New trains for the South West - announcement.

[whole diary]

[ellendune]

How much of the track west of Newbury is cleared from more than 100 mph?

[bobm]

According to the Sectional Appendix there is some 110 mph running immediately west of Newbury, through Woodborough and on the approach to Westbury.

[JayMac]

110 mph from 53m 06ch at Newbury (through lines) to 58m 50ch just past Kintbury.

110mph from 76m 10ch to 83m 20ch and 86m 40ch to 94m 42ch between Pewsey and Westbury.

A total of just under 20^ miles of 110mph running between Newbury and Penzance.

[grahame]

110 mph from 53m 06ch at Newbury (through lines) to 58m 50ch just past Kintbury.

110mph from 76m 10ch to 83m 20ch and 86m 40ch to 94m 42ch between Pewsey and Westbury.

A total of just under 20^ miles of 110mph running between Newbury and Penzance.

So if the trains run at their full speed over those 20.75 miles ... but that's only 100 m.p.h. ...

>>> (20.75/100 - 20.75/110)*60
1.1318181818181816

They're going to take 1 minute and 7.8 seconds longer that if they were 110 m.p.h. capable and running at that speed from the very start to the very end of the section ... technically impossible because it needs acceleration and deceleration sections.  Perhaps 45 to 50 seconds, then.

[JayMac]

More than mitigated by the improved acceleration over HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

[SandTEngineer]

I think the biggest time savings will come from having power doors.  Station dwell overtime is endemic on the lines to be covered (just have a look at Realtime Time Trains for evidence of that at stations like Pewsey and Castle Cary for example).

[ChrisB]

Confusded...I thought the 800s were electric & the 801s the bi-modes. Is it the other way around?

[JayMac]

Yes.

[bobm]

I think the biggest time savings will come from having power doors.  Station dwell overtime is endemic on the lines to be covered (just have a look at Realtime Time Trains for evidence of that at stations like Pewsey and Castle Cary for example).

Finding a way to get non folding bikes on and off more efficiently might save some time too.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Having power doors will be a huge boon there. At present, on the Cotswold Line at least, standard procedure seems to be that the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) will always double-check that the Coach A bike compartment door is closed before setting off. That's a long walk from one end of the platform to another, and with it being the Cotswold Line the train's rarely on time anyway...

(I always make a point of saying "it's all closed at that end" to save them the walk.)

[alan_s]

I see it has been announced today the contract has been signed for the new Hitachi trains.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/first-great-western-and-eversholt-sign-hitachi-at300-train-contract.html

What concerns me is that they are only getting 7 nine-car units and the rest (22) are only 5 car!  No wonder they want rid of the buffets if they're trying to increase capacity with 3 fewer carriages!   It'll be just like when Virgin (as it was) got rid of HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) and replaced with Voyagers!

Alan

[ChrisB]

Errr....when necessary, 5+5=10. That's 2 longer than now

[alan_s]

But without an internal connection - therefore potentially one half rammed and one half almost empty.  And can you really see FGW^▸ (First Great Western) joining and splitting units as demand requires ?

[Rapidash]

They do it on SWT^▸ (South West Trains) services to Waterloo at Salisbury ... and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can and do reinforce Devon Metro services at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) if they become overcrowded.

[JayMac]

What is it with folks aversion to new rolling stock?

Frankly I get tired of reading all this doom and gloom about rolling stock that hasn't travelled one passenger mile yet.

It may seem unfashionable to say so, but I believe train operators are best placed to know what they require in terms of providing capacity.

But no. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) obviously don't have a clue and have ordered too few trains. 

Oh, and we already have a topic discussing the AT300 order.