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WMT Class 730 unveiled

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Jamesrob637

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If there's a fault on a 6 car train, its out of service. If the train is formed of 2x3 car trains, you can run solo, or attatch another. There's also the potentinal for depot constraints etc etc

This plus some quieter late evening services will doubtless only justify 3-car.
 
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Inthewest

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The only reason they are 3 car is due to the depot space not being able to handle trains thats long.

Simply wasn’t possible which is why they have cab gangways.
The depots seem to cope well with the current 6-car configuration.
Or are you saying all are split before heading off?


If there's a fault on a 6 car train, its out of service. If the train is formed of 2x3 car trains, you can run solo, or attatch another. There's also the potentinal for depot constraints etc etc
And now read what I wrote :P ...from a passenger / driver perspective.
I am well aware cab ends are operationally very flexible but you also create work as some units have on-going faults so must be attached, others have other on-going faults that mean they can't be attached. Operationally great but every other aspect, not so great.
 

RealTrains07

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The depots seem to cope well with the current 6-car configuration.
Or are you saying all are split before heading off?
If depot space wasnt an issue they would have been 6 car sets but clearly their is a reason like the 323s and their predecessors that they are/were also 3 car sets
 

172007

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If depot space wasnt an issue they would have been 6 car sets but clearly their is a reason like the 323s and their predecessors that they are/were also 3 car sets
New depot being built for them at Bescot so long term depot restraints would not be an issue. That said the decision for a new depot location was taken after the franchise was started altogether you would think the bid team would have known of the potential locations.
 

DavidGrain

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Do we know if the Bescot depot will be just for WMR trains or will it be for LNR trains as well? With franchises being abolished, I am wondering if they will stick with the separation of WMR and LNR or shall we see a continuation of LNR trains displaying signs like 'I also work in the West Midlands' when operating local services.
 

A0wen

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WMT currently have a surplus of 319s as stock was transferred into them. As has been mentioned somewhere else the 319s are not passed to run beyond Northampton. I think that must be a WMT ruling as Rail Operations Group plan to use 319s on freight services from the Midlands to Glasgow.

Slightly OT but 319s used to work to Rugby on the old Connex Rugby - Gatwick service.

Freight operations *may* be different given some of the issue may be things like platform and signal sighting.

On the 730s - probably worth taking bets on how long before somebody starts complaining about the seats being too hard / too soft / too closely spaced / not aligned to the windows. Closely followed by some other spurious complaints like length of time it takes for the doors to open or the fact they "don't sound as nice as the 323s" - all things that the travelling public won't give a damn about and who will welcome new trains with open arms.
 

brick60000

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Slightly OT but 319s used to work to Rugby on the old Connex Rugby - Gatwick service.

Freight operations *may* be different given some of the issue may be things like platform and signal sighting.

On the 730s - probably worth taking bets on how long before somebody starts complaining about the seats being too hard / too soft / too closely spaced / not aligned to the windows. Closely followed by some other spurious complaints like length of time it takes for the doors to open or the fact they "don't sound as nice as the 323s" - all things that the travelling public won't give a damn about and who will welcome new trains with open arms.
Whilst I agree with your point about sound of the train, and the general public being just happy to have a new train, I completely disagree that window alignment & seat comfort is unimportant (though I'm not sure if you are saying that). In a world where, post-COVID, leisure travel is going to be particualrly important for rail, these things are very important. Comfort & pleasant environments are some of the things that will encourage leisure travellers back.
 

RealTrains07

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On the 730s - probably worth taking bets on how long before somebody starts complaining about the seats being too hard / too soft / too closely spaced / not aligned to the windows. Closely followed by some other spurious complaints like length of time it takes for the doors to open or the fact they "don't sound as nice as the 323s" - all things that the travelling public won't give a damn about and who will welcome new trains with open arms.
Despite this, people still dont have to like the 730s just because others do. Passengers and spotters alike are entitled to different opinions once the 730s are in service

1 thing the 730s seem to be missing are armrests.

Does anyone know if all the subclasses dont have armrests? Or is it just the 730/0s
 

A0wen

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Whilst I agree with your point about sound of the train, and the general public being just happy to have a new train, I completely disagree that window alignment & seat comfort is unimportant (though I'm not sure if you are saying that). In a world where, post-COVID, leisure travel is going to be particualrly important for rail, these things are very important. Comfort & pleasant environments are some of the things that will encourage leisure travellers back.

What I'm saying is for non-enthusiasts things like that are far less important. You only have to look at the reams and reams of posts decrying the window placement on Pendolino's or Voyagers or the seats on the 700s, yet the ordinary travelling public aren't that bothered by such things and are far more concerned about whether the train is clean, on time and they'll get a seat. Enthusiasts aren't representative of the ordinary travelling public nor their expectations.
 

the sniper

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What I'm saying is for non-enthusiasts things like that are far less important. You only have to look at the reams and reams of posts decrying the window placement on Pendolino's or Voyagers or the seats on the 700s, yet the ordinary travelling public aren't that bothered by such things and are far more concerned about whether the train is clean, on time and they'll get a seat. Enthusiasts aren't representative of the ordinary travelling public nor their expectations.

This message was brought to you by the Department for Transport... :lol:

Here's hoping you're right and the captive market returns. In the mean time, there'll be plenty of window seats available, even on a Pendo.
 

A0wen

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This message was brought to you by the Department for Transport... :lol:

Here's hoping you're right and the captive market returns. In the mean time, there'll be plenty of window seats available, even on a Pendo.

Well of course the captive market won't be returning - you've already got too many large companies confirming that part-time office working is the way forward and they are reducing their office space requirements accordingly.

Whether leisure travel returns and in what guise is less clear - will people want to go out and visit places ? What places will they want to visit ? Which tourist attractions have survived the pandemic ? All these are unanswered questions at present.

Whilst you may think I've just parroted the DoT line, bear in mind if most on here got their way we'd still be travelling around in either Mk1 or Mk2s with Sulzer or EE diesels on the front or in some guise of Southern EMU. Whether any of those would be considered an improvement by the ordinary travelling public is a moot point. A family with a couple of kids in tow and possibly a push chair probably wouldn't agree.
 
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