Wabtec Awarded Contract For £60M Class 321 Refurbishment Project.

[F Great Eastern]

A good air-con system doesn't need hopper windows, because it rarely, if ever fails, like the 360s prove.

Sadly it seems we don't have a good air-con system on the 321s.

 

[bb21]

Saturday, 321304, out to Clacton - boiling hot day, lots of seaside visitors, excellent aircon performance.
Today, 321321, inward from Stratford - fairly chilled day, a handful of passengers onboard, warmer on the train than outside.

Was 321321 newly allowed in service recently? It was parked at Clacton on Saturday. Maybe it still has some teething issues?

 

[dp21]

Why don't they just re-install the hopper windows so that when the air con fails there is windows to open.

My understanding is that 448 is having this done due to terrible air con performance but haven't seen any formal evidence.

 

[Bletchleyite]

My understanding is that 448 is having this done due to terrible air con performance but haven't seen any formal evidence.

That, like the GWR Turbos, is effectively giving up, might as well remove the aircon and save energy.

 

[samuelmorris]

The reason you don't fit hopper windows is because even if the A/C is working, ignorant passengers get on board feeling hot and open the windows, which defeats the effect of the A/C almost entirely. You have to provide a singular 'emergency only' ventilation window for those cases really.
bb21 - interesting report, I wonder if there is simply a common defect with the system that causes it to underperform, but that the actual cooling output of the system is plenty sufficient?
I can only assume, like with the rest of the interior, it's a case of the 'lowest bidder' supplier - air conditioning systems are plenty prone to failure, so using the cheapest supplier is bound to cause all sorts of issues.
I find it interesting that despite the extent of the interior refurbishment proposed, Porterbrook's 319 Flex program does not include air conditioning.

 

[Silverlink]

the flex programme won't even refurbish their units inside I bet

 

[Alfie1014]

Travelled home on 303 on last evening's 18:48 LST - Clacton, (first day in service, I've not noted it out before?)

Air-con was working very well and quite noisy. Wi-fi was working too, is this a first for an ex-BR MkIII EMU? I quite like the seats, I think the standard ones are more comfortable than those in First! Any chance of these Quantum seats in the 720s?

Noticed that the glass draught screens in the vestibules in this unit are branded Abellio Greater Anglia, hadn't noticed this on the other refurb units but to be fair hadn't been looking. I wonder as this unit has been out of traffic since early 2016 and was the first of production units to enter works whether she had just slipped through?

 

[bb21]

303 has been out since at least last week I believe.

 

[bramling]

The reason you don't fit hopper windows is because even if the A/C is working, ignorant passengers get on board feeling hot and open the windows,

Why does that make them ignorant? A lot of people prefer opening windows, especially if the inside of the train is hot.

 

[Wivenswold]

Noticed that the glass draught screens in the vestibules in this unit are branded Abellio Greater Anglia, hadn't noticed this on the other refurb units but to be fair hadn't been looking. I wonder as this unit has been out of traffic since early 2016 and was the first of production units to enter works whether she had just slipped through?

Whoops, the DfT branding police won't be happy. Hopefully it won't have to go back up to Doncaster to get them removed.

 

[Kite159]

303 has been out since at least last week I believe.

Ah good

 

[apinnard]

The hvac in 448 can't be as god awful as the Liebherr kit that was put into 442416 last decade.

 

[43096]

Why does that make them ignorant? A lot of people prefer opening windows, especially if the inside of the train is hot.

Because if you open the window with the a/c on, the system tries to cool the outside, which a) defeats the object and b) puts greater strain on the system, increasing the chance of failures.

 

[MatthewRead]

Are there any onboard videos of these Renatus units I can't find any at the moment.

 

[CosherB]

Are there any onboard videos of these Renatus units I can't find any at the moment.

5 second search on You Tube. :roll:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hRiltDs88c

 

[MatthewRead]

5 second search on You Tube. :roll:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hRiltDs88c

I meant an onboard recording of the new traction equipment.

 

[samuelmorris]

Having been onboard one of the units I have to say it doesn't sound much different, other than being a bit quieter. Presumably it sounds quite similar to the re-tractioned 455s from the outside.

 

[palmersears]

As of today 321448 is currently scattered across the Wabtec yard, with carriages occupying three different roads. Also a couple of further 321s in the main yard behind the sheds, viewed from the shopping centre car park, but I can't make out the numbers for these.

 

[Wivenswold]

Renatus update of sorts.

321 301/303/304/321 Refurbished and back at Ilford.
321 302/305/306 Undergoing Refurb at Wabtec.
321 309/311 Refurbished at Wolverton for traction package.
321 308 Unrefurbished at Wolverton for traction package.

321 312 Not sure.

 

[dp21]

Renatus update of sorts.

321 301/303/304/321 Refurbished and back at Ilford.
321 302/305/306 Undergoing Refurb at Wabtec.
321 309/311 Refurbished at Wolverton for traction package.
321 308 Unrefurbished at Wolverton for traction package.

321 312 Not sure.

312 has had traction upgrade but not Renatus. Last I looked, it was having a few problems and was still on depot.

 

[samuelmorris]

Have these been withdrawn again? Haven't seen any of them for a few weeks now...

 

[Wivenswold]

Must admit I've not seen them for about a week.

 

[F Great Eastern]

not seen them in last fortnight

 

[dp21]

Have these been withdrawn again? Haven't seen any of them for a few weeks now...

Couple of issues with them. Two units had to be sent back to Wolverton for traction motor changes. 303 has had various problems and 304 has been stopped due to bearing issues.

 

[ginger]

Couple of issues with them. Two units had to be sent back to Wolverton for traction motor changes. 303 has had various problems and 304 has been stopped due to bearing issues.

Teething troubles 3 years down the line? Flawed from the start.....bring on the new trains!

 

[nxea321446]

Couple of issues with them. Two units had to be sent back to Wolverton for traction motor changes. 303 has had various problems and 304 has been stopped due to bearing issues.

321304 was in traffic yesterday

 

[MCR247]

I remember the posts claiming that the full fleet replacement was excesssive and that they should've kept 'renatus' 321s...

 

[F Great Eastern]

I never claimed the 321s should be kept, simply said that it's a shame that so much money is being spent on units that will probably not see any service past 2020 of any description. My issue was more with the 360s and the 379s.

Following the LM new franchise announcements, the biggest travesty will be if the 360s get parked up after their use with AGA while much poorer built units are going to still be in service with other operators.

 

[Wivenswold]

I'll be surprised if the Renatus units don't see further service. Future AC EMU needs are all really about who is in government, the current one has cut-back the electrification programme but they are the least "green" of the main parties and are clinging on to power.

The landscape may well have changed by the time these units come off-lease in 2019. The price of new units versus old may have changed significantly by then too.

 

[MCR247]

I never claimed the 321s should be kept, simply said that it's a shame that so much money is being spent on units that will probably not see any service past 2020 of any description. My issue was more with the 360s and the 379s.

Following the LM new franchise announcements, the biggest travesty will be if the 360s get parked up after their use with AGA while much poorer built units are going to still be in service with other operators.

No sorry I wasn't talking about you, as you said you were talking quite fairly about the newer 360s and 379s. But there were other posts saying it was a travesty that the 321s weren't being retainedi