signs and listen for the announcements - but some dynamic colour coding would have been great.

One day you might even chuck some colour eInk route maps inside so you can dynamically show the right info for the operated service. But, this isn't Japan and we seem to like to keep things very simple.

Is Japan doing this?

I do know of eInk on eBooks, and believe we should have color by now.

I am keen to make use of them on some rail projects I am looking at here in Australia.

 

[jopsuk]

Would have been real easy to do too. Once all the stock is the same, it will take even regulars a few seconds to check trains. Of course you might just use the platform signs and listen for the announcements - but some dynamic colour coding would have been great.

Quite. The trams in Sheffield have such a thing.

 

[Uzair]

Excellent shall attempt to get out soon to catch that, apologies if this is a stupid question but is T753 still working to roughly the same times that it did when it was running to/from West Ham and the siding there?

Yes it is.

 

[superdrive1]

Yes it is.

Thanks, figured the time it was standing in the West Ham siding was probably more than enough time to go via Plaistow bay and back.

 

[jon0844]

Is Japan doing this?

I do know of eInk on eBooks, and believe we should have color by now.

I am keen to make use of them on some rail projects I am looking at here in Australia.

I didn't mean to say Japan is (or isn't) using eInk, but many countries - including Japan, Korea, Hong Kong/China etc - are using technology for better displays* on platforms, the front of trains and inside carriages. This might include lights to show the routemap inside a train, and where the train currently is.

However, TfL appears to want to keep things very simple. There's the rule about having to use blinds, not LED displays, for route numbers/destinations (but arguably, now we could easily have high-res displays that would be as good as a blind) and so on.

Of course, there are advantages with keeping things simple when a train/system is 10, 15, 20 or 30 years old and might break, LEDs fail etc.

I don't know if some of what we do is also down to tradition, and keeping alive a certain image that London Transport has around the world. Maybe the thought of having an extra bar on the front/sides of trains that could change colour to show the actual line was instantly dismissed as being a nasty looking gimmick?

* Okay, this might be subjective - but using coloured displays does allow for conveying additional information - such as different routes or delays.

 

[Dstock7080]

There's the rule about having to use blinds, not LED displays, for route numbers/destinations (but arguably, now we could easily have high-res displays that would be as good as a blind) and so on

It's a shame this 'rule' has never applied to the Underground, with its miss-mash of varying display equipment.

 

[jon0844]

The flip dot displays have to be the worst. Absolute junk.

I do think flexible eInk is perhaps the future for posters inside trains, as it would effectively allow updatable routemaps and presumably work just as well for advertisements too.

Colour eInk screens are on their way, and if the refresh rates improve enough, you can already see that the next step will be showing video or at least some rudimentary animations/updates.

LG/Samsung and others are also working on flexible OLED panels to be commercially viable, so they might also be ideal for external displays. And of course have transparent panels, so you could also have displays within train windows or in-carriage dividers.

However 'amazing' the new concept trains shown off are, none seem to be incorporating any of this technology even though by 2020, I'd expect all of these screen/display technologies to be fairly mature - and in common use on our smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, eBooks etc.

 

[WatcherZero]

Whats this about S-Stock to have their cabs refurbished? I thought they were only a couple of years old?

 

[ModernRailways]

Whats this about S-Stock to have their cabs refurbished? I thought they were only a couple of years old?

Where did you hear this?

Most drivers I've spoken too like the cabs, as they are quite roomy, plus as you say, the trains are just 4 or 5 years old, and that's the S8s on the Met line. The S7s are just about 2 years old and they haven't been fully delivered yet!

 

[Dstock7080]

First S8 in service July 2010.
There are still 'teething niggles' with some of the earlier S Stock in London; results of driver feedback; changes to software. Cab seats will be changed, cab HVAC updated, CIS improvements. Nothing that can't be done in depot.

All S Stock will have to be fitted with ATO at Ruislip starting next year.

 

[Clip]

I was on the H&C line yesterday and noticed that some carriage numbers have a blue disc next to them but others dont - what is this to signify please?

 

[jon0844]

I was on the H&C line yesterday and noticed that some carriage numbers have a blue disc next to them but others dont - what is this to signify please?

They can use disabled parking bays?

 

[Dstock7080]

I was on the H&C line yesterday and noticed that some carriage numbers have a blue disc next to them but others don't - what is this to signify please?

Signifies that car carries de-icing equipment, on S8 & S7 would be the 25xxx numbered M2 car.
The leading cab would also have a white dot beside the car number.

 

[Clip]

Signifies that car carries de-icing equipment, on S8 & S7 would be the 25xxx numbered M2 car.
The leading cab would also have a white dot beside the car number.

Smashing, cheers for that. Though I do prefer jons suggestion more

They can use disabled parking bays?

 

[joeykins82]

Had a novel trip last night, boarded an S7 at Victoria: District Line to Olympia.

 

[Dstock7080]

Had a novel trip last night, boarded an S7 at Victoria: District Line to Olympia.

If around 2250 this would be T753 making it's run from Plaistow.



Additional S7 workings from 4 Nov:
H&C: +4(13)M-F, +3(12)SAT, +3(13)SUN.
Circle: (5)M-Th+1 peak, +1(6)FO+1 peak, (4)SAT, (5)SUN

Additional S7 workings from 19 Nov:
H&C: +1peak(14)M-F, (12)SAT, (13)SUN.
Circle: (5)M-Th+1 peak, (6)FO+1 peak, +1(5)SAT, +1(6)SUN.

Additional S7 workings from 8 Dec:
H&C: +1(14+1peak)M-F, +1(13)SAT, +1(14)SUN.
Circle: +3(9+1peak)M-F, +2(7)SAT, +2(8)SUN.
District: (0) daily.

Additional S7 workings from 16 Dec:
H&C: (14+1peak)M-F, +1(14)SAT, (14)SUN.
Circle: +2(11+1peak)M-F, +3(10)SAT, +1(9)SUN.
District: (0) daily.

Additional S7 workings from 13 Jan:
H&C: (14+1peak)M-F, (14)SAT, (14)SUN.
Circle: +3(14+1peak)M-F, +3(13)SAT, +3(12)SUN.
District: (0) daily.

 

[simple simon]

T753 is not yet able to run at weekends, Parsons Green sidings have not yet been commissioned for S7 running, a test run was made on Thursday and another will be made this Wednesday,

Will it be running at the weekends by November?

I cannot go this weekend 26/27 Oct but am hoping for Sunday 3rd November as I'll be going to the Acton Depot open weekend event and would be willing to follow a deviation via Fulham Bdy whilst on my way there. I'll even buy a paper ODTC so as to avoid probs with Oyster journey time limits (a big flaw which fares capping does not help solve).

TIA

Simon

PS: as I come from the east so thats why going via Fulham will be a deviation.

 

[455driver]

They can use disabled parking bays?

You made I laugh!

 

[simple simon]

Yes, for initial testing only.
A lot of work needs to be done; signals moved for sighting, cameras aligned (S7s don't use existing equipment), stopping chevrons erected, platform end barriers moved.

If platform end barriers had always been placed at the ends of the platforms - and not vaguely near the ends - then LU would not have needed to spend money relocating them for the new trains.

The only possible exception for this being stations like Baker Street (eastbound H&C) where there are sections of very narrow platform that are accessible to C stock train passengers but will be not be used by S stock passengers.

Simon (responding to a 2012 message much earlier in this thread)

 

[Dstock7080]

Will it be running at the weekends by November?

Not available at weekends yet.

T753 occasionally now operates an earlier working M-F; 0535 Olympia-Plaistow, 0635 Plaistow-Olympia.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Is that in addition to, or in place of, the later timings it has been doing?

 

[Julian G]

Is that in addition to, or in place of, the later timings it has been doing?

In addition.