Bullet trains in the Thames Valley!

[whole diary]

[woody]

Meridian exclusively can reveal the Government will announce an order for one billion pounds worth of new Japanese style bullet trains within the next week for First Great Western services in the Thames Valley.

500 new carriages will be built with the first in operation around 2016 or 2017, our Transport Correspondent Mike Pearse understands.

The new trains will not look quite like the latest Shinkansen bullet trains but they will have the same technology. The latest ones in Japan have a very long nose which helps with the aerodynamics. The ones here will be shorter but will be distinctive.

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2012-07-18/bullet-trains-in-the-thames-valley/

[adc82140]

Just another re-announcement of IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) insn't it?

[EBrown]

I'll be interested to see how similar it looks to this (with the exception of dimensions)

[Electric train]

I'll be interested to see how similar it looks to this (with the exception of dimensions)

I think the GW^▸ (Great Western) trains will be remarkably similar externally, the 395's have an accepted traction system, have ETRMS (HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) version at least) TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System) and AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System).  Some may not like the 1/3 - 2/3 door arrangement but given the passenger density at many of the GW station this door configuration will help reduce station dwell times. I personally think they are good train, the SE interiors are a little basic but comfortable and they do operate journey times of 1hr 20

[bobm]

Excuse my ignorance. What is 1/3 2/3 door?

[EBrown]

It's the position of doors on the carriage. An HST^▸ (High Speed Train) has doors at the ends of carriages only, whereas the Javelins are, 1/3 and 2/3 along the sides.

Hitachi (the producer of the Javelin [395]) did studies to see how door positioning would reduce dwell time, this was found more effective than other configurations.

I agree with you 'Electric Train', however, the 395 is designed for an annual mileage of 100,000miles. The interiors are incredibly boring although the increased legroom and wider seats is a refreshing change. Even if it is branded as "premium class". 395s do have a bit of an issue with overheating axles, so I'd hope Hitachi work on that issue in particular. The sound and vibration reduction is the train is particularly good too!

[paul7575]

Did Meridian really waste money going all the way to Japan when they could have filmed a 395 and had a more accurate report?

Isn't the technology of the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) based on the 'A-train', the Japanese express, rather than the fastest 'bullet trains'?  Mind you, half the media referred to the 395s as bullet trains when they came into service in a blaze of publicity, timed to use the same normal speeds as any other existing British mainline... 

http://www.hitachirail-eu.com/at-300-high-speed_47.html

Paul

Edited - better link found, explictly states that IEP is an AT-300...

[Electric train]

.... The interiors are incredibly boring although the increased legroom and wider seats is a refreshing change. Even if it is branded as "premium class". 395s do have a bit of an issue with overheating axles, so I'd hope Hitachi work on that issue in particular. The sound and vibration reduction is the train is particularly good too!

I agree the interiors are bland in the SE Trains 395 but the interiors is only decoration something the operating TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) could have a choice in, also the SE Trains do not have First Class or buffet again these are "optional extras" the 395 are time tabled to operate at 125 but have a top speed of 140.  (They do have a power limit of third rail of 4000 Amps)  Items like overheating axles I would hope by now a solution is known, the much vaulted Mk3's had many many problems when they were introduced, wheel slip (anti lock brakes) failing, vent fans failing, batteries over charging, brake disks cracking .....

[EBrown]

Items like overheating axles I would hope by now a solution is known.

It appears not, however, Hitachi were expected to produce a train capable of 30000 MPC^▸ (Miles Per Casualty), but it is achieving 50000 MPC, which is good!

Edit: Which makes the trains more reliable than 444s.

[BerkshireBugsy]

.... The interiors are incredibly boring although the increased legroom and wider seats is a refreshing change. Even if it is branded as "premium class". 395s do have a bit of an issue with overheating axles, so I'd hope Hitachi work on that issue in particular. The sound and vibration reduction is the train is particularly good too!

[/quote]

For a while I commuted daily from Thatcham to Sittingbourne using the SE High Speed service and in terms of comfort it was spot on although I agree the inside was bland. Somehow I expected more. I did this for about 3 months and rated the service - and the trains themselves - very highly. I had no problem with the reliability but wish the HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) route extended a bif further east -  To Sittingbourne for example

[Electric train]

.... The interiors are incredibly boring although the increased legroom and wider seats is a refreshing change. Even if it is branded as "premium class". 395s do have a bit of an issue with overheating axles, so I'd hope Hitachi work on that issue in particular. The sound and vibration reduction is the train is particularly good too!

For a while I commuted daily from Thatcham to Sittingbourne using the SE High Speed service and in terms of comfort it was spot on although I agree the inside was bland. Somehow I expected more. I did this for about 3 months and rated the service - and the trains themselves - very highly. I had no problem with the reliability but wish the HS^▸ (High Speed (short for HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) High Speed Services)) route extended a bif further east -  To Sittingbourne for example
[/quote]

I agree the section from Ebbs Fleet to Faversham is a bit tedious, if I am in that area I'm not fussed if I use the normal service of HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) there is not much in the overall time to Padd.

The trains are limited to max power they can draw on the third rail (4000 Amps) they are designed for 4600 Amps this restricts their acceleration

[Chafford1]

My wife commutes from Ebbsfleet near the Dartford Tunnel to Folkestone. She reckons its an excellent service; the journey takes only 35 minutes.